The modernisation of postnatal ‘confinement’ in China: to ensure one of the country’s most ancient traditions is upheld, luxury ‘post natal care’ hotels are being built to ease the waiting list on China’s professional supermums, or “confinement ladies”.

Watch the episode here at the bottom of this article. 

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Confinement (for one month) is a traditional postnatal practice aimed at helping a new mum recover from the rigours of pregnancy, labour and birth.

A custom that’s deeply rooted in the Chinese culture, mothers follow a strict and sometimes baffling set of rules like not washing their hair for one month and eating pigs feet and ginger in order that they do not jeopardise their health.

However, this age old ritual is modernising in China as new mums are paying a ‘professional supermum’ up to two times the average salary in Beijing to live with them during this process to ensure they are doing it right.

At £4000 to £6,000 for the duration of the stay, they don’t come cheap, so 101 East sets out to investigate what it is that a professional supermum really does.

Watch the episode here courtesy of www.aljazeera.com