Confinement Centre or Confinement Lady?

There’s no denying that childbirth is gruelling and can take a toll on a mother’s body. In Asia and Southeast Asia, most mothers go through a traditional practice called the confinement period, after the delivery of a baby. The confinement period is a time for mothers to recuperate and rejuvenate so that they can regain their health, while also bonding with their newborn baby. In traditional practices, the mother-in-law or an older relative assists with the confinement at home. Modern confinement practices have a choice of hiring a confinement lady or heading to a confinement centre for their confinement period. Not sure which option to choose? Here are some things you should consider when selecting: Confinement Beliefs Confinement ladies are usually older women who adhere to more traditional confinement practises such as no washing of hair for 30 days, or no drinking plain water. The list of traditional beliefs go on and on, and each confinement lady might have different views as well. On the other hand, confinement centres usually adopt a more modern approach to care for a mother's wellbeing. Confinement centres place more emphasis on nutrition to nourish the body, allowing the body to rest and recuperate. Some confinement centres even have facilities like a hair salon, yoga studio and massage room to pamper mothers. Food At confinement centres, you will usually find an extensive confinement menu cooked in dedicated kitchens by qualified chefs. As special consideration is made during the development of the confinement menu, you can be assured that you will receive wholesome meals with carefully selected ingredients to aid in your recovery. However, if you have a special diet to adhere to, some confinement centres might not be able to accommodate your request as the confinement food is prepared in bulk. While a confinement lady is expected to prepare meals for you, you will still need to prepare raw ingredients to cook. This means that someone in your household will need to source for these raw ingredients on your behalf. If you have a selective diet, a confinement lady might be a more flexible option as she can adjust her cooking to suit your taste personally. Baby Care Usually, a confinement lady will stay in the same room as your baby to handle night feedings and settling your baby after each feed. They will also bathe your baby and clean dirty diapers. According to traditional beliefs, mothers should avoid touching water during the confinement period. However, a confinement lady is usually not trained professionally and their practices are usually based on their experience only. At reputable confinement centres, babies will usually be taken care of by qualified nurses. Some confinement centres even have weekly paediatrician visits to monitor your baby. This is especially helpful if your baby has jaundice, as they require more monitoring. Having a team of people watching your baby is also beneficial, as we know that sometimes caring for a newborn baby can get exhausting and overwhelming for just one person to handle. Housekeeping In a confinement centre, you will not need to worry about housekeeping. Most confinement centres even provide clothes and uniforms, so you do not have to worry about dirty laundry. This way, you can focus on your recuperation and not get distracted by household chores. On the other hand, there are some confinement ladies who would only do basic chores like cleaning the kitchen and washing of baby’s clothes. All other household chores will need to be settled by you or your spouse. Support A confinement lady can be a wonderful confidant, who’s there for you at any time. However, not all confinement ladies have gone through the training needed to support the postnatal needs of a mother, especially if you are breastfeeding. We’ve all heard of horror stories where confinement ladies insist on only bottle feeding and overfeeding the baby, or those who cause more grief with practices that stress an already emotional mother. Confinement centres on the other hand, usually have a panel of professionals you can seek advice from, be it maternal health, paediatrics, breastfeeding or even baby care. With professionals from different fields backed by an evidence-based approach, you’ll have all the support you need to start off your motherhood journey with ease. Leisure & Social Traditional confinement practices can be quite isolating and lonely, especially at the start. At a confinement centre, you can join in different activities and classes such as yoga, massage and more. It’s also an easy way for you to connect with other mothers with babies of the same age! If you’re having your confinement at home with a confinement lady, any activities you wish to attend will incur additional costs for yourself. You will also have to arrange these activities on your own, and might even have to leave your home to attend. Finding a community of other mothers might also be a bit harder on your own. Visitors If you enjoy having visitors during your confinement. having your confinement at home might be a better option as you’ll have more flexibility in entertaining them. However, this will also mean that some guests might overstay their welcome and you might have a hard time getting rid of them when you need to rest! For those that prefer having some privacy during the confinement period, a confinement centre might be a better option. Confinement centres practice limited visiting hours and have a stricter visiting policy, which means that you can enjoy better rest without having the guilt of turning well-meaning visitors away. Price Hiring a confinement lady is generally a cheaper option compared to going to a confinement centre. However, the lower price comes with more responsibilities. You are expected to prepare your own raw ingredients, confinement herbs and traditional tonics. Some confinement ladies even expect a separate room to sleep in. While a confinement centre is more expensive, the peace of mind and convenience of having everything prepared for you might be worth the price. All you need is to pack your bags and enjoy a month of comfort with your husband and newborn baby. Some confinement centres rooms are even large enough to accommodate your older children! Picking Your Confinement Centre While it helps to have input from your friends and family, selecting the best option for your confinement is a personal choice. What works for others might not work for you. If confinement centres are your choice, here are some things you should consider when choosing the centre that’s right for you: Location - Is the confinement centre at a busy area? Will it be noisy? Support - What kind of support is available? Doctors? Lactation Consultant? Food - Is the menu repetitive? Is it freshly cooked? Breastfeeding friendly - Will they bring baby to feed? Or only bottle fed? Other family members & visitors - Are other children allowed? What is the visiting policy like? Choose Byond28 Confinement Care Byond28 Confinement Care raises the standards of modern confinement. It is the perfect getaway for you to recuperate as you ease into motherhood. Located in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, Byond28 Confinement Care specialises in promoting healthy parenting and encourages bonding between parents and their baby. Both mother and baby will enjoy a spacious and comfortable environment in their five-star facilities. Byond28 Confinement Care operates in a standalone building that spreads across three levels. The baby nursery is located on the ground floor with an individual exit, complete with a two-tiered air ventilation system with HEPA filters and a separate observation and isolation room. What sets Byond28 apart from all other confinement centres is their objective to guide mothers throughout the antenatal and postnatal journey of motherhood. At Byond28, you will be given hands-on experience on baby bathing, soothing, massaging, and breastmilk feeding. Byond28 Confinement Care provides the highest level of professional care backed by an evidence-based approach. It includes a one-to-one breastfeeding consultations with Malaysian National Lactation Centre (NLC) certified lactation counsellors, as well as weekly Paediatrician visits to check-up on the newborn babies and to provide consultation to mothers. While there are many services offered by Byond28 (too many for us to share!), some notable services worth mentioning are: A nursing team led by nurse managers who are certified by the Malaysian Ministry of Health (KKM). Jaundice monitoring and management in collaboration with Columbia Asia Cheras Hospital (CAC). Solving breast engorgement, clogged ducts, cracked nipples, inverted nipples, baby tongue-tied. Preparation to leave the confinement centre—breastmilk storage tips, reheating tips, baby sleeping patterns. 28 days of personalised herbal tonic soup from SWS 永生 that helps to cleanse, nourish, and rejuvenate the body. All this happens under the watchful eyes of both doctors Dr Krishna Kumar S/O Hari Krishnan (Obstetrics & Gynaecology) and Dr Kenneth Looi Chia Chiun (Paediatrics) who are both specialists in their fields. Therefore, mothers and fathers can be confident that your journey to parenthood is built on a solid foundation. For those who wish to start their journey with Byond28 Confinement Care, get additional FREE 2 x in-house birds nest and 2x in-house chicken essences (worth RM1,000) when you mention Motherhood during your booking. Address: Byond28 Confinement Care, No.3, Jalan Pelandok, Taman Orkid, Cheras, 43200, Selangor. Price range: RM14,000 – RM23,000 For more information, contact Byond28 at +6017 362 8548. Alternatively, you may visit their official website, Facebook and Instagram pages. For more insightful stories and fun recipes, stay tuned to Motherhood Story!

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