By Janet Nsikan
If you know the term Omugwo, pat yourself on the back. I want to believe that every African woman in Africa, has some form of help when they give birth to a child. Well, that help is termed “Omugwo” in the eastern part of Nigeria. This is a practice where an elderly woman, who could be your mommy, mother In-law or any other available woman comes to care for both mother and child for at least 4 to 16 weeks.
Well in my case, my mother-in-law came for the Omugwo. She was actually in the labour room with me when I pushed my baby out. Yes! The painful vaginal birth method. After birth, I still had to undergo stitches and I dealt with the pain for weeks.
Thankfully I had the amazing company of my mother-in-law who prepared African hot spicy chicken soup along with a rigorous hot water tummy massage, while I sit on a hot water steamy bucket. It was supposed to be a healing process but I was not sure why I usually felt weak from all the stress. I had to drink warm water for months, which was annoying but I managed.
Since it has been done this way for forever and I wasn’t the first to go through it, I decided to stick with it. The main issue came with my baby. The baby massage!!! I have never seen anything like it.
I couldn’t deal, babies are more or less manhandled. My mother instincts insisted that my baby is giving a very mild massage. I was told that with a soft massage, my baby’s body might become stiff. I’m not sure how true this is but she is two already and looking all strong and flexible but they still say I’m just lucky.
So African Moms how is it done in your part of Africa?
Nigerians also call it Omugwo.My mum helped me with that.The path I really never agreed with was the path were they throw the baby after a bath and the baby starts crying.I still don’t agree with that path till now.
When I had my baby,i was assisted for just 4weeks ,from where I come from it’s called OLOJOJO,i had tear and my ex mother in-law assisted a bit and my mom too,i had to sit on very hot combination of detol and hot water, after that 4weeks,I had to learn about taking care of my daughter fastly and in the best way,and I must say,the bathing,cuddling,singing, was the best experience of my life and my daughter will soon be 2