從多元角度看婦女作月子習俗

Multiple Viewpoints in “Doing the Month”

「作月子」是漢系民族婦女產後普遍之習俗，因應時代變化，不應墨守成規，作月子的意義與形式應有所改變。作月子看似是以「女性」為主體的民俗與文化，實則內含許多健康、人際關係與權力的議題，值得我們進一步探討。故本文從文化意涵、保健與促進婦女身心健康的觀點、人際網絡與女性身體自主等不同層面來檢視作月子習俗。本文要彰顯的理念是現代女性在產後復原期要能擁有保健新知並掌握身體的自主性，並鼓勵護理人員在發展以家庭為中心之照護計畫時，要能吸收新知，運用溝通技巧，減少兩代間對作月子習俗觀念之差異，以促進家庭的健康。

“Doing the month” is a traditional custom of Chinese postpartum women. In this modern era, this traditional custom should be modified since the meaning of this custom has been changed for women. In fact, “Doing the month” should be considered as issues in terms of health, interpersonal relationship, and power of women in Chinese culture. This article offers different views from culture, health, interpersonal relationship, and women’s autonomy for their own bodies to reconsider the importance of this traditional custom. The points of this article are encouraging the postpartum women to get more new information and autonomy for their health. In addition, nurses may get more new information regarding postpartum care and apply proper communication skills to decrease differences between generational opinions and promote the family’s health.