Chapter 541, Lecture 7: Postpartum Recovery – Body Shaping and Health Care
Today is a beautiful day, with clear skies and a sun that is neither too hot nor too cold, making one feel warm and comfortable.
Jin Zhenbao carefully carried her book bag down from the Jin family's carriage. After saying goodbye to the old woman and the coachman who brought her there, she walked towards the Women's Assistance Association.
As luck would have it, just as Sun Chunlan was stepping onto the first step in front of the Women's Assistance Association, she jumped off her donkey cart, which she was coming from the other side.
Because they were of similar age, both were women, and shared a bond from learning to become midwives, Jin Zhenbao and Sun Chunlan got along very well.
Although there was a significant difference in their family backgrounds, Sun Chunlan possessed a strong sense of self-confidence and was not intimidated by herself or her origins.
On the contrary, Sun Chunlan proudly told Jin Zhenbao during a break between classes: "My grandfather is the best driver in Chang'an, and he is very good at handling livestock."
My donkey was the strongest among all the cart drivers; when other people's donkeys got sick, they would ask my father to take a look.
I was able to study and learn to write from a young age thanks to my grandfather.
Although Jin Zhenbao came from a wealthy family, Jin Niangzi was not the kind of snobbish person. Jin Zhenbao was naturally taught not to have the attitude of the upper class looking down on the poor.
Jin Zhenbao, on the contrary, greatly admired Sun Chunlan.
Why?
Because now, Jin Zhenbao and Sun Chunlan are in the same room learning from the same teacher (Li Sanniang) how to become a modern midwife.
That puts them on the same level.
“I don’t think I’m any worse than Sun Chunlan,” Jin Zhenbao once told Jin Niangzi after returning home from class, “but I still admire her.”
Jin Zhenbao looked at Jin Niangzi with an admiring expression and said, "I am able to read and write thanks to my family for providing me with the necessary conditions. My eldest brother taught me to recognize characters, my second brother taught me to write, and my mother prepared a lot of pens, ink and paper for me in the study."
Only in this way can I become a girl who can read and write.
Mother, most of Chunlan's family's assets consisted of that strong donkey and a cart frame, but even in such circumstances, they still gritted their teeth and saved every penny to send her to school and teach her to read.
In my opinion, that's quite remarkable.
Lady Jin reached out and stroked Jin Zhenbao's head, her eyes filled with a gratified smile: "My Zhenbao has a pair of keen eyes."
Let's go back to the story of Jin Zhenbao and Sun Chunlan, whom we met by chance at the entrance of the Women's Assistance Association.
"Chunlan!"
When Sun Chunlan heard someone call her name, she looked up and saw Jin Zhenbao standing on the steps with a bright smile, waving at her.
Sun Chunlan turned around and said something to Sun Aweng, and Sun Apo, who was standing next to her, said directly, "You can go by yourself."
Sun Chunlan then ran towards Jin Zhenbao, her joy at seeing him again evident in her smiling eyes.
How did you do on your last assignment?
“I wrote down everything that the gentleman said and everything that I had noted down.”
The two chatted as they walked inside, revisiting the lessons Li San Niang had assigned them last time.
When the time came, Li Sanniang, who was standing on the stage, saw that all the students below the stage were present. She clapped her hands lightly, bowed to the people below, and said, "It has been a long time since I last saw you all. I have missed you all very much."
Li San Niang reached out and patted the stack of homework that Song Fuling had just put away on the table. She said with a smile, "I just glanced at it. You all wrote your homework very carefully last time. It seems that you used one or two more sheets of paper than usual."
I must once again commend you all for completing each assignment I give you with such care and diligence; I am very satisfied.
Li San Niang's eyes swept over the students below the stage. On the table were the homework assignments that Song Fuling had just collected from the last class and that Li San Niang had taken from her and distributed. The homework assignments had already been corrected by Li San Niang with a red pen.
"I have carefully reviewed each and every one of your assignments from beginning to end. You should go back and carefully check and fill in any gaps in your knowledge."
If there's anything you don't quite understand, you can refer to the booklets I distributed earlier; or you can discuss it with your classmates; or you can simply come and ask me directly.
After discussing her studies, Li San Niang reviewed the postpartum period, which could also be vaguely referred to as the confinement period, that we had discussed last time. She asked some questions to reinforce what she had learned.
(Chapter 530 plot)
"You have all listened attentively. Alright, today we'll talk about what happens after a woman gives birth and goes through the postpartum period."
More than half of the people here have given birth. You can take the initiative to tell us what physical changes a woman might experience after giving birth.
"Come on, Wang Yulian, you take the lead."
Wang Yulian, whose name was suddenly called upon, was no longer surprised or confused as she had been when she first came to the school to listen to Li Sanniang's lectures and ask questions. She calmly stood up from her seat and directly told her about her own situation and the situation of the nuns she had encountered.
"After childbirth, apart from those unlucky ones who die, most of the remaining women will experience urinary incontinence due to the exertion caused by pregnancy and childbirth, which can be caused by things like sneezing or sudden jumping."
That's considered good; some women who have given birth multiple times have their entire uterus prolapsed.
Other common issues include hair loss, difficulty in retracting the abdomen, and persistent discomfort in the lower body.
I've also had wealthy women ask me how to remove stretch marks on their bellies after childbirth.
Even worse are those who still need to feed their children themselves, sometimes for six months or a year. This area looks like a tattered sack hanging in front of their chest, which is quite unsightly.
There are serious cases. I once saw one who, because she didn't get proper rest after giving birth, was always bedridden and died in just over half a year.
Based on my experience, the symptoms a woman experiences after childbirth are likely as you described, and each woman's symptoms will vary.
The four young women sitting below the stage—Jin Zhenbao, Sun Chunlan, Yu Xuelian, and Song Fuling—who had never been married, pregnant, or given birth, listened to Wang Yulian recount each and every incident, taking notes diligently, but they were truly terrified.
"This... to suffer so much just because of having a baby!"
My mother never mentioned it to me!
Jin Zhenbao was shocked. She had always thought that pregnancy and childbirth were not easy, but she never imagined that after the child was born, the mother's body would have to endure these things and bear these consequences.
"Ah! And there's also the mastitis (acute suppurative mastitis) that you mentioned!"
Jin Zhenbao suddenly remembered the disease that Li Sanniang had talked about in class before, and immediately spoke up.
Li San Niang nodded in agreement with Wang Yulian and Jin Zhenbao's statements, and then asked again, "Besides what they said, does anyone else have any other opinions?"
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