Sitting Moon: A New Book from Tao of Wellness Press
My esteemed associate, Jessica Chen, L.Ac., and I decided to write a book that would inform new mothers and health professionals of the ideal way, often the traditional way, to go through postpartum. Sitting Moon is for women who want to feel good during postpartum and build an optimal foundation for future well-being. If you want to know how to prepare for birth and what needs to happen after a child is born, this book will inform you. In the past fifty years, society has changed dramatically. Family units have become smaller and support for new mothers is dwindling. Many women are employed, and maternity leaves are shorter. Taking care of a new mother is rarely a priority over the newborn, and a mother-to-be may face postpartum with some trepidation. Many people think it is a special skill, or some unattainable knowledge, to focus on the new mother. However, this book proposes a different way to view birth and postpartum, a way which includes taking care of the mother. This way is ancient and at the same time perfect for modern times. A woman today needs to find out for herself how to receive her new family member and what she will need to regain her health after giving birth.
Sitting Moon grew out of our experience at Tao of Wellness. Over the years, I have noticed deteriorating health in new mothers. I have heard stories ranging from depression to breastfeeding problems, sleep difficulties, anxiety, hormonal imbalances and reduced vitality. I have also discovered that the great support and preparation garnered before the delivery may completely drop away during the first year of motherhood. There are many reasons for this: decreasing family support, increasing maternal age, economic necessity, work demands and societal ignorance—all play a role.
Our purpose in writing this book is to bring optimal awareness to new mothers and their families of what needs to happen before and during postpartum. We hope that society will also benefit from this information. I firmly believe that taking care of our offspring is a social necessity for a positive future, and taking care of our mothers ensures that we actually have a future.