Samchilil 삼칠일: The Korean Confinement Period After Giving Birth

In Korea, women and their babies go through a confinement period after birth lasting at least 21 days. Stemming from Chinese beliefs, they think that a women's body is weak after giving birth and needs to recover. They think that old blood and wind needs to leave your body. There seem to be different rules about what you can and cannot do. Below you can find somethings that are said should or shouldn't be done.

Here are some things Koreans believe you SHOULDN'T do

• Shower
• Brush your teeth
• Wash your hair
• Eat hard or crunchy food 
• Have sex for 100 days
• Turn on the AC, even during the dog days of summer
• Read
• Watch TV

Here are some things Koreans believe you SHOULD do

• Only drink hot drinks
• Eat lots of seaweed soup (miyuk guk)
• Eat pig's feet
• Bundle up
• Keep the room warm
• Resting a lot
• Have people take care of you
• Wear socks

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