“Ọmụgwọ” As Unpaid Labor? The Perceptions of Postpartum Caregiving Among Older Grandmothers in Southeast Nigeria

Abstract

Background and Objectives In Nigeria and many Sub-Saharan African countries where the majority are poor and cannot afford formal postpartum care, nursing mothers rely primarily on their mothers or older female relatives for postpartum care in Nigeria. Despite their invaluable contributions, such grandmothers often operate in a reality of inadequate social and institutional support. Yet, little is known about how women perceive this form of traditional care in Sub-Saharan Africa. This study explored the views of older grandmothers in Southeast Nigeria about postpartum caregiving, called 'Ọmụgwọ'. Research Design and Methods Using a qualitative descriptive inquiry, the author employed criterion-purposive sampling and snowballing to recruit 17 older grandmothers who participated in the interviews, and data were analyzed in themes. Results Three themes and nine sub-themes emerged. The themes cover perceptions supporting the continuity of Ọmụgwọ practice irrespective, the influence of culture on Ọmụgwọ practice, and the indirect rewards of the practice. Discussion and implications The findings of this study could potentially influence postpartum caregiving policies for female older adults in Sub-Saharan Africa and further advance the quality of informal care during postpartum periods in Africa.

Sankofa: Learning From the Past to Build the Future—Introduction to the Special Issue on Aging in Sub-Saharan Africa

“…Unlike findings from Western cultures, informal caregiving is revered in African culture. Third, in a qualitative descriptive inquiry, Iwuagwu (2024) captures the voices of older grandmothers who serve as postpartum caregivers for their daughters, a practice called Ọmụgwọ. Three major themes emerged: positive outlook and continuity, cultural influences, and indirect care reward/benefits for grandmothers.…”