Maguindanaon culture have an amazing practices and belief in maternal care.

Family planning is
unacceptable among them, because their religion is Islam, where it prohibits family planning. They only
practice natural family planning, but the most common is by “setting the uterus on the side” with the
help of walian. The walian will position the uterus on the left or right side of the stomach so that she will
not get pregnant. If she wants to get pregnant, she will ask the walian to return it to its normal position.
When the woman is pregnant, a ritual should be done. Lekat or to ablate, technically, it’s prenatal
massage. This is performed by the walian or quack midwife. The act of lekat is to massage or rub the
belly of the pregnant woman with use of Maguindanaon delicacy called “panialam”. A kanduli
(thanksgivibg banquet) is also prepared during the performance of the ritual.

Caring for the pregnant woman is a very important and special task for the husband and the parents of
couple. With the upper class, the parents hire a personal walian that will stay in the house of the couple
just to take care the pregnant woman. The walian will check the right hand of the woman every now
and then and interpret the pulse beat of the palm. The walian will also give aromatic oils and other
massage potions. If the woman’s belly aches, the walian will recite an incantation and will rub leaves
and seeds like “leti (dried tip of nipa), kadingag , luya (ginger), kalawag (yellow ginger), lansona na
lanang (garlic), lown na umbos na ubi mampay , bayabas (guava), kapok (leaf of a cotton tree),” and
many others (This set is called TUBPA). After rubbing those leaves and seeds, a chicken egg will be glided
all over the belly. The egg must be freshly picked from the hen’s nest. The tubpa is placed in the aching
area. Then, after that, the egg is rubbed to the belly. After that, the egg is cracked, separating the egg
yolk and the egg white, and will interpret the formation on her palm. From there, the walian will
determine the reason why the pregnant woman is aching. The usual interpretation is that the aches are
caused by bad spirits or the pregnant woman might have done something to the unseen. This is
determined from the cracks of the egg or sometimes if there is a white formation or circles in the egg. If
that happens, the couple will have to make an offering to the unseen. They will do the KABPAGAPAL
(offering) or giving BALENGAT/BENGAT or weaved bamboo filled with food.

In determining the due date, the walian will know if the woman’s due is near from the pulse in her
thumb. If the pulse is felt almost near the tip of the thumb, the pregnant woman’s due is near or she will
give birth anytime soon. And if the pulse is felt at the middle of the thumb, her due will not yet come.