Institute of Higher Education and Research in Healthcare (IUFRS), University of Lausanne, Lausanne 1010, Switzerland.
Peking University School of Nursing, Beijing 100191, China.
Midwifery. 2024 Nov;138:104137. doi: 10.1016/j.midw.2024.104137. Epub 2024 Aug 8.
Asian migrants follow many traditional postpartum beliefs and practices after childbirth to protect both mother and child. Chinese mothers are often expected to stay at home for 4-6 weeks while observing certain restrictions known as postpartum confinement, or "Zuo Yue Zi."
To explore how Chinese mothers followed postpartum practices and the social support they needed while in Switzerland.
Twenty-seven Chinese mothers and their families were interviewed at an average of six months postpartum. Thematic analysis was performed on the data.
Chinese mothers in Switzerland continued following postpartum practices, including home confinement, cold avoidance, a minimum involvement in household chores, and hot dietary consumption. Meanwhile, they modified and abandoned certain restrictions, such as avoiding prolonged bed rest or excessive high-protein diets and preserving personal hygiene. Family members were their primary supporters, while mothers from "cross-cultural" families faced difficulties obtaining substantial support from their foreign partners or in-laws. Social support from independent midwives (sage femmes), privately paid helpers (yue sao), and Chinese migrant communities was important during this transitional period.
The conventional concept of "confinement" has evolved into a more supportive approach that prioritises physical and psychological comfort. It plays a crucial role in postpartum recovery and serves as a connection with cultural identity and an opportunity for family reunions for Chinese women living abroad. There is a need for Western maternity caregivers to understand and recognise the postpartum traditions of Asian migrants and to provide them with culturally sensitive care and professional support.
亚洲移民在产后遵循许多传统的信仰和习俗，以保护母亲和孩子。中国母亲通常被期望在家中待 4-6 周，同时遵守一些被称为产后禁闭或“坐月子”的特定限制。
探讨瑞士的中国母亲在遵循产后习俗时的情况以及她们所需要的社会支持。
在产后平均 6 个月时，对 27 位中国母亲及其家庭进行了访谈。对数据进行了主题分析。
瑞士的中国母亲继续遵循产后习俗，包括在家禁闭、避免受寒、尽量不参与家务劳动以及食用热食。同时，她们也对某些限制进行了调整和放弃，例如避免长时间卧床休息或过度摄入高蛋白饮食，以及保持个人卫生。家庭成员是她们的主要支持者，而来自“跨文化”家庭的母亲则在从外国伴侣或姻亲那里获得实质性支持方面遇到困难。独立的助产士（sage femmes）、私人雇佣的帮手（yue sao）以及中国移民社区在这一过渡时期提供了重要的社会支持。
传统的“禁闭”观念已经演变成一种更加支持的方法，优先考虑身体和心理的舒适。它在产后恢复中起着至关重要的作用，是与文化身份的联系，也是海外生活的中国妇女家庭团聚的机会。西方产妇护理人员需要理解并认识到亚洲移民的产后传统，并为她们提供文化敏感的护理和专业支持。
