OMUGWO

Gini bu Omugwo
O͎mugwo͎ bu͎ otu o͎menaala ndi igbo, o͎ bu͎ oge nne nwata mu͎ru͎ nwa ga aga nno͎yere nwa ya mu͎ru͎ nwa o͎huru͎, ma n' eneko͎ta ya na ezi n' ulo ha anya. This is to say that o͎mu͎gwo͎ is a period when the mother of the nursing mother goes to take care of her daughter and her new baby together with her family.
This practice is common among the igbos and other eastern ethnic groups in Nigeria. In igbo land,
it is expected that a well experienced female relation of the woman who gave birth should go and administer to her for a certian period of time usually three months or more depending on the visiting woman. Usually the mother of the woman who gave birth is entitled to iga omugwo i.e (to visit her daughter who just delivered), but in a case where the mother is late, the step-mother can take her place or her mother-in-law depending on their relationship.
Ile o͎mu͎gwo͎ is very important in igbo land especially for the woman who just had a baby. During this period, the visiting mother is expected to take good care of her daughter and her baby, tend to

the house chores and make sure the family is well looked after.
It is also expected that during this period the woman who gave birth should rest and after child birth and also get back in shape.
The visiting mother is expected to wash her daughter's clothes, that of her baby, bath the baby and prepare special meal for her daughter.
We said an experienced relation usually female is expected to be the one to go for ile o͎mu͎gwo͎, this is the reason why.
When bathing the baby, the woman pays close attention to the new baby, she massages the baby using a small towel and with hot water, while her daughter pays close attention especially if it's her first child. She also plays with the baby after bathing him, like throwing him into mid air and catching him, this is believed to remove fear of height from the baby.
O͎mu͎gwo͎ is a time every nursing mother looks forward to, it's a period where she rests from all house chores and concentrates on herself alone.
One interesting thing about o͎mu͎gwo͎ is the kind of meal prepared for the nursing mother such as yam pepper soup with lots of dried

fish, our grand mothers from the village definitely know how to make this meal, you know how their food taste. If you haven't tasted this meal, you sure haven't eaten a good food. Another food to expect is the nsala soup with enough utazi. Hope our 21st century mothers can still prepare this special delicacy for their daughters. It is pertinent to note that meals prepared for a nursing mother is more of hot liquid, this is to help stabilize her stomach after giving birth.
When the ile o͎mu͎gwo͎ comes to an end and its time for the visiting relation or mother to go back home, it is expected that the husband of the nursing mother should buy gifts for the woman who have helped the family, to show appreciation for the good work she has done.
Share with us how this is done in your tribe and state or other things you know about o͎mu͎gwo͎.