Closing of the Bones
The new mother lies down over several shawls which are then tied snugly around her body at several points from her forehead to her toes. Blessings are spoken with reverence and warm flax packs tucked in around the mother. This process supports a new mother physically by bringing her back together, squeezing her joints, hugging her body towards the midline, and promoting healthy blood flow. Energetically it helps her hold her energy close and emotionally it offers a specific time and place to focus on sealing the birth process and honor her transition into motherhood. This ceremony has origins in Mexico, Ecuador, Brazil, Morocco, and Russia. Some women choose to invite close friends and family to partake in the ceremony while others prefer just the quiet space held by the Holistic Postpartum Care Practitioner. Women can benefit from this practice even many years after giving birth.
Hot Stone Abdominal Press
A hot river stone warms freshly ground spices in a cloth bundle applied to mother’s belly with sesame oil in this nurturing postpartum practice. Deep heat to the abdominal area promotes faster shrinking of the womb, expels trapped air, supports healthy digestion, and breaks up residual blood clots.
Mighty Moxa Warming
Moxa warming, also known as “mother roasting,” is an external heat therapy with deep and long lasting effects. It tonifies the spleen, abdomen, uterus and qi (life-force energy) while moving fluid and building blood. It also helps encourage a mother’s internal organs to return to their pre-pregnancy position and helps ligaments return to their pre-pregnancy length and strength. With origins in China, moxabustion is said to assist in “closing the golden gate,” referring to the pelvis. Moxabustion can be performed using smokeless moxa sticks, traditional loose moxa in hand-formed cones or in a moxa box, or with a hospital safe moxa spray and heating pack.
Facilitated V-Steam
A postpartum mother sits supported on a special stool over a steaming aromatic herb infusion with her knowledgeable Holistic Postpartum Practitioner nearby to adjust temperature, hold space, and offer sips of tea and water as needed. Vaginal Steams serve as a uterine lavage, helps the uterus return to normal size, brings warmth into the womb space, relaxes muscles, softens scar tissue, aids pelvic healing, supports lymph flow, tones the pelvic floor, supports healing of hemorrhoids, and help to release stored emotions. Specific herbs can be chosen for their unique health promoting properties and qualities to enhance the experience. Vaginal steams have been used by cultures around the world for centuries as a form of well woman care.
Ceremonial Bath
As a mother’s fourth trimester comes to a close, she may enjoy being honored with a ceremonial bath to recognize her strength and self-sacrifice in bringing her child into the world. These baths symbolically wash away the birthing energy and cleanse the body and spirit and are inspired by traditions in both China and Malaysia. Choose from a Malay Floral Bath or a Milk and Honey Bath.