In cultures throughout our world, an extended care period for Mothers after birth has been observed since time immemorial. During approximately the first 40 days after birth, women traditionally received a plethora of bodywork, healing foods and heat-inducing therapies—all focused on healing and fortifying Mothers strength. This type of postpartum care came from the cultural recognition of the tremendous work Mothers do growing and birthing babies. Postpartum care was understood as a necessity—so that Mothers could most effectively raise the next generation.
In modern times there is an enormous emphasis placed on caring for our bodies during
pregnancy, with virtually nothing offered to address the myriad of postpartum needs. When we truly understand and honor what it takes to physiologically recuperate from pregnancy and childbirth, we as women would not feel the need to return as quickly as possible to ‘normal,’ rather we would prioritize care and nurturance for ourselves. Once we begin to take ownership of what we are deserving of, our communities and world will begin to support us in this.
Innate Traditions offers INNATE Postpartum Care—Certification Training to educate birthkeepers and health care professionals on postpartum physiology so that they may optimally care for their postpartum clients.
There is a physiological basis for the need of postpartum care and a strong link between postpartum health and post-menopausal health that is currently not talked about nor understood in modern culture.
Childbirth often initiates a whole host of pelvic conditions such as incontinence, prolapse, pelvic pain and discomfort. Even when full recovery of the pelvic floor appears to be the case after birth, menopause may elicit a return of many of these problems as the collagen support of estrogen is withdrawn. What this means, is that the estrogen levels we experience during our childbearing years may –mask—the symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction until we reach our menopausal years and estrogen levels drop. The pelvic symptoms that we then become aware of as we enter into menopause may have actually been there since birthing our babies.
Because it is common for women in modern times to experience: painful sex after birth, ‘ low libido’ after birth, urinary and/or fecal incontinence after birth, prolapse after birth, digestive issues after birth—these dysfunctions have been normalized. While these problems are ‘common,’ they are by no means ‘normal,’ even if a woman has birthed 10 babies.
Tending to our pelvis after birth is ESSENTIAL for our long term: sexual, reproductive, urinary and bowel health. Taking care or our pelvis after birth—even if there are no acute symptoms—is preventative medicine for long-term health and vitality.
As a midwife (CPM), I offer the following INNATE Postpartum Care services – so that your postpartum time serves to rejuvenate rather then deplete you, fortifying your feminine landscape for years of Mothering and beyond:
INNATE Postpartum Care sessions can be tailored to meet your individual desires/needs.
Postpartum Care sessions are a minimum of 2-3-hours long.
For Taos Residents:
$160 for a 2-hour session
$240 for a 3-hour session
For all others:
$180 for a 2-hour session
$270 for a 3-hour session