5 Postpartum Practices American Women Should Learn From The Happy, Hot Women Of Brazil
Taking care of a brand new baby is an amazing but stressful experience where new mothers take on a lot of additional responsibilities. This can quickly become overwhelming for a new mom, but in Latin American cultures, they do things a little differently.
Newborn babies are a lot of work. They require round-the-clock feedings, they don’t sleep on a schedule, you’re awake when they’re awake, and they cry a lot even when there’s nothing wrong. It’s enough to stress anyone out, especially if you don’t have a support system to lean on.
In the U.S., moms are expected to bounce back quickly while also taking on the brunt of new responsibilities. Most new moms cook, clean, and often have to return to work with limited maternity leave (if any). They are also expected to host family and friends at their homes or travel to introduce their new baby to loved ones within weeks, if not days, upon leaving the hospital. For many, this kind of setup leads to resentment, limited time for self-care, postpartum depression, and potential relationship issues.
There’s nothing wrong with being in a more traditional household where the woman cooks and cleans while the man takes care of outdoor and manual labor-related chores. There’s a time and place for gender roles, but it’s different when the woman is postpartum and you have a brand new baby at home. Postpartum women need to be resting, not “doing it all.”
In Latin American cultures like Brazil, however, they see postpartum completely differently. Brazilian moms often embrace a tradition known as la cuarentena, which literally translates to “the quarantine.” La cuarentena refers to the first 40 days after having a baby, which is a time for a new mom to rest, recover, and bond with her new baby while the other women in the community pitch in to support her.
During la cuarentena, new moms do not leave the house at all, they don’t have sex with their partners, they don’t cook, and they don’t clean. Their time is spent resting, healing, and focused totally on their new child. So much of la cuarentena revolves around having a strong support system, whether it’s family or friends.
At this point, you might be thinking, "must be nice!" Of course, this type of set-up might not be possible for every new mom depending on her situation – maybe you live really far from family, have a strained relationship with them, or can’t take much time off work – here are a few la cuarentena-style postpartum practices to incorporate to make your postpartum journey as low-stress as possible.
Prioritize Rest
La cuarentena is all about recovery, which is the number one thing women should be focused on during their postpartum journey, outside of caring for their new baby. That means no strenuous exercise, heavy lifting, or straining yourself. In la cuarentena, new mothers nap constantly while female relatives like their mothers or sisters take care of the baby. This allows the new mom to get back on her feet more quickly because she’s giving her body ample time to rest and recover.