Random..strange... but interesting things I have learned

• It seems completely acceptable to wear the brightest bras with designs under a white shirt out in public. Even those working women that seem to "dress up" for work do it. It's the cool thing to do... At home we have a name for those types of women! ;o)

• It is normal to wear the same clothes day after day...and extremely smelly!

• The fruit market is no longer my favorite place to go....it's been 90-100 degrees here and it smells like A$$ at the market from all the peeing and pooping in the general area. Someone please send me a gas mask!!

• Apprently using the bathroom outside is completely normal. I find it disgusting how men (though I've seen women do it too) just pull it out and pee right in font of you. Not cool!!

• -Chinese Skittles are better than US Skittles. Reason one-green are apple here instead of nasty lime like at home. Reason two- the sour skittles are actually have a lot if sour stuff on them unlike the dusting on the ones from home. I love sour stuff...and I can only eat a few at a time.

Baby related stuff:

After you give birth you are in a one month period called  the “zuo yue zi”. Chinese mothers follow a long list of strict rules. Here are some of the rules:

• Immediately after giving birth you have to constantly wear a hat or some other cover to keep the head warm.

• If you have had a C Section you are not allowed to leave your bed except to go to the bathroom. You do not eat with the rest of your family, you eat in bed for a month. No outside, no windows open... you are stuck in your bed... for a month!

• No matter how hot it gets you are prohibited from exposing your hands or feet and have to keep them under the blanket.

• Wash hair – forbidden; taking shower – forbidden; wash hands, feet and face – no, no, no… Only boiled water (after it cools down) is used to brush teeth.

• Chinese believe that women following the tradition of “zuo yue zi” later will have less health problems. They think that some rules are questionable, but it’s better to put up with this hardship for a month and avoid serious health problems in the future.

• Drinking tea is not allowed because it might harm an infant and make him/her cry without any visible reason.

• If woman doesn’t stay in bed for the whole month (and some even recommend to prolong it for the period of 45 days) and gets up or makes any kind of exercise – it can result in the prolapse of uterus.

• Chinese women use a special bandage (more than 10 meters long and 30-40 cm wide) to tightly wrap their belly so that it becomes flat again as soon as possible.  

• Air conditioner and fan are prohibited – one can’t even open the window. Break this rule and in the old age you’ll have arthritis and migraines.

• Women are not allowed to breastfeed in the sitting posture. Instead they have to lie on the side and the baby is put next to mother’s breast.

• All fun activities, like reading or watching TV are limited. Disobedience is “punished” with the prospect of eye diseases.

• There are also many dietary restrictions which vary in their strictness. No cold food. No sour-tasting food. Some won't even eat raw vegetables and fruits. And most orthodox even refrain from drinking water (the main source of liquid being soup).

• Some women go to postpartum centers for the month period and the nurses/staff members pretty much take care of the baby. There is very little cuddling of the baby because they believe it isn't good for the babys bone development. They generally only hold the baby when nursing.

• Naming a child is very important and is considered bad luck to do so before the baby is born. The name that is chosen is always picked very carefully with much thought and consideration towards the meaning. It is sometimes practiced to call a newborn baby an animal name or ugly to trick evil spirits into thinking the baby is not worth kidnapping.

• It is a sign of beauty if the back of the head is very flat. To acquire this beautiful shape rice will often be put into the baby’s pillow. Sometimes a book is even tied around the back of the baby’s head.

• A baby often receives its first haircut at the start of its first month or before the 100 day celebration. Traditionally, the baby's head was shaved except at the top of the crown to remove the hair they considered was grown in the womb. The cut hair was then tied with red string and saved as a keepsake.

• 100 days after the baby's birth, relatives and friends will send gifts such as clothes, pants, necklace, bracelets for wrists and ankles, tiger shoes, hats for the baby. This is an important day for the baby because 100 days birth celebration represents the wish that the baby will live 100 years, the baby will wear a silver longevity pendant (in Chinese called Longevity Lock) on the neck. The pants will have long fringe on the legs, because the pronunciation of fringe is the same as year in Chinese. And the more fringe the more years.

Interesting, no? For the record, I will not participating in these Chinese customs. I will be showering once home from the hospital (if not sooner!), eating what I want to eat, and most importantly cuddling with my newborn!! Plus, like Grandma Jan and Auntie Candice would like flying around the world to see the baby and NOT have cuddle time!  ;o)