Prenatal and Postpartum Ayurveda with Kim van der Veer

August 16, 2020 | Katrina Nelson

Ayurveda is the sister of yoga and a healing science that can be traced back 5000 years to the Indus Valley Civilization. It is a complete mind, body, and spirit approach to health, which is practiced all over the world.

My knowledge of Ayurveda began as a teenager when I would accompany my mother to her Ayurvedic doctor. I felt like those one-hour visits lasted forever. The doctor would ask her lots of questions and usually send her home with herbs and recommendations for her daily routine.

Because of that experience, during my early twenties, I went as far as finding out what my dosha was and reading a couple of books about Ayurveda; that was as far as I went with it.

Around the time I began studying to become a childbirth educator, and welcomed my first baby, one of the things my birth doula encouraged was the practice of Kayakalpa; also referred to as the sacred window or body time.

Kayakalpa is an Ayurvedic practice observed for the 42 days after the birth of a baby. It is a time of bonding, with rituals for mothering the mother, caring for the new baby, and healing the body, mind, and spirit after birth.

Kim van der Veer is a yoga teacher, Ayurvedic practitioner student, and mother based in Amsterdam. I discovered her through my friend Erica Jago and was impressed by her passion for Ayurveda.

On her Instagram, Kim regularly shares simple and easy to follow tips for incorporating Ayurveda into ones daily life. More impressively, she even talks about Ayurveda for children and has a Dosha test for kids on her website.

Here, Kim shares her wisdom about Ayurveda for mothers, babies, and children.

Enjoy!

Prenatal Ayurveda

How does Ayurveda support mothers and babies during pregnancy and postpartum recovery?

We all know that we have to take care of ourselves during our pregnancy. Not only to stay healthy ourselves, but also because we need to set the right conditions for our baby to grow inside us. In Ayurveda there is this saying that a pregnant woman should be carried as if she is a bath filled to the edge with golden oil and no drop should be spilled. Hence, a huge emphasis is put on relaxation and good nutrition of the mother during pregnancy. Ayurveda even gives suggestions on what to eat in a particular month to support the growth of the baby.

But what is even more important, and this part seems to be lost in the west – is taking good care of yourself in the 42 days after. It is in this period that you can grant yourself a good recovery which is the basis of good health in the 42 years after according to Ayurveda. In this period it’s all about balancing Vata Dosha. Because Vata Dosha – which is the manager of Ether and Air – has gone sky high after giving birth. This sounds very logical if you think that there is such an empty cold space left in the centre of your body where once your baby was comfortably laying. This may even feel as if you are leaving all the doors and windows of the house wide open in order for those drying and physically and mentally disturbing (Vata Dosha) winds to come in. Eating warm nourishing and grounding foods and covering yourself in warm oil everyday are key for an effective and good recovery.

Humbled By Motherhood with Dairian the OT

July 14, 2020 | Katrina Nelson

My knowledge and understanding of Pediatric Occupational Therapists (OTs) and therapy began during my son’s time in the NICU.

During my first interaction with our OT in the hospital, we sat together while she assessed my son to see how far and how comfortably he could turn his head to the left and right.

The second time she sat with me, she spent time bottle-feeding my son and watching how he swallowed.

My son was periodically evaluated after his discharge from the NICU to see if he would benefit from additional occupational therapy for his development.

Before he formally began first grade, I sought out and chose to work with an occupational therapist for help with his handwriting.

It is through my personal experiences I’ve come to deeply value the work of pediatric occupational therapists. I see how much value and education they offer to parents, and I know how hard they work to help children meet their developmental milestones.

Dairian the OT

Dairian is an occupational therapist licensed through the California Board of Occupational Therapy. She resides in Los Angeles with her husband, 3.5-year-old son, and 6-month-old daughter. Here she gives us a mini crash course about the work of pediatric occupational therapy.

Dairian the OT

Occupational Therapy

What is occupational therapy?

Occupational therapy (OT) is a profession in which we support individuals across the lifespan (newborn to elderly) participate in their daily activities. It sounds very general because it is. OTs are traditionally trained as generalists, then we specialize once we start working. The concepts are the same, but the techniques and activities change based on the population.

How does OT benefit infants and toddlers in their development?

OTs are trained in a holistic way. We look at the baby, the environment, and the demands of the task in order to make recommendations to help them in their development. We can work in a preventative model for “typically” developing babies, babies “at-risk” of delay, or those that are already displaying a delay in their development.

What are the common development delays you treat in infants?

The “occupation” or daily activities for infants that I normally treat are play and feeding. Feeding difficulties can start immediately through insufficient weight gain. Play difficulties are usually seen in the older baby (3+ months) when they are unable to hold toys, not tolerate tummy time, not meeting milestones such as rolling/sitting/crawling, not engaging in social play, etc.

Licensed Midwife Jocelyn Brown on Homebirth

August 25, 2019 | Katrina Nelson

Childbirth is fluid and has a life of its own. We can’t guarantee an outcome, but we can prepare ourselves throughout our pregnancy by making the best choices for our babies and our bodies.

We can choose a place of birth that gives us space to be private, and where we feel safe, and find a care provider who listens, answers our questions, and works collaboratively with us throughout our pregnancy.

For most families in the United States, due to accessibility, and medical insurance, that will be a doctor and hospital, but for a growing percentage, that means birthing at home with a midwife.

Jocelyn Brown is a licensed midwife who delivers babies in Los Angeles. Read on for her insight on midwifery and home birth.

Becoming a Midwife

What motivated you to become a home birth midwife?

It was more of a gut thing and not a conscious motivation. I think I was drawn into the mystique of it all, that there was an “alternative” to doctors and hospitals and I wanted to be that. Then I learned that other countries use midwives as mainstream sources of maternity care and have *better* outcomes than we do in the US. So now I don’t want to be on the fringe – I think it’s an injustice to our pregnant population that midwives are considered the “alternative.” We should be the go-to.

Midwifery Model of Care

What can a family expect from midwifery care that is different from the care they receive from an obstetrician?

Time. And more of a relationship with your care provider. Most midwives can offer up all the same low-risk prenatal testing and screening options as OBs do, but we actually sit with you, explain your options to you, give you alternatives if you want. We also are highly invested in keeping your pregnancy low risk, so we are going to give you tons of nutritional and lifestyle advice for good health. Many OBs have little choice but to see 20-30 patients a day. They don’t have time to talk to you about nutrition and yoga poses for your sciatica and building your emotional support network. It’s bonkers!

Some midwives have offices that their clients drive to. I personally do all visits in clients homes, so that’s a huge perk. You get all the same care, but in your home with your kids and your pets and your spouse around. It makes the home birth aspect so intuitive.

Bodywork for Babies with Dr. Kolleen Gregory of Focus Chiropractic

September 4, 2018 | Katrina Nelson

Dr. Kolleen Gregory specializes in infants, children and pregnancy at Focus Chiropractic, the family practice she founded with her husband Dr. Richard Gregory.

I met Dr. Kolleen and Dr. Richard during my second pregnancy, when I visited their practice due to pregnancy related discomfort. After experiencing sciatica and symphysis pubis dysfunction during my first pregnancy, I wanted to take preventative steps to avoid that happening again. Chiropractic care helped me stay pain free and active, so I could care for my young son, while pregnant with my daughter.

Dr. Kolleen Gregory

Many people do not associate body work or chiropractic care with infants. However, an initial assessment can benefit all newborns to make certain they aren’t restricted or misaligned. It’s more common than we tend to think. During my years working as a Doula, I have seen newborns with feeding issues, gassy tummies and reflux symptoms that improved after receiving gentle body adjustments. Often babies who have had difficult births, or who are twins, can benefit from this type of body work. Babies who feel comfortable in their bodies, are relaxed, and they transition into life outside the womb with more ease.

For more information about Dr. Kolleen, Dr. Richard and Focus Chiropractic, please visit their website, and follow them on Instagram.

Chiropractic Education

What type of education does a chiropractor have and what kind of special training do they receive to treat infants?

Most chiropractic colleges take about four years to complete, depending on whether they are on a semester or trimesters schedule. A Bachelor of Science is required before enrolling into a program. General chiropractic adjusting education covers how to treat patients from newborn to 100 year olds.

I trained under and have a fellowship with The International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA). This is a postgraduate course, which we take in addition to our regular professional training. The course covers newborn to adolescent adjusting, as well as therapeutic techniques such as cranio-sacral therapy and the sacral occipital technique. In addition, we learn how to provide pregnancy and postpartum care, including the Webster technique.

We continue to train with the ICPA annually. Last year we traveled to Chicago, to train with one of the prominent pediatric specialists in Chiropractic, Dr. Martin Rosen, who specializes in cranial work with newborns. It is very exciting to continue to learn from the best in the field and this allows us to provide families with the very best care possible. Doctors of Chiropractic who are members of the ICPA have taken postgraduate classes on specific techniques for pregnant mothers, infants and children to enhance their knowledge and skills in this field.

Common Misconceptions

What is a common misconception about chiropractic care you often find yourself educating people about?

The most common misconception about chiropractic care is that babies are adjusted the same way adults are. It’s just not true, nor is it true in any other health field. Children, especially infants, are physically and structurally different than adults. Adults have 206 bones, while infants are born with 300 bones! Adults have dense skeletal bones; children have malleable “softer” bones. These differences go on and on. Chiropractors who specialize in pediatric care use very gentle and effective techniques designed specifically for infants.

Preparing for a VBAC with Hypnobirthing

July 18, 2018 | Katrina Nelson

Although down from a high of 32.9% in 2009, cesarean births in the United States have risen from 5% in 1970 to 31.9% in 2016, which was the last year of national statistics posted by the CDC.

With this rise has also come the increase in mothers with previous cesareans educating themselves about TOLAC (trial of labor after cesarean) and VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean delivery). While every trial of labor after cesarean won’t end in a vaginal delivery, the success rates for VBAC, according to the ACOG Practice Bulletin published in November 2017, are 60-80%.

Renee Bradfield, HPCE, of The Birth Space, is a certified hypnobirthing teacher and postnatal doula in Australia. She is the mother of two, the second of which was delivered during a TOLOC that resulted in a successful VBAC. Renee and I connected via Instagram where I stumbled upon a link to her moving VBAC birth story.

Here, she shares some tips for preparing for a successful VBAC, as well as how she utilized Hynpobirthing during her own pregnancy and delivery.

Choosing a VBAC

I’ve known many moms who would like to try for a VBAC and get overwhelmed with all of the planning, especially conflicting information. Once you made the decision to have a VBAC, what did you do next?

Once I had read all the current evidence and decided a VBAC was the safest option, I joined support groups online and read every birth story, I read books (Juju Sundin, Ina May, Grantly Dick-Read) and started to prepare my mind with self-hypnosis tracks.

Hypnosis for Birth Trauma with Jessica Porter

September 10, 2016 | Katrina Nelson

Most of the time birth happens in a way that leaves a new mom feeling empowered and joyous. Although for some of us, the birth of our babies can leave more complicated feelings in its wake.

Childbirth trauma is something I and many of my clients have experienced after more challenging deliveries. Processing the birth in a healthy way, is an important step in working through the event.

Hypnosis is something wildly popular in childbirth preparation and less well known as an option to treat trauma after birth. I discovered Jessica Porter years ago through her book “The Hip Chicks Guide to Macrobiotics.”

Here she shares how HRCT hypnosis can release and shift emotions and move postpartum mothers towards emotional healing.

What is Hypnosis

Most people have this idea of hypnosis being “look into my crystal ball,” what is hypnosis for the uninitiated?

Hypnosis is a totally natural state of mind, in which we focus and reflect deeply. All of us go in and out of hypnosis several (if not hundreds) of times a day: When we daydream, space out, drive somewhere we know the route to, listen to music, dance, have sex, watch TV, or relate to our inner worlds and imaginations in any other way. We go into these little trances–as we contact our subconscious minds–and they are totally normal and healthy.

Hypnotherapy is simply using this state of mind therapeutically–and in a sustained way–because we are more open and suggestible when functioning from the subconscious. So hypnosis is not the entering of some mysterious Pandora’s box, locked away at normal times, or full of scary secrets. The subconscious is just a layer of one’s mind that we don’t normally lead with in our lives, but we do have contact with it.

Erica Jago. Designer, Author, Kundalini Yoga.

April 12, 2016 | Katrina Nelson

One of the things I read early in my parenting journey, which really stuck with me, is our children mirror our behavior. After listening to Erica being interviewed on a podcast, where she spoke of becoming the best version of herself, in order to be the best guide for her students, I decided to reach out to her for this interview.

Erica Jago is an artist, designer and yoga teacher, in addition to being someone I’ve admired from afar since I discovered Art of Attention, a book she designed and co-authored. Although the book was written as a gift to yoga teachers, the lessons inside are universal for anyone wanting to challenge and improve him or herself.

You designed and co-wrote a beautiful book, the Art of Attention, which has inspired me so much in my doula practice; what could a pregnant mother or new parent learn from your book?

I’m so happy to hear this! Not having children myself, I can only relate to the idea of parenting. But as an adult, I find myself still learning how to nurture and care for my own inner child. The book, Art of Attention teaches ways to speak to your emotional body; feeling forgiveness as a release of tension in the body. In chapter two, we release blame in the solar plexus, which is a huge power loss. All of these universal lessons will assist you in becoming a clearer channel for yourself first, and others around you, second.

Why do you think it’s important to be your best self in order to teach others?

Conflict comes from when I’m living a contradiction. What I teach in the classroom must be a true reflection of what I live at home, otherwise I’m a fraud. Integrity is the utmost important attribute a human can obtain and a topic I cover a lot in my classes and retreats.

Interview with English Midwife Sarah Smith

April 7, 2016 | Katrina Nelson

Sarah Smith is an English midwife, doula and mother of one. Recently she worked supporting women through births in Los Angeles, where I was fortunate enough to make her acquaintance.

Now back home in England, Sarah is focused on enjoying her toddler son and choosing happiness. I’m delighted to be able to share this interview and hear her point of view on motherhood and asking for support.

What brought you to your work as a midwife?

I always find it hard to answer this question because it wasn’t a defining moment or anything in particular. All I can say is becoming and being a midwife has always been something that has felt very instinctual to me. I knew I wanted to be a midwife since I was about 14, and since then have never questioned it or looked back.

Did your approach to midwifery change after becoming a mother?

As I became a midwife at quite a young age, and therefore before I had my son, I always felt that maybe some people wouldn’t take me seriously being young, as well as not having children of my own yet.

Since having my son, I suddenly felt like I’d earned my stripes, almost like a bit of an initiation and my confidence as a midwife grew enormously. I feel my connection to women now is stronger because of having been through the experience myself, and I feel my empathy is now much greater.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t believe you need to have children in order to be a good midwife, there are plenty of midwives without children who are fantastic midwives. But for me personally, I know this helped me on many different levels.

What do you wish every mother could experience or know before her own birth?

I wish for every woman to feel a sense of empowerment, in whatever way that might look for her. I would love every woman to know she has a choice and a voice in her care.

Did you have postpartum support after the birth of your son?

I had limited postpartum support, due to various different things, but I wish I had had more support and helping hands around me. I learned the hard way about doing too much too soon!

It’s all about sleep when you’re a new parent, any tips to share?

Everyone says it, but it’s so true, rest when you can, and don’t worry about the little things. Build a network of support around you, so that they can take care of you, so that you can take care of your baby.

Interview with Author and Positive Parenting Expert Lou Harvey-Zahra

March 29, 2016 | Katrina Nelson

Lou is a mother and the author of Happy Child, Happy Home: Conscious Parenting and Creative Discipline and Creative Discipline, Connected Family: Transforming Tears, Tantrums and Troubles While Staying Close to Your Children.

Her books have wonderful tips for connecting with your children and she empowers parents to create an environment of magic and wonder and gives you tools for disciplining without using punishments and rewards. Lou trained as a special needs teacher, worked teaching autistic children, is a trained Waldorf teacher and ran playgroups for 12 years. She travels and gives talks and workshops in Europe and Australia and is known for being a common sense educator who presents in a heartfelt way, her motto is “never to harm, only to help, I just inspire.“

She believes the most important parts of parenting take two minutes, one of the things she said that really resonated with me was “childhood is a sacred special time and children don’t know time, they don’t know minutes or days of the week and rhythms make them feel safe, rhythms hold families together.”

I know you’re a Waldorf teacher, but what inspired you to write a book about discipline and happy households?

I write to give parents new ideas to create happy homes. I know parenting isn’t easy and parents don’t have ideas unless they watch somebody, read a book or attend a workshop or learn from their own parents. I do it for children because childhood is an important stage of life and I’m passionate about childhood, I think it’s a special and unique phase. I want to give parents ways to connect with their children, so their children can have a childhood of magic and wonder. When you use creative discipline, both the children and the parents can be happy.

Did you have any deep held beliefs about discipline you had to let go of during your training as a Waldorf teacher?

I didn’t have any deeply held ideas. I was very lucky because my parents didn’t know anything about creative discipline, but they did use creative ways. So I was never hit or given time out or grounded. When I was doing my Waldorf teacher training, I learned it’s not what you teach, it’s who you are as a person that has the most profound effect on a child. Running playgroups and having children made me more conscious about what works and what doesn’t work. My ideas have evolved based on what works without using rewards and punishments, what works without making them feel really bad. It doesn’t mean letting them get away with things. Discipline means to teach, not to punish. Teach them to self-regulate their behavior. If you punish they just learn not to get caught.

Would you say your books are for every parent or for parents that already have knowledge of Waldorf schools, Rudolf Steiner and his teachings?

Definitely every parent, a lot of people say I have a common sense parenting or heartfelt parenting approach, it’s definitely for everybody.