Yoruba Postnatal Practices

Abstract

The Yoruba are one of the three major ethnicities in Nigeria predominantly based in the Southwest. Yoruba culture is strongly rooted in honouring family and tradition, with childbirth and new motherhood viewed as a time of extreme vulnerability both physically and spiritually. Yoruba postnatal traditions have developed as a way to heal and strengthen a new mother as well as to protect the newborn. Ultimately, the primary objective is to provide support to the mother-infant dyad to ensure the best possible start on their journey.