Holistic and Intuitive Massage Therapy and Bodyworks
Remedial Massage Therapy that meets you where you are at so you feel confident and calm of your journey.
You are here because you are ready to honour your after birth journey.
The thought of experiencing postpartum all on your own may have crossed your mind. You may also feel depleted and know you need to look after yourself amongst the busyness of baby and toddler life, not sure how to fit it all in. You may have stumbled, and in your search you found your way yearning for something more.
That something are those easy connections, the knowing helping hands, and the warm safe heart. When traditional postpartum care meets modern life, the nourishing well of support can be immensely profound in shaping your journey into the future. Your postpartum experience and well-being is at the centre of what Held and Wiser revere. I want to see positive ripple effects of well nourished mothers in community.
Hello!
My name is Shaadeh. I experienced an isolated after birth journey in a not-so-far new place away from family and friends. Left me wondering why navigating the early years of motherhood was beyond hard. I knew in my bones that I was not meant to do this alone. No mother or parent journey alone in a nourishing connected village…this is my why for stepping up as a postpartum doula.
Service Offerings
Professional and nurturing massage therapy for women’s health.
Mobile Massage and Home Studio
Event's & Workshops
Remedial Therapy
& Bodywork
Gatherings to build connection to others, self, and nature.
A word on |
Rest and warmth
Connecting back to old ways has been a meaningful way for people to connect with knowledge and rituals of postpartum. Here is what I learnt from my mother and our Chinese heritage. Before birth, mothers are filled with Yang (warmth from extra blood flow), and after birth when baby is born Yin (cold and air) enters the womb space leaving mothers vulnerable to being cold and slow to heal. It is also believed it has the potential to contribute to ailments arising in middle age. There are similarities in Indian culture and the Ayurveda Doshas. After birth the ayerveda dosha, pita (fire and water), leaves the body and vata (air and space) enters the body.
Although there are differing languages and rituals...the unanimous chant of rest and warmth is resounding.
Every culture has practices and rituals to ensure mothers are kept warm, are never alone with family and friends always present at the right times, hydrated and with plenty of rest to recover from birth, pregnancy, and breastfeeding. New mothers are set up for a good start to motherhood especially if this is what they seek.
In many eastern cultures it is encouraged to wear warm layers of clothing and slippers inside the home, eating warm food, only drinking warm or hot drinks, minimal bathing to lower chance of getting cold, and staying home as much as possible unless attending the odd community baths or steam rooms with your aunties cleaning you. These rituals have been practiced for many years to avoid getting cold and hampering recovery.
In today's modern homes we have access to a shower/bath plus heating and we have certain appointments we need to attend out of the home like health appointments. I encourage clients to consider creating a period between 2-4 weeks to remain home to ensure stress remains low and mothers are kept warm and fed by community all while learning to feed baby and embrace slowing down or the juggle of older siblings. This is where community play a large role, if you can lean into your connections. Rediscovering your cultural roots in postpartum support can be enriching and keeping knowledge alive in your community.
When a baby is born so is a mother/parent. Caring for new parents like a newborn can bring calm and confidence as they traverse the realms of parenthood.
Pillars of Practice
At the heart of Held and Wiser the foundations are woman and birthing person centred. Warm and nourished parents are nourished families and communities. Weaving aligned teachings and traditions optimises the experience for a supported postpartum in modern life.
I draw inspiration from my ancestral Chinese-Indonesian and Iranian postpartum traditions to nurture my clients and weave in client's desires and preferences. My practice is inspired by the 40 days of laying in, at the heart of it is to create a nest for long rests, learning, staying warm, healing and growing into motherhood and parenthood in the early days with your village support.
Bodywork
Be Guided by Intuition or Instinct
Nutrient Dense Food and Plants to Nourish and Support
Keeping Warm and Staying Home
Tradition Meets Modern Life
Slow and Simple Living
Creating Intentions
Practicing Gratitude
Creating Ritual in the Small, Everyday and Mundane
Be Guided by Nature
Curiosity, Play and Experiment
All People Can Experience Birth and Postpartum
Closing the Gap in Continuity of Care
The Sociology of Motherhood/Parenthood
Partners can be Part of the Journey
Held and Wiser services are for mothers or birthing parents. Partners are welcome and encouraged to join sessions including planning and in-home support visits.
“Parents who are held and nourished by their village are empowered to trust themselves and are wiser for it.”
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