Issues after Delivery  Discussion Forum

hi,
my wife delivered our second child on the 8th of jan 2011. we are from kerala and in our side..elders keep giving a lots of advice....some of them are so ridiculous that it beats sense.....
is it harmful to read after delivery...and if yes any duration??
is it that my wife has to be always on bed????well as of now she is on bed most of the time!!!!
i don' t let her cook or do other chores....is this correct???
and many such post birth myths need to be bursted....can u help tarang replied. Congratulation... Yes it is mind boggling to find a balance between our cultural believes and the practical and scientific understanding. I try to find a balance and actually found that a lot of things told to us by our elders relating to after delivery care is not completely myth and nor should be followed to the T without a pinch of salt. Lot of the believes holds true for the time, situation, circumstances and medical care that were present during their time. To answer ur queries... Yes and No - it is not harmful to read after delivery... but yes... try avoid it immediately after delivery or for any lengthy period. Eyes and brain funtion are weak and needs much more rest time to restore the strenght back to be normal. She needs lots and lots of rest... which is significant in the begining and then trure till 15 days and then best to go till a month and then next 2 weeks are luxory..... but all the rest is best for the recovery of the body.... Taking care of the regular chores helps her rest and take care of the new born which is v important for both the mother and the child to bond. THere are other myths that are true and false... and some are completely ridiculous but then ... not everything that they say is myths... there are scientific reasons behind all the believes its only that we dont know the reasons and are told to follow them without questioning it.... congratulations once again and enjoy the parenthood.... All the best.