Pregnancy is no small feat. It’s a marathon, not a sprint and one that leaves your body, mind, and spirit in desperate need of care and support.
As an expectant mum myself, I’ve been thinking more and more about how different countries approach this deeply vulnerable chapter. Turns out, some places really get it – offering care that’s not just thoughtful, but life-changing.
Take China, for instance. In many parts of the country, postpartum care is rooted in centuries-old tradition. Known as zuo yuezi, or “sitting the month,” new mothers are expected to rest for up to 30 to 40 days after giving birth. During this time, the focus is on healing, bonding, and nourishment.
Families often pitch in - or even hire a specialised caregiver called a yue sao - to handle cooking, cleaning, and looking after the baby.
Meals are filled with warming soups, traditional herbs, and tonics meant to restore the mother’s strength. Many hospitals also offer postpartum retreats or recovery centres, giving mothers a dedicated space to recover without lifting a finger.
Why does this matter? Because the physical and emotional load after birth is heavy. Bone-deep exhaustion. Hormonal shifts. Breastfeeding struggles. And in many places, mothers are expected to just “bounce back” without the support they need.
That’s where these systems, cultural or institutional, make all the difference. They recognise that a healthy mother is the foundation of a healthy child.
Now, shift the spotlight to Finland, where the government takes maternal and newborn care just as seriously. Since 1938, the Finnish government has offered what they call the Äitiyspakkaus - a maternity package for expectant mothers.
Back then, Finland was struggling with high infant mortality rates and declining birth rates. So the government made a strategic move: provide mothers with essential baby items if they attended a medical check-up early in pregnancy.
It was a clever way to improve prenatal care access while helping families prepare for their new arrivals.
Originally, the box contained fabric and sewing patterns so mothers could make clothes. By 1942, a cardboard version of the box was introduced, sturdy enough to double as a baby’s first bed.
Finland’s iconic baby box includes 60 essential items for newborns and parents, from clothing and bedding to hygiene products, baby care tools, and even a small mattress that turns the box into a crib.
It’s designed to give every child an equal start in life, regardless of family income. The box includes baby clothes, a snowsuit, bath items, a picture book, nail scissors, nappies, and more. It’s a practical gift supporting parents from day one while promoting safe sleep and reducing infant mortality.
The initiative has been credited with significantly reducing infant mortality and levelling the playing field between families of different backgrounds. Every baby gets the same start, and every mother gets a nudge toward quality care.
In South Africa, public healthcare does offer antenatal and postnatal services, especially in government clinics and hospitals. New mothers can access free basic check-ups, vaccinations for babies, and some counselling.
But the reality is that postpartum care is often limited, inconsistent, and overburdened, particularly in rural or low-income areas.
Unlike Finland’s structured maternity box system or China’s cultural norms around postpartum recovery, South African mothers - and others - are often expected to “soldier on” after birth.
The system rarely offers targeted recovery time, home support, or healing-focused care for the mother unless there’s a complication.