The Key to My Postpartum Healing Journey

Witnessing and co-participating in my son’s infant craniosacral therapy transformed my postpartum experience and deepened my understanding of healing.

I had taken great care in preparing for postpartum life in all the ways I could prepare for something I had never experienced before: I stocked our freezer, my husband and I structured our lives so that we could both be present to nurture and care for our baby together, and for the first 40 days after birth, we embraced quarentena—intentional rest and containment for my infant and me with the purpose of nourishment and replenishment.

I was determined to breastfeed and felt triumphant when my son first latched with no issues, and even more so when my milk let down a few days later. However, while milk supply and feeding initially seemed fine, shallow latching, painful milk blisters, engorgement, and colic soon made breastfeeding incredibly challenging. These struggles persisted beyond the early weeks.

As the third month approached, I questioned whether I could sustain nursing for six months, let alone two years, which had been my goal. Sleep struggles, colic, and my unraveling self-care routine left me feeling untethered in a place far from friends and family. I felt anxious and, like so many mothers, blamed myself for our struggles.

Those early days were a blur—a tender yet overwhelming mix of blissful moments, sleepless nights, and painful nursing sessions. It felt as though my entire being was dismantled and rebuilt to sustain my child. My heart remained raw, open, and vulnerable. Love and vigilance danced uneasily as I struggled not to lose myself in the process of nurturing and protecting my son.

Then came a turning point: a postpartum craniosacral therapy session my husband had arranged months earlier. The practitioner, Janet Evergreen, an expert who has treated infants for over 35 years, offered us a space of profound healing. That hour-long session catalyzed my postpartum recovery and became the foundation for my path as a practitioner.

I learned how to call in support, even when I felt alone. The session reframed my understanding of birth as a journey centered not just on the mother or birthing parent, but on the child and those who support their transition into life. The techniques I learned fostered healthy attachment and preverbal communication with my son—practices that continue to strengthen our bond today. Breastfeeding and sleep issues resolved within days, and I went on to nurse my child for 2 years and 3 months!

This experience shifted my perspective, allowing me to hold the bigger picture in mind without abandoning myself. Several months after our session, Janet invited me to join her BCST certification training. I said yes without hesitation, setting my life on a transformative path of learning, healing, and service.

I became certified at the end of 2023 and began a 2-year advanced training in pre- and perinatal education for practitioners in 2024. I look forward to supporting mothers, birthing and lactating humans, and their babies as they navigate the sacred journey of entering life—an experience worthy of reverence, care, and presence.