NuaNua is a new six-part online course that helps women prepare for their postpartum with as much care and attention as they prepare for birth itself. The course is created by a mum of three who was propelled by a fascinating body of scientific evidence explaining why these traditional postpartum practices work, and which she gathered from a combination of years of study and from her own first-hand experiences.

Layla O’Mara, creator of NuaNua, felt it necessary to help, educate and guide other expectant mums after experiencing firsthand the importance of a supported period of rest and recovery after birth. Layla has three children and the first two were born in Germany. After both these births, she did what almost all German women do and took part in a supported four-week period of rest and recovery called ‘wochenbett’. 

After her third child, who was born in Ireland, Layla realised how important those four weeks of rest and recovery had been and wondered why its practice or similar aren’t used in Ireland. ‘Wochenbett’ literally means weeks in bed and defines the minimum period of time needed for a mother to recover after birth.

Layla commenced her research in to how other cultures care for their newborn mums and discovered that there are remarkable similarities in traditional postpartum care practices around the world. She also discovered a growing body of scientific evidence demonstrating why these age-old practices work. But in Ireland, sadly, none of these traditions or supports remain and women are very much left to their own devices after birth. Layla found a noticeable difference to her wellbeing and recovery or lack thereof after her third child that was born in Ireland.

NuaNua believes that the very best way to care for a new baby starts with caring for its newborn mother - and their philosophy is that when a baby is born, its mother is too. Many pregnant women may have heard of their baby’s fourth trimester, but what is less known is the importance of this unique time for them as a new mother. It is a period of time that is grossly overlooked in terms of the messages expectant mums are receiving. Pregnancy and birth receive all of the attention, and once women have given birth all the attention suddenly shifts to the baby. 

NuaNua wants to change how women are cared for and supported after birth and is designed to help new mums prepare for a peaceful and fulfilling postpartum with as much care as they have prepared for pregnancy and birth.