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Sign up with Google Sign up with FacebookQ: What are Chinese women encouraged to eat/drink when pregnant?
I know each culture has specific local recommendations - what do they recommend here?
During pregnancy I honestly do not recall, because my GF is at work now, when she returns this afternoon I will ask her and add it below with an "edit". I do remember that the doctor do keep an eye on the pregnant mother weight gain, trying for a kid under 7 pounds of weight.
But I do recall just after birth the woman is suppossed to have a special "soup" that comes like in a gallon can, and inside is a dark brown liquid that looks very similar to soy sauce, but stinks with a strong vinager smell, and needs to be cooked for hours before it is eaten. And that is a "must" to have.
Honestly, this topic scares the bejesus outta me. We are planning to have a baby soon and I have been reading up on the cultural aspect of this. Boy, I have a lot to learn!
Happy - any word from your lady friend?
HappyExPat:
Yeaph, and I forgot to post it. She said it would depend on the region the pregnat lady was from. Different regions, different types of food required. But basically, her words were to eat nutritious, fresh food and plenty fruits. And she did go into the post delivery custom of one month in bed without going even to WC, no hair combing, and eat daily chicken soup made from a life chicken brought home and killed just before cooking. That is common in her hometown.
My gf says fish soup and black chicken are common pregnancy dishes. Chinese seem to have many dishes for special occasions. She drinks brown sugar tea on her girls day. I don't understand what that's all about.
Jnusb416:
My friend told me that her doctor told her not to take pills for the pain, eat brown sugar instead. I think that explains it.
I think the list of things depends on what part of China you are in. In Guangdong, when my wife was pregnant, it was black chicken and a special kind of rice wine that her mother brewed up.
There was also a fair amount of pre-natal vitamins that were used. Plus, as I remember, an almost endless request for foot rubs.
Interesting side story: My wife ended up working for and eventually running the company that made the pre-natal vitamins she took while having our kids.
This isn't food, but still a weird practice:
Pregnant women are told to keep a cactus near their computer monitor because said cactus will "absorb harmful radiation" so it doesn't effect the baby.
Xpat.John:
I had one employee wear a lead lined apron while in front of the computer so the radiation wouldn't hurt her baby.
Scandinavian:
hang on. a cactus has been put on my desk to prevent harmful radiation. am I being called fat ?
MrTibbles:
Yep. Fatty. Haha.People also put them in offices because they don't require much watering, so they don't have to pay someone to water plants.
I'm sorry, but I think it's a custom everywhere that women should EAT during pregnancy.