In Chinese tradition, Zuo yuezi is the practice of keeping a new mother at home for about one month after childbirth.
Zuo yuezi literally means “sitting the month.” It is a postpartum confinement practice intended to help the mother recover after birth. Traditionally, relatives or hired helpers assist with cooking, household work, and infant care while the mother rests.
Food rules and other recommendations vary widely. Traditional advice may emphasize warm foods, avoiding cold exposure, and limiting strenuous activity. Modern families often adapt the practice, and many no longer follow older restrictions literally.
Zuo yuezi is sometimes confused with the Chinese full-month celebration, which welcomes the baby after the first month. The two customs are connected in timing but are different: one concerns maternal recovery, while the other is a social celebration for the newborn.