Postpartum Bodywork

Bodywork is a foundational need for mothers after birth

Your body is going through immense changes throughout conception, pregnancy, labor, and postpartum. The uterus goes from being a few ounces in weight to being a few pounds. Ligaments are stretched, bones moved, blood volume has increased, organs have literally moved out of the way for your growing baby. There is a bleeding from the uterus where the placenta attached. Digestion was halted during labor and you lost blood during birth. For all of these reasons, bodywork is foundational to restoring health after birth.

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Gentle bodywork in the postpartum time helps alleviate common postpartum symptoms that mom’s experience like poor digestion, pelvic floor weakness, fecal & urinary incontinence, bleeding, cramping, inflammation, anxiety, and depression.

There are so many types of nurturing body care that mothers can experience after birth.

Postpartum bodywork helps:

  • Restore warmth to the mother

  • Improve circulation & blood flow

  • Soften scar tissue from vaginal or c-section birth

  • Return internal organs, ligaments, & bones to their proper, pre-pregnancy positioning

  • Aid in the uterus contracting to pre-pregnancy size

  • Assists in healing hemorrhoids

  • Release stored emotions from birth & labor

  • Reconnect mother with her body

  • Relax the mother’s nervous system

Postpartum bodywork possibilities:

  • Vaginal steaming

  • Herbal sitz bath

  • Moxa/Moxibustion Treatment (“Warming the Mother”)

  • Abdominal binding

  • Massage & self-massage

  • Vaginal self-massage

  • Uterine massage

  • Closing of the Bones ceremony

  • Herbal teas & remedies

  • Castor oil packs

  • Guided meditation

  • Acupuncture

Unless under extreme circumstances, a woman’s body is not cared for in any way by Western medicine after birth other than fundal massages at the hospital and a 6-week “check-up.” Western medicine will diagnose a problem after it occurs, but rarely works to prevent it. My holistic postpartum care focuses on preventative care & gentle practices that allow your body to fully recover after birth. Bodywork accompanied with nutrition, extended rest, warmth, & community provide mothers a richer level of support that can prevent illness & disease.

What I Offer

After birth, nurturing bodywork is just one part of holistic WHOLE woman care.

Vaginal Steaming

Self-Massage Instruction

Closing of the Bones Ceremony

Abdominal Binding/Belly-Binding

Herbal Teas + Remedies

Herbal Baths

I offer in-home bodywork with my postpartum care packages.

At this time I am not able to offer these treatments individually. Treatments are most effective when accompanied by a holistic approach to mother care that includes nutrition, extended rest, warmth, and community