Is 1 month of confinement a must?

It's been tough securing a CL these days. I don't even feel comfortable putting down a deposit for them. Caucasians don't do confinement the way we asians do. Can mothers please share their confinement experience? Do you really feel too weak etc to cook confinement meals yourself while taking care of baby? Do we really really a CL/mother to do confinement for us?