Inspired by author Heng Ou\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s own postpartum experience with the traditional Chinese zuo yuezi, a set period of \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"confinement\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" in which a woman remains at home focusing on healing and bonding with her baby, The First Forty Days revives the lost art of caring for the mother after birth.

As modern mothers are sometimes pushed to \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"bounce back\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" before they\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'re ready after delivery their babies and often don\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'t have the support they need for the physical and emotional challenges of this new chapter of their lives, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"motherhood\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\".  The Firsty Forty Days is a source of connection, nourishment and guidance for this important time in a mother\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s life.

This book contains 60 recipes for healing soups, meals and snacks, calming and lactation-boosting teas which have all been created for the needs of the new mother.  It also contains advice on designing a support system during the postpartum period, overcoming relationship challenges and honoring the significance of pregnancy and birth.