New mothers are embracing the ancient Chinese tradition of 'sitting the month'

In some ways, it's a new mother's dream. For a full month after giving birth, she is waited on hand and foot.

Someone else cooks all the food, cleans the house, takes care of the newborn. All she has to do is rest, recover, be pampered, eat well, feed the baby.

That's the easy — almost luxurious — part of an ancient Chinese tradition called Zuo Yuezi  or "Sitting the Month."

It doesn't stop there. There are strict rules about hot and cold, meals with pig's feet and papaya. There's no full bathing or hair-washing for thirty days. 

And the idea is to stay indoors the whole time.

That part? Not so easy to take.

But every year, thousands of new mothers in Canada choose this 30-day confinement. 

And their numbers are growing. 

Click 'listen' above to hear Lu Zhou's documentary "Sitting the Month."

This documentary was made through the CBC's Doc Project Mentorship Program.