Pantang meaning: the Malay confinement after birth

Pantang is the Malay word for the confinement after childbirth and for the rules kept during it. Its dictionary meaning, from Malaysia's Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, is a state of not being allowed to do or eat certain things, used of women for 44 days after giving birth. In practice it means rest at home, heating foods, herbal baths, massage and a bengkung wrap.

What the word pantang means

At its root, pantang is a prohibition: something you must not do, by custom or belief. Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka's dictionary gives several uses. One is a food you must avoid because of an illness. Another is the state of a woman in the 44 days after giving birth, when she must not do or eat certain things, and to be "dalam pantang" is to be in that state. Pantang larang means the many kinds of taboos and prohibitions taken together.

KKH lists pantang makan dan minum, keeping off certain foods and drinks, as one of the six parts of traditional Malay postnatal care. So when an elder says you are in pantang, she means your confinement and its rules.

Traditional Malay confinement practices

KKH names six parts of traditional Malay postnatal care:

1. Tuku: a daily tummy massage with a ball-like metal object
2. Mengurut badan: massage by an experienced masseuse
3. Barut: a tight wrap around the waist
4. Salai: lying on a warmed wooden frame
5. Air akar kayu: tonic drinks made from medicinal plants
6. Pantang makan dan minum: avoiding certain foods and drinks

The National Library Board describes the same period in Singapore: warm baths boiled with lemongrass and ginger, urut massage, and a bengkung cloth at least four metres long wrapped around the tummy. Mothers take "heating" foods, jamu and air akar kayu, and usually avoid "cooling" foods such as cucumber, cabbage and pineapple, as well as spicy food.

Practice has changed over time. NLB notes that jamu now comes in capsules, a corset sometimes stands in for the bengkung, and some Malay mothers hire a confinement nanny while others skip certain rituals.

What KKH says about pantang practices

KKH says these practices have never been proven scientifically, though some benefit is possible. Its cautions are practical:

• Keep massage and heat therapies moderate, to avoid burns and injuries.
• After a caesarean section, delay them for a month so the healing wound is not disturbed.
• Keep eating a well-balanced diet, whatever foods you avoid.

Two pantang customs get KKH's backing. The warm herbal bath is good for hygiene and encouraged. Abstaining from sex for about 40 days also has a medical upside: it gives the lochia time to end and an episiotomy time to heal, which may lower the chance of infection.

Our confinement guide for Singapore compares Malay, Chinese and Indian customs side by side.

Frequently asked questions

How many days is pantang?

Traditionally 44 days. KKH and the National Library Board both give 44 days for Malay confinement. Roots.gov.sg says many mothers in Singapore now prefer a 30-day confinement so they can return to work or run errands.

What does pantang larang mean?

Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka's dictionary defines it as the many kinds of taboos and prohibitions. In confinement it covers the rules on food, massage, bathing and sex.

Can I do urut after a C-section?

Not straight away. KKH says traditional massage and heat practices should be delayed for a month after a caesarean section, so they do not disturb the healing wound.

Can I bathe during pantang?

Yes. KKH notes that Malay custom bathes mother and baby in warm water with herbs, and says this is good for hygiene and encouraged.

Related terms

• Confinement (Zuo Yue Zi): The traditional rest period after birth, 30 to 44 days depending on community, with food rules and extra help at home.
• Confinement Nanny: A helper hired for the weeks after birth who cooks, cares for you and your newborn, and lets you rest.
• Lochia: The bleeding and discharge after birth, red at first and paler over three to eight weeks.
• C-section (Caesarean Section): An operation to deliver your baby through a cut in your tummy and womb, planned ahead or done in labour.
• Diastasis Recti: A gap between the two six-pack muscles that opens in pregnancy and usually closes within about eight weeks of birth.

See every term in the glossary