The Sacred Rest: Inside Taiwan's Postpartum Practice

If you’ve never heard of “sitting the month” before, you’re not alone. When I first explained it to my husband, his expression shifted from polite curiosity to mild horror. After listening to the long list of rules, he said, “you mean, like prison?” (And yes, he “verified” this later when I stayed in a postpartum care center.)

I rolled my eyes, but honestly, I could see where he was coming from.

What Is “Sitting the Month”?

In Taiwan, after giving birth, a woman enters a recovery period known as “sitting the month.” It typically lasts around 30 to 40 days and is seen as a sacred time for new mothers to rest, recharge, and restore their health.

Traditional Chinese medicine views childbirth as something that depletes the body’s energy and leaves it vulnerable to cold, wind, and dampness. Without proper care, it’s believed that a mother could develop long-term issues like joint pain, fatigue, or even hair loss. The solution? Total lockdown.

Just kidding. Sort of. 

The Dos and Don’ts
Here’s a glimpse of what’s usually encouraged and avoided during this period:

What you should do:
• Eat nourishing foods like sesame oil chicken and herbal soups
• Stay warm and bundled up, even in summer
• Lie in bed as much as possible
• Let your family, in-laws, or professional postpartum caregivers care for your baby

What you’re not supposed to do:
• Wash your hair or even shower
• Eat cold or raw foods
• Go outside or walk up and down
• Touch cold water or do housework, especially anything that requires physical effort

I’ll admit I wasn’t the most well-behaved new mom during my sitting the month period. My mum constantly nagged me not to walk around, which honestly added a bit of stress. 

From Ancient Tradition to Modern Upgrade
Thankfully, sitting the month has gotten a modern upgrade. In the past, postpartum care was usually handled at home by the new mom’s own mother or mother-in-law, who considered it their duty. Postpartum care centers were seen as a luxury only the wealthy could afford. Most families relied on home-cooked meals, herbal remedies, and traditional wisdom passed down through generations. 

Today, many moms opt to stay in professional postpartum care centers that feel more like boutique hotels. These centers offer nurses, lactation consultants, full baby care, and gourmet-style postpartum meals. For those staying home, daily meal delivery services are popular, and some hire round-the-clock professional caregivers. 

Sitting the Month versus Western Maternity Leave

While “sitting the month” may sound similar to maternity leave in Western countries, it follows a very different set of traditions and expectations. 

In the West, maternity leave often focuses on bonding with the baby, easing into parenting, and occasionally catching up on work or errands. By contrast, sitting the month is entirely centered on the mother’s recovery. The goal isn’t just time off, but to rest as much as humanly possible. Mothers are even encouraged to let caregivers look after the baby so they can focus solely on healing. 

That’s why my husband had trouble understanding why I would leave our newborn with the staff at the center. He believed I should be spending that precious time bonding with our daughter. But my friends, who had gone through it themselves, told me to rest as much as I could while I still had help. Once I left the care center, the good days would be over and I’d be on my own. 

So even though Western moms often get more time off, Taiwanese moms are expected to do far less during that crucial first month. 

The Meaning Behind the Rules
Beneath all the rules lies something deeply Taiwanese: a profound respect for the body and the belief that a new mother deserves just as much care as her newborn. It may feel restrictive, but at its core, it’s a cultural expression of love and protection.