BY AMADI NGOZI P. AND AISHATU DANLADI BALA
Introduction.
Post-partum depression is not only real but has also become a clear and present danger to prospective mothers, families and the entire community. The present condition of the economy demands not only that both parents work but also that they work extra hours to make ends meet. The situation is most challenging to pregnant mothers and those who are recently delivered off their babies .The practice of giving mothers six weeks of maternity leave appears not to provide relief for affected mothers, especially those experiencing motherhood for the first time. Post-partum depression has become a mental health emergency that must be adequately contained to save more mothers from harm.
This paper provides an insight into how Igbo people handled this situation. The beauty of this Igbo method is in its preventive approach. This Igbo method is known as Omugwo. This paper explains what is called Omugwo, its features, what is achieved during omugwo and what has happened to omugwo as a result of modernization. This paper focuses on the Igbo of Owerri West Local Government Area in Imo State before 1980.
WHAT IS OMUGWO
Omugwo comprises a series of post-natal rites which are comprehensibly undertaken by a woman who has just given birth to a baby and her immediate neighbours to enable her recover from the stress of child-birth. Such neighbors included her mother-inlaw, biological mother, fellow wives (nde nyie di) and other distant relations as well as friends of the family. This inexhaustible list of care-takers is as a result of the fact that in Igboland every activity was communal. The nine months of gestation is enough time for each of these individuals to make provisions for the eventual birth of a child. The safe delivery of the baby signals the beginning of the series of activities. These activities included taking care of both mother and baby and making provisions for their well-being.
FEATURES
Omugwo and all its acourtrements are aimed at providing relief and safety for both mother and child, and providing the means for the nursing mother to recover whatever she lost during the pre and peri natal periods of pregnancy. The conditions of livelihood in Igboland abhorred indolence. Therefore these efforts were duly geared towards making the mother to bounce back, and quickly be on her feet again as soon as possible. The biological mother of the woman plays the most important role in this case. Such mothers had to relocate to the homes of their pregnant daughters few days or weeks before the expected date of delivery or on the day of delivery. She comes along with a lot of food stuff. These include but not limited to many tubers of yam, dry fish, stock fish, egusi, spices and other condiments. It is her duty to prepare hot pepper-soup with these spices and other condiments. It was also her duty to massage her daughter every morning and night. The mother also reliefs the daughter in handling the baby especially at night or any time she is tired. It is also the mother that does all the washing in the house because at this time the daughter is too weak to do any chores. It is indeed a period of hard work for the visiting mothers.
Apart from the mother every other neighbor participates and contributes to relief the stress of the nursing mother. Other women made contributions in the form of fire wood, yam, water, and particularly, their presence. The nursing mother was not expected to do any work until after twenty eight days ie seven Igbo weeks.
The mother in-law of the nursing mother ensured that the relationship between the visiting mother and herself is cordial. The father in-law made sure that there was adequate supply of palm wine while the husband provided any other thing the wife needed during this time. With everybody working together the nursing mother was very much removed from stress.
WHAT IS ACHIEVED DURING OMUGWO?
The gains of the omugwo season could be viewed from health and social perspectives. From the Health perspective, the most important achievement of the omugwo season is the fact that the Nursing Mother is saved from the embarrassment of the post partium sickness and its attendant problems of loneliness and boredom.The presence of her mother and other relatives provide avenues of discussion, laughter and constant interaction that drive away boredom. It also offers the Nursing Mother ample opportunity to recover very well before another season of pregnancy. The menu of the omugwo season ensures that no trace of blood or any unwanted fluids are left in the Nursing Mothers womb. These may present serious health problems in future if not nipped in the bud.
The Social aspect of the omugwo celebration is as important as the Health aspect, if not more. The omugwo season provides a special type of bonding in the family of the Nursing Mother and that of her paternal family. The joy of welcoming a child into the family is incomplete without the omugwo celebration. Apart from uniting the two families, Omugwo also provides the opportunity for the Nursing mother to rapport easily with other women in her family and the entire community. It is therefore a perimeter to measure the level of healthy relationship in a community.
The omugwo has challenges facing it presently as a result of changing Economy. Many couples cannot afford such an elaborate ceremony today. There are also situations where the Mother of the Nursing Mother is a civil servant. In this case the time of umugwo is drastically reduced. It should also be noted that differences may sometimes arise between the people involved in the celebration. All said and done, the omugwo is an mportant celebration and all families look forward to it.
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