held by her
women's apothecary

How a mother is cared for in the postpartum has effects that will endure & ripple out through the rest of her life. They say it takes a village to raise a child. Yes, and when it comes to welcoming a new baby, what is even closer to the truth is that it takes a village to surround the mother & new family with the love & real support they need to be able to experience the healing, bonding, & magic of the early postpartum time. 

That is why you are here. And from the deepest parts of my being, thank you for coming this far. I truly believe we are in a time of relearning & remembering the simply & yet profound cultural practices surrounding the birth of a new child - all against the backdrop of our modern, nuclear family landscape. And right now, in this very exchange, we are creating new pathways for the community support that will carry me through the rite of passage of birth & postpartum, so that I may rise once more into an expanded, exalted version of myself to continue to serve our community.

In earnest & deep receptivity, I ask for any support you can provide, so I can recover from childbirth & adjust to round the clock breastfeeding & the physical dependency of a newborn, so Nate doesn't get worn thin making sure I receive enough rest, and so Era has parents who can be emotionally present to his needs too.

We are asking for support in the following ways:
 

• Contribute financially to our postpartum doula fund. We are hiring our dear friend Riley to serve the role that would normally be shared by aunties, grannies, friends, & relations. Riley will be coming into our home to help with housework, meal prep, loving on Era, emotionally supporting Nate & I, and overall helping us keep our heads above water. To contribute: etransfer me: kjeltianderson@gmail.com with the note: postpartum. Her rate is $30/hr. - every hour with her support will be worth so much more than that to us. 
   

• If you're local to Saskatoon - be a part of our meal train. Food is my love language, and we all feel SO  loved & cared for when we receive nourishment from our friends and family. Click below for all the info on how, when, & where.
  
  
  
   

• Come & visit! When Era was born, we were quite isolated & insular, & while that was its own experience, we now want to welcome more of our kindred into the intimate portal of postpartum. That being said, here are some ways that our time together can be life-giving & not depleting for us.

  • ​​Above all, honour the motherbaby - we are one energetic unit & share a nervous system. And in the postpartum, we are the centre around which everything else spins. Orient to us by following my lead.

  • When you come over, expect some version of a hot mess. Fully step into it - the beautifully imperfect humanity of it all.

  • ​Don't make us "host." If you want tea or coffee, make it...chances are we probably want some too. ​And on that note, bring yummy snacks. For a new mama, a tired dad, & their active toddler, snacks = life. 

  • Don't come if you're sick or have been near anyone who is sick, & for the love of goddess, wash your hands & don't kiss the baby.

  • Ask us what we need to feel supported: we may ask for you to pick something up on your way over, do the dishes or sweep the floor, or take the garbage on the way out. It doesn't have to be awkward - it is a beautiful act of service & gesture of pure love & remembering that we need each other. 

  • I do not want to be away from my baby for long & vice versa. I may not offer for you to hold the baby. Please don't ask me, I will offer if I want to.

  • If I don't respond to messages or have to cancel our plans last minute, or multiple times - thank you for your patience.