Confinement tradition: Taking Bird’s Saliva Nest

Confinement tradition: Taking Bird’s Saliva Nest

Is it a good idea to take Bird’s Saliva Nest during confinement and while you’re nursing? You may have heard many differing things about this. Some mums swear by Bird’s Saliva Nest for its ability to rejuvenate and energize them during confinement. Others feel that it is not suitable for confinement for a variety of reasons.

What is Bird’s Saliva Nest?

Bird’s Saliva Nest soup is a traditional Chinese delicacy first cultivated and eaten by royalty during the Tang Dynasty. It is made from the white gelatinous strands from a Bird’s Saliva Nest, produced from the swallow’s saliva to bond the nest together, which are thought to be full of nutrients.
Bird’s Saliva Nest is harvested from the swallows’ natural habitat in deep caves and high places, although many now farm Bird’s Saliva Nest commercially for this purpose. After collection, the nest has to be cleaned by soaking and thorough cleaning to remove leaves, twigs, feathers and dirt before it can be cooked and consumed.

What are the supposed benefits of Bird’s Saliva Nest?

Bird’s Saliva Nest is renowned for its anti-aging ability and its immunity benefits. Women swear by its ability to help them retain youthfulness, skin moisture, elasticity and a wrinkle-free complexion. In addition, they claim that Bird’s Saliva Nest helps their bodies rejuvenate more quickly and slim downback to their original figures.
Drinking it not only improves Mum’s complexion, which is great for banishing that pregnancy acne, but also gives baby a smooth and white complexion through nursing. It is apparently also thought to improve appetite and digestion in babies and young children. There seems to be some truth to at least some of these claims as studies into Bird’s Saliva Nest has found that it is rich in antioxidants, collagen and amino acids.

Why avoid Bird’s Saliva Nest then?

You may be surprised to hear that not everyone advocates drinking Bird’s Saliva Nest during pregnancy, confinement and nursing. Some feel that eating too much Bird’s Saliva Nest can be too cooling for the body when one should eat heaty foods instead. It is thought that too much cooling results in the baby developing asthma later on.
Bird’s Saliva Nest has also been known to trigger allergies. Some mums have discovered that eating a lot of Bird’s Saliva Nest while pregnant or nursing actually resulted in their children developing allergies to Bird’s Saliva Nest.
But the biggest reason to be wary of Bird’s Saliva Nest is where the majority of Bird’s Saliva Nest comes from today. Most commercially sold Bird’s Saliva Nest today is inferior quality nest cleaned chemically and bleached for the “clean and white” look. Some are outright fakes made to look like Bird’s Saliva Nest. You don’t want to consume these chemical-laden products or feed them to your child.

What brands of Bird’s Saliva Nest are reliable?

Commercially bottled Bird’s Saliva Nest are popular among Singaporeans and frequently given to new mums as gifts. Known brands are generally trusted to use genuine Bird’s Saliva Nest and safe manufacturing processes. Bottled Bird’s Saliva Nest also requires no brewing and is convenient to consume.
However, that said, most people consider bottled Bird’s Saliva Nest inferior to homemade Bird’s Saliva Nest brewed from the nest itself, sourced from independent vendors who sell Bird’s Saliva Nests farmed in neighbouring countries like Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia. Those wishing to buy their own Bird’s Saliva Nests however should study with someone experienced how to choose quality Bird’s Saliva Nest from look, touch and smell.
All in all, don’t consume Bird’s Saliva Nest just because someone says it’s good, but do your own research first on whether you’re comfortable with it.