You don’t have to put on socks or bedroom slippers when at home. You won’t catch a cold by walking barefoot at home.

Yes, go ahead and splash because it’s not true that showering during confinement will cause rheumatism as you age. “There are many traditional confinement practices that date back to the times when there was no reliable and clean water supply. In those days, some of these new mums who washed in contaminated water would have probably got infections as a result,” suggests Dr Quek.

“Dressing warm in Singapore is unsuitable. It is good to have good air circulation in your room,” reminds Dr Quek. Toss out the warm pyjamas and bring the fan up to speed.

You won’t strain your eyes just by doing that, assures Dr Quek.

Old folks may say that eating yam or chicken can cause the wound to itch. But Dr Quek says it’s not true: “There’s no evidence that yam or chicken can cause the wound to itch, unless you are allergic to these foods in the first place.”

Your back won’t hurt when you’re old just because you prefer to be up and about. “There’s no evidence that lying down will reduce backache in old age,” says Dr Quek.

“New mums should remain relatively mobile and should be able to carry out normal activities. The first few days after delivery may be tiring and so she should rest. Once she’s recovered her strength, it’s good for her to occasionally get out of the house for some fresh air and light exercise,” says Dr Quek.

Traditional Medicine believes shellfish can “stimulate” the wound. “Unless you have shellfish allergies that could cause the skin to break out and be very itchy, you could still enjoy your favourite Chilli Crab. If you have a scar from C-section, it’s normal for it to itch and possibly lead to excessive scarring (keloid) even without eating any shellfish,” says Dr Quek.

“I’m not sure if it ‘expels wind’ as Grandma says, but it’s nutritious and tastes good!” says Dr Quek.

“Green papaya (unripe) has substances which can help promote breast milk production so it might be good for breastfeeding mums. But you can have them as a soup or in salads/stews,” says Dr Quek.

“While red date tea is good, you can also drink water, warm or cold, as you like,” says Dr Quek. Cold water won’t give you the cough or phlegm or ‘weak lungs’ in future.