Ever since I was a young teen I was fascinated by the way different cultures treated or ritualized the postpartum period for new mothers. The most common and mainstream practices in the states being being abhorrently subpar, I was always motivated and inspired by the way traditional practices dictated a sort of royalty of the new mother.
In areas of India a new mother and baby are covered in henna. That new mother is not allowed to resume regular household activities until the henna fades usually 6-12 weeks after the birth, to promote proper healing, psychological stability, and positive bonding and breastfeeding with her newborn.
Raven Lang talks about traditional practices of mother roasting in Vietnam where a fire is kept lit under the bed of a new mother for a straight month to ensure she and her newborn are kept warm, close, and happy where she can sweat out any retained water weight from pregnancy.
Many Native American nations had the same warm ideas as the Vietnamese and used hot sand and coals to keep their mothers relaxed and warm in a cocoon of happiness for the first week after birth.
Needless to say, it all fascinates me. Every corner of the world has their tribal roots and traditional postpartum rituals. So when Caz came back to Cape Town after her trip in Tanzania and told me she had a great "birth" story to tell me, I was all ears! The Maasai chief she spoke with told her group that new mothers are given a whole three months to be pampered and taken care of by the men in her family. The mother was not allowed to do any household chores or even cook for herself. Her husband would tend to it all to ensure her happiness and a proper and happy bond with her baby. What a far cry from the 6 weeks of maternity leave mothers in the US have to struggle with on their own, usually just involving their equally as frazzled partner to share the responsibilities. (Above is a video of the chief giving a brief explanation of their cultural norms postpartum, that Caz so graciously allowed me to share and talk about.)
The importance of such practices should not be overlooked as they often are in western and developed nations. The point of postpartum practices is to draw positive focus on the new mother in this time of transition and frailty. Her body and life have gone through something profoundly transformative and the precious weeks after a birth can set the longterm tone for the health and stability of her and the new baby. Poor support and lack of care can create a hodgepodge of debilitating and snowballing issues such as depression, low self esteem, improper or poor physical healing, inconsistent or stressful breastfeeding or bonding, and a lifetime of poor self image. It's a beautiful thing to hear that even in todays rapidly globalized and developing world there are people such as the Maasai who are tightly holding on to their traditional birth values and not allowing the very medicalized and cold approach of the West to disenfranchise their beliefs and values. I believe this group of people are setting a wonderful standard for others to follow; to honor and protect traditional and tribal values, they have so much to teach us.
As Doulas and Midwives are fighting their way onto the global scene and making themselves available to the population at large, we are really seeing the worth in supported and pampered postpartum periods. These are the woman bringing the "old school" cultural practices of care back to people who have lost their traditional roots. I can't wait to join their ranks to help in the revitalization, preservation, and expansion of traditional birth practices worldwide. YAY happy babies and mommies!
On another note, we had a crazy good day in Cape Town. From lunch at Van Hunk's with a sweet couple from New Zealand, to parading through the city center as Caz played tour guide, and the drive to Mitchell's Plain where we saw the MOST beautiful full moon. Honestly Caz should get paid for her guided tours, I think she knows the city better than most people that call themselves locals. Our drive back down the R300 we screamed the Cupid Shuffle and Daft Punk like crazy people in the gorgeous dusk of the outlying townships. What a wonderful day :)
Oh hey mountain! It was getting tucked in for bedtime by the giant puffy blanket of clouds.
Oh hey giant moon!
Mandy
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