Hi friends! I’m Lovetti
a midwife, human optimization researcher, and podcaster. Today, I want to talk about a beautiful, sacred tradition that’s deeply rooted across Nigerian culture: postpartum care through community and family support.
In the Igbo culture, this is called Omugwo. Among the Urhobo people (my tribe), we call it Omiuvwon. And across various other ethnic groups in Nigeria, this beautiful practice goes by different names but the core idea is the same: a new mother deserves rest, nourishment, and care.
🌺 What Is Omugwo / Omiuvwon?
After a woman gives birth, her mother, mother-in-law, or another elder female relative traditionally moves in to take care of her. This is not just a helping hand it is a full-on nurturing system that lasts 30 days if the baby is a girl and 40 days if it’s a boy.
During this sacred period, the mother is expected to focus solely on:

• Eating well (think nutrient-rich soups, stews, and herbal broths),
• Sleeping deeply, and
• Breastfeeding her baby with no added stress.
  And yes she is intentionally, lovingly fed. Every day. Meals are prepared to help her regain strength, stimulate milk production, and support healing. The postpartum diet is just as thoughtful and traditional as the care itself.
  In some communities, the care doesn’t come from just one person. Sometimes, aunties, neighbors, or even groups of women in the community take turns supporting the new mother ensuring she never walks this healing journey alone.

💭 What Happened to This Beautiful Tradition?
Fast forward to today, and the picture looks very different.
Many modern mothers are expected to “bounce back” almost immediately. They’re juggling home life, work, childcare, and often doing it alone. The societal pressure to be a superwoman leaves little room for the kind of sacred recovery our mothers and grandmothers once had.
But what if we changed that?
What if we reintroduced this postpartum tradition not just as culture, but as a core part of women’s health and community care?

🤔 Imagine This…
🌿 A society where postpartum care is officially recognized.
🌿 A world where new mothers are offered 30–40 days of structured, loving support whether from trained caregivers, community doulas, or family.
🌿 A system where government or health institutions invest in mother care, not just childcare.
Here’s what we’d gain:

• Mothers healing fully emotionally, physically, spiritually.
• Children nurtured in peaceful, love-filled homes.
• Partners who feel supported, not overwhelmed.
• A generation raised in warmth, instead of maternal burnout.

✨ It’s Not Just Tradition. It’s Timeless Wisdom.
Whether it’s called Omugwo, Omiuvwon, Ibaale or something else in your language the heart of it remains the same:
Let the mother be mothered.
This isn’t just culture it’s smart, sustainable, sacred.
So tell me, what would it look like to bring this practice back?
What could our version of Omugwo look like in today’s world?
I’d love to hear your thoughts drop a comment and let’s keep this conversation going.
With love,
Lovetti