Caribbean Postpartum Healing
Indigenous people all around the world have very specific post pregnancy rituals and practices. Although there are variations within cultural practices for the most part there are several commonalities, such as resting, herbal rituals and keeping the body warm for about 6weeks.
Caribbean Postpartum healing package includes:
Herbal Pelvic/Vaginal Steam
Herbal Slap Bath
Herbal Tea
Dastasis recti assessment
Uterine positioning
Traditional assessment of abdominal organs
Belly binding if appropriate
Fire cupping as an optional add on
In the Caribbean we practice staying indoors for 40days. During this time the person who is recently postpartum is to be relieved of any household responsibilities, their sole job is to rest. During pregnancy, no matter the length, the body goes through many many changes. This rest allows the body to heal. After pregnancy we also access the abdominal organs including the uterus, insuring it is aligned in the center. Sometimes the abdominal is wrapped or binded to further assist the body in healing. We believe the way the body is treated the first 40days will impact the health of the body for the next 40years.
During this 40day resting period their body is to be kept warm. This is taken very seriously! There are certain body parts that are meant to be covered and warm at all times during the curentera period. Foods are to warm both physically and energetically. This is because the body has worked very very hard to create life, during pregnancy body temperature is consistently heightened. We want to keep the body warm as it eases its way back into its non-pregnant state.
We also administer 3days of a series of herbal rituals, including a tea, bath & herbal pelvic steam. This practice is traditionally done on a very specific timeline. The same herbs used for the tea, is the same herbs used for the bath, which is the same used in the pelvic steam. These herbs have been used for centuries to promote warmth and restoration to the muscles, bones, organs and spirit of the postpartum person.
“While pregnant you have one foot in life and the other in death” this is a common folk saying you’ll hear across the Caribbean. We believe that during pregnancy we stand between realms, afterall the body is being used as a portal for a new spirit. The herbal baths serve as a grounding ritual, assisting the body and spirit to ingratiate while supporting the energetic cleansing of trauma. The end of pregnancy and birth is inherently traumatic regardless of outcome and circumstances. The end of a pregnancy causes the physically and emotional body to change rapidly, the extreme changes and emotions (even excitement) causes trauma. During the herbal bath herbs are used to gently slap the body in a downward motion, this helps to sweep the energies off the body while stimulating lymphatic drainage. Although this practice is called a bath it can be done in a stand in shower as the body is not meant to be soaking in the herbal solution.
The bleeding you experience after pregnancy is called lochia it is a mix of blood, mucus & uterine lining. After any pregnancy there is a wound inside the uterus. This wound varies in size depending on length of pregnancy and overall differences from body to body. Our ancestors have known for centuries that administering a herbal pelvic steam early postpartum encourages a faster recovery. After steaming folks usually see significantly less lochia, relaxed muscles throughout the body and deeper rest.