Postpartum Traditions Webinar Reflections

A dream of years has finally flown between Victoria Greenly and myself, whereby we both love research into our past and dreamt of a course where we could aim to draw upon traditions and beliefs from our rich past and bring some into today to support the postpartum time. To share these findings with other doulas to share with their clients.

This weekend we taught our second webinar offering our research to doulas. I loved it. I love the research, love sharing my findings. I love bringing our past alive and connecting our roots. As despite our roots being severed to our rich history of traditional supportive practices we can reconnect some of those roots through the clues still there waiting for us to find them again. The voices of our ancestors echoing in these clues.

Clues, found by archaeologists, historians, anthropologist, and shared for us all. My section of this webinar is Prehistory to Dane Occupation.

Victoria's research and sharing is from Norman occupation, Medieval to recent history.

It is soooooo fascinating! Our roots may be severed, but our traditions and beliefs were so rich and deep. These lands remember and gift us clues.

We have noticed a number of themes, within our research. Themes with breast feeding over the centuries, the use of herbs. The postpartum care. Fathers rituals. We have seen things that we wouldn't want to bring in to today, such as the wandering womb, a practice of healing luckily now not in our school of thought. However we have noticed the belief of animism is strong until recent years. Thie beliefs around the body and health seems somehow similar. The use of amulets and protection within spirituality remain strong, even recently.

Spiritually is my particular interest, and the depth of folklore that seems so deep within the fabric of these lands. The honouring deity, the respect of nature.

To find out the traditions and to get into the mind of our ancient ancestors, we can only look at the clues. We can only wonder what these clues show us and guess beliefs through our own experiences in life. It's not easy bringing history alive, as cultures and beliefs within our past were so different. People travelled vast distances until we were mostly sedentary in the Neolithic time period. Then there after these land were invaded a lot. Many invaders settling too changing culture and beliefs again. We are a melting pot of rich diversity and cultural backgrounds. These lands hold so many stories, and the memories of rich beliefs. In recent years research methods have changed, and analysis methods within archaeology have changed. Thoughts on our prehistoric relatives have begun changing, such as the length of time we breastfed for due to better bone analysis.

If you wish to join our next webinar it will be in April 2025! I will be offering a webinar on birth tradions too.

Pop Victoria Greenly or myself an email info@youniquepostnatal.co.uk or evabay@sacredmotherhoodjourneys.com