This Mother's Road
Postpartum Support in Central Vermont
Placenta Encapsulation Specialist
Herbal Postpartum Care Kits
Hey There,
I'm Hannah, a homeschooling Mama in the woods of Central VT. I have 4 wild little daughters who brought me to this journey of support. I've study herbalism at VCIH, Florida School of Herbalism and with my most prominent teachers - the plants themselves. I studied Abhayanga massage through the Mahatma School of Ayurveda and completed the Ayurvedic Postpartum Doula Training course at The Ayurvedic Center of Vermont. I am a Placenta Encapsulation Specialist through PBiU, utilizing the Tradition Chinese Method of processing. I am also a Certified Lactation Counselor through ALPP.
My passion is supporting folks through this most sacred transition into parenthood and ensuring community surrounds them. You can read my story below.
My Story
After my second baby was born, I knew I'd be solo parenting a lot, as my partner at the time worked to build his business and a life for us as a family. This was the arrangement we had both agreed to and everything went so well with the first baby. So I jumped right in immediately after birth. I didn't ask for help and refused what help was offered, thinking I needed to learn to do it on my own as soon as possible.
I nursed my older child all through the second pregnancy, lost a twin at 14 weeks I didn't know existed, was fearful the rest of the pregnancy I'd lose her too and for the first 4 months of my second daughter's life I tandem night nursed both girls. I barely slept, didn't change my underwear or brush my teeth most days. But somehow I still had everything under control. Or so I thought.
At around 6 months I realized I wasn't ok. I hadn't noticed that during the winter months while I was still tandem night nursing, I was isolating myself. Because I was scared if I went out to start the car to warm it up, I would drive away. and never return. When we moved into summer I felt so alone and unworthy of reaching out to friends or family. I felt like a burden to everyone around me. I cried on the kitchen floor, curled up in a ball terrified I'd lose myself to the unbearable pain I was suffering. I was confused, thinking postpartum lasted 3 months maximum. I didn't know what all my irritability and self harming thoughts, my rage and constant worry was. When I visited my midwife, who also happened to be our family doctor she knew I wasn't ok. She asked if I had taken the placenta pills we had made after the birth. I hadn't. She recommended I take a larger dose of them.
I felt like I came back to life. It was like my eyes got clear and my heart was lifted from the hole it somehow sunk into and wouldn't budge from. I was restored. And I rested in the joy of motherhood once more.
I had come back to life enough that I was able to build my community. I wasn't isolated anymore. I made the kinds of friendships that have carried me through 2 more babies, a divorce and my regrowth.
My experience ignited a fire in me. One that needed to keep others warm through their transitions. Before it's gets bad, so it doesn't get bad and when it's at its worst. I want to hold those parents, their babies and partners in warm, strong hands, to support them, to nourish them, to help them grow their community, to let them know they aren't alone.
