The first 40 days after birth

Where the tradition comes from

The 40-day rest is practiced across Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean — and in Latin families throughout the US and Canada. It blends Indigenous and Spanish-era customs, passed down from mother to daughter for generations: for about forty days after birth, the mother's only jobs are to recover, feed her baby, and be fed.

The idea is far from unique to Latin America. Chinese families observe zuo yue zi ("sitting the month"), and similar confinement-and-nourishment traditions exist in India, Korea, and across the Middle East. Cultures around the world arrived at the same conclusion independently: the weeks right after birth are for healing. In Quebec, the same wisdom lives under its own name — les relevailles, with real organizations offering postnatal home support.

Modern medicine lands in almost the same place. The World Health Organization defines the postnatal period as the first six weeks (42 days) after birth and treats it as a critical window for a mother's recovery and wellbeing.

The four pillars of the first 40 days

What to eat in the first 40 days

The tradition centers warm, gentle, protein-rich foods — the kind that are easy on tender digestion and easy to eat one-handed while holding a newborn. Classic dishes include:

• Caldo de pollo — the classic: chicken simmered with vegetables, often served with soft rice.
• Caldo de res — beef and root-vegetable broths, slow-cooked until everything is soft.
• Sopas y cremas — blended vegetable soups and gentle lentil soups.
• Guisos — soft, warming stews served over rice.
• Avena y atoles — warm oatmeal and traditional hot drinks, often with cinnamon.
• Tés e infusiones — chamomile (manzanilla) and cinnamon teas, sipped warm through the day.

Beyond tradition, this style of eating is simply practical in the early weeks: minimal chewing, easy to reheat, hydrating, and comforting. Pura Mama's early-postpartum meal plans are built from exactly this kitchen — caldos, sopas, and guisos matched to your week, filtered around your allergies, with one compiled grocery list. You can try it free.

A modern version, even without family nearby

The tradition assumes a houseful of helpers. Many mothers today don't have that — and the heart of it still works:

• Cook before the birth. In the third trimester, batch-cook and freeze caldos, guisos, and soups so the first weeks feed themselves. (Pura Mama's pregnancy mode builds freezer-meal prep plans for exactly this.)
• Redirect the help you're offered. When friends ask what you need, ask for a pot of caldo or a grocery run instead of gifts.
• Lower the bar on everything else. Paper plates, grocery delivery, and unwashed dishes are all part of a modern version.
• Guard the rest. Fewer visitors, shorter visits, feet up whenever the baby sleeps.

Traditions vary — take what serves you

The details differ from country to country and family to family. Some customs — avoiding certain "cold" foods, delaying hair washing, wearing a faja — are cultural rather than medical, and the evidence behind individual rules varies. There is nothing wrong with honoring the customs that feel meaningful to you, and nothing wrong with adapting the ones that don't fit your life. What your own doctor or midwife advises always comes first.

When to call your doctor or midwife

Questions mothers ask

How long do the first 40 days last?

Traditionally about 40 days — roughly the same six-week postnatal window modern health guidelines use. Many families treat it flexibly: some rest closer to 30 days, others extend it after a cesarean birth.

Why do some people call this la cuarentena?

La cuarentena — from cuarenta, Spanish for forty — is the 40-day rest period. "La cuarenta" is a spelling that shows up often in searches, but the tradition itself is la cuarentena. In Quebec the same idea lives on as les relevailles.

Do I have to follow every rule?

No. This is a family tradition, not a medical prescription. Most mothers keep the heart of it — rest, warmth, support, and nourishing food — and adapt the details to their own life and their provider's advice.

Can Pura Mama plan my meals for this?

Yes — that's what it was built for. The app knows your postpartum week and builds daily and weekly plans around warm, easy-to-digest dishes like caldos and guisos, filtered for your allergies, in English, Spanish, or French — free at app.pura-mama.com.