Throughout the course of pregnancy, a woman’s body undergoes tremendous biological and physical changes in order to accommodate the precious new life that grows within her. Once the baby is delivered, the mother has almost no time to care for the recovery of her own body back to full health as the baby-induced changes subside. In many Asian cultures, the new mother is helped with this task by traditional methods devised for application specifically during a period called the confinement period. Within the Malay culture, this confinement period lasts for 44 days and includes a range of traditional methods that the elders devised to enrich various aspects of the body and soul. These include the use of various herbs and healing substances in the daily bath water as well as food management principles that are administered by "confinement ladies" who are well versed with these methods.
Malay Massage
Also popular are the Malay massage and hot compress practices. Massage sessions occur either every morning before bath time or right before a hot compress session. Traditionally, the massage session is scheduled one week after delivery, for three consecutive days. For women seeking enhanced effects, it is repeated at the end of the confinement period, on days 42, 43, and 44, followed by days 60 and 100. The objectives of the Malay massage technique are to reinvigorate a body fatigued from the pains of labor, to encourage smoother blood circulation, to rid the body of flatulence, to realign nerves, to help return the stomach and uterus to their original position, and to ease the process of lochia, or postnatal bleeding. The massage oil used is enriched with various local herbs and plants including ginger, circumin, garlic, and shallots.
Bertungku - Use of Hot Compress
The accompanying practice of periodic hot compress application is called "bertungku." Traditionally, either a rock or a cast iron piece roughly 1.5 kg in weight, called a "tungku" is used. The effects of the hot compress lie not in its weight but in its heat storage capacity. The tungku is first heated for 30 to 60 minutes over medium heat before being wrapped in many layers of cloth interspersed with pieces of beach mulberry leaves (Morinda citrifolia) or betel leaves. The heat from the tungku seeps into the leaves and the idea is that on top of the heat application, the leaves themselves have healing properties. The tungku is gently pressed methodically onto the woman’s thighs as well as on the abdomen area over the womb and around the navel, up to the stomach. For enhanced effects, the tungku is also applied to the soles of the feet.
It is now more difficult for mothers to indulge in such an elaborate process of recovery. Migration to cities often results in detachment from the family network and a lack of resources in terms of finding a trustworthy confinement lady. With the advent of modern medicine and now the internet, some women are also less willing to trust traditional health practices in rejuvenating their bodies, and instead seek healing practices elsewhere. However, as long as these traditional practices are considered beneficial, they will most likely stand the test of time.
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