The 21st-Century Mother Deserves Better
Reclaiming What Was Lost. Reimagining What’s Next.
According to the World Health Organization, the post-birth period is regarded as the most critical time for moms’ long-term health and well-being. Yes—as in for the rest of their lives.
But what do most new mothers in the U.S. receive? Disposable underwear, some ice chips, a pat on the back, and a “See ya in six weeks, good luck!”
Doesn’t exactly sound like a path towards well-being to me.
How Other Cultures Support Mothers After Birth
I was born in Taiwan, where postpartum care for the mother isn’t an afterthought—it’s common sense. Rooted in Traditional Chinese Medicine principles and practiced for millennia, this care is known as zuo yue-zi in Mandarin, meaning “sitting the month.”
For 40 days after birth, new mothers stay indoors, cared for by a yue sao (postpartum nanny), and follow a series of protocols, such as eating nourishing foods, restorative rest, and no strenuous physical activity.
The goal is to protect the new mother from future ill health and restore her strength, physically, mentally, and emotionally. The yue sao handles everything from cooking and cleaning to newborn care so the mother can focus on healing. When a postpartum nanny isn’t available, a family member or several family members take on the role.
Even after immigrating to Vancouver, I watched women in our community fly in postpartum nannies from across the Pacific. Support after birth wasn’t optional—it was non-negotiable. The first thing my people do after a positive pregnancy test is not create a baby registry or plan a gender reveal party. They ask, “Do you know a good postpartum nanny?” And lock one in as soon as possible. The best ones are always in high demand.
Many expecting mothers also fly themselves back to Taiwan ahead of their delivery date so they can take advantage of well-established postpartum care centers there.
When I began contemplating pregnancy in the U.S., the first thing I wanted to do was to figure out my postpartum plan. Before I even got pregnant. Surely there must be better ways by now. Perhaps I don’t have to fly anyone across the Pacific.
But what I found was…disappointing at best. Fragmented advice, piecemeal information, and no comprehensive framework for what mothers actually need after birth. No collective understanding that the mother’s well-being is essential. No cultural insistence that a woman deserves the same care, if not more, after birth as before it.
Even the people who have heard of “the first 40 days” only seem to think about food and recipes and nothing more, as if a pot of soup alone could restore a woman recovering from giving birth.
The Reality for Postpartum Mothers in the U.S.
I’ve spoken to countless women, and most have no idea what to expect after birth. They don’t know what options are available, what support could look like, how to ask for help, or that they could even ask for help.
Via the Mother First Survey, many describe the same moment: home with a newborn, exhausted and overwhelmed, realizing that nobody had prepared them for this part.
The more I spoke to them, the more I realized what I knew intuitively to be true: most women are not equipped with the knowledge and tools to have a supported transition into motherhood.
The statistics reflect their stories:
1 in 5 mothers experience postpartum mental health conditions—including depression, anxiety, PTSD, and more.
85% of new mothers go through the “baby blues,” with symptoms like emotional sensitivity, weepiness, and overwhelm.
75% percent remain untreated, leaving maternal mental health conditions unaddressed at a cost of $14 billion annually in the U.S. alone.
Behind every statistic is a woman who deserves more—more knowledge, more preparation, support.
The kind I naturally understood because of where I was born. But I believe that what happens to a woman after giving birth should be thoughtfully considered, beautifully designed, and well celebrated, regardless of where she’s from.
The Gap Between Ancient Wisdom and Today
In the West, colonialism, industrialization, and the medicalization of birth stripped these cultural practices away. Anything beyond treating the physical body of acute symptoms is seen as “woo-woo”, pseudo-science, or even witchcraft.
Thankfully, as science advances, more and more research has demonstrated that ancient cultural practices possess scientific merit.
I’m not saying that one is better than the other. or that we should follow ancient practices completely. Not at all.
Rather, the path forward is integration—where ancient wisdom and modern science come together to ensure the best possible experience for new mothers today.
This is the heart of Mother First.
To share global wisdom, expert insight, and lived stories from around the world, so that together, we can come to the collective understanding that postpartum care isn’t a luxury, but a baseline for human flourishing.
Our goal is simple: that women enter motherhood not blindfolded, but empowered.
When women have access to clear, trustworthy information about their wellbeing and their choices, everything shifts. They can design a postpartum experience that fits their reality, budget, and values, instead of defaulting to the absence of care that too many experience and accept as the “norm.”
Enough people are focused on the baby. It’s time to focus on you.
Whether you’re contemplating motherhood, navigating pregnancy, or adjusting to life after birth, Mother First is here to meet you where you are.
Explore ways to prioritize you:
The Dispatch: a weekly newsletter sharing global research, tools, and insights that put you first.
The Ledger: a living glossary of postpartum terms and practices, both modern and ancestral.
The Journal: our research-based journal, where posts like this one deepens the conversation.
Together, these resources form a blueprint for the modern mother—restoring what has been lost, while reimagining what support can look like for you.
