Mothering the Mother available now.
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Rediscover the lost art of African American postpartum healing traditions in a practical, essential guide to maternal health.
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Mothering the Mother: African American Postpartum Traditions, Recipes, and Healing
By Shafia Monroe
Forward by Erykah Badu
Shafia Monroe, MPH, is a renowned midwife, author, and cultural historian, and the founder of SMC Full Circle Doula Training. A leading expert on African American birth and postpartum traditions, she has spent over four decades caring for mothers and studying the practices of twentieth-century Black midwives. Her groundbreaking book, Mothering the Mother: African American Postpartum Traditions, Recipes, and Healing, revives ancestral wisdom to support modern families. Featured in publications such as Madame Noire and the American Journal of Public Health, Monroe continues to maternal health equity through education, advocacy, and community-centered care.
A legend, a legacy
Shafia, you are a legend and your legacy is the seed you have planted and nurtured in so many women, and the way they are spreading like wildfire.
Stay Informed with Recent Blog Posts
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KATU NW Features Groundbreaking New Book Mothering the Mother
On April 23, 2026, Shafia Monroe was interviewed by Helen Raptis on her groundbreaking new book, Mothering the Mother, on KATU AM Northwest. Shafia discussed with Helen how African American postpartum traditions help new mothers get the rest that they deserve to stave off maternal morbidity, and how family members can support mother and infant bonding.…
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Postpartum Traditions Podcast 395
Brought to you by Evidence-Based Birth (EBB); Dr. Rebecca Dekker talks with renowned midwife, cultural historian, and author Shafia Monroe about the traditions documented in her new book Mothering the Mother: African-American Postpartum Traditions, Recipes, and Healing. Mama Shafia shares how historically rooted postpartum practices—from the 42-day “lying-in” period to nourishing soups, herbal teas, and hands-on…
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Shafia Monroe on Traditional Black Midwifery, Spirituality, and Community Advocacy
Evidence-Based Birth Podcast Join us and go on a storytelling journey with Mama Shafia Monroe about spirituality and traditional midwives. Watch on YouTube above or watch this podcast on the Evidence Based Birth website at EBB 152 Shafia Monroe on Traditional Black Midwifery, Spirituality, and Community Advocacy. Spread the love
