Ep 32: A Cultural Look at Postpartum Healing With Adilah

What happens when you break a bone, undergo surgery, or get sick?  Typically, very specific time is taken to rest, and most importantly, to heal. 

 

What about when you have a baby?

 

After creating an entirely separate, entirely new life in your womb for 9-10 months, then bringing that life forth one way or another, what do you do?  Do you give your body the same type of attention and care that one does when recovering from any other strenuous/difficult event? 

 

I sure as heck hope so, but I sure as heck worry that it isn’t happening enough, especially when considering our western culture’s nonchalant attitude regarding postpartum recovery. 

 

Today’s episode is all about Adilah’s personal experiences with postpartum recovery.  As the daughter of a mother with a Malay background, she was truly required to rest and recover after giving birth.  Her mother made her broths, soups and warming stews, and saw to it that she was given traditional healing treatments: postpartum massages, belly pastes to warm her body and increase circulation, herbal baths, body scrubs, belly binds, hair treatments and feminine washes.  All of this combined with rest taught Adilah the true benefits of taking the postpartum period seriously. 

 

Now, with her in-depth understanding of these treatments, Adilah is providing many of these same kits to interested mothers through her website, www.ibudoula.com

 

With all of this attentive care, it’s no wonder that Malaysia ranks the lowest in the number of women with postpartum depression.  Perhaps if we adopt some of these principles, the western struggle with postpartum depression and anxiety would decrease as well.

 

This podcast is full of beauty and fascinating cultural information.  Listen in to hear how Adilah’s grandfather understood so deeply the importance of this postpartum support that when her mother gave birth to Adliah, he came and stayed with her and cared for her just as Adilahs mother did for her (her grandmother had passed away before Adilah was born).  This example so clearly demonstrates the depth of understanding this culture has in regards to the importance of postpartum healing and bonding. 

 

Connect with Adilah:

www.ibudoula.com

www.instagram.com/ibudoula

www.marleymoomaternity.com  

www.instagram.com/marleyandmoo

 

 

 

Other resources mentioned in this episode:

 

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