▎ Y王子：月子期嬰兒按摩（Baby Bath & Massage during confinement)

有人懷疑我不住在大馬？這張給我的新朋友Yukkesh，謝謝他們全家人讓我一次又一次拜訪，作為特別的禮物。

Y王子：月子期嬰兒按摩（Baby Bath & Massage during confinement), Copyright: Luisa WanLu hung 

在做月子的三十天裏，每天都有廟裏的安娣正午時分來家裏幫嬰兒沖涼。

A.按摩洗洗(massage while bath)：特別的是，面對初生兒並沒有使用澡盆，而是把王子放在大小腿之間（似乎符合人體工學）先是躺著然後趴著邊洗邊按摩，強調按摩身體軀幹（trunk)，大概是五臟六腑的所在吧，婆婆說可以刺激身體血液循環，當然，也強調手臂和雙腿的大小肌肉💪（limbs)，根據他們的說法，這麼ㄧ來會比較有力而強壯，盤腿或手交叉的姿勢非常瑜珈感。我記得米米初生兒時青蛙腿比較長一段時間。接著，按摩臉部，除了清洗五官（five sense)，也特別洗喝奶的白色舌苔，他們很在乎鼻子，先捏一捏鼻樑，有一秒鐘還用手指頭頂了嘴巴上顎，這種算偏方，強調「擁有高聳的鼻子」。邊沐浴，婆婆在一旁幫忙舀水沖。離開廁所前，安娣捧著王子高舉三次，婆婆撒一點水。

光靠觀察，其實很難判斷她手勁的力道。王子的老杯說：「哭一下是難免的啦⋯⋯」，與我自己熟悉的文化比較，他們對於身體的認知較少年齡上的差異，即使是初生兒，也是用同樣的標準對待。

2)煙燻嬰兒（bayi bakar)：洗洗後，用毛巾擦乾王子的身體和捲捲軟軟的頭毛。婆婆跟安娣準備了甘文煙(kemenyan)開始煙燻，我戲稱「烤嬰兒」👻。王子在燻頭毛、肚臍、背、蛋蛋、手心、腳心時，其實舒服到一直打呵欠，那種氣味他應該是很喜歡的。用一定的溫度讓身體恢復乾燥和溫暖，而且身體這些部位也是特別保護的。婆婆補充，小孩時期若是遇上了打噴嚏或咳嗽傷風，也可以燻一燻。

3)黑圓點（black bindi)：接著用乳液按摩類似洗洗時的方法，另外還用大馬秘方wicks在胸膛推一推。除了眉心，也在肚臍、手心和腳心塗上黑色圓點避邪，並穿上綁帶的肚圍。

強調身體某些部位的保護或審美標準，其實隱含自身的民族特質，性別/身體文化研究者應該格外有感觸吧。私底下和王子的老杯聊聊，是個受過科學教育的中產階級，面對家族的傳統，他並沒顯露出強烈抗拒，但我觀察到婆婆的態度是斟酌下的延續文化，並不是迷信。題外話，我小時候每天睡覺要包肚子，找了肚圍這麼久，竟然印度baby有！

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Anyone wonder I'm not in Malaysia or stay in Thailand/India? These sketch series just a gift to my new friend, Yukkesh.

During the 30 days confinement period, almost everyday the auntie/shaman from Hindu Temple nearby will visit Yukkesh to do bath and traditional massage for the new born infant.

1) Massage while bath: baby lie down or lean on auntie's lab without using a bathtub, suddenly I felt the human position is fitted. It emphasize to stimulate the organs and limb muscle of the body that be good at blood circulation. They do exercise for baby legs and hope it will be stronger. In my experience, new born baby will be bend like a frog. And later, they do massage for five senses on face, ears, eyes, nose, even tongue. They prefer higher bridge of the nose, they knead it with fingers and push the top of oral cavity. Baby watered by his grandma while massage. The shaman hold baby higher for three times, splash it before finishing the bath.

I can't distinguish how tough she do massage for baby. Jega said, "almost crying for a while." I conjectured in the culture if they have the same attitude for adult or infant(?!).

2)bayi bakar: towel baby first, then fumigate the body with kemenyan. They emphasize some part of body.
baby will be very comfortable while
fuming hair, belly bottom, back, private part, palm and base, the smelling will makes him calmly. In Hindu culture, let it keep warm and dry can protect the body. People will do the same If the child catch a cold.

3) black bindi: put some lotion and massage again. put black bindi between eyebrows, below belly bottom, palm and base. Wear a cloth to keep abdomen warm.

How they evaluate/protect the body,
evaluate aesthetic and health
are part of gender/cultural study in daily life.

19 April 2016

#LuLukis #LuisaHung #massage #infant #bayi #Hinduism #Penang #Malaysia