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37-501: Postpartum confinement refers both to the mother and the baby. Human newborns are so underdeveloped that pediatricians such as Harvey Karp refer to the first three months as the "fourth trimester". The weeks of rest while the mother heals also protect the infant as it adjusts to the world , and both learn the skills of breastfeeding . Almost all countries have some form of maternity leave . Many countries encourage men to take some paternal leave , but even those that mandate that some of

74-418: A "calming reflex" that quickly relaxes most fussy babies when they are stimulated in a way that resemble sensations that babies experience in the womb. Karp calls the ingredients of his method for soothing young babies the "5 S's": tight swaddling , side/stomach position, shushing, swinging and sucking. Regarding sleep, Karp recommends nightly swaddling and sound and motion sleep cues to help babies establish

111-477: A "sacred birth custom, of when a child is born, the man experiences the ritual of 'labor' in which he takes to his bed, and undergoes periods of fasting and purification, and the observance of certain taboos". The Ancient Greek writer Plutarch mentions a report by Paeon of Amathus of a custom in Cyprus honouring the myth of Ariadne (who had died while pregnant) in which a young man would lie down and imitate

148-419: A celebration called 'Twelve mornings' (known as 十二朝). From this day onwards, Cantonese families with a new baby usually share their joy through giving away food gifts, while some families mark the occasion by paying tribute to their ancestors . When the "month is fulfilled" ( manyue ) after 30 days, the mother receives relatives and friends who bring special foods such as Chinese red eggs . In parts of India it

185-502: A circadian rhythm and to promote infant sleep. In 2016, Karp's Happiest Baby Inc. launched an internet-connected bassinet called Snoo. The Snoo claims to automate the principles of Happiest Baby on the Block . The device uses sensors to listen for a baby’s cries and adjusts the level of white noise volume and motion of the sway accordingly. The product was designed with Swiss designer Yves Behar . The device retails for $ 1,595 in

222-580: A cognate with the English word " quarantine "). It is practised in parts of Latin America and amongst in communities in the United States. It is described as "intergenerational family ritual that facilitated adaptation to parenthood", including some paternal role reversal . Harvey Karp Harvey Neil Karp (born 1951) is an American pediatrician , author, and child development specialist. He

259-646: A resting – a lengthy lie-in or lying-in period, a period of seclusion, as women need to rest in order to heal, yet it may mean that they are neglected. One meta-review of studies concluded, "There is little consistent evidence that confinement practices reduce postpartum depression ." Postpartum confinement is well-documented in China, where the tradition is known as "Sitting the month": 坐月子 " Zuò yuè zi " in Mandarin or 坐月 "Co5 Jyut2" in Cantonese. The earliest record of

296-468: Is a type of herbal medicine in which the steam from the boiled plants is inhaled. Ya dong involves herbal medicine taken internally. Thai immigrants to Sweden report using the steam bath to heal after childbirth, although the correct ingredients are not easy to find. Thai Australians who had had caesarian sections felt that they did not need to – in fact, ought not to – undergo these rituals. The term used in English, now old-fashioned or archaic ,

333-525: Is also possible for the woman to be cared for her by her own mother or a hired female worker known as a "confinement nanny" (陪月). In Hong Kong and Taiwan, the mother and baby sometimes spend the month in special postpartum confinement clinics rather than at home. In ancient China , women of certain ethnic groups in the South would resume work right after birth, and allow the men to practice postpartum confinement instead. (See Couvade ). Traditionally in China,

370-922: Is best known for his book "The Happiest Baby on the Block" and its accompanying DVD, that use his "5 S's" approach to infant care. He is also the creator of the Snoo, a smart bassinet. He is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California and a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics . From 1982 to 1984 Karp practiced pediatrics with pediatrician Paul Fleiss in Los Angeles, California. He then opened his own practice in Santa Monica, where he continued to see patients until 2005. He

407-512: Is called jaappa (also transliterated japa ); in North India and Pakistan, sawa mahina ("five weeks"). Most traditional Indians follow the 40-day confinement and recuperation period also known as the jaappa (in Hindi). A special diet to facilitate milk production and increase hemoglobin levels is followed. Sex is not allowed during this time. In Hindu culture, this time after childbirth

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444-433: Is claimed to be important to dry their body immediately afterwards with a clean towel and their hair properly using a hair dryer. It is also claimed to be important for women to wrap up warm and minimize the amount of skin exposed, as it was believed that they may catch a cold during this vulnerable time. The custom of confinement advises new mothers to choose energy and protein-rich foods to recover energy levels, help shrink

481-422: Is featured in many dishes, as it is believed that it can remove the 'wind' accumulated in the body during pregnancy. Meat-based soup broths are also commonly consumed to provide hydration and added nutrients. In Shanxi, new mothers consume high-quality millet porridge and soup made from chickens at specific ages. In Guangdong province , new mothers are barred from visitors until the baby is 12 days old, marked by

518-507: Is still observed in parts of northern China, such as Shanxi province . After 100 days, the Hundred Days Banquet (百日宴) is held to celebrate the baby reaching 100 days old. In southern China, the confinement period is significantly shorter, and usually lasts 30 days. Because Chinese society is patrilocal , women observing postpartum confinement are traditionally cared for by their mother-in-law. Although in contemporary times it

555-472: The uterus , and for the perineum to heal. This is also important for the production of breastmilk . Among the traditionally recommended galactogogues were rich porridge, fish soup, and hard-boiled eggs. Sometimes, new mothers only begin to consume special herbal foods after all the lochia is discharged. In Guangdong, a common dish is pork knuckles with ginger and black vinegar as pork knuckles are believed to help replenish calcium levels in women. Ginger

592-525: The Chinese custom of postpartum confinement dates back over 2,000 years ago in the Book of Rites , where it was known as y uè nèi (月内). Postpartum confinement is based on traditional Chinese medicine , with a special focus on eating foods considered to be nourishing for the body and helping with the production of breastmilk . Women are advised to stay indoors for recovery from the trauma of birth and for feeding

629-406: The United States. About half of Snoo users opt to rent the device from Happiest Baby at a cost of around $ 150 a month. Ralph Frenken has argued against Karp's recommendation of the use of tight swaddling and the concept of a "calming reflex." The criticism is that the effect of swaddling is not based on reflexes because (1) a releasing stimulus is missing, because swaddling most probably works by

666-467: The advisory boards of the Green Guide, Babycenter.com, Parents , Ser Padres, and American Baby magazines. Karp's infant calming technique is supposed to be based on recreating elements of life in the womb. Human babies, according to Karp, are born less developed than other mammals. Karp calls the first three months of life the "fourth trimester." Karp hypothesizes that all babies are born with

703-413: The appeal of Karp’s methods for calming babies was that it didn't require any fancy or expensive equipment beyond a blanket. A New York Times article documented how his messaging changed with the creation of the Snoo toward spending money on the device: "Now he was suggesting that, actually, the best way to improve your baby’s sleep required splurging on a sensory bed." A Washington Post article declared

740-670: The birth of a child, took to bed, complained of having labour pains and was accorded the treatment usually shown to women during pregnancy or after childbirth. Similarly, in Papua New Guinea , fathers built a hut outside the village and mimicked the pains of labour until the baby was born. Similar rituals occur in other cultural groups in Thailand , Albania , Russia , China , India and many indigenous groups in South America . In some cultures, " sympathetic pregnancy "

777-471: The crying and gesturing of women during labor. The term "couvade" is borrowed from French , which derives it from the verb couver ("to brood, hatch"). The term's use in the modern sense derives from a misunderstanding of an earlier idiom faire la couvade , which meant "to sit doing nothing". An example of couvade was from the Cantabri , who had a custom in which the father, during or immediately after

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814-505: The decrease of proprioceptive and tactile stimulation and (2) the reflex response is missing, because any reflex always consists of a movement released by muscles. The child does not move but falls asleep by swaddling. Additionally, no known reflex alters the state of consciousness, but swaddling obviously does. Lactation and breastfeeding expert Nancy Mohrbacher collected several scientific studies which demonstrated negative aspects of swaddling on newborn infants. In 2010, researchers studied

851-524: The device was a touchstone for privilege due to its prohibitive cost for many parents and that the product "has a way of separating even well-to-do parents into the Snoos and the Snoo-nots." Addressing the criticism of the device's cost, Karp downplayed the expense, stating that the device gives parents a “24-hour caregiver for the cost of 16 cents an hour.” The high cost of the Snoo has also led to scams in

888-513: The effects of video instruction concerning swaddling, side positioning, white noise, jiggling, and sucking on parents' ability to calm fussing babies. The results against a control group were statistically insignificant compared to traditional methods. CBS news reports that "Critics say Karp is riding to fame on the strength of his patients' VIP parents, who include Michelle Pfeiffer , Pierce Brosnan and Madonna . Endorsements from several stars appear on his book jacket and video cover." Part of

925-528: The gifts presented to the new mother in Renaissance Florence was a desco da parto , a special form of painted tray. Equivalent presents in contemporary culture include baby showers and push presents . Special foods included caudle , a restorative drink. "Taking caudle" was a metonym for postpartum social visits. In Latin American countries, it is called la cuarentena ("forty days,"

962-409: The globe, including in high-income countries in the recent past. The length of time a woman is secluded or rested varied across different countries and the principles underpinning this isolation (to heal vs. being unclean) also seem to differ greatly. After the period of seclusion there is often a ceremony to purify women to publicly accept them back into daily life. The literature supports the concept of

999-402: The mother and child were kept separate from the rest of the household. The mother was not permitted to bathe, wash her hair, or weep, because these activities were believed to put the mother at risk of falling ill by catching cold and affect the quality of her breast milk. Nowadays, however, new mothers may wash their hair or take a bath or shower infrequently during the postpartum period, but it

1036-454: The new mother by unburdening her of responsibilities and ensuring she rests and eats shows up in wildly diverse places". These customs have been documented in dozens of academic studies, and commonly include support for the new mother (including a release from household chores), rest, special foods to eat (and ones to avoid), specific hygiene practices, and ways of caring for the newborn. Martha Wolfenstein and Margaret Mead wrote in 1955 that

1073-401: The newborn baby. The diets and traditions involved with postpartum confinement greatly vary across different Chinese cultural regions. The length of Chinese postpartum confinement ranges anywhere between 28 to 100 days. Although medical opinion in China today generally recommends a confinement period of at least 42 days. In ancient China, the confinement period lasted for 100 days. This custom

1110-430: The past, during the samchil-il period, geumjul (taboo rope) made with saekki and various symbolic objects, such as chili peppers (for a boy) and coal (for a girl), was hung over the gate to denote the childbirth and restrict visitor access. New mothers used to be encouraged to lie in a warm bed near the fire for 30 days, a practice known as yu fai . This has been adapted into a form of Thai massage . Kao krachome

1147-476: The postpartum period meant a "woman can be cherished and pampered without feeling inadequate or shamed". The 2016 review that quoted them cites customs from around the world, from Biblical times to modern Greece: From the data it seems that women were housebound for a number of days after the birth and the length of this period of seclusion varied by caste or ethnic group [in Nepal]. This is a phenomenon found across

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1184-453: The secondhand market where thieves rent the device on a stolen credit card and resell it to unwitting parents before the company remotely disabled the device. Couvade Couvade ( [ k u v a d ] ) is a term which was coined by the anthropologist Edward Burnett Tylor in 1865 to refer to certain rituals in several cultures that fathers adopt during pregnancy . Couvade can be traced to Ancient Egypt as

1221-422: The shared parental leave must be used by the father (" father's quota ") acknowledge that the mother needs time off work to recover from the childbirth and deal with the postpartum physiological changes . A 2016 American book describes the difficulties of documenting those "global grandmotherly customs" but asserts that "like a golden rope connecting women from one generation to the next, the protocol of caring for

1258-491: Was 24 hours. Many Indian subcultures have their own traditions after birth. This birth period is called Virdi (Marathi), which lasts for 10 days after birth and includes complete abstinence from puja or temple visits. In Pakistan, postpartum tradition is known as sawa mahina ("five weeks"). In Persian culture it is called chilla , i.e. " forty days ". Korean women spend samchil-il (three seven days, 21 days) in confinement, receiving sanhujori (postpartum care). In

1295-702: Was assistant clinical professor of pediatrics at the UCLA School of Medicine from 1989 to 2009, where he served as pediatric liaison to the Child Abuse Team. He appeared as a regular contributor to the Lifetime cable television show Growing Up Together from 1990 to 1992. In 2009, he became an assistant professor of pediatrics at the USC Keck School of Medicine. Karp is a founding board member of Healthy Child Healthy World, and has served on

1332-645: Was once used to name maternity hospitals , for example the General Lying-In Hospital in London. A 1932 Canadian publication refers to lying-in as ranging from two weeks to two months. These weeks ended with the re-introduction of the mother to the community in the Christian ceremony of the churching of women . Lying-in features in Christian art , notably Birth of Jesus paintings. One of

1369-425: Was traditionally considered a period of relative impurity ( asaucham ), and a period of confinement of 10–40 days (known as purudu ) was recommended for the mother and the baby. During this period, she was exempted from usual household chores and religious rites. The father was purified by a ritual bath before visiting the mother in confinement. In the event of a stillbirth , the period of impurity for both parents

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