In many East Asian cultures, childbirth marks not just a beginning, but a sacred period of recovery known as Zuò Yuè Zi, or “sitting the month.” Rooted in Traditional Chinese Medicine, this postnatal confinement practice emphasizes rest, warmth, and nourishment to restore balance and vitality after delivery, which is said to deplete the mother's qi, or vital life force. In the modern and busy world of working mothers with unpaid maternity leave, is it possible to incorporate facets of an ancient rejuvenating practice into the home?

In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Kristal Lau, MBBS, MPH, BMedSc. Dr. Lau is a board-certified physician with over a decade of experience, the leading postpartum wellness consultant, author of 'Postpartum 30' (double winner at the NYC Big Book Award), and the founder of Bridges in Health and Mama's Wing Woman, a consulting company that creates wellness experiences for individuals and families and provides postpartum planning, coaching, and wellness programs to new parents and their families.

Dr. Lau received her MBBS from the University of Queensland in Brisbane, MPH in Health Care Organization and Policy from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and General Medicine residency in Australia. Dr. Lau has then become an expert in postpartum practice, having served as an Advisor and the Co-Chair of the Women’s Health Lifestyle Medicine Initiative at European Lifestyle Medicine Organization, Postnatal Retreat Development Consultant at Sanu, Family Resiliency Expert at the United States Army, and Director of Education at the Military Birth Resource Network & Postpartum Coalition. Dr. Lau has been featured on Goop, Medium, CEO Weekly, KTLA, Exeleon Magazine, EIN Presswire, and ABNewswire.

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