Podcast - Episode 9 - Moroccan Postpartum Care
Welcome! You Are Here Because You Believe Birth Is About Making Mums Too.
Expert Interview with Layla B
As a Newborn Mother, you are being invited to reinvent yourself because when a baby is born so is a mother, and the birth of a mother can be more intense than childbirth. You'll learn how to find peace and joy in the first 40 days after birth and how your postpartum experience can change your life.
In this episode, I am joined by Entrepreneur and mother Layla B. Identifying as a soulful changemaker, Layla works as a traditional Moroccan postpartum trainer, business mentor, writer and philanthropist.
Layla is dedicated to reviving, reclaiming and restoring sacred and ancient traditional Moroccan postpartum medicine. She supports heart-centred birth workers and women's wellness professionals to create impact, influence and income in a soulful business and life they love.
Layla discusses her experience of giving birth in England, her journey to studying postpartum care in Morocco and some very special postpartum traditions.
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What You Will Learn
[00:57] About Layla B
Layla is Moroccan and British, she is an entrepreneur and mother of three children.
Layla is a postpartum trainer with a focus on traditional Moroccan postpartum medicine. Her aim is to revive, reclaim and restore Moroccan postpartum care.
[01:40] The experience of giving birth in England
Layla didn’t know much about giving birth at that time. She wanted a natural birth and thought she didn’t have to prepare for it and would just happen naturally. She ended up giving birth in a hospital and didn’t know or think about any interventions. The birth didn’t turn out the way she wanted, and Layla felt it was a negative experience leaving her feeling sick and tired.
Luckily her mum was there to take care of her, inspiring Layla to learn more and help others. Layla’s postpartum journey started there.
She travelled to do childbirth training in the UAE and was inspired to start an international natural birth and breastfeeding conference.
[04:43] Traditional Moroccan care
Layla’s mother imparted traditional Moroccan care, feeding her warming and nourishing foods. She didn’t know some Morrocan care like the traditional closing of the bones as she also gave birth in England and had never experienced it herself.
Moroccan culture gives a lot of support to new mothers. When a mother has given birth, people will come and bring food, so it was never a question that Layla’s mother would come and take care of her.
[07:49] Layla’s journey to study traditional postpartum care in Morocco.
Layla travelled to Morocco, and a family friend performed a bone closing massage on her body. Layla loved the experience, and it spurred her on to learn more about traditional Moroccan care.
The culture in Morocco is passed down orally from generation to generation, and it has changed over time due to modernisation and globalisation.
Layla says traditions are dying, and young people need to take on those roles. Layla is trying to revive, reclaim and restore that knowledge through her work.
[12:39] Special postpartum traditions in Morocco
There are six stages of a newborn mother: welcoming her, honouring her, nourishing her, nurturing her, closing her and celebrating her. These six stages happen at any time, and may all happen in one day.
The tradition of eating healthy and hearty meals like soup helps mothers recover.
[17:58] How to incorporate postpartum traditions in our own lives
It is important in pregnancy to start thinking ahead about these stages, about a birth plan AND a postpartum plan.
Consider who will help you through this time and consider hiring postpartum professionals.
[20:50] Ways mothers are celebrated in Morocco
A few days after birth, the mother is taken to the ‘Hamam’, which is a public bath. The women will take her there to celebrate her with singing, henna and sweets. They wrap the mother up very well afterwards.
The naming of the baby is another time of celebration for both the baby and the mother.
[25:03] Retreats
10-15 women in Morocco stay in a villa with a chef, pool and Hamam.
The participants will get to learn the six stages and experience them for themselves. These retreats are very supportive.
Connect with Layla
Layla B. is an entrepreneur, mother, soulful change-maker & business mentor, traditional postpartum trainer, writer and philanthropist.
British, originally Moroccan, apparently 10% Sardinian and 14% Spanish, currently living in Dubai with her Syrian Bedouin husband and a citizen of the world; she is a mother of three who started her current business through passion and determination to encourage female empowerment, build a global sisterhood and support women like you dream, do and discover whatever you want, because 'Impossible is Nothing' as Muhammad Ali always said!
In 2014, the negative birth experience of her first child brought about the birth of her new business. She was inspired to play a part in the birth world and went on a journey to set up the first (2015) and second (2016) International Natural Birth and Breastfeeding Conference in the UAE, which are the first events of their kind in the GCC; under the patronage of H.E. Sheikha Bodour Bint Sultan Al Qasimi. She did this all while getting pregnant 3 times, giving birth 3 times and having 3 small children with over 900 paying participants from Canada, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, the USA, Oman, Kuwait, the Netherlands, Bahrain, Lebanon, Egypt, Cyprus, Qatar, Uganda, Jordan, the UK, Bahrain, Australia, Malaysia and more!
She is also founder of the Tribal Sisterhood Retreat in Morocco, the Mothers of Morocco films, an ongoing student of wise traditional Moroccan midwives learning more about post-partum traditions and healing techniques, writing a book and developing an online certification training for October 2018 to keep this sacred knowledge alive.
Website: http://www.laylab.co.uk/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/revive.reclaim.restore/
Email: lb@laylab.co.uk
Newborn Mother’s Podcast
I chat to Layla B about Moroccan postpartum care and how she is keeping traditions alive in her own family and through her work. Learn about Moroccan food, rituals and Layla's steps to a peaceful and joyful postpartum.
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