Postpartum is a sacred window of time where bonding, healing, restoring, integrating, downloading, learning and so much more happens.
There are massive physical and hormonal shifts, a birth experience to digest and integrate, a nervous system that asks for co-regulation, the formation of a new family constellation, moments of profound happiness and moments of profound exhaustion, just to mention a few…
My goal is to walk with you in your initiation into motherhood. You deserve to be nourished, seen, taken care of, and given ample opportunity to rest and digest.
My care is based off of the five cross-cultural pillars of postpartum care:
Extended resting period
Appropriate postpartum foods
Warmth
Bodywork
Community Support
I lay my focus on these foundational essential requirements during the postpartum period- the first 40 days and beyond.
My postpartum services include:
Postpartum education, prenatally: Education on the 5 traditional requirements of postpartum care, physiology of postpartum, postpartum as rite of passage, etc
“Postpartum education happens prenatally, and postpartum care happens postpartum. “
Creating postpartum care plan- Building out a care plan with the layers of support for the postpartum time- typically organizing 3 layers of support
Postpartum care planning is preventative medicine for perinatal mood disorders, divorce/separation, digestive health, pelvic floor health and so many other things.
Postpartum Nourishment Plan: A detailed list of what types of nourishment is appropriate for mothers body for postpartum and breastfeeding for optimal health. Recipes and recommendations on ways to ensure postpartum food is abundant. High quality, nourishing, building foods are key.
Birth and Postpartum Integration: Acting as a witness to mother in her transformation and processing of birth experience. Every birth gives its own insights and gifts to harvest and take forward with you into mothering. Processing the birth experience and being curious around what insights could come of it.
“Everything is happening for us, not to us.”
Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy: Biodynamic Craniosacral Therpay is a non-invasive and remarkable therapy that is a highly skilled way of listening to the body’s inherent health expressions. This brings about natural adjustments from within the body’s own resources.
“It is characterized by a strong orientation to the holism of the human experience where both the body’s anatomy and physiology are related to in real time with subtle forces of life that act through the interface of the body’s fluids. Subtle movements in the body’s fluid and tissue fields are being listened for and the natural movement towards stillness is deeply healing. A practitioner is interested in faciliating the body towards intrinsic reorganizations accross the body’s tissues, its fluid matrix, and its energetic and emotional layers, so that there is a holistic movement towards greater health. The therapy creates a safe space for traumatic experences to emerge and resolve smoothly without being overwhelming.”
This therapy has profound therapeutic effects and is a beautiful during the postpartum time to support the mother on a all levels.
Moxibustion: The “Life Gate” in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is said to govern the functions of sexuality and reproduction. In order for birth to happen, this “life gate” must open, and then close properly. Pregnancy and birth are “hot” states and postpartum is a “cold” state. In postpartum care it is critical to provide warmth in multiple ways, one of them being moxibustion. Moxibustion is dried, tightly packed Chinese mugwort, which is known for helping deliver heat deep into the body to warm the organs. With the moxa sticks, warmth will be infused into the womb and surrounding areas to build the warmth back.
Moxibustion in postpartum time:
Tonifies the spleen
Tonifies the abdomen and uterus
Helps ligaments return to their pre-pregnancy strength and length
Moves fluid/blood/lymph
Builds blood- In TCM, after birth, Qi and blood are depleted, if not replenished and nourished mother can experience extreme exhaustion, excessive bleeding, fear, and anxiety.
Helps returns internal organs to their proper positioning
Closes the “golden gate” (the pelvis) after birth
Provides deep heat to the pelvis- Warmth in a mothers body is critical for healing, immune health, etc. If she is cold then all her energy is going into getting warm and protecting her vital organs to stay warm rather than to healing.
Medical research has shown that white blood cell counts immediately increase after moxibustion treatment. Red blood cell counts gradually increase over 8 weeks of moxibustion treatments
Stimulates milk production
Dries up postpartum lochia
Calming and relaxing
Honoring the mother and her sacred body
Closing of the Bones: Traditional postpartum ceremony to help honor and complete mothers rite of passage as well as support her in “closing up her body” physically and emotionally after birth. This is helpful for diastasis recti and closing the pelvis after birth. A time for mothers to turn inward for awhile and rest.
Castor Oil Packs: Potent anti-inflammatory, deeply penetrating, breaks up scar tissue and adhesion. Encourages uterus and intestines to return to normal function.
Abayangha: Education on how to perform self abayangha- Ayurvedic warm oil massage to assist with lymph flow, nervous system support, immune health, etc., build heat
Vaginal steaming: A way to faciliate the healing of the uterus, vagina, and perineum after birth. Brings warmth into the root of the body. Herbs can be used.
Herbal Infusion: An infusion blend for deep down cellular nourishment, boosting immunity, helping prevent depletion, and to help make high quality breast milk.
Self care for breasts: Instructions and demonstration on breast massage
Self care for scar tissue: Education on scar tissue and demonstration on scar tissue massage mother can apply to c-section, perennial/vaginal tears, episiotomy scars for short and long term pelvic floor health
Self care for pelvic bowl: Education on pelvic floor health during postpartum time and vaginal self-care massage.
Postpartum pelvic care work is NECESSARY: It dissolves fascia restrictions, helps to soften vaginal tissue and musculature holding tension and tone soft areas, helps to remediate scar tissue and prevent adhesions, helps to assure women’s life long sexual/urinary/bowel health, reestablishes synergy and vitality in the pelvic bowl, fortifies women’s root place to help her FEEL GOOD!
Resources: For anything that the mother feels she needs support for herself, baby, and family. Examples: pelvic diaphragm (also known as pelvic floor) support/ intra-vaginal work, craniosacral for mothers and babies, body work, community resources, lactation resources, uterine massages/ Maya abdominal massage, etc.
Investment: Postpartum care is $45/hr. Sliding scale and individual packages can be made to accommodate allocated “budgets”. If you are yearning for this tending and are low-income, reach out to me personally.
Postpartum care is an investment in short and long term health for the mother and her family. Money is tight for everyone these days. Let’s refocus HOW we prioritize our money. Example: instead of having baby shower gifts, have family and friends contribute to your postpartum fund that will ensure you receive optimal care during this tender time.
Logistics:
Every woman’s experience of birth is different, therefore the needs in the postpartum time will be unique to everyone. We can form a plan to provide what is most supportive for YOU.
Postpartum education and planning happen prenatally.
Care taking begins within 48 hours of delivery.
My postpartum care work includes light house chores.
Gift certificates and payment plans are available. This service makes a wonderful baby shower/ mother blessing gift!
*I feel passionate about shifting the authoritative provider-client relationship we so often receive and are a part of in health care. I come into the space with the intention that every mother is their own best expert and healer. I have been trained in this field of information and am here to spread that out into the world but I believe in the innate wisdom of every human. I want to hold space for a provider-client relationship that is mother-led and trusted.
I must note that I do not work with anyone who is vegan. This is because the physiologic requirements necessary for growing a baby/ optimal development, birthing, and healing after having a child are animal fats/meats/ and organs. I am happy to schedule a consultation with an individual who is vegan and thinking of incorporating animal fats/meats/ dairy products into their diet during pregnancy and postpartum. My postpartum education goes into depth about the nutritional requirements during the childbearing continuum and I would be happy to share education around that! This is not about morality or judgment, it is about the requirements necessary for the physical matrix to function optimally.