10 Postpartum Habits That Are Kinda (Very) Chic (According to Traditional Chinese Medicine)

Somewhere along the way, we started celebrating how quickly women could bounce back after having a baby.

Back into workouts, work and pre-pregnancy life.

But what if the most luxurious thing you could do after birth was actually slow down? In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the postpartum period is seen as a precious window of time to rebuild your body after the incredible work of growing and delivering a baby.

The Chinese tradition of postpartum confinement (Zuo Yue Zi) is centred around one simple idea:

Mum needs to be cared for too.

Jumping on the 'kinda chic' trend, these are some of the postpartum habits I think are seriously underrated… and actually VERY chic.

1. Kinda chic to rebuild your Qi and Blood postpartum before giving everything to everyone else

Birth takes a lot from you. Your body has spent nine months growing a whole human, then goes through labour, recovery, breastfeeding, broken sleep, all while everyone suddenly needs something from you.

In TCM, pregnancy and birth are considered a significant expenditure of Qi and Blood.

Qi is often described as your vital energy, the force that supports your body’s daily functions, including energy, movement, and recovery.

Blood in TCM is more than just what flows through your veins. It is considered a nourishing substance that supports your tissues, skin, hair, sleep, emotions, and overall vitality.

Before you become everyone’s everything, remember to refill your own cup too.

2. Kinda chic to drink broth rather than protein shakes

There is something so comforting about a pot of broth slowly simmering away while you’re holding your newborn. For generations, postpartum mums have been nourished with slow-cooked soups and broths because they are warming, comforting, and easy for the body to digest.

In TCM, the Spleen is considered central to digestion and transforming food into Qi and Blood. After birth, when your body is already working hard to recover, supporting digestion with warm, cooked, nourishing foods is traditionally seen as a way to help your body rebuild.

3. Kinda chic to eat warm meals straight after giving birth

One thing you’ll hear a lot in Chinese postpartum care is:

Keep yourself warm. Warm meals, drinks and soups. Keep your abdomen, neck and feet warm.

After birth, your body has gone through an enormous transition. Traditional Chinese Medicine views this time as a period where the body can be more vulnerable and in need of support.

Cold foods and drinks are traditionally minimised because they are believed to place more demand on digestion, while warm, cooked foods are considered easier for the Spleen to process.

4. Kinda chic to build your pantry before your medicine cabinet

My grandma’s generation didn’t have a cupboard full of supplements. They had a kitchen full of ingredients. Real food. Food has always been one of our first forms of medicine.

In TCM, many everyday foods are valued for their ability to gently support the body over time. For example, red dates are traditionally used to nourish Blood and support Qi, while ginger is valued for its warming properties and ability to support digestion.

These were the daily Yang Shen rituals that kept you nourished. 

5. Kinda chic to relax about eating perfectly

Motherhood already comes with enough pressure. The perfect birth. The perfect routine. The perfect meals.

A nourishing meal eaten consistently will always beat a perfect plan that stresses you out.

And yes, enjoy that piece of chocolate or ice cream.

There is no “bad food” in TCM. It’s about understanding balance.

Different foods have different qualities, warming, cooling, drying, moistening, and the goal is to eat in a way that supports your body’s needs.

That being said, during those initial postpartum stages, many traditional practices prioritise warm, nourishing meals to support digestion and recovery.

Balance over restriction. Always.

6. Kinda chic to have good bowel movements

Let’s talk about the things nobody really talks about. Your digestion tells you so much about what’s happening inside your body. In TCM, the health of your digestion is closely connected to your ability to create Qi and Blood from the food you eat.

The Spleen and Stomach are considered the foundation of postnatal Qi, meaning what you eat needs to be properly transformed into nourishment your body can actually use.

Supporting digestion postpartum can be as simple as:

• Eating warm meals
• Choosing easy-to-digest foods
• Eating regularly
• Including nourishing soups and broths

Sometimes the most glamorous wellness goal is simply… a good poo.

7. Kinda chic to know that consistency heals

Healing is usually not one big dramatic thing. It’s the little things you do over and over. That’s why we are all about rituals of vitality. Daily rituals compound over time.

Warm water first thing in the morning.
Eating warm meals.
Drinking nourishing teas.
Resting when you can.
Making yourself a proper meal.

The boring things are often the things that work.

8. Kinda chic to understand what your body is telling you

Your body is always communicating.

Feeling tired?
Feeling cold?
Craving certain foods?
Not sleeping well?
Feeling unlike yourself?

Instead of ignoring these signs, TCM teaches us to listen.

Symptoms are not something to simply silence, they are messages about what your body may need more or less of.

9. Kinda chic to have soup on the stove

There is something deeply nostalgic about soup. Maybe it’s because so many of us grew up with a pot of soup bubbling away in the kitchen.

In TCM, it’s one of the most traditional postpartum foods for a reason. After giving birth, your body is in a state of repair. You’ve created a whole human, gone through labour, lost Blood, and your body is working hard to recover, heal, and potentially produce breast milk.

During this time, digestion can also be more sensitive. In TCM, the Spleen is considered responsible for transforming the food we eat into Qi and Blood, the nourishment and energy our body needs to rebuild. This is why warm, slow-cooked soups have been treasured in postpartum care for generations.

They are:

• Easy to digest — gentle on the digestive system when your body is already using energy to heal.
• Nutrient-rich — the slow cooking process helps extract flavours, minerals, and nourishment from ingredients into a form that is easier for the body to utilise.
• Hydrating and comforting — supporting your body when it needs extra fluids, especially during breastfeeding.

10. Kinda chic to not worry about calories, but nourishment

After growing a baby, giving birth, and potentially breastfeeding, your body deserves nourishment.

Instead of asking:

“How many calories is this?”

Try asking:

“Will this make me feel cared for?”
“Will this help me recover?”
“Will this give me energy?”

And lastly, the most underrated postpartum luxury?

Being looked after.

Maybe the ultimate 'chic' thing isn’t rushing back. Maybe it’s accepting help. Drink the soup. Taking the rest. Letting yourself recover. You deserve to nourish the new version of you. And that is something worth protecting.