Bizarre Post-natel 'rite'

[simon43]

My wife, who comes from Nong Khai in north Issan, is only a few eeks away from giving birth to her second child. We are living in Phuket.

She has told me that after the birth, she wants to immediately spend one week with her mother who will boil lots of water for her ands throw this water over her throughout the day. She says that this is an Issan tradition to improve her post-natal health etc. After her previous baby was born, this 'rite' was performed in Nong Khai where she could lie on the ground outside etc. Since we are in Phuket, she intends to lie on the kitchen floor....

Now, has she lost her marbles??? Or it it just a cunning strategy to avoid having to change nappies? I don't have a problem with this, (I'm an expert nappy changer but my breast-feeding skills arn't very successful!).

Simon

[bina]

its could be up to one month in a small hut in the fields w/a small clean burning fire constantly burning where the woman lays on a bed (not floor this time), hubby or mom brings food etc, baby is with her; u can visit, no sex (from what i understand), or similar to what your wife will do.... there was an article in some thai magazine about 'strange issaan rites' that i saw w/photos , here in israel at the thai workers' house: they told me what the article said.... and my friend's wife did this too!!!

[plachon]

Simon,

Think she may be talking about the Isaan habit after giving birth of nawn fai (literally sleeping by a fire). It's quite normal amongst country gals, and usually involves a herbal sauna type set up of sleeping nearby a fire with a boiling cauldon of herbal goodies, which are frequently sponged over the body and a herbal tea is drunk. For my wife, a kind of tent was set up with he and the boiling pot under it, so she was literally cooked for a week, which supposedly heals the wound and aids the womb getting back to normal. More modern gals, seem to shun the herbal sauna bit, but like to wear an electric heated belt to help their womb heal. May or may not be good, but it's a normal part of Isaan births it seems.

On the abstinence from sex bit Bina, after popping out a 3-4 kg lump of wriggling flesh and bone, can quite understand laying off a lay for a month or two.

[Dragonman]

Just asked my wife. She said that the only thing mothers tell their daughters after giving birth in her area of Isaan is "Get back to work"

[Totster]

Simon,

Think she may be talking about the Isaan habit after giving birth of nawn fai (literally sleeping by a fire). It's quite normal amongst country gals, and usually involves a herbal sauna type set up of sleeping nearby a fire with a boiling cauldon of herbal goodies, which are frequently sponged over the body and a herbal tea is drunk. For my wife, a kind of tent was set up with he and the boiling pot under it, so she was literally cooked for a week, which supposedly heals the wound and aids the womb getting back to normal. More modern gals, seem to shun the herbal sauna bit, but like to wear an electric heated belt to help their womb heal. May or may not be good, but it's a normal part of Isaan births it seems.

Apparently if the lady has a cessarian section, then the rite is not performed

totster

[seonai]

the herbal compress thing is also done for a week where I live and the new mother lays on the floor, usually an elderly lady comes every day to massage Mum. Everyone helps with baby but gives back for feeding of course.

[simon43]

OK, thanks for this very useful (and interesting) information!!!

So it looks like I'm stuck with the nappy-changing then

Simon

PS - I have yet to tell her about the ancient English tradition of proud fathers getting totally blind drunk for 3 days after the birth ...

[ThaiPauly]

OK, thanks for this very useful (and interesting) information!!!

So it looks like I'm stuck with the nappy-changing then

Simon

PS - I have yet to tell her about the ancient English tradition of proud fathers getting totally blind drunk for 3 days after the birth ...

WHERE????????

I'm all in favour of supporting English traditions, being a Londoner!

Oh <deleted>, you are in Phuket and I am in CMX, oh well I will drink to the health of your baby whilst I.................write this

Cheers

Edited March 19, 2006 by ThaiPauly

[Gazza]

After my wife dropped our first she spent about a week sleeping outside next to the house on a low table. Next to it was a fire and my wife was covered in a yellowish paste. That alone was enough not think about having sex for awhile.

[Jasmine]

Hi and Congrats on the baby

I'm a farang female married to a Thai who had my first baby in BKK.

My mum-in-law was from BKK not Isaan but she insisted on this heat thing too. Apparently it helps you to heal. When she came to visit us at home she heated up bricks in the oven wrapped them in banana leaves and pummelled me all over with them

She also hinted that farang pooying must be big girls blouses cos I could only tolerate these bricks at a certain heat and that Thai girls can withstand higher temperatures ( my bloody skin was coming off) She also provided me with lots of spandex cycling short type garments to help me get my stomach back into shape!

Had my next child in the UK where there was no such fun

[ThaiPauly]

My best friend's GF recently had his baby,

family came down from Issan. first time her Mum had ever been in an elevator!!

Another "Strange but True " fact bought to you by...

TP

[boppia]

About a month(?) after my baby was born my wife's mother shaved the baby's head. Anyone else have this done?

[Misplaced]

its could be up to one month in a small hut in the fields w/a small clean burning fire constantly burning where the woman lays on a bed (not floor this time), hubby or mom brings food etc, baby is with her; u can visit, no sex (from what i understand), or similar to what your wife will do.... there was an article in some thai magazine about 'strange issaan rites' that i saw w/photos , here in israel at the thai workers' house: they told me what the article said.... and my friend's wife did this too!!!

Geezzzze I hope not, its the first month forgod sake

[ThaiPauly]

About a month(?) after my baby was born my wife's mother shaved the baby's head. Anyone else have this done?

I am led to believe that Jewish customs are far more drastic

[bina]

jewish customs:

8 days (a healthy boy baby) then the circumcision...

one to two months no sex and if u are orthodox, then no physical contact between husband and wife at all (bdouble but separate beds since a menstruating or bleeding woman is 'impure' etc) the same as when a woman is menstruating: seven days after bleeding, (yes, u check down there with a cotton pad ), then, mikva (a cleansing rite done at a special pool meant just for this, then welcome hubby to the marital bed as if u were a bride again... (nicer clothing, flowers by the bed (to signal u are ready),

this time off from sex supposedly helps keep the man's interest up.... among other things....

and different women feel differently after giving birth btw... we also do washing with herbal luke warm water, and most religious othodox women move back to mom or to a special hotel for moms and babies, for up to a month ..... similar, a break from housework etc...

[AmeriThai]

My wife, who comes from Nong Khai in north Issan, is only a few eeks away from giving birth to her second child. We are living in Phuket.

She has told me that after the birth, she wants to immediately spend one week with her mother who will boil lots of water for her ands throw this water over her throughout the day. She says that this is an Issan tradition to improve her post-natal health etc. After her previous baby was born, this 'rite' was performed in Nong Khai where she could lie on the ground outside etc. Since we are in Phuket, she intends to lie on the kitchen floor....

Now, has she lost her marbles??? Or it it just a cunning strategy to avoid having to change nappies? I don't have a problem with this, (I'm an expert nappy changer but my breast-feeding skills arn't very successful!).

Simon

OUCH! Nothing more refreshing than having someone throw boiling water at you all day. Congrats in advance on the wee one.

Edited March 19, 2006 by AmeriThai

[Johpa]

The folk medicine tradition of a woman, immediately after giving birth to a child, isolating herself in a hut next to a fire (yuu fai, nawn fai)is not restricted to Isaan culture, but is found in many of the Tai subcultures and is still practiced to some extent in all the rural areas. Needless to say, with most rural women giving birth in hospitals, it is a custom that is slowly fading away.

Another traditional folk medicine event that is disappearing is the riak khwaan ceremony.

[leisurely]

In the UK, it is recommended that you do not recommence sexual relations until your 6 week post natal check up. The odd thing is though, that almost immediately following the birth, a specially trained nurse/midwife comes round to talk about contraception It has been my experience that most of the new mothers on the receiving end are just so shagged out they glance in the bassinet beside their bed and grimace. That is the only contraception you need. The thoughtr that 30 seconds of horizontal jogging could produce another of those!

[Totster]

this time off from sex supposedly helps keep the man's interest up....

hmmm... helps keeps the man's interest up in the maid more like.. or the female work colleaugue etc..

totster

[bkkexplorer]

Apparently if the lady has a cessarian section, then the rite is not performed

totster

Is this true? The missus had a cesarean five weeks ago and is talking about this healing method she want to go through. She says it starts later for cesarean births.

Any shared experiences appreciated.

[Farma]

About a month(?) after my baby was born my wife's mother shaved the baby's head. Anyone else have this done?

My wife and I were talking about this the other night. She said it ensured the baby had a thick and healthy head of hair when it grows back.

[johnh101]

Just asked my wife. She said that the only thing mothers tell their daughters after giving birth in her area of Isaan is "Get back to work"

Very good..........

[macb]

Well my wife is five and half months pregnant we just been talking about this, she has told her Mother not need to do the hot water thing as she has hot water supply in our house,(ie shower and bath and she can shower and use herbal salts in the shower room. Also I am going to buy her one of these sit in sauna tents about 2000 bht.

So I suppose my wife has brought the ancient custom into the year 2006.

macb

[Khutan]

Upcoming Congratulations Simon. I dare say you have a big smile of your face (some time soon).

.......She has told me that after the birth, she wants to immediately spend one week with her mother who will boil lots of water for her ands throw this water over her throughout the day......

Sadly it is a bit of a tradition. The benefits if any would be questionable. I would guess that the roots of this are in animism rather than any medical readon.

Simon,

Think she may be talking about the Isaan habit after giving birth of nawn fai (literally sleeping by a fire). It's quite normal amongst country gals,....

As newborn babies lungs are not always fully developed then I cannot see any benefit at all to this practice. In fact introducing an irritant to newly developed lungs or developing lungs can only be harmful. Imagine if you have a new-born in the west and tried that, I am sure that the respective "Child Welfare" department would be near by.

.....PS - I have yet to tell her about the ancient English tradition of proud fathers getting totally blind drunk for 3 days after the birth ...

Now thats the ticket !!!!

Again Congratulations Simon, and I hope mother and baby are / will be doing well with plenty of health and vigour.

[ronw]

In the UK, it is recommended that you do not recommence sexual relations until your 6 week post natal check up. The odd thing is though, that almost immediately following the birth, a specially trained nurse/midwife comes round to talk about contraception It has been my experience that most of the new mothers on the receiving end are just so shagged out they glance in the bassinet beside their bed and grimace. That is the only contraception you need. The thoughtr that 30 seconds of horizontal jogging could produce another of those!

I always thought that ,in the UK, having sex after the birth of a child depended on on whether it was a public or a private ward....................

[Mr Jones]

Pray tell what has giving birth and what women do after the birth got to do with men?

we do our bit at conception. that should be enough.

[qualtrough]

This belief is not restricted to Isaan. My wife is from a central Thailand background (Ayudhaya), and after the birth of our firstborn I recall her having an old woman come and give her some massages that involved heat and herbs, possibly the tent routine. She is sleeping now but I will ask her to refresh my memory tomorrow and report back.

As far as the shaved heads, ocassionally you will see Thai children with a shaved head and a topknot in the traditional Thai style. I have asked around and the answer that I received was that the children had been ill and that the parents had made a deal with whatever spirit or entity responsible for illness that they would have the child wear their hair in that style for a period of time in return for the child being cured.

[Templer]

Well Simon

I Hope every thing goes well with the birth,

Let us know when the happy day arrives,

and I am sure many a good English man will

join in with traditional wetting of the baby's head!!!!!

My wife is from Udon and I asked the question,

She agreed with it ,

But as our children were born in England, she did not carry it out.

Templer

[simon43]

Well, this thread is getting long in the tooth! Just to say that the happy event happened about 4 months ago now! My wife had to have a caesarian, so she wasn't able to do the hot water treatment.

However, after a few weeks of recovery, she did get a Thai friend to gently massage her and smear yellow/green paster on her - plus the sauna treatment. It certainly helped her to minimise the stretch marks etc.

BTW, our baby boy is doing fine. He had his head shaved at about 2 months old, and now has more hair than me......

Simon

[LoveDaBlues]

In the UK, it is recommended that you do not recommence sexual relations until your 6 week post natal check up. The odd thing is though, that almost immediately following the birth, a specially trained nurse/midwife comes round to talk about contraception It has been my experience that most of the new mothers on the receiving end are just so shagged out they glance in the bassinet beside their bed and grimace. That is the only contraception you need. The thoughtr that 30 seconds of horizontal jogging could produce another of those!

30 seconds.....my condolences to your partner.