Caroline Patterson, CD(DONA)
Birth Doula
Placenta Encapsulation
Birth As Ceremony
I believe that conception to postpartum is an incredible time when women and families transform. When we tend to these times ceremoniously, the potential for healing our family lineages and setting our children up with care and connection from the start is made possible.
This is an in-depth offering where we will include into our prenatal/postpartum visits ceremonies and rituals, spiritual/mental introspection, clearing work with the purpose of honoring this transformation, and preparing for birth on the mental and spiritual realms as well as physical. With an understanding of the importance of doing our own inner work as preparation for pivotal moments in our lives, I will guide you through offerings and initiatives so that you can be fully connected and prepared for bringing your baby earthside. This package includes the Essential Birth Package, as well as:
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​- Family Lineage Mapping​
- Addressing and clearing any fears that may come up during labor
- Earth Offering Ritual for your pregnancy journey
- Postpartum Healing Ceremony (usually done about 40 days postpartum)
-Importance of honoring the placenta. Available to give suggestions for burial ritual or can help facilitate if desired
-Ritual for introducing baby to the Elements that witnessed their birth (mountain, forest, river, lake, etc)
Honor Your Journey
We will do our rituals in ways that are authentic to ourselves. There is no "right way" or set of rules. We will have guidelines and leave room for whatever wants to come through and be expressed.
Postpartum Healing Ceremony
A postpartum healing ceremony is a beautiful way to honor a woman after her initiation into motherhood, typically done 40 days postpartum (although there is no time limit--you can receive one years after). Some form of La Cerrada/Closing of the Bones Ceremony is practiced throughout the world, as it is our birthright to be honored and cared for in this way. I learned from my teacher Maria Maldonado, a Columbian-American autonomous midwife. I recognize that it takes devoted study and cultural connection to truly perform La Cerrada, and because of this understanding I've adapted this offering into a Postpartum Healing Ceremony. It is a symbolic rite of passage into a woman's new life, like a caterpillar becoming a butterfly. This can also be done after miscarriage, abortion, or when initiating any new life change.
What to expect for the Postpartum Healing Ceremony:
Traditionally rebozos, or woven scarves, are used to tightly wrap around your body, closing the energetic centers that opened up during birth. With the help of a trusted sister or your partner, we will tie the rebozos from head to toe as you lay and relax in reflection over your transition into motherhood, whether this was your first baby or 10th!
Before the "closing", you will be totally pampered and given an herbal sitz bath or yoni steam and herbal body oiling massage. We will drink herbal tea, and cacao from Mexico. We will spend a few hours together, and this happens at least 40 days or more postpartum. This is a time to honor you, and a time for you to reflect and integrate your birthing and motherhood experience.
