Hi Parents,

My name is Hooi.

I have 1 question need your help to advise. My wife had a C section surgery due to HELLP Syndrome, and my baby girl was 34 weeks (premature). Baby is in good health but doctors are monitoring just to make sure she is healthy enough to be discharge (currently taking breast milk and IV drips)

My question is, can my wife still take Chinese confinement herbs since she had this complication ?

Thanks in advance

How many days since the surgery?

1. The liver enzymes are elevated in HELLP, meaning there is some liver injury. She should avoid traditional chinese medicine that may add to the burden of the liver.

2. The baby, being premature is already at risk for neonatal jaundice. Breastfeeding mothers who are on traditional chinese medicine further increases the risk of neonatal jaundice

This post has been edited by samowong: Oct 1 2019, 10:40 PM

4 days. currently not yet taking heavy chinese herbs and she is going for kidney checkup on 10 Oct

so it is advised not to take chinese confinement herb until her condition cleared ?

currently she is not taking any chinese confiment herbs, only some pills and confinement meal

If she is not taken this meds before delivery / during pregnancy, then eat healthy as usual would be sufficient. Healthy meal, not kind of dont it this and that.

thx for yr advice. im in dillema, the elder side are saying not to take fruits and vegetables and water. the reason was its ‘too cold’ for them, and will cause further issues in later years.

and the doctors and nurse just gave everything as mentioned above, including chicken and certain fish which Chinese said ‘poisonous’ for surgery wound (if you understand what i mean)

There is no hot or cold food, just nutritious vs non - nutritious. Normal healthy adult diet. Congratulations by the way - happy father.

thx

my advice, follow the professionals. do elderly even understand Biochemistry & Physiology? "Sejuk", "lemak", "angin" is bullshit!

Due to her complication, better to follow dr's advices, at the mean time better avoid TCM medicine, take after she is clear,

If u r not comfortable with Hospital food, why not bring ur own then u can satisfied ur parent's doubt and worries, remember balance diet, do get advice
from your dr or nutritionist

Congratulation ya

When you say pills and confinement meal, what are the actual contents? Same goes for the confinement herbs. What's inside? How does it actually help the body? Has she taken it before? How will her body react to it? How will it affect the baby when it passes through the breast milk?

I understand that as Chinese, we are bound by thousands of years of tradition. Our parents are esp. kan cheong as they want the best for us. They do not want anything to go wrong by NOT following tradition.

But this is not the time to experiment esp. when your wife is recovering from PE and the baby is premature. Breast milk is precious to premature babies as their immunity is underdeveloped. Therefore, why compromise the breast milk by feeding the mother something out of the ordinary?

In my opinion, just give your wife freshly cooked food from fresh and natural ingredients. Make sure its a balanced diet with lots of fruits and vegetables. Once she is able to, bring her outside for a brisk walk and fresh air.

This post has been edited by samowong: Oct 2 2019, 10:56 AM

hello, thx for all the advice. currently, we on hold chinese herbs, and only taken some meals made by my parents.

i have no other way to say this but seeing your child with needles inside her tiny hand and feet, tube inside her mouth, sleeping inside an incubator with machines that i dont understand really break your heart. i had to cry alone so that i can comfort my wife..