Mothering the Mother

African American Postpartum Traditions, Recipes and Healing

A renowned midwife, doula trainer, and Master of Public Health celebrates the lost art of African American postnatal healing practices in this practical, essential guide to maternal health.

As a mother, grandmother, and traditional midwife, Shafia M. Monroe intimately knows about childbirth and the fourth trimester. For over forty years, she’s helped thousands give birth, and has taught thousands more how to support birthing parents, all integrating the deep wisdom of African American healing traditions. Long suppressed by the white medical establishment, these practices—such as belly binding, heat, herbs, the lying‑in period, and the “taking‑out‑of‑bed ritual”—are powerful healing tools. Using them, we mother the mother through a healthy postpartum period.

While this framework will be powerful healing for all mothers, the information in this book can save Black mothers' lives; with African American women disproportionately suffering from maternal mortality and morbidity, there is an urgent need for an embrace of African American postpartum care that surrounds the new mother and her baby with community, love, and protection. Mothering the Mother is a resource for Black women and communities to reclaim their cultural traditions for a healthy postpartum recuperation.

Loved every minute

I learned so much from this book! I wish it was longer. Packed with information, the narrator wasnt boring, I can’t wait to incorporate the recipes and rituals into my Birthwork practice.

Love this book and I feel seen!

I am currently reading her book and have never felt more seen. I am pregnant with my second baby and am really looking forward to implementing lots of her techniques this time around!!
I am hoping to VBAC and am looking forward to any knowledge that I can leverage to be successful in the delivery. I am looking forward to trying all of the wonderful ideas to care for myself after the fact. And how to articulate to others what I will need postpartum. I will be inviting people over for help and letting my wishes on how I would like to be pampered after the delivery!!

The Hope And feeling of empowerment as a new mother.

This book showned me how to care for a new mother who has recently given birth.