In Nigerian tradition, omugwo is a postpartum practice in which the grandmother provides extended care to a new mother and baby.
The custom is especially associated with Igbo communities in southeastern Nigeria. After childbirth, the mother of either parent may come to stay with the new family, depending on local family practice. She can help with bathing the baby, cooking, household work and teaching the mother traditional infant-care practices.
Omugwo supports recovery and gives the new mother practical and emotional assistance during the early postpartum period. The length and details of the stay vary, and contemporary families may adapt the tradition to work schedules, distance and household arrangements.
It is sometimes compared with other postpartum-rest traditions around the world, but it is specifically linked to Nigerian cultural practice, particularly among the Igbo. It is not a prenatal baby shower or a formal naming ceremony.