ZenKimchi Adventures - Latest Comments

Re: The Massage Show

Colin Spitler — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 20:09:29 -0000

Jidaebang in Insadong makes a great fermented pine needle tea. It's on the main drag across from one of the dragon's beard candy makers on the second floor. I took my parents there in September and they liked it a lot. The green plum tea was delicious as well, but nothing particularly special. And the yakgwa were better than average, with more of a floral flavor, if I remember correctly.

Re: A Little Privatized

ZenKimchi — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 21:57:58 -0000

Thanks! Go for it.

Re: A Little Privatized

Benny Boulter — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 21:11:46 -0000

Hello Zen Kimchi, I have recently started a blog about my experience in Korea (through the eyes of a foreigner). http://aussieinkorea.blogspot.... Some of your followers may be interested. Amazing food blog by the way, do you mind if I recommend your site?

Re: Korean Post-partum Traditions

Doreen Park — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 22:18:21 -0000

I don't think you should call all those traditions "placebos." Calling it a placebo implies to me that you don't really believe they work or has any effects. Trust me, a lot of them are done like that for a specific reason. the baby should avoid meeting visitors to prevent likely chances of having infection (important for especially babies not getting breastfed because they don't get as much antibodies from their mothers to ward off infection), and miyeokguk is a very nutritious at that too (seaweed has a lot of iodine and the broth itself is full of good nutrients).

Re: Protected: The Last Post?

Charles — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 17:52:01 -0000

Congrats on the radio gig.. I expect you to look 350% more tired and disheveled (wait, is that last bit possible?) the next time I see you.^^

Charles.

Re: Protected: The Last Post?

Doddie Householder — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 10:40:21 -0000

It still amazes me that I can see drunk ajossis mid-morning say 9:00am. Did they start drinking in the wee hours of the morning or was it from the previous night's libations? In my 7 years stay here in Korea, I only have been harassed once by a drunken idiot. The ajossi thought his being korean was sexy and attractive to foreigners. I had to duck into a kimbab place but that didn't work. Let's say some words shouted at him and a definite shove back got into his addled brain that I wasn't interested.

Re: Thankful Day

Steve — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 20:48:21 -0000

A Chinese/Filipino believe is no bathing for 30 days after birth. Many of the same traditions can be found in that culture as well. Thanks for posting.

Re: Mommy and Baby are Home

Steve — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 20:39:58 -0000

Thanks so much for the update! I was wondering what birthing in Korea would be like if Jo and I are here when that event happens. Hope Mommy gets some rest too and the breast feeding sorts itself out!

Re: The Latest Member of ZenKimchi

Koreanmeow — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 05:51:42 -0000

Congratulations on the new arrival!

We were also shocked and dismayed by Korean nurses. As far as we could tell all the do is gossip, play with their phones, eat snacks and administer drugs on the rare occasion the doctor would allow medications to a new mom. >.<

Re: Korean Post-partum Traditions

Koreanmeow — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 05:49:21 -0000

I had my son here in Korea in 2008. My husband is Korean but not very traditional. That being said, we did find a lot of merit in a few things you mentioned:
1. Miyeok-guk, 3 times a day! I had "liquid gold" breast milk as my sister put it. Strong supply, and it remained a thick golden yellow for 4 months until I went to Canada and stopped eating the soup everyday. Usually the milk changes to a thinner milky blue before 4mths.

2. Doumi/helper ajumma! My MIL paid for her to come for 2 weeks, she has been with us 2.5 years now and will be with us for #2 due in April. She cooked, cleaned, gave breast massages, and supported me after my C-section so well! She is now "halmoni" to our son and we cannot be without her. I credit my good recovery to her excellent cooking and care.

3. Breast massage! I had a hard time in the beginning, bad latch on my son's part. But thankfully the doumi helped and gave me painful massages and hot packs to get the milk flowing so I was able to feed successfully for 13 months. So many other foreign mothers I know here quickly gave up breastfeeding and none of them had the support I did from the doumi. The breast massages rally helped get things flowing, clearing painful blockages and encouraging good milk production I thought.

Thank you for this excellent post and information, I'm going to be sharing it with the Expat Parent's site!

Re: Korean Post-partum Traditions

Giselle — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 20:30:20 -0000

I had a c-section and was released from the hospital on day 3. Was at the movies with baby on day 5. Took it easy, but still was able to cook and take care of baby without a helper. I think most of these points are tradition in Korea based upon the limited resources/care they had available years ago. Unless you have a health issue, none of those things are necessary. Some women also enjoy playing the weak victim role. Although it's nice being pampered, much depends upon the woman. Having been a competitive athlete, I do think this plays a role in how well you deal with stress, having a baby etc. Having lived in Korea, I did also notice that women playing the weak, helpless role was and still is culturally accepted and encouraged. But things are beginning to change and a lot more Korean woman are falling out of tradition. However, their traditions should be accepted. In the end, it's up to the woman and no one else.

Re: Korean Post-partum Traditions

ZenKimchi — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 03:26:20 -0000

Oh good, because I just bought some lamb and want to make a curry.

Re: Korean Post-partum Traditions

Envy — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 03:09:54 -0000

Zen, mom can eat curries but should take care not to use too much of chilley powder as it generates acid in stomach. She can avoid such food for first 1-2 week and then continue as she need some taste in food lol :D (she deserves too)

Re: Korean Post-partum Traditions

ZenKimchi — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 21:25:36 -0000

True that. I'm becoming a convert to the health properties of
MiyeokGuk. Doesn't make me like it any better ;)

Re: Korean Post-partum Traditions

sunny — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 17:54:03 -0000

Congratulations to you and EJ! Baby is adorable. I've been reading for years and have never commented. I am so glad you're posting here regularly again.
I'm a gyopo and have lived in the US for just about all my life. My mom still made me follow most of those traditions, with the exception of not having a helper ajumma and not doing breast massages. I had three kids and had miyuk gook three times a day for weeks after the baby was born. My mom told me it would help with the milk production and it must have worked because I had tons. The one side effect of having so much miyuk gook was that it was really easy to go to the bathroom (BM) which is totally important because your down there is not quite right and having to strain to go to the bathroom totally painful.

Re: Korean Post-partum Traditions

ZenKimchi — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 23:15:24 -0000

Very timely that you wrote because I recently suggested making a curry, and EJ said that mothers can't eat curry. I replied, "Well what do mothers in India do?"

Re: Korean Post-partum Traditions

Envy — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 23:07:33 -0000

Zen, I do agree with all the points u have mentioned here of Korean tradition, I think they are almost similar more or less, in all Asian countries.
In India we do avoid public contact to babies for first 40 days, just to save baby from infection. Mother should rest for 40 days, no work, no cold shower.
Baby and mom shall go under massage by trained woman for atleast 40 days.
Mom is given special soup made of herbs and spices which helps body to regain strenth.
She should not avoid hard and crunchy food as she might develop constipation also, she should take light food only as she wont be working.
All cultures have some traditions depending on their living & working style so they all are practical and not wrong.

Re: Korean Post-partum Traditions

ZenKimchi — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 20:26:21 -0000

We've been watching for jaundice since we got her home. She and mama
sleep in the living room, which is flooded with sunlight.

Re: Korean Post-partum Traditions

James Strange — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 17:56:26 -0000

Joe, my wife is Korean. We had both babies in the US. I got filled in on all the traditions by her family and our friends. My Mother-in-law lived with us for a month or so after each baby. My wife loves Miyeok-guk and as soon the first one was born she had some. Miyeok-guk is rich in iodine. After the second baby my wife ate so much Miyeok-guk that she had problems with her thyroid.

The hot house I did have a problem with. Keep it warm no problem but so hot I start to sweat as soon as I walk in no way.

One condition you should read up on is Jaundice. It is quite common amound white / asian mixed race babies. Both of mine had it. Catch it early give lots of sunlite and the baby will be ok. Yes lots of sunlight but because of the no draft thing all of the curtains get closed.....

Re: Korean Post-partum Traditions

ZenKimchi — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 06:50:57 -0000

Thank you!

Re: Korean Post-partum Traditions

ZenKimchi — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 06:48:21 -0000

It was a friend on Facebook who tipped me to some of these months ago.

Re: Korean Post-partum Traditions

Kill for Kalbi — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 00:19:30 -0000

I've heard that miyeok-guk is also rich in folic acid - the no. 1 vitamin in pretty much all prenatal vitamins, said to reduce the risk of spinal chord defects while the baby is still in utero. Don't Korean women generally eat this soup during pregnancies, too?

As for the breast massages, I could see that they may help with milk production, as well as reduce the risk of inflammation/mastitis, etc.

I especially love the idea that women have a special caretaker after the birth. This belief is starting to (re)gain some popular currency in the West in the form of doulas, but it had largely fallen out of fashion for many decades.

Many congrats on the new addition to your family, and another congrats as well, because you've made it to my list of "Hanguk blogs I've deemed worthy" over at http://kill4kalbi.blogspot.com...

Re: Korean Post-partum Traditions

Matthew — Sun, 28 Nov 2010 22:58:28 -0000

My wife is due in mid March and we're having here in the states. Regardless, the collection of traditions you listed here totally shocked me and has set me up for some healthy preparations and important conversations that needed to happen. Thank you so much for posting this!

Re: The Latest Member of ZenKimchi

Michael A. Robson — Sun, 28 Nov 2010 17:23:20 -0000

Congratulations on a huge week!!!

Re: Korean Post-partum Traditions

Holterbarbour — Sun, 28 Nov 2010 08:13:24 -0000

We've had one baby in the States and one baby here in Seoul. The breast massage bit is probably the same; my wife couldn't produce milk, but the near-militant attitude of the US nurses putting pressure on her to breastfeed despite not being physically capable was ridiculous. It was really upsetting to both of us, honestly. Anyway, here they were much cooler about having to bottle feed. Here we went to an OBGYN with a sanhujoriwon in the upstairs floors and a pediatrician on the first floor. They took good care of my wife and my daughter and weren't pushy about any traditional stuff (her relatives were also pretty relaxed). They did give her the miyeokguk 3x daily and the room was a little too warm (mid-May but pretty much no ventilation in the place with the tiny tiny windows). Overall we got the same level of care, but much more low key. One thing though- God forbid there should have been any complications with our second baby; the facilities at the place here in Seoul were nowhere near equipped to handle anything more unusual than a c-section.