The 40 Days the World Got Right
Before we had #momstagram, TikTok momfluencers, or Canva-designed birth plans, we had… each other.
Communities. Elders. Traditions passed down through centuries.
Across continents, climates, and cultures, communities had strikingly similar postpartum practices.
They all believed that the first 40 days after birth are a critical period of rest and recovery for a new mother. Her body and mind need structured rest, nourishment, and communal support.
A cross-cultural review confirms this. In nearly every society studied, postpartum was defined as about 40 days of withdrawal from heavy labor with a focus on nourishing meals and dedicated help for the mother.
Different names, same truth: postpartum calls for tending, not rushing.
These cultures arrived at the same understanding hundreds of years ago, without Wi-Fi, group chats, and ChatGPT. Just lived wisdom, observed, repeated, and passed down.
Today, however, these postpartum customs have all but disappeared—especially in the United States:
40 days of rest have been reduced to a handful, if any
Postpartum “stay-in” days have become discharge instructions
Postpartum check-ups are labeled “baby visits,” where the focus is almost entirely on the infant, leaving the mother’s needs overlooked
This isn’t the loss of nice-to-have cultural rituals. It’s the erasure of a fundamental fact—new mothers need healing.
When this need is ignored, it not only impacts the mother but also the baby. Research shows that when mothers suffer from postpartum depression, their children are more likely to experience developmental delays.
The solution is obvious: care for the mother as much as the baby.
So why is this not a collective understanding in the U.S.? And what might shift if we reintroduced some of these practices—alongside modern medicine?
Below, you’ll find a glossary of global traditions to inspire you to shape a postpartum experience that supports your needs.
Global Traditions That Put the Mother First
While the names and details differ across cultures, the philosophy is consistent: a mother deserves structured care, intentional rest, and community support.
Here are a few traditions that show what this looks like in practice.
Al-Taqsan from Morocco
40 days of seclusion and care for new mothers, supported by family members and marked by traditional rituals, including:
“Closing the bones” ceremony, where the mother is gently wrapped in a cloth called kourziya to realign and support the body
Therapeutic use of herbs incorporated into food, baths, and steam treatments to ease postbirth pain and promote healing
Special postpartum dishes such as rfissa, which is prepared with spiced broth and lentils to warm the body and support lactation
Barsel from Norway
Translates to “maternity.”
A postpartum period where mothers stay home with their newborns and receive formal and informal support. Key elements include:
In-home visits by a midwife for up to six-weeks
Special postpartum foods like barselgrøt (maternity porridge) to aid healing.
Generous maternity leave policies backed by government provision, allowing mothers time off work for care and recovery
Japa from India
A 40-day postpartum period where mothers are cared for by family or experienced female caregivers (often called japa nannies). Key practices include:
Daily warm herbal-infused oil massages and baths for physical healing and mental relaxation
Belly-binding with cotton sari right after bathing, to help reposition the uterus and aid structural support
A nutrient-rich diet emphasizing ghee, warming spices, and lactation-supporting foods
Kırkıncı Gün from Turkey
Translates to “40th day.”
A postpartum period focused on warmth and gradual recovery, culminating in a 40-day cleansing ritual. Key practices include:
Heated stones wrapped in cloth placed on the abdomen to support healing
Dietary guidelines that include sweet, energy-rich foods such as bulamaç
Avoiding sexual intercourse for the first 40-day period
La Cuarentena from Mexico and Latin America
Translates to “quarantine.”
A 40-day postpartum period of rest and healing observed across Mexico and Latin America. Key practices include:
Organized support for the new mother from her mother, a partner's mother, partner, sisters, female cousins, and elder women in her community to take over household chores and cooking
Special warm healing foods, from soups to herbal teas
Abstaining from sexual intercourse during the first 40-days
Lying In from 17th Century England
A month-long period of “lying in” after birth observed by English mothers before Industrialization. This practice was common amongst middle-class families, sharing similarities with practices preserved elsewhere in the world, including:
Hiring a temporary nurse to manage the household and care for both the mother and the baby.
Drinking special drinks such as the caudle: a warm spiced drink made with wine and a mixture of sugar, spices, and eggs.
Refraining from sexual activity and chores while she rests and recovers.
Omugwo from Nigeria
Translates to “after-birth care.”
A practice lasting from 1 to 6 months, where the new mother’s mother or mother-in-law provides sustained support. Key practices include:
A caretaker moving in to cook, bathe the baby, and manage household tasks
Preparation of warm dishes such as spicy pepper soup to flush out blood clots and boost milk production
Routine hot water massages on the belly two to three times daily to aid recovery
Sanhujori from Korea
Translates to “postpartum recovery.”
A 21-day confinement period called samchil-il, which literally means “three seven days”, is commonly practiced by new mothers. Key practices include:
Eating specific warm nourishing foods such as seaweed soup
Traditionally the family takes over household duties so the mother can rest and recover. Nowadays, many opt to go to a postpartum care center
Massages with heated towels to increase blood circulation and decrease swelling
Satogaeri-bunben from Japan
Translates to “returning home to give birth.”
Lasting several weeks to months, this traditional practice follows the below aspects:
The expecting mother returns to her maternal home for the delivery and stays with her parents to get support and rest, physically and psychologically
Encouraged to stay indoors, avoid strenuous tasks, and skip social obligations
Creating an environment of peace and quiet, called ansei, for the new mother
Yu Fai from Thailand
Translates to “sitting by fire.”
Ranging from 7 days to 1 month, a traditional postpartum practice that emphasizes healing with heat. Practices include:
New mothers rest near a warm fire or heated bed to restore balance and encourage healing
Avoid cold drinks or showers, opting for hot drinks and baths instead
Use of heated herbs, including herbal steam saunas and massage with herbal heat compress
Wochenbett from Germany
Translates to “week in bed.”
A 6 to 8 week recovery period where mothers remain home, resting and bonding with their newborn. This practice includes:
Medically-trained midwife visitations to provide regular medical care and breastfeeding support at home, paid for by public health insurance
10 days in bed, 10 days around your bed, not leaving your room, 10 days around your home, and then 10 days around your neighborhood before you start going back into the world fully
Laws prohibit mothers from working the first 8-weeks postpartum
Zuo Yue Zi from China and Taiwan
Translates to “sitting the month.”
A millennia-old practice prescribing 40 days of structured rest guided by Traditional Chinese Medicine. Practices include:
Avoiding being in the cold, eating cold foods, and doing any strenuous activity.
Focus on nutrient-rich meals utilizing Chinese herbs.
Traditionally, family members such as the new mother’s mother or mother-in-law take care of this. Nowadays, most new mothers opt to hire postpartum nannies or check into postpartum care centers.
The Common Threads
Although these practices span across continents and cultures, they share many similarities!
1. Defined Period of Rest with Help
Nearly every culture honors an approximately 40-day window of recovery, where the mother is shielded from heavy work and daily pressures. Support comes from many sources—family, relatives, government programs, or hired help. The common thread is clear: support is a necessity, not a luxury.
2. Intentional Healing Through Heat
Healing is often reinforced through warmth: from heated beds in Thailand to hot stones in Turkey to warm massages in India. Scientifically, heat therapy is known to relax muscles and support tissue repair. Recent studies also suggest it may help alleviate symptoms of depression.
3. Nourishment Through Cooked Foods
Across cultures, mothers are nourished with nutrient-dense restorative dishes—porridges, soups, spiced meals, and warm drinks. Cold or uncooked foods are discouraged. Scientifically, cooked foods offer more accessible energy: they require less effort to digest and allow for greater nutrient absorption—both essential for a healing mother.
4. Restore Through Physical Touch
Physical touch plays an important part in the mother’s recovery. From daily massages to belly-binding to “closing the bones” rituals across cultures, mothers are given hands-on-support to help their bodies slowly heal, not quickly “bounce” back. There is no intense exercise, just gentle support and care for the body to recover.
As these commonalities show us, these practices aren’t indulgences—they are baseline care.
Yet somewhere along the way, much of this wisdom was lost or dismissed, leaving many modern mothers without a framework for healing.
How Mother First Can Help
At Mother First, we believe it’s time to bring these practices back into the conversation so mothers like you can make informed decisions about shaping your postpartum experience.
We share global traditions as inspiration for creating a postpartum season that truly supports you.
