Ge Lai: Nursing new mothers back to health

Last week I featured husband-and-wife chefs Joshua Quesada and Thy Thy Chin. As I professed, I was enamored by their execution of Thy Thy’s native Vietnamese fare.

Chef Thy was Dr. Thy, a cardiac specialist at the University Hospital of Singapore, before she transitioned to becoming a full-time chef. This is why it’s no surprise that she combines her knowledge of the human body with the proper care and nutrition it needs.

Of Chinese decent from her paternal side of the family, Thy is also well-versed in the ancient Chinese practice called Ge Lai, more commonly known as Zuo Yue Zi (translated as “sit the month”). Ge Lai pertains to a holistic way new mothers are nursed back to health during the “confinement period,” according to age-old Chinese traditional methods.

Thy pointed out that as mothers give birth, all eyes are on the babies. Very little attention is given to the moms who, after carrying their children for months, also need care.

The Zuo Yue Zi practice aims to rejuvenate mothers after delivery and to build up their milk supply during the period of confinement.

When Thy became a doctor, the practice made sense to her. She expounded on Ge Lai, and how it is a practice of mindfulness, and of doing things with loving intention for both mother and child.

Chef Thy with her son Thaddeus Minh Chin Quesada —CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS

Misconceptions

She dispelled the misconceptions hovering over the practice, like:

Mothers are not allowed to take a shower or bathe for a month. This is false, she said. Hygiene is very important for mental health. But there is a way to bathe. Taking a bath correctly will help heal the body and mind.
Ge Lai food is expensive. It is not. If Gelai food is expensive, that just means it has been commercialized. Ge Lai food is a lot about being intentional about what we put in our bodies and why we use these ingredients at certain periods of time.
Ge Lai is all about food. Absolutely not. The entire Zuo Yue Zi is about the mind, movement, and choosing who to be with.
It is only for natural birth. Every birth deserves the best the world can give. Moms need to be cared for, whether she had a C section or a natural birth.

The holistic practice is also based on science.

Among her many missions, bringing awareness on Zuo Yue Zi is Thy’s way of helping moms go through a smooth recovery.

Confinement period

She first became aware of Zuo Yue Zi when her older cousins gave birth. She witnessed how her grandma and aunts took care of them. Thy recalled seeing bags of fermented rice hanging on a bamboo stick between two wooden chairs, and watched huang jiu (yellow rice wine) drip slowly into a big pot.

Naturally inquisitive, she would pry into what was going on around the house. The elders patiently explained that the rice and wine was for her cousin, who was about to give birth.

Thy grew up in a household where everyone helped with the cooking, the babies, and the well-being of the mothers. Little did she know that the time would come when what she observed and learned would become a paid service.

To date, “confinement ladies” are aplenty, and so are confinement centers that have sprouted all over China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, even the United States through the years. The centers are like hotels dedicated to servicing clients back to health through Ge Lai.

Thy confessed that it is not a foolproof practice. There are ladies who still battle postpartum depression even with Zuo Yue Zi, but at least it gives the body energy to fight it.

I first heard of Ge Lai many moons ago, from my Xavier school co-parents. Those who strictly followed the practice swear by its effectivity. Thy offers the confinement service to mothers. She is also keen on teaching those who wish to learn how Ge Lai is practiced. Message her at @Canwepho on Facebook and Instagram.

Thy shared some recipes that are beneficial for new mothers.

Ge Lai dishes (clockwise from bottom right): sauteed egg and tomatoes, pork bone broth with watercress and goji soup, stir fry ground meat with potatoes, red date, goji and monk fruit tea, ginger chicken stew.

Ginger Chicken

Yield: for 2 persons

Marinate 3 chicken thighs (bone in, chopped adobo cut) with:

1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp minced ginger
1 tsp minced shallot
2 tsp coco sugar
2 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp dark soy
2 tsp oyster sauce
2 tsp shao xin rice wine

Mix well and let sit for 20 minutes.

In a wok over high fire, add 2 Tbsp pork lard (it’s the healthier option versus vegetable oil). Add 2 tsp garlic and 50 g julienned ginger. Sauté till fragrant. Add the chicken with the marinade and sauté well. Add 1/2 cup water and cover. Reduce fire to medium heat. Let cook for 20 minutes, until water is reduced. Serve.

Common Ge Lai ingredients: red dates, goji seeds, monk fruit, young ginger, “Angelica sinensis” (female ginseng), licorice root.

Warm Tonic

For the Chinese, this tonic is good for promoting blood circulation. The ingredients have a “warming effect.” Since we are almost always in air-conditioned rooms, this will aid in circulation, said Thy.

In a pot of 2.5 liters of water, add 10 pieces of red dates and 20 pieces of goji seeds. Add a piece of monk fruit and boil for 20 minutes.

Enjoy this drink throughout the day.

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