Yeah! Confinement is almost over! By right it should be 1 month, or even 40 days. But today since we celebrated the full month of the baby, so I ceremoniously also took my 1st shower and washed my hair with herbal water…
Yes! I really DID NOT shower for the entire month and DID NOT wash my hair at all for 1 whole month!
Stink? Nope. I asked Daddy, Donald and Toria to smell my hair today, before I took my shower, and they all said there is no smell. So how did I actually do it? Well, got secret one ok!?! And I will sharing it here.
How to abstain from showering 1 whole month and not feel uncomfortable about it?
- stay in air conditioned environment. Don’t let the aircon blow directly at you, just use it to maintain a comfortable environment of 24-25 deg c.
- “critical” areas cleansing still must do lah! Face lah… feet lah…
- Critical factor : CETAPHIL (can be bought from all pharmacies, watsons etc)
- Cetaphil was actually recommended by my kids’ PD for showering them, but when I read the instructions, I noted that it can be used for “dry-washing”
- Just apply it over the whole body like you would with your shower gel, WITHOUT water. After that, take a dry towel and rub it all off. It leaves you feeling clean and fresh, and yet leaving the skin soft and moist. The instructions for dry wash is printed on the bottle itself, you can take a look. I use it for my kids sometimes when we are away from home or it is not convenient to shower them.
- So I did that everyday, never used water, so not breaking the confinement “law”.
How to abstain from washing your hair for 1 whole month and not feel itchy or oily?
- well, first, it helps if you have long hair and can keep it tied up all the time.
- I actually went to the salon before my delivery, and asked them to wash my hair really clean and wash it 2 times, and no conditioner or products on the scalp at all. The funny thing is I still felt a little itchy after the wash at the salon, so I went home and washed it myself again, like multiple times. So effectively, I got 4-5 washes? Anyway, my hair did not itch at all the entire 1 month.
- The scalp area does get a little oily after about 1-2 weeks, so I use the dry shampoo by Kloran, the powder spray type. Again, it is easily available at all pharmacies and watsons. Throughout the 1 month, I think I only used the spray twice. Because the more often you use it, the powder residue builds up, the faster you won’t be able to “tahan” your hair.
How to ensure body is well regulated during confinement?
- I always felt that it wasn’t enough just eating the confinement stuff because they are quite general and not specific to your current body requirements. Because even after I kept all the “laws” of confinement, I had experienced severe dip in my health during the 1st week to 10 days. It was the same for all my 3 confinements.
- I experienced chills from within. Even though my exterior was hot and sweating, I needed to remove my cardigan and fan myself, but interior I was very cold, I was shivering badly and needed to cover myself with thick comforter. So it was a major “dilemma”.
- So this time, I went to see my TCM doc, Dr He Qiuling, from Eu Yan Sang Main branch in the 1st week of confinement. She checked my health and concocted the medicine in powder form, to help balance my body as she said I was “cold”, which is common for women after delivery. I took the medicine regularly and went back for review twice. My body quickly warmed up within the 1st few days of taking the medicine, I stopped feeling cold and felt much stronger.
- On the side, I was making sure that I ate my confinement food well and never let myself be hungry. I also drank DOM every night before sleep.
After my confinement nanny goes home, I will still continue to drink the red date/longan tea till 40 days and ask my maid to continue cooking confinement food for me till 40 days. After that, I will try my best to abstain from cold drinks, drinking room temp or warm beverages. Also for 100 days / 3 months, no prawn, crabs and yam.
Ok, I think that’s about all that I can think of sharing re confinement. But if you have any other queries about it, feel free to leave a question in the comment section.
See Ya!
No shower??!! Wow! But I can attest that you were definitely not stinky in the least when I saw you!
wow.. kow tow… I may not be up to it man.. the papers just said it’s going to be a hot hot dry dry month..
But will get the Cetaphil and the Kloran and the hair washed… on Sun before checking myself in on Mon…
Wow…good sharing about the chill and how you managed to warm up this time.
Your maid learnt how to cook confinement food from the confinement lady?!
Hi,
Can i know if your confinement lady Auntie Xiu Hua contact and is she good?
Thanks,
Nancy
Hi, Bonita.
Can I have your confinement lady’s contact ?
She seems quite good.
Thanks.
Ling
sent you in pte email already.
I experienced chills from within. Even though my exterior was hot and sweating, I needed to remove my cardigan and fan myself, but interior I was very cold, I was shivering badly and needed to cover myself with thick comforter.
Hi, I have the same problem as well. Can you let me know what medicine she has given you? Thanks.
Hi Karen,
Can’t tell you what she gave me, as you might know the medicine is in powder form, all the “necessary” herbs had been mixed together. It also depends on your body, what you require, so it will be wiser to let the TCM doc see you. Taking for the entire confinement will costs about $200 ($7 per day), you can take for a few weeks straight, or go back just to ask them to pack the medicine, but of course if the doc says it is alright to just continue without re-consultation.
Hi Karen,
i have problem handling myself after lunch and dinner cox the food will made me super pespering. i cannot be having the meal inside air con room cox it is a must to let ourself pespering.
You say “stay in air conditioned environment. ” Is that the reason why u experience the chills fr within?
Fioon
Hi Bonita,
Can I have the contact of yr CL? And is it possible for u to share abt her working attitude?
Thanks a million..
Hi,
Saw your post on confinement. Can I have your confinement lady’s contact number? Am looking for one now. Thanks.
Hi there,
Appreciate if you could share with me your confinement lady’s contact. Is she breastfeeding friendly?