June 2025
Namaskar from Suna Kasai
As usual, today was our discussion meeting day. Like every other time, all the sisters gathered at the community building. Once we were all present, the discussion was initiated by the Trainers. The meeting began with a reflection on our previous session. Revisiting what we had learned last time helped bring those lessons back to life—it felt as if we had just learned them.
After reflection, the trainers introduced today’s topic. They started by asking, “What is safe motherhood?” Everyone, even those who didn’t know much, shared their thoughts, including me. I shared whatever I knew. Then the trainer explained that safe motherhood means having a healthy pregnancy, a safe delivery, and giving birth to a healthy child. It also means that the woman has the right to decide when to get pregnant and that she receives nutritious food and proper care throughout her pregnancy, especially during labor and postpartum, to ensure the baby’s health.
When the term “maternal period” was introduced, many of us, including me, misunderstood it. We thought it referred to death because in our local language, the word for “maternal” sounds like “death.” This misunderstanding brought a moment of laughter and lightness to the session.
After that, we learned about the importance of safe motherhood and the care required during pregnancy and the postpartum period. The trainer asked us what kind of care we received during our own pregnancies, what problems we faced, and how we solved them. As we recalled our past experiences, emotions surfaced. Many of us became emotional as we remembered the challenges we faced during pregnancy and childbirth.
We also talked about the kind of attention and care women need during this sensitive time. We were reminded of how things used to be – how we were often kept in dark rooms with only a lamp by the fire during our postpartum period. We learned today that this is harmful and can affect the baby negatively. This was a completely new and eye-opening lesson for us.
Even now, some families still believe that postpartum women should not eat green vegetables because it might make the baby cold. However, we have learned that this is a myth that needs to change. Another valuable insight was that a breastfeeding mother should not nurse her baby when she’s angry or upset, as it can affect the baby like poison. That point really touched me – it stayed in my heart.
We were also talked about three essential types of food that every pregnant and postpartum woman should eat:
- Energy-giving foods
- Body-building foods
- Body-protecting foods
We understood these concepts very clearly and realized their importance. We now know how vital it is to attend regular health checkups, maintain hygiene, and care for both the mother and baby.
Today’s discussion was truly enlightening and full of practical knowledge. I felt in my heart that if we had known all this earlier, our lives and our children’s health would have been so much better. Now, at least, I’ve learned a lot, and I will make sure to pass this on to my sons and daughters-in-law. I will encourage them to practice what we learned today. I also commit to sharing this important knowledge with other women in our community.
I am truly happy and grateful to have learned so much in today’s meeting.
Thank you!