If you desire to receive a Closing of the Bones ceremony, traditionally this happens about 6-12 weeks postpartum. The first 6-8 weeks after birth are considered a sacred time of rest, replenishment & bonding. After this important threshold, Closing of the Bones ceremonies are held for Women across the world in all traditional cultures.

If your Wellness Retreat does not include a Closing of the Bones ceremony, all other services can be offered as soon after a vaginal birth as you desire.

If you've had a cesarean, you will need to wait about 12 weeks for the incision to heal for all services.

The container I hold for Hands In care begins with a minimum of 1–3 Hands On sessions before we open the conversation about expanding our work. This allows time to establish relational congruency and trust before inviting the deeper intimacy of Hands In care.

With this in mind, if we are working together in a single postpartum ceremony, you will need to have an established relationship with me in order to weave Hands In care into that offering.

If we are moving through three or six postpartum ceremonies, Hands In care may be introduced after a few sessions, when it feels aligned and appropriate within the unfolding of our work together.

Miscarriage + Abortion are significant rites of passages, that are immensely expansive and likely hold immense grief. All of the services offered, and a Closing of the Bones ceremony, deeply support the integration of the experience, and returning of the body physically and energetically from the passage.

The pelvis OPENS during birth – to allow for the passage of the baby. Physical Therapist and Founder of the Institute for Birth Healing, Lynn Schulte, says that in her practice serving thousands of postpartum women – the pelvic bones of many women are 'stuck open’ in a birthing position – even when they birthed their last child 20+ years ago.

It is never too late to give our bodies the care they needed then and still require now.

Some of what Closing of the Bones offers to postpartum Mothers/Women is:

• This tending helps to facilitate pelvic diaphragm and core connection after birth. This can be done with our hands and/or with a long cloth (like a rebozo, rushnyk, or kourziya), and helps bring the actual muscles and fascia closer together anteriorly on the abdomen—which will then allow for a more effective core and pelvic diaphragm integration. 

• The pelvis is meant to be closed up after birth (including the bony structure of the pelvis); through an extended resting period, through nutrient-dense foods which facilitate tissue healing, and through hands-on work. Closing of the Bones is one of the ways to facilitate this closing of the pelvis after birth.

• Closing of the Bones offers Mothers an amount of time to turn her energy inward; as opposed to the persistent outward energy that is required of early Mothering and caretaking of a newborn baby. 

• Closing of the Bones is a closing ceremony - for whatever the particular Mother feels she wants to/needs to bring closure to at that time. This small ceremony is an honoring ceremony; honoring the work that this Mother did to grow and birth human life - and her sacrifices (sacrifice meaning: a holy offering) through the work of Mothering. It is a way to honor Mothers as the foundation to humanity's health and as the caretakers of the future generations. This ceremony is a way to honor Women as the center of the Universe.

You can design the Retreat or Packages as you desire with the services offered.

A common sequence and ancestral pattern for Day Retreat Ceremony could be:

Opening Intention, Herbal Pelvic Steam with Herbal Foot bath, Uterine + Abdominal Tending, (Break while enjoying a cup of Nourishing Broth), Warm Oil Massage, Castor Pack + Guided Meditation, Closing of the Bones Ceremony, Integration Closing.

You may want to switch out some other offerings that meet your desires or add them in for additional time. Some offerings can happen simultaneously, which we can discuss.

After you contact me, we will set up a call to discuss how your experience will unfold.

For a five-hour session, nearly all of the offerings can be included.
For a 2–3 hour session, only a select few elements can be chosen.
If you desire Closing of the Bones with hands-on work, a minimum of 3 hours is recommended.

Below is a suggested sequence for a five-hour experience:

A fee of $75 per hour for my travel time will added to the retreat rate, and any additional costs like bridge tolls or parking if required.

Babies are welcome to be with us in session. I have worked with many mothers while their babies rest beside them or on their bodies as we do our work together.

If you have a support person present, it can be a beautiful option for you to receive care while your baby remains close by—available for feeding or comfort as needed—while still allowing you spaciousness to settle into your session. Baby can be brought to you at any time.

We also intentionally plan for a pause during our time together to check in with your baby and to receive nourishment, often in the form of warm broth.

This work is designed to honor both you and your baby, allowing care to unfold in a way that meets your needs, moment by moment.