The first one and a half month after childbirth is a delicate period for mothers. During this time, you are confined to a set of do’s and don’ts as far as your nutrition is concerned. Divided into three stages, the confinement period lasts up to around twelve months. By then, your body should have recovered and regained its original stability.
Taking measures to restore the body during the confinement period is a necessity that should not be overlooked. Serious health complications can arise if your diet is not nutritional enough to replenish your body. However, by knowing about the best confinement foods in Singapore, you will help your body recover quickly and healthily.
Here are some foods that will help you through a stress-free recovery period.
- Ginger
Most confinement food menus have ginger on the list. Ginger contains nutritional elements that help restore the digestive system. During pregnancy, a mother experiences a lot of intestinal gas. Digestion is affected by changes in hormones, stress, and fatigue. In turn, they affect the balance of the beneficial bacteria in the digestive system.
Ginger helps get rid of this gas and restore the system to normal functioning. Take ginger in your tea, fish, beef, chicken, or pork. Rice cooked in ginger in place of plain rice is also an excellent consideration. Pork trotters in vinegar and ginger promote blood circulation, fight hair loss, and replenish your gelatin levels.
- Sesame Braised Chicken
Sesame chicken is considered one of the best confinement foods because it helps prevent wind. In the Singapore food culture, it is a heat-producing food that nourishes the body by improving blood circulation. It also replenished the body and built up strength and vigour.
- Steamed Fillet (Threadfin) with Black Fungus and Ginger Broth
If you are looking to increase your milk production to ensure proper feeding of your baby, this is the meal for you. Threadfin is essential in enhancing breast milk production. The other components in the meal also have a role to play.
Ginger helps dispel gas trapped in the digestive system. Additionally, Black fungus has for a long time been consumed to nourish the stomach, liver, and lungs.
- Stewed Pork with Lemongrass and Galangal
Galangal forms an essential component in confinement food Singapore culture. It contains anti-inflammatory elements. It works by relieving the discomfort that results from stomach inflammation. It also serves to enhance blood circulation, promoting the production of breast milk for your little one. Lemongrass relieves your body from cold symptoms, combats anxiety, and minimises fatigue.
- A lot of Fluids
It is very crucial that you keep your body hydrated by drinking a lot of fluids. Apart from replenishing your body after breastfeeding, the fluids will also boost milk production. If you are unable to maintain a balanced diet regime, you can benefit from the intake of fortified milk.
Make a drink from a red bean and coix seed and regularly drink it to prevent water retention in the body. Soak a handful of red beans for twelve hours and boil them for two hours. Add some coix seeds and some brown sugar to taste.
Other foods that are beneficial to you during the confinement period include
- A red fermented wine that improves metabolism and fights high cholesterol levels
- Kidneys and livers that have high iron and protein content. They provide your body with gelatinous collagen and enhances blood circulation
- Medicinal foods and herbs. They include black fungus and they help cleanse the arteries, regulate the menstrual cycle, and boost vitality.
Take Away
The confinement period can be stressful for most mothers. Having the right food to eat during this period can make the transition from pregnancy into lactation easier. Having the best confinement food requires that you go for what will replenish your body and help in the healing process. Choose carefully and keep postpartum complications at bay.
