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TCM Recommendations For The 10 Lunar Months Of Pregnancy

Basic TCM Recommendations for the 10 lunar months of pregnancy to help nourish and affect the fetus positively.
  • 1st month: Barley & easily digested cooked foods are best, stay calm, do not work too much, avoid fear, excess cold or heat.
  • 2nd month: Avoid spicy hot foods, excessive exercise or sexual activity, excessive cold or hot temperatures.
  • 3rd month: Meat and fish, resting, meditation, good sleep.
  • 4th month: Brown rice, fish, eating in moderation.
  • 5th month: Sleeping long hours, taking naps, staying warm, eating oats, and mix sweet & sour foods. Some examples; sour: grapefruit, olives. Sweet: rice, potato, nuts, meat, legumes, fruit, honey, apples.
  • 6th month: Fresh air and daily walks, eating wild game and root vegetables.
  • 7th month: Bone soups, stretching gentle yoga.
  • 8th month: Practice deep breathing, stay calm and avoid stress or anger.
  • 9th month: Stay dry and avoid damp areas or eating sweets.
  • 10th month: Avoid salty food, mediate with both hands on the Dan Tian ara where the fetus is.

Foods Rich in Vitamins and Minerals

  • Folate rich foods: leafy green vegetables, asparagus, citrus fruits, dried beans, peas.
  • Iron-rich foods: lean red meat, poultry, fish, beans, dark leafy greens, artichokes, prunes. Dietary iron is more easily absorbed with vitamin C, such as, citrus fruits, and tomatoes.
  • Calcium-rich foods: kefir, goat cheese, sardines, white beans, white and black sesame seeds, okra, collard greens.
  • Vitamin D rich foods: mackerel, salmon, whitefish, sardines, portobello mushrooms (exposed to UV light), eggs (soft boil or soft poach is best to get the good fat from the yolk).

Post Pregnancy

  • Rest, no sexual intercourse 8 weeks.
  • Abdominal binding: day 2 after vaginal birth, day 6 after C-Section. 
  • Avoid drinking cold water & cold food.
  • No bathing or swimming (shower only).
  • Avoid draft and cold air.
  • No lifting heavy objects.

Avoid Cold Temperatures: After giving birth, a woman has lost a lot of blood. In TCM theory, blood and Qi, or vital life energy, are linked; the loss of blood leads to the loss of Qi. The mother is therefore weak and very vulnerable to catching a cold. At this time it is easy for cold to penetrate deep into the meridians. This condition could later lead to symptoms such as pain in the muscles or joints, or a type of nerve pain. Where the pain develops is where the cold remained in the Healthy Body. Even in summer, a new mother would be advised to take care not to expose herself to cold conditions.