How to drink water correctly during confinement

It is best to drink warm water during the confinement period. Warm water is tap water that has been heated and then cooled. Ice water and tap water are not drinkable during the confinement period. The main reason is that the water is quite cold. If it is not heated, it can easily cause uterine cold and abdominal pain in the mother, and it can also reduce the mother's body resistance. Therefore, when the mother is in confinement, she must choose the right drinking water and pay attention to her diet.

Is it true that you can’t drink water during the postpartum period?

The older generation often warns mothers not to drink water during the confinement period, otherwise the body will easily become edematous and the belly fat will not go away. This is a wrong concept. The edema will naturally disappear after the uterus recovers, and whether the belly will shrink has nothing to do with drinking water. In clinical practice, we often encounter cases where some pregnant women are afraid to drink water, which leads to urinary tract infections.

1. Drinking too much water or ice water is taboo

Childbirth consumes a lot of Qi and blood. If you drink too much water (especially ice water, anything ice cold is prohibited), your Qi will be weak and cannot transform water. The water you drink becomes water, and the water that stays becomes drink. It may turn into pathological dampness, water, phlegm, and drink, which will remain on the surface, skin, muscles, and joints, causing all kinds of discomfort in the future. But it is not necessary to strictly restrict yourself from drinking water for a month. Unless you have kidney disease, there is no need for postpartum women to restrict themselves. The body will excrete a lot of water in the first two weeks after delivery, so you should drink water in moderation.

2. Unboiled water is still cold

Raw water is a cold substance that can invade the human body and cause physical discomfort. After boiling, water becomes neutral, that is, flat water, which can be gently accepted by the human body and help the functioning of various functions of the human body.

The water from water dispensers or water heaters in general public places, hospitals, and homes is not considered normal water because it has not been boiled and is still cold in nature. Postpartum women should avoid using it.

3. Excessive intake of salt and water will easily be retained in the body

During the confinement period, the mother's meals should not be cooked with too much seasoning, especially in the first two weeks. Less salt, soy sauce, MSG and other seasonings should be added. In the late pregnancy, the body's water content will be 40% higher than before pregnancy. It will take some time after delivery for all the excess water to be metabolized.

How to replenish water during confinement after childbirth

From the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine, it is recommended to supplement more protein and drink more chicken soup, fish soup or milk to help excrete water. You can also eat more yam and coix seed to help drain water. If the mother is breastfeeding, she is advised to drink more fish soup, chicken soup or milk. If the elders insist on not drinking the water, you can suggest washing the lychee shells and boiling them in water to drink as tea.

In fact, except for a few special diseases, such as kidney disease, which require avoiding water, most postpartum women still need to replenish water. During childbirth, the mother loses amniotic fluid, and she bleeds and discharges lochia after delivery. In addition, the mother sweats from the exertion during childbirth, which also causes some water to be expelled. Therefore, you should replenish water immediately after delivery, and drink plenty of water throughout the postpartum period and even during lactation, which is beneficial to the body's recovery and promotes milk secretion. If urinary tract infection or stones occur due to insufficient water intake, the consequences will outweigh the benefits.