What is Conscious Care?
There are moments and events in our lives that leave us changed forever. Becoming a parent, for the first or fifth time, is one of those. There are myriad biological, physiological, physiological, and relational changes that impact how a new parent feels, their capacity for presence and bonding, and how they relate to themself and others. Times like these call for purposeful, devoted care that embraces every aspect of a new parent’s experience.
When postpartum recovery is rushed and unsupported, long-term depletion becomes the norm. Many traditions around the world, including Ayurveda, recognize the early postpartum period as a unique time for restoration and vitality. What happens during this period matters. If the birthing person experiences physical, psychological, or energetic depletion during the first six weeks of their baby’s life, they will move into early parenting and beyond depleted and undernourished. But if the birthing person has the space, resources, and support to rest, heal, bond, and be held, they move into a place of rejuvenation and restoration that reverberates for years to come.
“Conscious care is intentional, compassionate care that is grounded in each person’s unqiue experience and weaves together ancient wisdom and modern evidence to honor and tend to the whole person.”
This is why we believe in conscious care. We define conscious care as intentional, compassionate care that is grounded in each person’s unique experiences and weaves together ancient wisdom and modern evidence to honor and tend to the whole person. Matrescence—or the development process of becoming a mother—is a cornerstone of our approach to conscious care. We recognize that new parents undergo immense whole-body changes that impact every aspect of their lives while they’re also learning how to parent. Our care takes all of this into account.
We also recognize that parents are having babies in a modern context, one in which we have access to modern evidence and medicine (albeit unequally) that save lives, but also one that lacks systemic and societal structures that fundamentally support new and seasoned parents, like robust parental leave, adequate child care resources, supportive workplace policies, and integrated support networks, to name a few. On top of this, we live in an expert-oriented culture. We look to “experts” in books or online for answers. While it’s normal to want to reach for quick solutions or advice when navigating the unknown, especially when the stakes are so high, always looking outward for answers can lead to a loss of self and ability to connect with our own needs, intuition, and baby.
Our intention at Conscious Care Collective is to meet parents where they are, using our decades-deep toolbox to holistically care and support new parents on their journeys, so they feel held and equipped to navigate the twists and turns. We can’t fill all the gaps, but our hope is that the families we work with feel confident, revitalized, and revered. We believe that thriving communities depend on thriving families. We’re here to help tend the soil and sow the seeds for a flourishing, vibrant parenting experience.