Introduction The postpartum period, which begins approximately one hour after delivery of the placenta and lasts six weeks, is a critical time for a woman (WHO, 1998). Although the first hours, days and weeks after birth are dangerous for both mother and newborn, inadequate postpartum care is widespread throughout the world (WHO, 2010). In Myanmar, approximately 1.3 million women give birth every year. The maternal mortality rate (MMR) per 1,000 live births in the country was 3.16 in 2004-2005, 1.4 in urban areas and 3.63 in rural areas (Ministry of Health, 2009a, Ministry of Health and UNICEF , 2006). Myanmar is one of four countries with a high MMR rate in the UNFPA South and Southeast Asia region (Ministry of Health, 2009b). According to the National Cause-Specific Maternal Mortality Survey (2004-2005), postpartum hemorrhage is a leading cause of maternal death (30.98%). Maternal mortality due to puerperal sepsis was 7.04% (Ministry of Health and UNICEF, 2006). These can be reduced through appropriate postnatal care with appropriate considerations of cultural beliefs and practices during postpartum. Postpartum beliefs and practices can have neutral, beneficial, and harmful effects, and these can serve as barriers to receiving professional guidance. {Myanmar Postpartum Beliefs and Practices} One of the components of the Reproductive Health Policy (2002) in Myanmar is the identification of effective socio-cultural practices beneficial to reproductive health (Department of Health, Myanmar 2004). Many international studies have highlighted traditional postpartum beliefs and practices (Lee, RV et al 1988, Steinberg 1996, Liu et al. 2006, Craig, 2009, Harvey and Buckley 2009). However, some documents on postpartum beliefs and practices have been published in Myanmar. The...... half of the article......birth practices among Vietnamese mothers in Anthi District, Hung Yen Province. http://www.sh.mahidol.ac.th/hssip/theses/2002/3.pdf.Ulin, P.R., Robinson, E.T., Tolley, E.E., 2005. Field logistics. In: Qualitative methods in public health: a field guide for applied research. Family Health International, Jossey-Bass, Sanfrancisco, pp. 123-124. Wang, X., Wang, Y., Zanzhou, S., et al., 2008. A population-based investigation of women's traditional postpartum behaviors in Northern China. Midwifery, 24, 238-245. World Health Organization., 1998. Postpartum care of the mother and newborn: a practical guide. Maternal and Newborn Health, Safe Motherhood Unit, Division of Reproductive Health, World Health Organization, Geneva. World Health Organization, 2010. WHO Technical Consultation on Postpartum and Postnatal Care. Department to make pregnancy safer. WHO/MPS/10.03.