Why After Birth Woman Sleeps On Fire!

[gosompoi]

I hope someone can help me, Please explain why after a woman gives birth in Thailand she sleeps in a bed over burning charcoal for the first week or two. I do not know if this is an Issan or general Thai tradition. I do not know what purpose or benefit this would provide exposing the new mother to noxious fumes. I have searched the internet for information but come up with nothing.

[sweetchariot]

This is an Isaan thing, from what I can gather. On the bamboo bed they spread various leaves, herbs, and spices, and this seems to be a cure all for any ailment.

My ex g/f and I had a motorbike accident last year (she was driving, and came off worse), and the whole family descended on Pattaya with box fulls of herbs, and set up one of these things in the garden. She was on it for 4 days and nights, I even had to sleep (well not sleep - lie) on it one night (it was bloody hot, Papa tended it 24-7 to make sure the 2 fires didn't go out).

It seems like its an hardcore equivalent of Tiger Balm, curing all physical maladies, and for new mothers to help their bodies recover from the birthing trauma.

[bdenner]

Yep it's an Isaan thing to cure all physical traumas. Special leaves smoulder and with the heat is supposed to thin the blood to stop internal clotting and help the recovery process. Don't quite know how they contain the thinning blood when it comes to external injuries. They tried to get me to do it 6 years ago after a bike accident. - NO WAY - 200 Baht at the local clinic did the job.

I tore some ligaments in my knee a few months ago and TW tried to get me to accept a visit from the local 'witch doctor' who guaranteed me a complete recovery after 2 days of he rubbing a special herbal oil and blowing on it. - Don't you love em!

[peter991]

I second the comments above. If you are injured in any way (is giving birth an injury?) the fire bed seems like the Issan cure-all. Two years ago I had a minor motorcycle accident. Persuaded my Thai better half to take me to the local government hospital, where I was given a few stitches and charged 50 baht (not bad for 2am on a Monday morning).

Other half phoned his parents and they insisted we both come over to sleep over the fire bed. Mamma and pappa sat up all night tending to the charcoal fire under the bamboo bed to make sure it didn't go out.

Apparently the fire bed cures all ailments, according to Issan tradition.

Peter

[gosompoi]

Thanks for all the information, Just what the local witch doctor ordered. But not for me, but if keeps the wife happy all the power to her!

[nidge]

My wife had a similar treatment after giving birth although the fire was adjacent to the bed rather than under it. We had to do this at mums house in the village. She was meant to be there for 7-10 days but after 3 days i was going crazy with all the flies and mossies around because half the village was eating and sleeping with us and food was everywhere. I think there was a serious loss of face because we left early but my wife still, (amazingly), made a full recovery.

[kat]

This is an Isaan thing, from what I can gather. On the bamboo bed they spread various leaves, herbs, and spices, and this seems to be a cure all for any ailment.

My ex g/f and I had a motorbike accident last year (she was driving, and came off worse), and the whole family descended on Pattaya with box fulls of herbs, and set up one of these things in the garden. She was on it for 4 days and nights, I even had to sleep (well not sleep - lie) on it one night (it was bloody hot, Papa tended it 24-7 to make sure the 2 fires didn't go out).

It seems like its an hardcore equivalent of Tiger Balm, curing all physical maladies, and for new mothers to help their bodies recover from the birthing trauma.

OMG - I love you avatar!!!

The theme of warmth and heat in the womb is a common one is Asia. I would love to do the hot fire myself - it is probably incredibly healthy, as long as you don't burn down the house.

[sutnyod]

I have spent over 20 years trying to get this question answered. Even the oldest most rural people are not able to answer. I got all the "answers" mentioned in this thread and had only one reply: BUT WHY?

I did not fire-sit after the birth of my children and was beleaguered with people who came to visit. They wanted to see how long I survive. They gave up after a few months.

It is not only the fire: you are supposed to keep several food taboos (and you are VERY unlucky if your partner's family is from another region than your own, because then you have the taboos of all their areas). You are not allowed to shower (!). Can drink only warm water or herbs. Anyway, I would be very much interested to know WHY. I know the "whys" of other strange customs. For instance why a woman must only sleep on her husband's left hand side (so his has his sword-hand free).

[too true]

I have spent over 20 years trying to get this question answered. Even the oldest most rural people are not able to answer. I got all the "answers" mentioned in this thread and had only one reply: BUT WHY?

I did not fire-sit after the birth of my children and was beleaguered with people who came to visit. They wanted to see how long I survive. They gave up after a few months.

It is not only the fire: you are supposed to keep several food taboos (and you are VERY unlucky if your partner's family is from another region than your own, because then you have the taboos of all their areas). You are not allowed to shower (!). Can drink only warm water or herbs. Anyway, I would be very much interested to know WHY. I know the "whys" of other strange customs. For instance why a woman must only sleep on her husband's left hand side (so his has his sword-hand free).

I just about went mad when my MIL and her older sister came to stay with us after our first son was born!

I wasn't allowed to eat ripe mangoes - or my uterus wouldn't return to its normal size.

I had to eat banana flower soup every day - to stimulate milk production (oddly enough this one really works)

I had to wear socks and they tried to get me to wear a hat - in February!!

After 4 days I told my husband that if he didn't get her to go back home, I was going to take the baby and check in to a hotel until she left. There was enough stress with new baby and a first baby without the grief she was causing me.

But I"ve also asked around about these strange customs and have pieced together something that makes a bit of sense. When Thai people get sick they like to keep themselves very warm, so the staying near the fire might prevent bacteria from causing infection. And in rural areas a long time ago there would have been no access to proper medical care, so this might have been a precautionary measure.

Don't know about the rest of the country, but in the north women are supposed to eat sticky rice, chili paste and bbq pork for a month after they have a baby. Haven't figured that one out - unless it has to do with refridgeration.

All these customs are so old, people don't even know why they do them anymore.

[bina]

well, smoke keeps mossies and flies away and new moms do have lots of blood still, and new borns are more delicate, so thats one theory also;

fire and smoke is cleansing in some cultures, afterall, arent thais cremated? maybe there is a connection between life and death and the use of fire (symbolic death and reborn?)...

fire and smoke keeps predators at bay and the smell of blood and the wailing of an infant is attractive to predators (watch a dog or cat when they hear high pitched squalling like the sound of stressed out prey)

fire is the opposite of earth and damp which is what women usually are identified with in a majority of prehistoric and or /'primitive' cultures (primitive as in closer to the old ways, not meant as a derogative here) so fire would maybe purify a women; (many many cultures have taboos between men and women after birth or as long as the women has bleeding, for instance as most jewish women know)

the list is endless and fascinating.

just wild guesses all,

maybe some of the herbs and stuff thrown on the fire are mild relaxants/sedatives/ stimulants??? (what plants are always used?

OT: TO SUTYNOD

can u start a thread somewhere with some of these things listed. as ex ethnology major, i am always fascinated by these things and dont doubt the use of some of them (that comes from being in a culture with a thousand do's and dont's for birth, death, food etc ) )

i find it amazing and fascinating, along with the 'voodoo' black magic threads; for the different thai cultures and their ways...

actually coming from a background filled with rites and rituals, i find it odd that my husband doesnt have any at all (apart from wei phra once in a while when he feels like it...) and he hasnt a clue as to all the things i saw his mother and his old aunties doing (pouring water to trees and weing etc)... and i would love to know more....

bina

israel

[Sheryl]

It is NOT just an Isaan thing, maybe it is just that it has persisted in Isaan while it has died out in much of the rest of the country. But the practice is -- or was -- a widespread tradition throughout SE Asia, including Cambodia and Laos.

Has to do with beliefs about different illness being "hot" and " cold", sort of a derrivation of the yin/yang idea.

Can be dangerous..seen many women with serious burns friom it, also dehydration is a big risk. But provided the woman stays far enough back from the fire not to be burned, drinks plenty of liquids and there's enough ventilation to avoid breathing in the smoke, it can be harmless. And one advantage to it is that it does give the new mother a bit of time to rest and recuperate, since in order for her to stay put near the fire other family members have to take on the chores.