Editor's Notes: 

The confinement period after the birth of my first child seemed somewhat fraught with difficulties. I did not employ a 'confinement lady' but instead relied on assistance given by my mother and mother-in-law. Through this way, I learnt much about cultural dos and dont's, particularly in the field of food and bathing! Of course, it was sometimes hard to reconcile certain of these restrictions to hygiene standards suggested by modern medicine. And so compromises were reached.... Learning from this experience, and doing much research into Chinese traditional practices, I managed to source for products that would enable a new mother to follow prescribed practices, while maintaining a fairly fuss free and healthy lifestyle. You can read on about our three products, Warming Body Wash for Confinement, Warming Shampoo and Dry Confinement Powder in the section below. Do rest and enjoy yourself during this confinement time!

Information on Confinement Practices

             Many women throughout Asia believe strongly and adhere to cultural postpartum practices. This is apparent in some degree in Singapore.  The Singaporean new mother may be modern, but traditional customs and beliefs still hold sway in the postpartum period.  The information given here below pertains to local Chinese practices that dominate during this period.

             In general, the postpartum period coincides with the duration of confinement. Here, women are expected to follow a set of prohibitions and restrictions concerning diet and lifestyle.  It is believed that women reach an imbalanced state of being after childbirth. Yin and Yang are not in harmony and cultural taboos and practices are set in place to restore their balance.

              The theory of Yin and Yang is briefly mentioned here. Traditional Chinese beliefs hold the theory of Yin and Yang to be basic and fundamental. The Yin-Yang theory holds that all phenomena consist of two opposite aspects that are in continual mutual interaction, Yin and Yang. Yin and Yang are opposing forces, yet remaining in interdependence.  Yin is seen as passive, dark, descending, feminine, cold and negative whilst yang is light, active, ascending, masculine, warm and positive. Each organ in the body has Yin and Yang within it and the balance of Yin and Yang is maintained throughout the body.

               After giving birth, women are considered to be extremely imbalanced towards Yin. This is considered a 'cold' stage and comes about due to the loss of blood and energy. In order to re-establish balance between yin and yang, there is therefore a strong emphasis on keeping and building warmth in the body and avoiding exposure to cold elements.  The new mothers should not expose themselves to cold water and low temperatures, avoid the wind and air conditioning, abstain from drinking ice water and eating 'cold' food. Strict followers would avoid washing hair totally, take occasional baths and eat 'warming' food.  Generally, the wisdom passed down is this, "If you don't listen and follow, then you will have backache, arthritis, rheumatism and incontinence when you are old."

  At Little Dreamers, we bring you a range of products to help you during your confinement month. Some of them are described in greater detail below. Use them to help you ease into your postpartum period with minimal fuss!

WARMING BODYWASH FOR CONFINEMENT (CODE M20)

          Use this product to provide warmth, restore energy and improve blood circulation during your washing-up time. This Warming Body Wash is specially formulated with the essential oils of Lemongrass, Ginger and White Camphor. Lemongrass is considered a stimulating tonic. Ginger is viewed as penetrating and 'hot' and used in remedies to treat conditions caused by an influx of 'cold' such as arthritis. Camphor is highly valued by the Chinese for its medicinal value. It has been frequently employed in treatments of colds and chills. These herbal oils will help warm the body and minimize contact with the 'cold'. They also work at the same time to drive out 'wind' in the body. 

    There are two ways of washing up with this product. 

a) Mothers wishing to restrict their contact with water.

Fill a small basin with hot water. Soak a wash towel in the water and add a coin-sized portion of the Warming  Body Wash gel to the warm towel. Proceed to wipe your body. Repeat if necessary. After this is done, rinse the wash towel in hot water and wipe off the traces of the Body Wash.  Do this in a room that is free from wind and draughts.

b) Mothers who wish to wash with minimal fuss.

Use the Warming Body Wash as you would a normal bath gel. Rub the gel thoroughly into skin and rinse off with  hot water. Again, ensure that the bathroom is enclosed and free from draughts. 

           Do note that this product should only be used after childbirth and not during pregnancy due to its 'warming' effects. Breastfeeding mothers can also use this product safely, but do ensure that the breasts are thoroughly wiped clean of the body wash gel. 

       WARMING SHAMPOO FOR CONFINEMENT (CODE M21)

           The herbs used in this shampoo are fairly similar to those employed in the Warming Body Wash. This product is made with pure essential oils of Lemongrass, Ginger and White Camphor, well known in traditional Chinese medicine for their warming properties. This warming shampoo was created for mothers who wished to wash their hair during the confinement month. For conditioning and  moisturizing purposes, this shampoo contains pure Canadian Honey, Calendula Flowers and Shea Butter to enrich and balance your hair.  

         Use this product as you would a regular shampoo. Massage this product well into scalp during your shampoo time. Again, do note that this product should only be used after childbirth and not during pregnancy due to its 'warming' effects. 

DRY CONFINEMENT POWDER (CODE M22)

           Use this product in conjunction with the Warming Shampoo for Confinement if you wish to restrict the number of times you wash your hair. Traditionally, all hair washing during the confinement month is forbidden. However, in the context of Singapore's hot and humid weather and the oil and grease accumulated in the hair after a period of washing, most mothers in Singapore are unable to practice this. Our team at Little Dreamers suggest alternating use of the Warming Shampoo with this Dry Confinement Powder, to lessen the impact of the 'cold' elements on the head. 

           This powder is a good choice for those wishing to prolong the duration whereby hair is not washed. This contains pure natural powder, and unlike other non-rinse shampoos, does not require contact with water. The dry powder gently cleanses hair and absorbs dirt, oil and other impurities. Enriched with ginger and lavender, this powder presents a good refresher for lank hair while providing a 'warming' effect at the same time. Ginger strengthens, stimulates and warms. Lavender soothes and nourishes. Simply sprinkle a small amount of powder onto your hair and scalp and comb it out. For greater cleansing effect, massage a small amount of powder onto hair and scalp and leave for 5 minutes.  

          Traditional Malay/ Indonesian massages are frequently recommended after childbirth.  These sessions typically involved a period of massage, after which the new mother's tummy would be 'squeezed' into a  tight body-wrap by folds of cloth. These massages would have the purpose of firming the mother's belly, helping the uterus return to its pre-pregnancy size,  increasing blood circulation, alleviating muscle strain and eliminating toxins through the lymphatic system.

          Little Dreamers carries a Confinement Massage Oil that can be used during these postnatal massages. This oil blend is specially formulated for this purpose and is safe for breastfeeding mothers. Once again, ginger and lemongrass are used to warm the body. Grapefruit and geranium aid in increasing circulation and easing bloatedness, whilst riding the body of 'wind'.  Use this oil in your massages to help speed up the recovery process!