When I was pregnant with my son, I must have read one million “must have” lists that were meant to aid me through childbirth + new motherhood – nipple balms, stretchy undies, noise machines. But what I really NEEDED was some guidance for how to weave my active lifestyle into my new role as a mother. I wasn’t going to stop adventuring, challenging myself, or building my character…but I still wanted to be a present, thoughtful mother. AND, I wanted to stay balanced in body and mind. The *answers* were difficult to find, so I charted my own path. With my background in sport science + holistic nutrition, and my education as an Ayurvedic practitioner I created a framework to hold all of my desires and a plan for how to honor ancient wisdom in a practical way. And now, I’m sharing that with you in this course.

In Ayurvedic medicine, and in other global medicinal systems, The First 40 Days of new mother’s life is an auspicious, important time. “Sutika Paricharya” as it’s called in Ayurveda, is a sacred window dedicated to observing practices of deep healing, recovery and rest, considered crucial for the mother’s recovery and well-being for the rest of her life. But it’s also a critical time for active mamas to regain their balance if they want to prepare to adventure and challenge themselves into motherhood. The rest and attention to deep self-care that this ancient wisdom outlines is a very different expectation than we have here in the West, where there’s a pride in “getting back at it,” and “powering through;” a mentality that has postpartum depression on the rise, an invites hormone imbalance, breastfeeding difficulties, chronic fatigue and injury, anxiety and more.

If we power through, return to sport too soon, over-stimulate, undernourish or improperly fuel this period, we’re likely to experience:

• Delayed or incomplete healing from pregnancy
• Doshic imbalance + dysbiosis
• Unwanted weight gain or retention
• Inflammation
• Chronic fatigue
• Chronic injury
• Decreased milk supply
• Hormone imbalance
• Undernourishment
• Increased risk for postpartum depression
• Long-term health implications

By looking back to this ancient wisdom, and embracing it in a modern way, we can benefit our feminine well-being and the well-being of our children in an impactful, lifelong way. The upside? By observing these practices, we actually get to leap forward, enjoy more strength and greater athletic performance after pregnancy.

But how can we recreate this community of care, prevalent around the world, in our often isolated circumstances as new mothers? The First 40 Days is all about turning in, focusing on rejuvenation, bonding with baby, replenishing vitality, and finding the balance of inner wisdom that will help them care for themselves and their babies for years to come through self-care, herbal remedies, rejuvenation practices, and specific dietary recommendations. And, with the right tools and information, we can encircle ourselves with this kind of critical cradle-for-care.

This course, designed for active women and athletes, will teach you the basics of how to fuse ancient Mothercare traditions with your modern pregnancy + postpartum. Our work will arm you with the understanding and tools you need to create the time, space and structure to honor a modern First 40 Days of postpartum. We’ll focus on empowering you with the information you’ll need to advocate for your own health and well-being during this tender postpartum period.

We’ll cover : 

• An overview of Ayurvedic physiology of pregnancy + childbirth: the holistic view of what a mother’s body experiences during this precious time is very different than the Western approach. This is big work! And it deserves big recovery.
• The basic principles of an Ayurvedic approach + the value of this wisdom: we’ll discuss the bioenergetic basics of what’s happening in the body from an Ayurvedic doshic perspective, so you can start to understand how your daily choices, activities and foods impact recovery; a deeper understanding of balance and body wisdom you’ll be able to use to navigate your health for years to come.
• Before baby – preparing for the First 40 Days: we’ll discuss how to establish your “care circle,” strategize logistics, carve out space and set boundaries for a successful postpartum.
• After birth – how to manage stimulation, stress and the day-to-day: once babe arrives, you’ll have your arms full! We’ll discuss how to structure your days with low-lift, high-fi holistic practices that make a world of difference.
• Practices, routines and recipes to inform your First 40 Days: from breathing techniques, to movement recommendations, returning to sport safely and the recipes you’ll need to fuel, we’ll get nitty gritty about how to get deliberate about your post-partum recovery and return to sport and activity safely.
• Troubleshooting: family expectations, social engagements and more. A traditional First 40 Days are about hunkering down and turning in. We’ll discuss how to fuse this wisdom with your modern, lifestyle where it feels like the world needs you to get out and “back at it.”

*DISCLAIMER: The information shared in this course is not meant to replace any medical advice. Always speak to your primary care team before adding anything to your daily routines or birth plans.