Post-Partum Recovery

Dear New Mom,

Are you wondering if it possible to feel like yourself again? Or look like yourself again?

Does it seem like it is taking longer than it should for you to recover from birth?

Are you ready to have more energy and return to some of the activities and parts of your life that MAKE YOU FEEL LIKE YOU?

Have any of the following areas changed for you since your birth experience(s)?

• Menstruation (lighter/ heavier cycle, more painful period, less regular cycle)
• Urinary function (leakage or incontinence, even when sneezing or jumping)
• Sexuality (painful/uncomfortable intercourse, difficulty with arousal, change in desire/ libido)
• Digestion or bowel function (hemorrhoids)
• Loss of overall sensation and sensitivity in your pelvic floor.
• Carriage of your organs (cervical or uterine prolapse)
• Your abdominal wall separated

Almost every woman that I have talked to has experienced one or more of these changes after giving birth! I am talking about women who had Cesarean births, ones who had natural homebirths, water birth, or hospital births with drugs.

In other words, childbirth is a huge experience that changes us no matter how we give birth.

Some women I asked “have you noticed any changes in your sex life or menstruation since having kids?” said no. But then a few days later came back to say that actually certain sexual positions weren’t comfortable any more. Others said that they peed when they sneezed.

I think that as mothers we get so busy with the needs of our children and family that we actually forget to notice what is happening with our bodies and ourselves. We accept less than optimal health (sexual discomfort, incontinence, hemmorhoids, low back pain) because it doesn’t seem as important as everything else we have to take care of.

The BAD NEWS is that some of these changes can be very uncomfortable and can lead to feelings of low self-esteem, lack of motivation and energy and overall malaise, and at the extreme deep depression.

The GOOD NEWS is that none of these changes has to permanent. They are all treatable and workable without major surgery or radical intervention, even though some of them make you feel like you need it.

What most people don’t know is that while some of these changes have hormonal components, others have structural components.

What does that mean? It means that you may be experiencing these changes because some things got rearranged or displaced literally. You could have scar tissue (even if you did not have a stitched tear) that is prohibiting movement of blood, fluid and nerve enervation.

My experience is that a combination of movement practice, with conscious slow exercise, regular bodywork and breaking up the scar tissue can cure these problems and pave the road to total recovery.

Imagine:

• Not having to double over when you cough or sneeze
• Wearing your best underwear and not having to worry
• Pain-free enjoyable sex with your lover
• Energy for your creative life and to manifest your ideas
• Returning to the activities you love
• An overall sense of wellbeing where you have enough energy for yourself and your family

Sound too good to be true?
It is all possible. It will take regular and diligent attention to your well being, which as we know is not always easy. But it is possible to return to total health after childbirth.

That is why I want to offer you support during this process.

Using my experience and a yoga teacher, a practitioner of Structural Integration, and most importantly mother, I will collaborate with you to create a plan for total post-partum recovery.

FAQs

How exactly does it work?
You call me or send me an e-mail. I send you a detailed questionnaire that you can fill out and return to me. Then we have a free 20 minute discovery session where you can ask any questions you have and we determine if it is a good fit and then we discuss our goals and objectives in working together.

How many sessions will I need?
During our first visit, we will determine how many sessions are needed achieve our goals.

When can I start?
We can talk 4 weeks after the birth and we can begin the work 6-8 weeks after the birth. We want to give your body time to recover naturally.

Are you available to be at my birth?
I would love to attend your birth and offer continual emotional, physical, mental and spiritual support during your birth. I am a birth doula (certification in progress with Doula International.

My experience is that a common fluent language is very important during the birth process. Although I do speak fluent Portuguese, I work mostly with the ex-pat community here in Rio de Janeiro.

Is this REALLY necessary? What about all the women who work in the fields and have 11 children and are fine?
Many times our focus has shifted so far away from ourselves after the birth that it seems like a luxury to care for ourselves.

The investment in this work will give you an amazing return not just immediately but for your WHOLE LIFE. Why live with discomfort when you don’t have to?

There are many rural women who give birth to many children and out image is that the children fly out and they go back to work. The truth is that later in life, they suffer VERY high rates of prolapsed organs (when your organs begin to come out of your vagina).

There are long term consequences for not resting and taking proper care of our bodies after childbirth.

Can this still work if I had children many years ago?
YES! I waited a year before I really started to address the problems that I incurred from birth. Your body is waiting for input and help in order to move towards balance and health. Scar tissue in the pelvic floor is very receptive to change. It is miraculous how quickly scarring will disappear using manual pressure and castor oil or vitamin E. It was during a session two years after my daughter’s birth that my abdominal wall went back together.

Does this work for episiotomies and Cesareans too?
The scars that are most receptive to dissolving are natural tears that have been sewn layer by layer. Generally episiotomies and Cesareans have been sown in a way that all the layers get sown together at once, making it harder to differentiate the layering. However, my approach is holistic and I have seen vast structural improvement in both episiotomies and Cesareans through the Rolfing structural work combined with conscious movement.

What if I am not having any problems but I want to make sure that I give myself the proper care after I have my baby?
I offer several packages of Mother Care. The optimal way, when possible, if for me to get to know you before you give birth. That way I have an idea of how your body is, any pre-existing injuries or conditions and your overall energy level. Then when the baby comes, we have already established a rapport and I have a better idea of the kind of support you need.

Please let me know if I can create a program that better suits your needs!

Mother Care Bronze Level
Complementary Consultation
6 Post-Partum Movement/ Yoga/ Fitness Sessions
6 Post-Partum Bodywork Sessions

Mother Care Silver Level
Complementary Consultation
3 Pre-natal Yoga Sessions
3 Pre-natal Bodywork Sessions
6 Post-Partum Movement Sessions
6 Post-Partum Bodywork Sessions

Mother Care Gold Level
Complementary Consultation
3 Pre-Natal Yoga sessions
3 Pre-Natal Bodywork sessions
6 Post-Partum Movement sessions
6 Post-Partum Bodywork sessions
Birth Doula services include writing a birth plan, consultation with you and your birth partner