“Birthing is a woman’s organic opportunity to become empowered through a challenging, physical encounter with the forces of life and death. A birthing woman actually stands on the edge of life and death, at the doorway between them, and brings a new soul from here to there. What could be more shamanic than this?” - Vicki Noble

Across the world, birth is recognized as a rite of passage and initiation. One of the most beautiful elements of human nature is how we’ve come to move through initiations with ceremony—think of weddings, birthdays, and graduations. They’re often life’s most joyous moments! In preparation for birth, our culture’s main form of ritual is the baby shower, which celebrates the coming baby’s life but neglects to honor the mother and the immense journey she is on. We treat postpartum with even less regard. What would it look like if we made space to honor ourselves as we moved through the experience of bringing a human to the world?

I am blessed to come to this work after being brought up by traditional healers and elders who understood the importance of ceremony. It is with their shared wisdom and permission that I share these offerings.

Mother’s Blessing

A Mother’s blessing, is a celebration of a woman’s journey into motherhood from her innermost circle. It is often held alongside or in place of baby showers. A Mother’s Blessing can look many ways, but often includes words of affirmation and praise, a commitment of support, and physically honoring the mother.

I have had the joy of customizing and adapting Mother’s Blessings to honor different journeys, including the trans experience of becoming a mother. I would be happy to adapt this ceremony in any way that best supports you.

Closing of the Bones

The Closing of the Bones is a postpartum tradition in many cultures across the globe. It consists of using a bed sheet or shawl to rock, close and bind the pelvis, and also wrap the head, shoulders, and feet. It is a way of physically supporting the body postpartum, ‘knitting’ the bones back together after being more open than ever. It is also experienced by many as a big hug for the spirit. It can be utilized anywhere from the first 40 days to years postpartum, and can also be incredibly beneficial to those who have gone through miscarriage and abortion.

I have been trained in the closing of the bones in the Andean tradition from Ecuadorian and Peruvian midwives. I offer a session that includes birth story processing, abdominal massage and uterine alignment, and full-body closing.

Exchange

These offerings can be so highly personalized that I prefer to talk through all the elements you would like included and come to a custom exchange together.This price also takes into account your place on the sliding scale, which you can read more about here.