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Chapter 320 Postpartum Disagreements

Ernst had assumed that the birth of Katie was simply a natural continuation of the family bloodline, an indispensable part of the dynastic succession, solemn but lacking in the warmth of life.

But when he actually saw the little guy wrapped in soft swaddling clothes, an unprecedented and wonderful feeling instantly swept over his whole body.

It was a blood bond that was difficult to describe precisely in words, as if there was an invisible thread connecting him tightly to this little life that had just been born into the world.

This feeling was delicate yet intense, causing his inner defenses to crumble instantly. An uncontrollable thought popped into his mind: even if it meant giving everything, he would present the most precious and beautiful things in the world to this little guy.

Stepping into the lavishly built nursing center, you'll find it warm and cozy, with a subtle blend of disinfectant and the delicate scent of baby formula in the air.

The little one was nestled comfortably in Nicole Kidman's arms, his little mouth opening and closing as he greedily suckled at his mother's breast. His mouth was quite large, which made Nicole frown slightly several times, making everyone smile.

Ernst stood quietly to the side, his gaze fixed on his daughter, his eyes revealing an unprecedented tenderness and focus, and for a moment he was stunned.

"Are you craving something?" Nicole Kidman's slightly teasing voice suddenly broke the silence of the room.

"Huh?" Ernst suddenly came to his senses and realized that the nurses had already taken the well-fed and watered Kathy away for a routine check-up.

Nicole Kidman was slowly and meticulously adjusting her clothes, carefully covering her breasts, which had noticeably enlarged due to childbirth.

Ernst chuckled to himself, thinking that this was probably one of the legendary extra perks of becoming a new mother.

He rolled his eyes, his face full of exasperation at what he was saying, and inwardly he was cursing, "What is all this nonsense?"

"How much longer are you going to keep me imprisoned?" Nicole Kidman's voice drifted over again, carrying a hint of barely perceptible grievance and dissatisfaction.

"Imprisonment?" Ernst was taken aback for a moment, then glanced at her, his tone incredulous. "You call this imprisonment?"

Nicole Kidman threw off the thin blanket covering her and sat up abruptly, her brow furrowed and her tone becoming agitated. "Not letting me leave here for a month, isn't that imprisonment?"

She simply couldn't understand Ernst's actions. Why did he have to keep her in this sterile, dust-free hospital room, which felt like a canary's cage, for a whole month?

"Do you think I'm trying to harm you?" Ernst turned and sat down on the sofa, leaning forward slightly, staring intently at Nicole Kidman, his tone becoming more serious.

"Just because you can't eat ice cream or shower every day, you're making you stay here for a month? Is that harming you?"

In fact, Ernst used to be quite opposed to the practice of postpartum confinement. He felt that this traditional custom lacked scientific basis and was more like an old superstition.

Just take showering as an example. How many bacteria would grow on your body if you didn't shower for a month? This doesn't seem like a healthy practice at all.

However, as his status continued to rise and he gained access to more and more diverse information and resources, he began to feel that postpartum care was a necessary part of postpartum recovery. The key was to do it scientifically, rather than blindly following old customs.

Based on the information obtained, the so-called scientific postpartum care in the West is, to some extent, a complete scam meticulously planned by pharmaceutical giants.

Ordinary people only see Western propaganda that allows women to eat ice cream and take showers whenever they want after childbirth, and they naively believe that the Western concept of postpartum confinement does not exist.

But the media will never tell you that in Africa, local residents have a long-standing tradition of postpartum care, and explicitly prohibit new mothers from eating certain foods that may be detrimental to their recovery.

In Southeast Asia and the Middle East, postpartum women often take medicinal baths, soaking in specially prepared herbs to help restore bodily functions and dispel cold.

In European countries, although there is no explicit concept of postpartum confinement, postpartum rest and health preservation are highly emphasized. It is usually recommended that new mothers reduce their activities as much as possible in the first few weeks after childbirth, ensure sufficient sleep and rest, and strictly control their diet to ensure balanced and healthy nutrition.

Almost every country and region in the world has similar postpartum care practices, only the names and specific methods differ.

Among these, the only country that blatantly promotes the idea that postpartum care requires no special attention and that one can indulge in such a crude approach is the United States.

Ultimately, this seemingly scientific theory only began to take shape and spread widely after the complete capitalization of American healthcare groups.

It is a widely recognized fact in the international medical community that women are severely depleted of their energy after childbirth. In severe cases, it can even be said that the new mother pours almost all her energy and vitality into the baby.

During this special period, women's immune systems are as fragile as a newborn baby's, and they may develop health problems if they are not careful.

If we let them eat ice cream, take cold showers, and be exposed to cold winds for long periods of time at this time, it would be strange if they didn't develop a lot of illnesses.

But if new mothers are allowed to rest properly and recover their bodies in a timely manner through scientific methods, who will buy the painkillers from pharmaceutical companies? And who will buy the various expensive body recovery drugs?

In many countries and regions around the world, painkillers are strictly controlled prescription drugs and can only be purchased with a doctor's prescription.

But in America, you can easily buy painkillers even in ordinary convenience stores.

Many people cannot understand why Americans are so easily addicted to painkillers.

The answer is actually quite simple: due to the misleading influence of American scientific postpartum care concepts, many mothers suffer from various chronic diseases after childbirth, experiencing unbearable pain and being unable to live a normal life without painkillers.

Of course, Ernst did not blindly advocate the Eastern postpartum care practices, as some of them contain flaws.

He had seen news reports that cases of postpartum women dying due to improper postpartum care occur almost every year.

Take the saying that a woman shouldn't be exposed to wind, for example. In the sweltering heat of summer, making a new mother wrap herself in thick, airtight quilts is hardly a way to help her recover from childbirth; it's practically suffocating her.

There are also so-called dietary supplement customs. The tradition of Cantonese people is to eat roosters after childbirth, believing that roosters can replenish vital energy.

The tradition of Northeasterners is to eat hens, as they are believed to have higher nutritional value.

Which is more scientific?

Nicole Kidman met Ernst's serious gaze, and her previously complaining expression gradually faded.

She knew perfectly well that Ernst was doing all this for her own good, but she just couldn't get used to this life of constant restrictions. This clashed drastically with the free and open educational philosophy she had received since childhood, making her feel incredibly oppressed.

"I want to take a shower." After a moment of silence, Nicole Kidman finally revealed her biggest sore spot, something that was driving her to the brink of collapse.

"No, you can only wash tomorrow." Ernst refused her request without hesitation.

Not taking a bath is definitely not good, but taking a bath too frequently is also not good.

Being in such a clean environment, how could there be so many bacteria on her body? It's just a matter of habit. Ernst is already being very kind by letting her shower every three days.

"I don't like those herbs." Nicole Kidman, seeing that her request to take a bath had been refused, began to complain about other things, her tone full of resistance.

"Then let's not use anything at all." Ernst's attitude remained firm, leaving no room for compromise.

Do you want my daughter to use toiletries containing chemical ingredients?

No way.

To ensure his daughter's healthy growth, Ernst specially asked someone to find an experienced traditional Chinese medicine doctor to prepare a herbal soup pack to replace toiletries.

As long as Katie is still breastfeeding, Nicole Kidman can only use these all-natural herbal waters to clean her body and remove odors. Ernst strictly forbids the use of any toiletries containing chemical ingredients.

"So you want me to endure this for a year or even two years?" Nicole Kidman's voice rose noticeably, her tone tinged with despair. She simply couldn't imagine living under such restrictions for so long.

Ernst, seeing her near-collapse, remained very serious. "Do you know why Europe has recently started to strongly promote breastfeeding again?"

Seeing the confusion yet curiosity in Nicole Kidman's eyes, clearly intrigued by the question, Ernst continued, "Because scientists have discovered through extensive research that no matter how much the formula for infant formula on the market is improved or upgraded, or how many nutrients are added, it can never achieve the benefits that breast milk can provide."

Starting in the late 1970s, a sudden surge of interest in formula feeding as a substitute for breastfeeding swept across Europe and America.

At the time, major infant formula manufacturers invested heavily in GG advertising, touting their formula as a nutritionally complete and convenient parenting tool. Many young parents were misled by this advertising and chose to feed their children with formula.

But the result?

Ernst said with a hint of sarcasm, "According to statistics, babies who are raised on formula generally have much lower immunity than breastfed babies and are more susceptible to various diseases."

Scientists have discovered through in-depth research that although the nutritional content of breast milk decreases over time, it contains a special substance that can provide infants with a natural boost to their immune system.

This miraculous effect is a mystery that scientists have yet to fully explain, and it is something that no milk powder can replicate or achieve.

Therefore, after entering the 1990s, European and American countries began to vigorously promote breastfeeding again. Even the United States, which has always been controlled by capital, began to advocate breastfeeding for at least six months.

Ernst looked at Nicole Kidman and said, "Think about it, even the United States, where capital is so powerful and where formula feeding was once strongly promoted, has made such a change. You can imagine how important breast milk is to babies."

"So my requirements for you aren't actually that high. You just need to ensure at least one year of breastfeeding. After a year, once the nutritional content of breast milk has decreased to a certain level, we can gradually switch to a combination of breast milk and formula feeding. This way, we can ensure the baby's nutritional needs are met while also allowing your body to recover better."

Nicole Kidman listened quietly to Ernst's words, and her initial complaining and resistant expression gradually softened.