Postpartum healing is a tricky business because, after childbirth, a new mother becomes overwhelmed with so many demands. It can take a toll on her mental, physical, as well as emotional health. For Chinese mothers in Asian countries, as well as those living in Western nations, they have one secret. Here, I am sharing their secret to faster recovery and complete postpartum healing. Read more.

• Read: Giving Birth During the Pandemic Reveals the Depth of a Mom’s Strength

Chinese Mothers Go Through One-Month Home Confinement

One postpartum healing practice of Chinese mothers is to go through what they call in Fookien as “ge-lai”. It is a one-month home confinement after childbirth where the mother gets complete rest.

• Related: Surviving Childbirth during the Pandemic and Being Covid-19 Positive

Among the things Chinese mothers do during ge-lai are:

• Eat nutritious food like fish soup with vegetables and chicken soup with herbal concoctions
• Drink herbal teas
• Take vitamins and minerals
• Adequate sleep
• Take the recommended dosage of Serravallo’s Tonic

Moreover, Chinese mothers do not take full baths during this time. Sure they wash and freshen up, but they do not wet the entire body. So that means, no shampoo.

They are in no hurry to go out because they know that this period of healing is part of the process of restoring the woman’s body. Pregnancy and the subsequent childbirth experience take so much from a woman. And the Chinese want their women healthy in order to produce more healthy offsprings.

Serravallo’s Tonic for Post-Partum Healing

Serravallo’s Tonic is made from the finest grapes grown in Italy. Established in 1848 in Trieste, Italy, the tonic was concocted and developed by a chemist. According to the company’s information, it is the only wine that has over 10,000 testimonies for its health benefits. And that includes me because I had been an avid drinker after giving birth to my two daughters.

While it is made in Italy, the packaging is in Chinese because the market is predominantly Asian Chinese. In Thailand where there is a big market, the packaging is Thai dialect.

Loyal customers have sworn and are highly recommending the product. Asian mothers, particularly those who live in Hong Kong, value their health so much. There is a large market base for Serravallo’s Tonic among Chinese mothers in Hong Kong.

Needless to say, look at how energetic Hong Kong women are. During our trip to Hong Kong, we really saw how fast they walk and carry heavy stuff!

The Alcohol Content and Breastfeeding

As I have discussed in my previous blog post, the alcohol content from a small cup of Serravallo’s Tonic is very minimal. So it is really safe even for breastfeeding mothers. I should know because I have taken the tonic while breastfeeding both kids.

For more information, read this: Questions About Benefits of Serravallo’s Tonic for Breastfeeding Moms

The recommended dosage for normal delivery is twice a day after meals and after breastfeeding. If you have taken Serravallo’s Tonic, do not let your infant latch for two hours.

For Caesarean delivery, a mommy who just gave birth can take up to 4 cups for faster wound healing and recovery.

Food that Brings Heat to the Body

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) believes that our bodies can be hot or cold. To maintain optimum health, there should be a balance of the heat and cold.

For a postpartum mother, her body is considered cold because of the blood loss incurred during delivery. Her food is mostly cooked with lots of ginger (heaty or hot). Chocolate drink is also part of that diet because chocolates are considered hot.

Since Serravallo’s Tonic is considered very “heaty”, it is suitable for a woman who just underwent trauma from childbirth. Moreover, Serravallo’s Tonic helps the body get rid of the “menses accumulated during her pregnancy.”

• Related: Teething Powder from Traditional Chinese Medicine

The drink rejuvenates the red blood cells, which is crucial for her body to recover fast. That is because the blood cells transport oxygen and nutrients to our entire body and help form blood clots to prevent further blood loss. It is also a sleep aid.

Other Uses

Experience the goodness of Serravallo’s Tonic that many Chinese mothers would vouch for. It is an overall health drink for an adult person who feels weak because of low blood pressure and anemia so that he or she will regain physical strength and energy.

Serravallo’s Tonic is available in Singapore, Hongkong, Malaysia, Taiwan, Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines. It is available in Chinese drugstores, supermarkets, and even liquor stores.

• Related: Health Benefits of Ginger