Mothering the Mother: African American Postpartum Healing Traditions

Imagine stepping into a lineage of healing that spans generations—where the care of a birthing parent is understood as sacred work, rooted in ancestral wisdom and wrapped in community. Mothering the Mother is a three-day immersion led by midwife and cultural historian Shafia Monroe, offering a rare opportunity to learn and embody African American postpartum care practices that honor both body and spirit. Whether you are a birth worker, an expecting parent, a new parent, a family member, or simply someone called to deepen your understanding of culturally affirming healing, this workshop at Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, NY (October 2–4, 2026) invites you into practices designed for the often-overlooked fourth trimester.

Drawing on four decades of birth work, Monroe teaches the time-honored traditions that support postpartum recovery: heat therapy, belly wrapping, herbal nutrition, ritual, and the practice of lying-in. These methods aren't relics—they are essential frameworks for understanding that the postpartum period requires specific cultural and physical support, especially for Black birthing parents. Through teaching, storytelling, hands-on demonstrations, and ceremony, participants explore why these traditions matter today and how to weave them into contemporary life with intention and reverence.

This is healing work that honors lineage while meeting present-day needs. You'll leave with practical tools—recipes, herbal preparations, community-support strategies, and a framework for supporting the wholeness of birthing parents and their families.

What to Expect

Over three days, you'll move between contemplative learning, embodied practice, and ritual. Expect intimate teachings on the physiology and spiritual dimensions of postpartum recovery, hands-on demonstrations of belly wrapping and herbal preparation, storytelling that connects ancestral practice to contemporary life, and guided rituals that honor the sacredness of this transition. The atmosphere is grounded, respectful, and community-centered—a space where all bodies and experiences are welcomed. You'll leave with a practical toolkit: postpartum recipes and herbal formulas, strategies for building community support, and a deeper understanding of how to hold culturally affirming care at the center of postpartum healing.

Venue & Logistics

Held at Omega Institute, the renowned retreat and learning center in Rhinebeck, NY, this workshop runs Friday, October 2 through Sunday, October 4, 2026. Wear comfortable clothing suitable for movement and ritual; bring any personal items that support your sense of comfort and grounding. Omega's facilities include on-site lodging and meals; check their accessibility information when registering.