MotherBees

I grew up in an environment that honoured food as medicine. My aunts and uncles are acupuncturists and I’ve grown up with that language around me... that what we do and what we eat benefits our energy levels, our weight, the colour of our skin, the clearness of our eyes and how regular our periods are.

I didn’t have any issues getting pregnant first time around. I think it was all those decades of eating well and being mindful and conscious about food being medicine. I didn’t know about post partum care though, I was always more focused on having a natural childbirth, training for it, hypnobirthing and finding the right midwife. Postpartum wasn’t part of my knowledge until after my first birth. My aunt, who is an acupuncturist and a really good cook, came down to see me after my birth. She helped me understand what postpartum nourishment was all about it. There’s certain foods that you need to eat to nourish and circulate the blood which in turn helps with lactation. Essentially, it’s all about keeping the body warm and not to touch anything cold internally or externally. This is what we do in Chinese culture and I thought it was pretty darn special. All I had to do was lay in bed and feed my daughter whilst my kitchen was filled with great food! With my second and third child, post partum was different for me. During my second pregnancy I didn’t take care of myself after birth. I went straight back to work a couple of days after birth and then two years later when I was pregnant again, I felt really ill for the last month. It definitely related to how much energy I had reserved, or not reserved after my second birth.

MotherBees started because I knew that in Asian traditions there are postpartum delivery services. In China, in Taiwan and in Singapore, many mothers invest in two or three months postpartum care. I remember visiting Shanghai and they have so many more products available in stores for new mothers. Culturally they know that this time in a woman’s life is so important to support their longterm health… for the next child, for ageing, for the arrival of menopause. I put some ideas together and I started working with some of my friends who were pregnant and providing food for them after birth and it has grown from there. Providing food in this way is my medium to express empathy.

Zuo yuezi is the Chinese tradition of postpartum care. It literally means ‘sitting the month’. Pretty much all Asian cultures will sit out for a month after birth. A lot of women in cities may find it more challenging but in the countryside and villages they usually move into their mother-in-law’s home and stay there (with or without the husband). They do not work, do not clean and do not cook for a minimum of 30 days. In India this period is 42 days. This time helps reduce postpartum depression because the mother is cared for and is not isolated. In the west, we often find it difficult to ask for help because of the guilt associated with that. Some women may already have a tendency towards depression and anxiety or may be triggered by a big life event… like birth, when hormones are fluctuating. We don’t know how to regulate ourselves after birth. That depression creates a ripple effect in terms of how we relate to ourselves, our partners and our family. It can change the whole family dynamic. My mission is to improve the immune system via the right foods.

49The Chinese believe that you are born with a certain amount of jing and throughout our life experiences, this deteriorates and lessens. Birth is certainly one of those experiences.. it takes a coin out of your jar. We need to fill our reserves again following birth so that when we get to peri-menopause and menopause we have enough jing to deal with what that period of life brings.

Right now MotherBees is operating in southern California delivering food and I’m hoping we can expand that further out to meet demand. However, my book ’The First 40 Days’ is available for everybody to purchase. The book helps get you in the prepping phase - a good time to read it is the third trimester of pregnancy when you can start to mentally and physically create a space for postpartum care. Even down to creating a physical space in your pantry that is filled with post partum ingredients and snacks that are just for you, and developing your most intimate space after birth which is usually the area around your bed.

If I had to offer two bits of advice to prepare for the post partum period it would be to look for two people you can contact at any time - one good emotional support and one good physical support. Find these people before you give birth and ask them if they’ll be your back-up if you need a lifeline. It will give you just a little bit of comfort. They could be a family member or friend, someone who will be there if you’re feeling a little sad or lonely or when you just need to talk to somebody. Don’t live in complete isolation - just hearing someone’s voice can remind that you’re still important, that you’re still here and you really matter. Second to that, food is really important. You don’t have to go too crazy. You can eat well by just sautéing greens or make yourself a soup from a handful of vegetables - put it all in a pot, boil it up, add lentils and have that for a few days. That way you’ll have a storage of some good nourishment in your fridge. It doesn’t need to be complicated.

Lastly, the postpartum period is the foundation for your motherhood so take the time to think about what you really want out of it. There’s going to be challenges coming ahead so if you identify your goals then you can revisit those when you need to. And connect with your breath. You need peace in yourself.

www.motherbees.com

Words by Heng Ou