Đủ rồi má

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The scent of herbs (mùi hương thảo dược) filled the room. Doris Luo lay face-down on the bed as a masseur softly rubbed her shoulders and back. A knock at the door indicated that her afternoon tea was ready to be served.

Then, a loud cry pierced the silence — Luo’s newborn baby boy had woken up. A nanny (vú em) arrived and helped the 32-year-old shift into a more comfortable position (tư thế thoải mái) while she breastfed the child. After 20 minutes, she took the boy away to burp him. Luo turned back to her afternoon tea.

Luo was a guest at a new style of hotel that is spreading rapidly across China: luxury “maternity hotels” that help new mothers zuoyuezi, or “sit the month,” in comfort.

The custom of zuoyuezi goes back centuries in China. After giving birth, new mothers are expected to stay indoors for an entire month (ở trong nhà cả tháng), avoiding cold temperatures (tránh nước lạnh) or any form of physical exertion (ko làm việc nặng). This is believed to aid their physical recovery.

The exact rules vary from place to place, but the tradition remains common all over China — and can be highly restrictive. Families often forbid new mothers from leaving the house, drinking cold water, or bathing with anything other than boiled water. In some places, mothers are even told to stay away from TVs, smartphones, and hair dryers, to avoid any possible radiation (nhiễm xạ).

Tensions often run high during this period. Many young parents grow frustrated (mệt mỏi) by their relatives’ overzealous enforcement of zuoyuezi customs, and what they perceive as outdated parenting advice. As one Chinese saying goes: “A fight during the yuezi can lead to a lifelong feud.”

Bài trước: Xu hướng nguy hiểm