Bolstering good sleep with a "laam jaam"

 Growing up in Singapore, I never went to bed without my laam jaam. It's a long cylindrical pillow which translates from Cantonese as "hug pillow" (or "hugging pillow").

My mum had a more sophisticated term for it. She called it a "Dutch husband", her take -- as a woman -- of what was known in colonial Singapore as a "Dutch wife" (feel free to google this term).

I don't remember how or when I outgrew it. When heavily pregnant I requested my dear sisters who were visiting to bring me one, and they did.

Recently I had been waking up every morning with pains down my thighs. They always seem to be on what appears to be "acupressure" points. Poke your finger or thumb at the correct spot and the point goes right through you.

So began a daily ritual of finding/discovering where those points are on waking, and massaging with my fist until the pain eased, before getting out of bed.

While hunting for some missing bedding last week, my son and I found the bolster, and His Mature Loveliness said, "Mum, why don't you use it to see if it helps."

So I did, but had to wait for the weekend to make a cover-case for it. From my stash of organic cotton fabric, of course.


  Previously I had asked my GP this convoluted question: If the pains in my upper arms point to a problem with my shoulder (I had two frozen shoulders, thankfully not at the same time!😅), then does it mean that when I have pains in my thighs, they point to a problem with my hip joint?

Yes, he said, giving me a strange look.

If you were to look up "pillow between knees", etc, you will see numerous write-ups on how these pillows, recommended by physiotherapists, are said to help relieve all kinds of joint and muscle pains by helping to align the spine while you sleep.

So, there.

I could not find a new painful spot this morning, although I'm still nursing one from a previous night. Maybe the bolster is helping.

I'd also been suffering from leg cramps in my sleep, but managed to get through the night without being woken by one. Maybe the bolster is helping.

Call it a "Dutch wife", "Dutch husband" or "laam jaam", if it works, it's good!  

Do tell me your bolster stories.


Update: Used the bolster for a week. I can't say it has made my pain go away, but I am not getting additional pains every morning. The residual pain is just an indicator that I need to do the exercises prescribed by my physio. 


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