Fertility, Pregnancy and Postpartum
With Samantha's unique fusion of education, and experience, as a mother and health provider for 30 years, she is able to assist with: preparation prior to conception, keeping mama healthy, during pregnancy, as well as support mama and baby, after birth, with her myriad skills of Integrative Bodywork, Lifestyle Counseling, Herbal Support, Nutritional Counsel, Self Care Education, Infant Massage, Reiki, Cranial Sacral, and Spiritual Healing.
Coastside Birth Plan Consultation: Creating YOUR Village of Support
Preconception, Prenatal, and Postpartum Maya Therapeutic Bodywork (ATMAT)
Coastside Birth Plan Parenting Classes: Including Prenatal Partners Workshops, MamaEarth tm Parenting Classes
Pre/Postnatal Yoga & BirthDance ™
Mama & Birthing Parent Blessings
Baby Blessings & Naming Ceremonies
ADDITIONAL IN-HOME*, PRENATAL & POSTPARTUM SERVICES
Coastside Birth Plan Consultation -
Creating the Village of Support for YOUR Optimal Birth Experience!
Samantha listens as you, and your birth partner, describe your optimal fertility, prenatal, birth, and postpartum hopes. She creates a Coastside Birth Plan, based upon your individualized health, birth, and familial story. After our consultation, you receive your Birth Plan telling your story, and delineating the optimal Coastside Birth Plan Village of Support team of birth professionals, Samantha has assembled, to optimally serve you- offering a full spectrum model of care vital in your Parenting journey. Then, our Village of Support professionals contact you to discuss their services, availability, fees, and contracts, so you have the opportunity to speak with them and reserve their time, for when you will need them. Our Village of Support continues to collaborate through your story, to ensure your family stays whole and healthy.
Prenatal Maya Therapeutic Bodywork Treatment* (ATMAT): Specific for keeping Mamas comfortable during pregnancy, encouraging labor from 38 weeks on, and helping babies come into optimal position.
Prenatal Partners Workshop*: Providing your Birth Partner with applicable tools to utilize during labor to support Mama. Through Meditation, Yoga, Massage, positioning to open the body, utilizing your birth environment.
Pre/Postnatal Yoga Private
Postnatal Maya Therapeutic Treatment*: (ATMAT) 90 minutes; Specific for bringing your uterus into an optimal position, to help strengthen the ligaments to prevent prolapse. May include a Reboza Wrap, Mama Roasting- Moxibustion, Vaginal Steam, and Maya Faja Wrap instruction.
Partner/Grandparent Therapeutic Bodywork Treatment*:
Postpartum Doula Traditional Care*: May include: Light housekeeping, Cooking, caring for babe, teaching Infant Massage to family, discussing breastfeeding, Natural Parenting Techniques, herbal/supplement review or suggestions, etc.
Spiritual Healing & Treatment After Pregnancy Loss*:
Maya Spiritual Healing-60 minutes- addresses the causes and treatment of chu'lel (life force) and four major spiritual illnesses of the Maya: susto (fright), pesar (grief), tristeza (sadness), and invidia (envy). Through the use of copal incense, herbal bathing and prayers; you will experience a deeper connection and understanding of Self, enabling you to proceed on your path in a Peaceful way.
Postnatal Maya Therapeutic Treatment*: (ATMAT)-90 minutes- Specific for bringing your uterus into an optimal position, to help strengthen the ligaments to prevent prolapse. May include a Reboza Wrap, MamaRoasting- Moxibustion, Vaginal Steam, and Maya Faja Wrap instruction. Healing & Treatment 2.5 hrs.
SYNTHESIS: PREGNANCY & MAYA ABDOMINAL MASSAGE
Synthesis: Pregnancy and Maya Abdominal Massage
By Samantha Corsiglia
ATMAM Practitioner & Instructor
I am often asked if the Arvigo Techniques of Maya Abdominal Therapy (ATMAT) are effective for pregnancy and the answer is a resounding – “ABSOLUTELY!”
I personally can attest to how ATMAT brought my uterus back into optimal position, healing my unhealthy menses, therefore, optimizing my fertility so I could conceive, carry and experience a healthy pregnancy, labor and homebirth a healthy child, after more than 15 years.
ATMAT DURING PREGNANCY, LABOR, AND DELIVERY
Midwives, doulas, and massage therapists who have been trained as ATMAM practitioners report that pregnancy, labor, and delivery is greatly assisted with the use of MAM. Rosita Arvigo, D.N., has specialized in the treatment of women for over 30 years. She has a large number of patients who birth up to 15 children each. Her patients report that receiving regular MAM treatments during pregnancy facilitates a more comfortable pregnancy and leads to a much easier and safer labor and delivery.
Maya Abdominal Massage has been able to alleviate much of the discomfort of abnormal pressure from the dropped or tilted uterus. This abnormal pressure during pregnancy can lead to low backache, sciatica, leg swelling, varicose veins, hip pain, constipation, headaches, difficult labor and delivery. Weekly MAM treatment through 38-40 weeks is suggested. If labor is delayed beyond this time; 1-2x/day treatment is highly recommended. We are currently collecting statistics to evaluate these reports of shorter, easier labors and reductions in the rate of cesarean sections. Labor time has shown to be decreased by 30-40%. First-time labors report being easier and shorter.
During labor, MAM performed in great, sweeping circles around the abdomen is most helpful because the uterine muscles are contracting in all directions. A circular, rhythmic massage promotes the flow of oxygenated, hormone filled blood throughout the uterine muscles and ligaments to help efficiently deliver the baby. Due to the weight of the gravid uterus, the laboring woman should not lie flat on her back, so the massage can be performed with her lying on one side with a pillow to support her belly or in a semi-sitting position propped on pillows.
Ideally, the laboring woman will be allowed to respond to her bodies urges for the pushing phase of delivery. This physiologic pushing can prevent prolapse of the uterus. Each month with menses it has to overcompensate for its poor blood supply by severe cramping to clean itself. Often it is unable to flush out the menstrual fluids because of clotting and malposition.
TRADITIONAL MAYA WISDOM
Miss Hortence, midwife of generations in Belize, Central America, says she always burns copal incense during the entire time of labor and delivery to give the mother courage and to avoid any spirit attachment that, she reports, commonly occurs during delivery.
Miss Hortence also suggests that mothers in labor be given warm allspice tea to sip on constantly. To prepare this boil two tablespoons of powdered or whole allspice berries in one quart of water for 10 minutes and allow to steep for 30 minutes. Sweeten with honey if desired and strain into a thermos to keep warm.
Hortence recommends the mother's perineum be massaged every 5-10 minutes with warmed olive or almond oil. She urges that women have the soles of their feet in good and strong contact with a surface such as the bed, her partner's chest or the floor if squatting. She believes that having the feet in stirrups or the legs spread open with the feet in the air in the usual hospital position causes tearing of the perineum. Other midwives report that walking up and down the stairs in between contractions has been a great help in re-starting delayed labor or assisting the cervix to open. Massaging the area around the cervix just above the pubic bone may stimulate dilation, which in turn triggers the rest of the uterus to respond.
POSTPARTUM MAYA CARE
The midwives in Belize perform MAT in conjunction with vaginal steam baths starting 3 days after the delivery. There should be no vigorous massage of the uterus postpartum due to the lingering effects of progesterone/relaxin on the smooth muscle. You do not want to stretch these muscles as they need to contract to non-pregnant length. You do not want to interfere with the formation of the scab over the placental site or the healing of a vaginal tear.
Therapeutic Massage is nurturing in recuperating from the aches and pains of labor and delivery and is suggested in the post-partum phase of healing.
By approximately 3 months post-partum, a woman can receive a full MAT treatment with clearance from her midwife or obstetrician for abdominal massage. A woman who has had a Cesarean Section very much needs MAT. When her surgeon has determined that she has fully recovered and can receive an abdominal massage, MAT can be applied.
MAMA & BIRTHING, PARENT BLESSINGS,
BABY BLESSINGS &
NAMING CEREMONIES
Allow your belly full of child to be acknowledged, celebrated and blessed!
Take time to thank your wondrous uterus for protecting your baby and adorn her in meditative decoration. Allow time to envision your beautiful birth and welcoming your child into the World!
In the Maya Tradition it is said the physical ailments are created from the spiritual and emotional ailments. Using copal, plants, water and prayers, we focus on the cleansing of fear, anxiety, uncertainty and inviting in empowerment and envisioning your optimal labor, birth and delivery. We incorporate a foot bathe and foot massage in your birth preparation.
1 Hour Session