Postpartum Care and Moroccan Mint Tea

On May 4th, I arrived in Tangier, Morocco for the Tribal Sisterhood Retreat. I attended the retreat to learn Moroccan postpartum rituals.  I was excited to participate and to learn the wisdom from traditional midwives and elder healers.  My life’s work is to heal trauma and bring spirituality back full circle in birth, by connecting birth and postpartum rituals to the African diaspora.  The Tribal Sisterhood Retreat provided me an intimate look at postpartum rituals, while drinking delicious Moroccan mint tea.

The Moroccan Midwife

I loved the presentation given by the traditional midwife. It was so real and down to earth.  She shared her personal story of becoming a midwife and how she provides postpartum care to mothers in their homes.

After the midwife’s presentation, she demonstrated the postpartum bath on a volunteer.  It was beautiful, spiritual and a sacred ceremony.   They had the volunteer sit on a small stool.  Under the stool was a bowl or plate of steaming herbs to heal the birth area. These herbs are used for the postpartum time. The midwife and her daughter washed the volunteer with special soaps and prayed over her during the bathing ceremony.

Closing the Bones

After the bathing, they covered the volunteer from head to toe to keep her warm. Next, they laid her on a nice rug for the closing of the bones. The closing of the bones is very different than Mexico Rebozo bone closing.   It consists of a heavier cloth, and there are two ways that it can be done.  And it always follows by some squeezing, massaging and gentle pushing of the hips and bones.   The goal is to help the bones and organs return to their right position. It is a skill that one must be trained for by Moroccan women.  The midwives completed the closing of the bones ceremony and put the volunteer to bed. Once in bed the midwife fed her dates and gave her hot tea to drink.   What I observed in Morocco for postpartum care, is that it involves patience, nurturing, prayer, and plenty of loving touch.

“I felt such love during the bathing,” she said with tears in her eyes.   “Every new mother deserves to feel like this.”

The Postpartum Party

The final postpartum tradition was attending the new mother’s party, that is put on for her and her baby. There are plenty of sweets, Moroccan tea, special food dishes, singing and belly dancing. In Moroccan culture, there is much honor, love, and prayers for the new mother and her baby.

I am inspired by the common thread of postpartum traditions within the African diaspora.   These traditions include: nurturing, beautifying, celebrating, praying and singing; all to protect the new mother so she can heal, love, and care for her baby.

The Ritual of Love

Being loved is the ultimate postpartum ritual for healing.  The Moroccan postpartum tradition displayed loved in the work, love for God, and love for the women, babies, and families.

The Retreat

The retreat experience was amazing: the venue breath taking, the people, beautiful and welcoming. I enjoyed walking past the cows, who were walking on the other side of the road, while passing a grove of eucalyptus trees. The tradition of drinking delicious Moroccan mint tea was soothing. It helped me to experience a true Moroccan tradition. I loved the impromptu evening belly dancing parties, that were led by an American and Moroccan attendee. A true cross cultural exchange.Being cared for with authentic traditional Moroccan dishes, left me feeling full and really special. Everyday, I had the opportunity to learn, reflect, socialize and relax. It was a truly amazing retreat.

The Hostess

Layla B., is the sponsor of Tribal Sisterhood Retreat.   She is an amazing organizer and gracious hostess.   

Comments

21 responses to “Postpartum Care and Moroccan Mint Tea”

  1. Deirdre J. Avatar
    Deirdre J.

    This sounds like such an amazing experience to have been a part of! Let the healing continue as we share the power of love! Thank you for sharing your observations and experience!

    1. Shafia Monroe Avatar
      Shafia Monroe

      Hi Deirdre, Thank you for your comment. We often look for scientific solutions to improve the postpartum experience. At the end the day, mothers want quality care, respect and to feel loved. A simple concept but often challenging to translate into care. The more we discuss the needs of new mothers to the masses, I believe the sooner people will know how to support new mothers/people after birth.

  2. Mary Ann Aschenbrenner Avatar
    Mary Ann Aschenbrenner

    Wow. So glad you had the opportunity to participate in this and thank you for sharing some of what you learned.

    1. Shafia Monroe Avatar
      Shafia Monroe

      Thank you for your comment. It was very interesting to participate in such a hands on training. I was able to practice many of the postpartum ritual under the directions of the traditional midwives and healers. I will be adding portion of my learning to my postpartum work with mothers, and in my SMC Full Circle Doula Birth Companion Training.

  3. Rose Hurd Avatar
    Rose Hurd

    I would love to learn more.

    1. Shafia Monroe Avatar
      Shafia Monroe

      Hi Rose, Thank you for commenting on my Blog. My goal is to share what I learned with additional Blogs, webinars, Facebook Live, and through the SMC Full Circle Doula Birth Companion Training. It was such a beautiful experience. If you have the opportunity to travel with Tribal Sisterhood Retreat, I recommend it.

  4. Que Avatar
    Que

    What a wonderful experience this had to have been! Thank you for sharing the experience and knowledge gained from this retreat!

    1. Shafia Monroe Avatar
      Shafia Monroe

      Hi Que, Thank you for reading my Blog and commenting. The knowledge gained I will add to my personal midwifery and doula service. I will also add it to the SMC Full Circle Doula Birth Companion Training. What I shared can be experienced by all, in the areas of patience, celebration and love.

  5. Lina Avatar

    Sounds amazing. In so many cultures there in emphasis on pregnancy and birth but breastfeeding and postnatal is not celebrated. It sounds like a beautiful gathering and love , prayers, music and comfort measures for the new mum. I love to sit and learn from the local midwives in different cultures I lived. What a wonderful experience you had.

    1. Shafia Monroe Avatar
      Shafia Monroe

      Hi Lin, thank you for reading and commenting on my Blog. Along with the amazing training with the traditional midwives, definitely creating sisterhood among the attendees was very powerful.
      Are you singing and playing music at the births that you attend?

  6. Vallin Bingley Avatar
    Vallin Bingley

    This is absolutely beautiful and incredible. What an amazing experience ?

    1. Shafia Monroe Avatar
      Shafia Monroe

      Hi Vallin, Thank you for commenting on my Blog. It was incredible experience. I learned new information, but I loved that it also reinforced, the centerto quality postpartum care. And that is the nurturing, the celebration and the love, for the new mother.

  7. Alisa Avatar

    What an amazing experience and beautiful insight into African postpartum care. The postpartum party sounds like a great time to nurture and affirm the new mother.

    1. Shafia Monroe Avatar
      Shafia Monroe

      Hi Alisa, Thank you for reading and commenting on my Blog. It was indeed a beautiful experience. I was pleased that Morocco connected the dots to the long tradition of African postpartum care; and that many of the traditions can be seen in the legacy of the 20th Century African American midwives. I am excited to add this information to the SMC Full Circle Doula Birth Companion Training. The party was very beautiful. The Moroccan party attire is gorgeous.

  8. Tracey Jones Avatar
    Tracey Jones

    I felt the beauty of this ritual just reading of your experience. I would like to attend a birth retreat. Thank you for sharing ?❣

    1. Shafia Monroe Avatar
      Shafia Monroe

      Hi Tracey, Thank you for reading my Blog and commenting. I am glad that you could feel my experience in the writing. I encourage you to take a birth retreat with Layla B. when you can. And if I can be of help, please let me know.

  9. Charlisha B. Avatar
    Charlisha B.

    Thank you for sharing your experience. This article just strengthened passion for pursuing Doula work that much more! Much love to you for the work you do! ?

    1. Shafia Monroe Avatar
      Shafia Monroe

      Hi Charlisha, Thank you reading my Blog and commenting. The Moroccan Postpartum Retreat was amazing. And what a beautiful country. I am adding what I learned to my midwife/doula practice. I will also update the SMC Full Circle Doula Birth Companion Training with rituals that I learned from my Moroccan postpartum care training. It’s very exciting. I am glad you are considering becoming a doula. Let me know if I can help.

  10. Shanna Williams Avatar
    Shanna Williams

    This sounds like an amazing experience! Thanks for sharing it with us!!

    1. Shafia Monroe Avatar
      Shafia Monroe

      Hi Shanna, Thank you for your comments. It was an amazing experience, to learn first hand from the local midwives was very empowering. I will be sharing more details of specifics of the training in future blogs.

  11. Jenne' Avatar
    Jenne’

    Hello! I must attend this event in July! I would like to know who to contact to get the process started….
    Thank you soooo much! With love, Jenne’!

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