Postpartum parties in Abidjan

The FameWorks were in Côte d’Ivoire last week, exploring the perspectives of middle-class urban women.  In one of our group discussions, first one, and then another mentioned that they had newborns at home.  The obvious response to come from an empathetic researcher is: I’m glad you could get a little break to join in our group today!

In Côte d’Ivoire, we soon learnt, such empathy is misplaced.  For in this culture, the arrival of a newborn involves everyone coming round to help.     Sisters, mums, aunties, mother-in-laws, grandparents, neighbours, everyone.  So of course you can get away!   Whilst of course mum breastfeeds the infant, otherwise, she can get on with other aspects of her life – be it her day job, her side hustle (most urban African women seem to have one), or her church choir practise. (Church often serves as another source of support.)

An image from the marvellous graphic novel series, Aya de Yopougon, required reading for anyone visiting Côte d’Ivoire

As women in many cultures around the world will attest, a mother-in-law’s presence and “advice” around a newborn can be testing.  But in this West African context,  at least her presence gets diluted by the several other women who turn up in solidarity. 

As for the baby, a Côte d’Ivoirian’s very first weeks will typically involve being part of a female community of support.  If it’s true, as some psychologists reckon, that our dispositions as adults are most influenced by our experiences in the first few months of our lives, the implications here are profound.

Ubuntu is the African notion that you only exist as an individual insofar as you are part of a network of human relationships; and in Côte d’Ivoire, this value system starts from the moment you come into the world.

To our knowledge, there’s no Mumsnet in Côte d’Ivoire. But who’d need it when the emotional and practical support is sitting in your living room?