Essentials of East-West Interdisciplinary Postpartum Care

Kamwo Meetup in December

This event will be available to attend online only.

Problem: East Asian (EA) migrant mothers and first-plus generation EA mothers in the West face social and logistical challenges that reduce their chances of successfully carrying out Zuo Yue Zi or Confinement, an Eastern postpartum practice rooted in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).
Key Point: Confinement is widely practiced by mothers of EA heritage in the West. This demands an integration of Eastern postpartum practices and Chinese medicine with Western postpartum care and cross-industry collaborations.
Goal: This introductory talk is to help practitioners

• Review the Confinement practice (zuo yue zi, 坐月子): Cultural context v.s.Traditional Chinese Medicine context
• Learn about trends in the postpartum period and the rise of Confinement practice in the West
• Learn interdisciplinary and cross-industry strategies to improve postpartum health and lifestyle for mothers, fathers, and families

Background: TCM Confinement helps mothers recover from childbirth and establish lactation by tonifying Qi and re-invigorating Blood. The principles include resting for one month after childbirth, nutrition following Chinese food concepts, consuming herbal formulations, managing external factors, and additional interventions where necessary such as acupuncture to alleviate breast engorgement. However, mothers encounter challenges in practicing confinement in the West. Fathers are still excluded from the practice and postpartum period despite a rising desire to participate actively. They also may not find providers and services who understand this practice. They may have difficulties adapting the practice to the Western lifestyle and care system, are separated from familiar support systems, or are limited by Western resources. EA Confinement centers and nanny services are a budding industry that helps mothers practice confinement there. While this service is limited in Europe, there is growth in the USA but it is insufficient to meet the needs of those who cannot afford such services

Dr. Kristal Lau is a leading postpartum wellness consultant, award-winning author, former physician, mother, and entrepreneur. She aims to revolutionise postpartum care by harmonizing the Chinese Confinement postpartum practice with modern postpartum care guided by the European Lifestyle Medicine approach in her work. Her award-winning book Postpartum 30 - Thirty Days to a Nurtured Fourth Trimester teaches mothers, fathers, and families how to adapt the Confinement practice to Western and modern living - fulfilling the desire of many Asian diaspora women in the West who wish to continue and preserve a traditional rite into motherhood. Dr. Lau has taught her approach at the European Lifestyle Medicine certificate program, the University of Thessaly's Master of Lifestyle Medicine program, and with Lian Institute (the educational arm of a European TCM herbal Ph*rm*cy). She recently presented her work at the 21st World Congress of Chinese Medicine in Paris.

FREE EVENT: All paid registrants who attend the event live online, will be eligible to receive a $20 voucher for Kamwo's E-Script Pro Shop online store (min purchase amount: $30).

Host or Publisher Kamwo Meetups