Tips for
Discreet Breastfeedingthe author lives in Singapore, so it is more
pertinent than many Western pages. She also wrote an interesting
artcile about her breatsfeeding experiences.
My
favorite Breast feeding links" by Jacqueline Leung. Here she
also debunks popular myths about breast milk and breast feeding and
relates
some of her own experience
Breast pumps
You can buy hand pumps any Watsons, Mannings, or small local western
drug stores Many Mannings also carry Medela mini electric pumps.
In my experience, hand pumps and mini electric's are OK for
pumping
to relieve engorgement, or if you are working part-time. However, if
you
are working full-time and want to keep up your supply and lay away
enough
milk for the baby to consume while you're away, you will likely need an
"industrial strength" pump.
Powerful pumps can be rented from " Medela
Breast feeding Products" (tel 2335-9842). Their "In Real Life"
address
is: Far East Consortium Bldg, Yau Ma Tei.
Meridian (the parent company) also sells other baby products
like
Mother's milk tea, breast feeding videos (some dubbed into Cantonese),
etc. They also maintain a breast feeding hotline for support. You can
speak
to the breast feeding counselor by calling 2328-2662. They will deliver
and pick up the pumps for an extra fee.
Breast feeding Advocacy
The Department of Health has this information
about breastfeeding. Here is the Health Department's breastfeeding
policy. But
I must say that I found their online promotion
of breast feedingin Hong Kong rather feeble.
Here is an article about breast feeding that appeared in Nov.
1996's Varsitya magazine for tertiary students and faculty in
Hong
Kong, published by Chinese University. "Back
to nature Feeding without bottles" by Dephanie Yeung.
In summer 1999, there was a mild controversy over a woman who was asked
to stop breast feeding at the having tea in the lobby of the
Peninsula.
There was a "feed-in" later covered by the press.
I myself have breast fed at the Immigration Department and a few other
places, like doctors' offices. But generally I did the "retreat to the
ladies room thing". It's nice in posh hotels. Sometimes you do get
advice/criticism
on your technique from the attendants, but I am always open to
suggestions
and advice and like to hear other women's experiences.
Jaundice
Some women stop breastfeeding because of their baby has jaundice. Here
some good information on jaundice
and breast feedingfrom ProMoM.org.
坐月- The First Month After the Birth
Traditionally among Cantonese people (and many other groups in China
and elsewhere) the first month or so after the birth is a very special
time, a time when the mother and new baby stay in and rest and eat
special
foods and observe special practices. One gets the idea from the
traditional
English term "confinement".
While I myself did not follow all the practices, I did enjoy
the
special
foods: 豬腳姜(Pig's Feet, Eggs, Vinegar & Ginger), fish and papaya
soup, etc.
I will be posting some of my mother-in-laws recipes soon, in
the
meantime,
here is a recipe page called "Pregnancy
& Confinement Recipes" from a site in Singapore called Momsinmind.
It also includes soups and tonics for the pregnancy as well.
Here is a short essay by a Malaysian woman named Lydia Teh
about
her
"month".
No
Bathing, No visiting and no drinking water: the confinement of Chinese
Mothers. It's a much more cheerful memoir than the title might
indicate.
Non-Chinese Birth Customs
Other cultures of course have their own post-natal (post partum)
customs. In the west, for many centuries Christians in Europe and North
America had a custom called "Churching" where a woman would not return
to church until a month or 6 weeks after the birth, and then have
a prayer said over her.
Anglicans (my semi-natal culture):
Churching
of Women from the Anglican Book of Common Prayer 1559
Churching
of Women from the 1789 Episcopal Prayer Book also in the 1892
edition (USA)
The
Thanksgiving of Women after Child-birth Commonly called the Churching
of
Women from the 1928 Episcopal Prayer Book (USA)
A
Thanksgiving
for the Birth or Adoption of a Child from the 1979 Episcopal Prayer
Book (USA)
Azerbaijanis
According to Jala Garibova and Betty Blair in their 1999 article in Azerbaijan
International,40 days is the common confinement period for women
there.
"Birth
and Death Sociolinguistically Speaking - Part 4".
Estonians
According to Marika Mikkor, a folklorist, who wrote this
articleon birth customs among Estonian villagers in the Caucuses in
1984-1989. Here is another one that she wrote called About
the Study of Birth Customs in Towns and in the Country- based on
work
among Estonians in Tallinn, Tartu and Rapla county, Jogeva town, and
also
Central Finland.
Greeks
In Roumeli (a district in Greece?) a woman's confinement was 40 days,
according to Xenofontas Anagnostopoulou article, Birth
and Baptismal Customs of Roumeli.
Hmong (Miao) in Australia
An article by PL Rice, published in 1994 about birth customs
among Hmong women (Miao) living in Australia. "When
I had my baby here!"
Irish
Irish
Customs - birth and babiesby Jane Lyons.
Jews
Birth customsaccording
the www.jewfaq.org.
Koreans
According to this
pagecreated by the Electronics &Telecommunications Research
Institute
Database Section.
Kullu Valley inhabitants
Birth ritualsas
reported by Kullunetabout the
Kullu
valley, in the Himalayas, in the Indian province of Himachal Pradesh
(whose
capital is Simla).
Malaysia (Comparative - Chinese, Indians, & Malays)
An article by Gale Dixon published in 1993 comparing pregnancy and
confinement customs among Chinese, Malays, and Indians in Malaysia,
entitled
"Ethnicity
and Infant Mortality in Malaysia".
Maltese
Birth
Customs
and Saint Protectors by Guze Cassar Pullicino.
Romans (Ancient)
Midwives
and
Maternity
Care in the Roman Worldby Valerie French.
Rucs
Here is an October 16, 2000 article from the Vietnam News Service
describing birth
rituals among the Ruc.
Return to Beginning
of Raising Babies in Hong Kong