
Closing of the Bones FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Can anyone experience this massage and ritual? Is it just for newly postpartum mothers?
Yes, anyone can experience this beautiful ritual. You do not need to be newly postpartum to do so. It is a wonderful way to honour and witness any life transition or rite of passage.
How long does the ritual take?
I usually allow around 2 hours for the entire ritual to take place.
Where will the ritual take place?
The ritual takes place in your own home. You will be laying on the floor on yoga mats and blankets, with your head and knees supported. If the ritual is being given as an aspect of end -of-life care, then I can complete an adapted version with the person lying in bed.
Please describe the type of touch used in the ritual
All touch is done either over the clothes or over the rebozo and clothes.
At the very beginning and end of the ritual I like to offer some pressure on the hip bones with my hands in order to ‘ground’ the pelvis.
During the rocking sequence the fabric of the rebozos will support your body and I will use my hands to manipulate the fabric in order to gently rock you.
During the wrapping my hands will be in contact with your body briefly as I tuck the fabric of the rebozo under itself.
While you are wrapped, I like to sit with my hands on your feet, then belly and then head to offer reiki and a further sense of holding.
At the end of the ritual, I also like to place one of my hands under your sacrum to help release any residual tension.
If any of this more hands-on touch doesn’t feel good to you, then I can adapt what I do or you can pass on this aspect of the ritual. It is important that the ritual feels nurturing to you.
Will I be fully clothed and what should I wear?
Yes, you will remain fully clothed for the whole ritual. Please wear any clothing that you feel comfortable in.
How tightly will the fabric be wrapped around me?
You can be wrapped as gently or as tightly as feels good to you – I will check in with you throughout the ritual. The head and body are wrapped in 7 different sections with your face completely uncovered and your lower arms completely free. Many people like their hips to be wrapped very tightly and the rest of their body more loosely. We can go with whatever feels good to you on the day.
Do I need to provide any special equipment?
I will bring everything that we need for the ritual apart from a pillow for your head. It would be great if you could provide this.
Can I only experience the ritual once?
You can experience the ritual as many times as feels good to you. In traditional postpartum practice women receive the ritual many times during the first 40 days. The benefits of the massage and ritual are cumulative.
How many days postpartum do I need to be before I can experience the ritual?
If you have had a vaginal birth then you can receive the ritual as soon as you feel ready. Traditionally, in Ecuador for example, the ritual is done within hours of giving birth.
If you have had a caesarean birth, then usually you can receive the ritual once your scar has healed and as soon after as you feel ready.
However, if you feel that you really need the massage before your scar has healed (for example you are feeling very stressed or you had a traumatic birth), then we can massage and wrap you gently, with only very minimal touch to the abdominal area. In this case, a number of massages would definitely be beneficial.
It’s important to tap into your intuition to know when feels right for you.
Can my baby be with me?
Yes, absolutely they can. Within the 4th trimester your baby has an innate need to be close to you.
It is usual to feed baby before we start, and then hopefully, they will sleep near you while you receive the ritual.
If possible, it would be best to have another person around to care for your baby and who can bring them to you if and when they need you. I can bring someone with me to help with this, please just let me know at the time of booking.
We can also pause the ritual at any time so that you can comfort or attend to your baby. Or I can wrap you in a way that you can breastfeed. Whatever feels good for you.
This time is for you to be nurtured and witnessed, and so we must do whatever helps you to be able to relax, take time for yourself and enjoy the ritual.
Will I have the opportunity to talk during the ritual time?
All emotions are welcome within the ritual space and I am skilled at deep listening and holding space in many kinds of situation. There will be time both before and after the ritual to talk and process your experiences and emotions if you would like to. However, you are not obliged to talk at all beyond a brief chat at the beginning, to go over your client intake form if that is what feels good to you. I invite you to relax, not talk and just receive during the rocking and wrapping.
Can my friends and/or family be a part of the ritual?
Yes, absolutely they can. Please contact me to arrange a chat to see how we might make it work.
It is important that you feel 100% comfortable with being vulnerable with the people who will be in your ritual space.
Can I receive the ritual if I’m menstruating?
Yes you can.
Are there any contraindications to receiving the ritual?
There are a few absolute contraindications to receiving it at a specific time:
- An active infection in the abdominal area
- Broken bones
- Pregnancy
Relative contraindications
- Recent abdominal surgery with an unclosed wound
Can I receive this ritual if I have cancer?
Yes you can. Please read this information from Macmillan Cancer Support and then contact me to arrange a free chat.
Would the ritual make a good gift?
Yes! It could be given as a birthday gift, a Mothers Blessing gift, a postpartum gift or, as a gift to any one experience grief or change for example.
Please contact us to arrange a personalized gift voucher.

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