PostPartum & Yoni Steaming

Peace and Wellness Mamas! I’m writing a blog post about vaginas. 

Yup, but more specifically our Yonis after giving birth. Birth is a sacred, spiritual journey to welcome a baby earth side. It's an intuitive process that requires a woman to access more than what her body is calling for, but what her soul and spirit asks for.

 

There are tons of ways for mama to heal after giving birth,  one practice i want to talk about today is Yoni Steaming. 

Yoni steaming is an old wise woman way of healing yourself directly through your yoni. An herbal blend is made for you; herbs will be specific to your condition. The herbs are brewed in a steam pot, and the pot is placed under your open seated chair. Blankets and sheets are wrapped around your torso to create a kind of sweat lodge for your lower torso. You sit and receive the moist warmth of the healing steam. It enters your body directly through your yoni and penetrates to your uterus, pelvis, and even up through a deep central channel connecting to your heart.

Yoni steams are an old womanly healing art and they are becoming popular again. Thank the Ancestors! They are certainly part of the African healing lineage, and used mainly to cleanse the uterus when there are menstrual difficulties, after birth, and with menopause to completely clean the womb when finished bleeding. 

I took a class with a healer from west africa, who uses them with women to treat any ailment from the uterus to the heart, i.e. the whole torso, wherein lies many of our vital organs. She eplained to me that its a common practice for new mothers to steam 30 days straight after giving birth.

 So Lalu, what are the benefits of steaming postpartum?

Yoni Steam Postpartum Blend Benefits:

-Faster healing of the reproductive system after birth.

-Boost the repair of an episiotomy, C-section scar, or vaginal tear

-Tone and tighten your lady parts to their original tight state

-Significantly reduce the feeling of air bubbles and looseness

-Assist with the healing of hemorrhoids.

-Relieve chronic vaginal/yeast infections, and works to maintain healthy odor.

"postpartum steaming it appears to expedite postpartum healing and result in a full recovery--that is, getting the body back to it’s pre-pregnancy state.

Specifically, it appears that lochia drains after the first 4-6 steam sessions (as opposed to 6 weeks),

the uterus shrinks back to size after one week (as opposed to 4 weeks); and, after one month, the vaginal canal is tightly closed (as opposed to “it’ll never be tight again”).

Postpartum steaming has also shown to resolve complications such as hemorrhoids, postpartum contractions, infections, painful stitches, constipation, incontinence, prolapse, extended lochia and water retention." 

In addition to physical healing of the delicate tissue, the new mom also benefits from emotional and spiritual healing as she lovingly takes care of her womb that has just brought a beautiful new life into the world.

Avoid Yoni Steams if:

• If you are bleeding
• You are pregnant or think you may be pregnant
• If you have a vaginal infection or open wound

 

Different herbs are used in the steam depending upon the situation. Some of the herbs i use in my PostPartum Steam Blend include but not limited to:

Red Clover

This nourishing, blood purifying herb is rich in minerals and improves genital blood circulation, which is essential for reproductive function. Red clover aids our bodies in detoxing from environmental pollutants and supports all stages of pregnancy, from conception to lactation.

Red Raspberry Leaf

Red raspberry leaf contains extremely high vitamin and mineral content, which boosts nutrition and increase chances of a healthy recovery. It also strengthens and tonifies the uterus. 

Nettles 

Nettles provide hormone balance support, healthy iron levels and proper liver function. Nourishes and tones the uterus. They contain high amounts of chlorophyll, a natural detox.

Oat Straw 

Oat straw aids in stress reduction which is essential for wombyn who are circulating a toxic amount of cortisol and anxiety in their blood stream.

Here is a link to our handcrafted PostPartum Yoni Steam (this steam is also great for those who have suffered a miscarriage)

https://lalustreasures.com/collections/yoni-steams/products/post-partum-yoni-steam-organic-cleanse-steam-vag-steam-post-partum-healing

 

Adjuncts to steaming

Increasing blood flow and circulation throughout the whole body supports balanced hormones, fertility, and overall wellbeing. Integrate the following rituals into your routine on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis.

Exercise increases blood flow through the whole body which increases circulation, stimulates lymphatic drainage and clears stagnation. It is truly the fastest way to achieve overall physical and mental wellbeing. Anything that gets your heart rate up will pump more blood to your womb as well, such as walking, dancing, hiking, swimming, yoga, jogging, and resistance training. Long walks are a helpful and easy way to clear stagnation. Find an activity that you enjoy and you’re more likely to do regularly. Any form of movement, no matter how insignificant it may seem, is better than no movement at all.

Hydration If we aren’t hydrated properly, our blood will lack the water it needs to function optimally. Drink half your body weight (in pounds) in ounces of water daily. Keep in mind that alcohol and caffeine are diuretics, which flush fluids out of your body. So, for every drink or cup, consume an additional glass of water to replenish what you’ve lost.

 

Drink female supportive herbal infusions or blends throughout the month Herbs such as red raspberry leaf, nettle leaf, oat straw (and milky oat tops), plus rose all support the female system (helpful throughout the month) + burdock, dandelion support liver cleansing (especially helpful 1 week before your menstrual cycle).

Deep Breathing When our stress levels are low, the body can focus on its other functions, which are sometimes put on the backburner as our bodies deal with the acute stressors of everyday life in a fast-paced society. Take 5-10 minutes a day to honor yourself and focus on deep breathing.

Womb Massage Massaging the uterine area is especially helpful for those with hormonal imbalances or those trying to conceive. It can help to regulate the menstrual cycle, support reproductive health, and increase fertility. Create a massage oil with your favorite essential oil + an almond and apricot oil base. Massage the womb area for around 15 minutes on days when you are not ovulating or menstruating. Send yourself loving and healing thoughts during this nurturing practice.

 My next blog will cover how to prepare for an in home yoni steam ritual. Many thanks for taking the time out to read this! 

lalu