Snakehead fish, sesame oil chicken, turmeric milk: What new mums need to know about confinement food

For many, pregnancy can feel like a marathon that ends only with childbirth. But giving birth doesn’t mark the end of the marathon. It marks the beginning of a much longer chapter – motherhood.

When you see it in this light, postpartum confinement is that brief and much needed window of rest between two intense journeys to restore the mother’s health and energy.

Across generations, communities in Singapore have put together the most nourishing ingredients and recipes in their culture for this critical healing period.

WHY DO NEW MUMS NEED CONFINEMENT FOOD?

“Childbirth is one of the most powerful experiences a woman’s body will go through,” said traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) physician Judy Chen from Chien Chi Tow, a TCM healthcare chain.

In a vaginal birth, a woman goes through contractions and cervical dilation. Delivery stretches the skin and muscle between the vagina and anus, sometimes causing tearing, and mothers typically lose from 200ml to 500ml of blood, she added.

In a Caesarean section, surgeons cut through skin, fat, connective tissue, muscles and the uterus – major abdominal surgery that requires time to heal.

“Malays believe that the trauma of childbirth disrupts the body’s balance, leading to issues such as ‘wind’ (angin) in the body and significant blood loss,” said Aszafirah Abu, co-founder of Ukashah Confinement Meals, a Muslim-owned company providing halal confinement meals. “This belief underscores the importance of nourishing the body, and replenishing blood and energy through proper food and rest.”

In Ayurveda, childbirth is seen as a “state of tissue depletion”, said Dharna Tiku, Ayurvedic physician, nutritionist and founder of ArujAyur Health and Wellness. “The body undergoes massive energy expenditure, depletion of vitality, as well as plasma and blood loss.”

She added that childbirth also throws the mother’s body off-balance: Giving birth loosens her pelvis, joints and ligaments, weakens her digestion and immunity, and leaves her feeling tired and more prone to mood swings.

Across all three cultures, the philosophy is that food is medicine, helping the mother heal.

“How well a mother recovers in the first month after birth can influence her health for decades,” said Chen. “It can reduce the risk of future issues like body aches, fatigue, or lowered immunity, and support a woman’s long-term vitality and well-being.”

In TCM, the recommended confinement period is 28 days, said Chen. For Malay mums, confinement food is eaten for 44 days, said Aszafirah. Ayurveda texts recommend a minimum of 42 days, said Tiku. In all cases, women can also continue beyond that.

CHINESE CONFINEMENT: ROOTED IN TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE

“From a TCM perspective, postpartum women are considered to be in a state of ‘cold and deficient’ body constitution,” said Chen. “That’s why confinement meals emphasise warmth, nourishment, and balance, gently guiding the body back to harmony.”

Recipes are tailored to support the recovery of the uterus, replenish qi (vital energy), strength and blood lost during childbirth, and establish regular milk supply for the baby, she added.

“Warm, cooked meals, protein-rich soups, and iron-rich food such as chicken and fish soup and red dates, are known to help with wound healing, replenish blood, restore energy and support milk production,” said Yen Lim, managing director of Chien Chi Tow and founder of perinatal specialist brand Madam Partum.

TCM herbal soups are a big part of confinement meals, with Chinese angelica root (dang gui) being an important herb. Chen said it helps to replenish and circulate blood, eases post-birth discomfort, helps uterine recovery, and supports the immune system.

A popular confinement dish is sesame oil chicken, which is warming and “dispels wind-cold”, replenishes qi and blood, and aids uterus recovery, said Lim, who is also a TCM dietitian.

Pork knuckles with vinegar and ginger are also consumed to strengthen the bones, nourish the blood, and help ‘expel’ cold; while fish and green papaya soup is believed to promote lactation and support tissue repair, Lim added.

In place of water, new mothers are encouraged to drink a tea brewed from red dates and dried longans daily to replenish qi and blood, warm the body, calm the spirit and improve sleep, said Lim.

INDIAN CONFINEMENT: GROUNDED IN AYURVEDIC WISDOM

Indian confinement dishes also feature ‘warm’ food. But for a different reason.

From an Ayurvedic perspective, it is believed that childbirth temporarily aggravates apana vata, the body’s downward-moving vital energy responsible for facilitating labour and delivery, as well as the elimination of metabolic wastes.

Warm, oily and spiced food eaten in the first six weeks after childbirth helps to restore balance and prevent long-term issues like joint pain, backache or anxiety, said Tiku.

Spices, herbs, tonics and ghee feature heavily in Indian postpartum cuisine. Some of the most common spices include ajwain (carom seeds), cumin, fenugreek, ginger and turmeric.

In Ayurveda, they work together to reduce pain, anxiety, bloating, replenish vital energy and blood loss, support lactation and uterine healing, balance postpartum hormones, and are believed to prevent future health problems like arthritis and chronic back pain, said Tiku.

New mums eat methi laddoos, a medicinal sweet containing fenugreek and used to boost breast milk supply, as well as kheer, a rice pudding enriched with ginger and nuts for energy.

They also drink a warm, calming herbal milk containing turmeric, cardamom, nutmeg and ghee to aid sleep, as well as ajwain tea to prevent bloating, Tiku added. 

In Ayurveda, new mothers are believed to have weaker digestive systems, so they’re typically offered gruel (a thin, drinkable porridge), porridge, and herbal water for the first 10 to 14 days, said Tiku, moving on to heavier and more protein-dense foods as digestion improves.

Tiku told CNA Women that some Western scientific studies suggest that fenugreek may boost breast milk supply in some women, while spices like turmeric and ginger have been studied for their anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and digestion-supporting properties.

MALAY CONFINEMENT: GUIDED BY JAMU AND TRADITION

Malay confinement food emphasises warming the body and expelling ‘wind’ (angin).

Said Amirudin Zain, a co-founder of Ukashah Confinement Meals: “Dishes incorporate ingredients that are generally considered ‘hot’ in nature, such as ginger, turmeric, cinnamon and black pepper. Beef and chicken innards are highly recommended to restore blood lost during childbirth.”

Malay mothers also drink freshly brewed jamu, a herbal concoction made with ginger, turmeric and other spices, said Aszafirah. It is believed to warm the body, help the body clear lochia (the normal vaginal discharge of blood, mucus and uterine tissue after childbirth), support milk flow for breastfeeding and boost energy during recovery.

For mothers who have stitches, ikan haruan (snakehead) is also prepared to help speed up wound recovery, especially after a Caesarean section, Aszafirah said.

DOS AND DON’TS OF CONFINEMENT

Across Malay, Indian and Chinese cultures, ‘cold’ food and iced drinks are generally frowned upon after childbirth.

Aszafirah suggested avoiding “cooling vegetables” such as cabbage, beansprouts and kangkong. Ayurvedic physician Tiku recommended avoiding raw and refrigerated food, and TCM physician Chen suggested avoiding watermelon, pear, persimmon, banana, cucumber, lettuce and sashimi.

Spicy food is not recommended across the board as well. “Excessively spicy food disturbs digestion and may affect [breast] milk taste,” said Tiku.

Malay mothers also traditionally avoid “sharp” fish – those with fine and sharp bones such as ikan parang (wolf herring) and kembong (Indian mackerel) – as well as seafood like prawns and shellfish, said Aszafirah. These are believed to interfere with wound healing.

TCM physicians advise new mums to steer clear of “cold-natured seafood” such as crabs, clams, oysters and snails like gong gong or escargot – these are believed to obstruct uterus contraction, aggravate weakness and in some cases, may lead to abdominal pain, said Chen.

In Ayurveda, fermented food like pickles and excess curd (yogurt) are believed to increase acidity and gas in the digestive system and should be avoided postpartum.

Other general confinement food restrictions across Chinese, Malay and Indian traditions include excessively oily food.

Beyond physical recovery, confinement meals support a new mother’s mental and emotional well-being, Aszafirah pointed out. Having appetising, delicious and healthy meals makes mothers feel cared for, she said.

“More than just meals, they are symbols of love, respect and family care that strengthen the mother’s spirit,” said TCM physician Chen.