Closing the bones webinar
A class to learn about the history, principles and effects of this wonderful postpartum healing ritual
A webinar for professionals and parents who want to learn about this beautiful healing ritual for postpartum recovery
When we grow and birth a baby, the body undergoes tremendous changes. The pelvis tilts and widens, the spine curvature increases, the abdomen stretches, the abdominal organs are pushed up and the ribs flare to accommodate the growing baby. During the birth the pelvis opens to let the baby out. After the birth, the uterus shrinks back and the abdominal organs descend back into place.
All around the world, there is (or used to be) a custom of providing rest, nourishment and nurturing support, during the first weeks after birth. Part of this support always included postpartum specific bodywork, such as closing the bones, and wrapping the abdomen and hips. Sadly, in the Western world we have completely lost sight of the need for postpartum bodywork.
New mothers desperately need physical nurture.
I want to share this knowledge with as many people as possible in order to bring back awareness towards the need for physical nurture during the postpartum.
I want to facilitate a change to bring back bodywork as a standard postpartum practise
What is closing the bones?
Closing the bones is a massage ritual that includes the use of woven scarves to rock and bind the body, the most common being Mexican scarves called rebozos. The ritual differs slightly depending on which cultural lineage it comes from, and different scarves are used (for example in Tunisia, the scarves used are steam bath towels called Foutas).
The closing the bones I offer involves rocking the body with Mexican scarves called rebozos, massaging of the abdomen and hips, followed by and a ritual tightening of rebozos around 7 points on the body, which is designed to close the body after birth, with particular attention being paid to the pelvis.
The video below gives you an idea of what it looks like.
What does the closing of the bones do?
New mothers are open physically, emotionally and spiritually, and receiving a closing the bones massage ritual not only helps heal the body and speeds up postpartum recovery:
Having given this massage to hundreds of women and trained hundreds of professionals in offering it, I consider the closing the bones ritual to be the most powerful form of postnatal bodywork I know.
New mothers desperately need physical nurture. The massage has profound effects on their physical healing, as well as supporting emotional wellbeing, releasing trauma, and helping them return to a more stable energetic state.
I believe that by allowing more new mothers to experience this type of nurturing ritual, we can transform their experience in terms of recovery, but also make it once more something that is expected to be received post birth. I want to share this important knowledge and to spread the knowledge to as many people as possible in order to facilitate making postpartum bodywork a norm once more.
What does the webinar contain?
- A historical background of closing the bones
- How closing the bones supports postnatal recovery and wellbeing
- Stories to illustrate how effective the ritual is
- Videos showing how the massage is done
By the end of this class, you will understand what a closing the bones ritual entails, and why it is such an important part of postnatal recovery.
I will share links to further learning on this topic, including telling you are the online course I’ve created to teach this ritual, the Postnatal Rebozo Massage and Closing Ritual.
Who is this class for?
This class is for birth professionals and for parents who want to learn about the closing the bones ritual.
What makes this class special?
I offer a unique blend of scientific, traditional, and practical knowledge. I have extensive experience in using and teaching closing the bones techniques face to face and remotely. I know how to present information in a way that is entertaining, easy to follow, and which allows students to learn easily and enjoyably.
About the instructor
Sophie I worked as a birth and postnatal doula from 2012 to 2022, I also have a diploma in antenatal education and spent several years teaching antenatal classes.
I have been facilitating workshops for birth professionals for over ten years, and have trained hundred of students in this capacity, both face to face an online.
Prior to being a perinatal educator, I gained a PhD in Physiology of Reproduction and spent 20 years working as a biology research scientist.
I am the author of the book Why Postnatal Recovery Matters, published by Pinter and Martin.
How do I purchase the recording?
Click here to purchase the recording of the session for £30.