芬蘭來的中國媳婦Sara關於坐月子經歷，外國網民評論

原文標題：Zuo Yuezi – Chinese Postpartum Traditions

外文鏈接：http://sarajaaksola.com/zuo-yuezi-chinese-postpartum-traditions/

Sara Jaaksola（博主）

「While sitting the month you can』t be too active, you should lay on the bed and rest, you can』t take a shower, wash your hair or eat fruit…」

「在你坐月子的一個月時間裡，你應該躺在床上休息，不能洗澡洗頭，不能吃水果…」

Yesterday I went to the park with our baby and my mother-in-law who was taking care of my nephew, her grandson. We had a lovely walk around the small pond, but then we got to the play ground where my nephew likes to look at other kids playing. He』s not even 6 months yet, so he can』t really join yet.

昨天我帶著我的孩子，婆婆帶著我的侄子也就是她的孫子，我們在一個可愛的小池塘邊散步，但後來我們到了一個類似遊樂場的地方，我的侄子喜歡看別的小朋友玩。但他還不到六個月，所以不能和其他孩子一起玩。

Lot of the mother』s and grandparents there know my mother-in-law and quickly came to talk with us. When they saw me and my two-week old baby girl in the sling, they asked were almost terrified on how I could take her out before she is one month old!

很多認識我婆婆的母親和爺爺奶奶們也在那裡，很快他們就過來跟我們聊天了。當他們看到我和我兩周大的女兒在背篼（應該是綁在媽媽身上固定嬰兒的東西？）中，他們幾乎嚇壞了，問我為什麼怎麼將還沒滿月的她帶出來！

In China there is a tradition of zuo yuezi aka sitting the month, where the new mom stays at home for one month with the baby, and doesn』t go out at all. The rules and special diet to follow during this month varies from province to province. What the other mothers were the most shocked about were how I could take my baby out when she is too little and how I wasn』t wearing enough clothes.

在中國有一個傳統坐月子，又叫坐一個月。剛生小孩的媽媽和孩子在家呆滿一個月，不能出門的傳統。在這個月期間要遵循傳統的規則和特殊的飲食。其他媽媽也都很震驚，她（嬰兒）還這麼小，怎麼我都沒穿足夠的衣服就把她抱了出來。

The Chinese believe that everything you do during the first month affects your health for the rest of your life. Go to bed without drying your hair gets you headache when you』re old. Wearing too little hurts your bones in the old age. Drinking anything cold is of course out of the picture too. In more traditional families even taking a shower might still be prohibited and you need to be covered in thick clothing from head to toes. Eating a lot of chicken and drinking special soups is a must as well.

中國人相信你在（生完寶寶）第一個月所做的一切都會影響你以後的身體健康。睡覺時，你的頭髮濕著的話會讓你老的時候頭疼。在老年時，穿的太少會傷害你的骨頭。喝任何冷的東西等等都有很多講究。在更傳統的家庭里，甚至淋浴都會被禁止，而你需要從頭到腳趾都要用厚厚的衣服包著，吃很多雞肉喝很多調配的湯是必須的。

I briefly explained to the mothers that we don』t do 「sitting the month」 in the West and in Finland we can take our newborns out the very first day we get out from the hospital if it』s Summer. During the Winter it』s advised to wait a bit and perhaps stay at home if it』s colder than -10 Celsius. But this is Guangzhou and the weather has been around 28 Celsius degrees the whole two weeks I』ve been at home with the baby.

我簡單的向其他媽媽們解釋說，我們西方和芬蘭沒有「坐月子，坐一個月」的傳統，如果是夏天，我們第一天就可以抱著新生兒從醫院走出來。在冬季，如果在10攝氏度以下，它的建議是再等待一段時間。但是這是在廣州，天氣一直在28攝氏度左右，整整2周我和寶寶一直都呆在家裡。

So am I doing the 「zuo yuezi」? No, I wouldn』t say so and I don』t have the need to label this time either. I』m just simply doing what I think is best. At first I needed a lot of help from my mother-in-law and my sister-in-law because I had a C-section and the scar kept me from moving freely. My husband also only had seven days total off from work.

所以我「坐月子」了？不，我不會把這段時間稱為坐月子，我只是在做我認為最好的。首先，我需要我婆婆和小姑子的幫助，因為我的剖腹產手術讓我的行動受到制約，我丈夫也只有七天的假期。

But now that I』m pretty much back to normal, of course still being careful, I can handle my self and the baby on my own. It feels good to be able to do things my self again! My mother-in-law keeps helping us with cooking, cleaning and giving a bath to our baby girl, while also helping out with her daughter and grandson!

但是，現在我很正常，當然也要很小心，我可以很好的管理我和自己的寶寶。能夠做自己想做的事真的很好！婆婆一直幫我們做飯、打掃，給我的小女兒洗澡，同時也幫了她的女兒和外孫！

Now that the first half of my first month after giving birth is over, I have to admit that I would go a bit nuts if I needed to follow the Chinese postpartum traditions to the letter. I』m feeling much better when I can go outside for a walk and do other things than laying in bed or on the sofa. Luckily my mother-in-law isn』t too strict with these and understands that I do things my own way.

現在我的第一個月已過一半，分娩結束，我不得不承認，如果我要遵循中國傳統的產後事項，我會發瘋的。當我可以去外面散步或做其他的事情，比如選擇躺在沙發上還是躺在床上，我的心情就好了很多。幸運的是，我的婆婆對這些並不是太太苛求，他很理解我。

Have you followed the 「zuo yuezi」 traditions or what kind of special traditions women have in your country? I』d love to hear in the comments!

你的國家也有針對女性的「坐月子」或類似的傳統嗎？我想在評論中聽到！

以下是外國網民評論翻譯：

Anna Zech

Sara it』s a good thing that you do what you think is right. I think we all have to make our own experiences, expecially with raising children. It』s a first for everyone. Of course, we can listen to advise of people who have been there, but at the end of the day, it』s your baby, your life, you decide.

As you know our village is very rural, so the traditions are very very much alive! Even our city people follow zuoyuezi very strictly. But traditions on what is right and wrong during sitting the month actually even vary from family to family. So, I really don』t believe in them that much… Some tradition can be even harmful to you and the babay. For example here, it』s not only not allowed that the mother doesn』t shower but also the baby! Some babys don』t shower for several months! You can imagine what that does to a babys skin… Most little babys in the village have some kind of skin disease! They all blame it on all kinds of superstitous reasons… and don』t realize that it』s simply because the haven』t bathed the baby for six months!!! I mean I do understand that it is cold here, and conditions in the village aren』t too good, but still… Also here during zuoyueyi the mother itself is not allowed to take care of the baby! For me the most paradox thing! The mother stays in bed and rests, and grandmother takes care of newborn baby.

Oh and I heard that during zuoyuezi new mothers have to eat youtiao 油條 …

I will NOT do zuoyuezi, no matter how much my MIL will try to convince me. I will rest of course, and maybe do some customs, but none of the extreme customs. I already know people will talk very badly about me and any problem I might have later or baby might have will be blamed on me not having done zuoyuezi….

Sara 這是一個好事，你在做你認為是正確的事。我想我們都有自己的經歷，特別是養育孩子。這是每個人的第一次。我們可以聽取別人的一些建議，但最終那還是你的孩子，你的生活，你來決定。

正如你所知，我們的村莊是非常的鄉村，所以傳統根深蒂固！甚至我們的城市裡人們對「坐月子」也都很嚴格。但在這一個月里，傳統的對與錯，所有的家庭實際上是不同的。所以我真的不相信他們那麼多…有些傳統甚至是對你和你的孩子是有害的。

例如，這一個月內不準母親洗澡，甚至嬰兒也不可以！有些寶寶不洗澡幾個月！你可以想像這對一個嬰兒的皮膚有多大傷害…大多數小孩在村裡都會有些皮膚病！他們都歸咎於各種各樣的迷信…而且自己還沒有意識到，這僅僅是因為六個月沒有給寶寶洗澡了！！！

在「坐月子」期間母親不能照顧寶寶，這對我來說是很矛盾的一件事情，母親躺在床上休息，奶奶照顧新生兒。

哦對了，我聽說「坐月子」的新媽媽要吃油條…

我不會「坐月子」，無論我的婆婆怎麼試圖說服我。我會休息一下，當然也會遵循一些習俗，但不會是一個極端的習俗。我知道如果我晚些時候有什麼毛病的話，人們會把這些歸咎於我沒有好好「坐月子」…

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Sara Jaaksola（博主）回復Anna Zech

Those traditions really sound bizarre, not bathing the baby for months?! That』s just crazy and very unhealthy as well. I also don』t like that a newborn is taken care of someone else than his/her parent. Especially the bond between a mother and a baby is very important to establish and nurse from the very beginning.

I think it』s a good idea for you to try to follow some of the customs to make your MIL happy, but only the ones you feel comfortable with and don』t endanger you or the baby.

這些傳統聽起來真的很奇怪，是幾個月都不給寶寶洗澡嗎？這太瘋狂了，也很不健康。我也不喜歡新生兒被別人照顧。特別是母親和嬰兒之間的關係是非常重要的，從一開始就和護士建立了。

我認為這是一個好主意，你盡量的遵循一些習俗來讓你的婆婆高興，但是那是在不危及你孩子的健康和你覺得舒服的前提下。

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Olga 奧日佳 回復 Anna Zech

I』m actually shocked by those village traditions. Not bathing the baby? Not taking care of the baby? What about bonding with the kid? Those first months are precious. Luckily, us 「foreign wives」 can get away with almost anything, they will always blame it on the fact that we』re foreigners!

On to 「zuo yue zi」: When we had our 2nd daughter, my MIL freaked out when my husband told her I was ***having a shower*** (3 hours after giving birth).

我真的很震驚那些傳統的鄉下。寶寶不能洗澡？不能照顧寶寶？那還孩子的關係怎麼辦？第一個月是最珍貴的。幸運的是，我們的「外國妻子」可以得到特殊照顧，因為她們總能找到理由，因為她們是外國人！

坐月子：當我們有了第二個女兒，我的丈夫告訴我婆婆一些事情之後她嚇壞了，因為我是***淋浴***（分娩3個小時）。

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Timo 回復 Olga 奧日佳

Yeah the shower thing after giving birth was also a huge shock for my MIL. In Finland every women takes a shower a giving birth (shower room is right next to it) and MIL got sooo huge eyes and she got so pale, I will never forget it

是的，生完孩子就洗澡對我的婆婆是一個巨大的衝擊。在芬蘭，每個女人生完孩子都要淋浴洗澡（淋浴房緊挨著），我的婆婆臉色蒼白睜著非常非常大的眼睛，我永遠都不會忘記它，哈哈（笑臉表情）！

Timo

My wife also didn』t do this resting month. Before getting pregnant she wants to do it but once she knew that there is a little human life growing inside her she started to research this topic and was shocked about the whole tradition. We have many friends in Finland who did this month and there is even one woman who believes her knee pain (which actually came from her overweight during +32kg…) is due to the cold wind she once got during zuo yuezi when the Window was shortly open :p

It』s good that you are able to decide on your own, my wife had some fights with her mother back then

我的妻子也沒有這樣休息一個月。在懷孕前，她做自己想做的事情，但她後來知道了有這個習俗後就開始研究，並為整個傳統感到震驚。我們在芬蘭有很多朋友這樣做一個月，甚至有的女人認為她膝蓋的疼痛（實際上是她超重32公斤…）是由於寒風所致，她曾經在坐月子時開過不長時間的窗戶。

很好,你可以自己做決定，我的妻子和她母親有過一些爭鬥。

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Sara Jaaksola（博主） 回復 Timo

Well that』s handy that you can just blame all the issues in the future by what you did or didn』t do during the zuo yuezi

Luckily my mother-in-law is very understanding in this regard and I guess my sister-in-law has also reminded her not to be too strict with me as she knows I do things my way. I believe a lot of Chinese women have fights with their mothers or MILs over these issues.

很簡單的，你可以把將來所有的問題都歸咎於你當時坐月子沒有做好什麼的。

幸運的是，我的婆婆在這方面很了解，我想我嫂子也提醒她不要對我太嚴厲了，因為她知道我在做什麼。我向很多中國女人和他們的婆婆都有過類似的爭鬥。

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