当我生完孩子的那一刻，最想念的不是医生，也不是朋友，而是——妈妈。
When I gave birth, the person I missed most wasn’t the doctor, or even my friends—
it was my mother.
在美国，没有月嫂、没有婆婆、没有炖汤的香气。
Here in the U.S., there’s no postpartum nanny, no mother-in-law making soup,
no comforting aroma from the kitchen.
我一边喂奶、一边流泪，最常问自己的是：
“没有妈妈在身边，我该怎么恢复？”
I nursed my baby while crying, asking myself again and again:
“How can I recover without my mom by my side?”
🫖 第一步：从“补”开始？不，从“调”开始
🫖 Step One: Don’t Start with “Tonic”—Start with “Balance”
刚开始，我也像很多新手妈妈一样，听说要多补，就喝红枣枸杞汤、人参汤。
At first, I did what many new moms do—drinking ginseng and red date soups because I heard they “boost recovery.”
结果几天后——出虚汗、堵奶、睡不着，整个人更累。
But after a few days, I was sweating excessively, my milk got blocked, and I couldn’t sleep. I felt even more exhausted.
那时我才明白：产后最先要做的不是大补，而是让身体重新运转。
That’s when I realized: postpartum healing isn’t about supplementing first—it’s about restarting your body’s rhythm.
于是我开始煮陈皮炒米水，慢慢排湿。那种温热、淡香的气味让我觉得，身体终于“醒”了。
So I began making roasted rice water with tangerine peel to gently remove dampness. The mild warmth and fragrance made me feel like my body was finally waking up again.
🌿 月子水非常好喝，不像中药那样苦涩，就像一杯轻柔的养生茶。每天，我都期待那一口温热的安心感。
🌿 The postpartum tea I drink now tastes light and pleasant—nothing like bitter herbs. It’s like a gentle wellness tea, something I look forward to every day for that sip of comfort.
🍲 第二步：在洛杉矶，怎么找到适合的月子汤？
🍲 Step Two: Finding the Right Postpartum Soups in Los Angeles
在美国坐月子最大的挑战是——买不到对的材料。
The biggest challenge of doing yuezi (postpartum recovery) in America is finding the right ingredients.
超市的汤料太寒，跨境邮寄的药材要等几周，还担心品质问题。
Grocery store herbs are often too cooling, and imported ones take weeks to arrive—with uncertain quality.
后来我找到了美国本地制作的月子汤包，它们按身体节奏分为四个阶段：
Then I discovered locally made postpartum soup packs—thoughtfully designed in four stages:
-
第一周：排湿行气（陈皮炒米水）
Week 1: Drain dampness & regulate Qi (Tangerine peel & roasted rice water) -
第二周：补肾祛寒（杜仲黑豆汤）
Week 2: Warm the kidneys & dispel cold (Eucommia & black bean soup) -
第三周：补气养血（党参玫瑰汤）
Week 3: Replenish Qi & nourish blood (Codonopsis & rose soup) -
第四周：温补强筋（桑寄生莲子汤）
Week 4: Gentle nourishment & strengthening (Mistletoe & lotus seed soup)
只要开袋加水煮 20 分钟，整间屋子都飘着家的味道。
Just open a pack, add water, and simmer for 20 minutes—the whole house fills with the scent of home.
那一刻，我终于觉得——就算没有妈妈，我也能好好照顾自己。
And in that moment, I realized—even without my mom, I could still care for myself.