Author: Françoise Freedman
Author title: Medical Anthropologist at the University of Cambridge, UK; Founder of Birthlight 

Description: It is now well accepted that parenting begins before birth (Glover & Capron, 2017). Still, the postpartum period is an extreme, intense and delicate time when care for the newborn shapes the foundations of relationships. However well prepared for birth parents were, and whatever the way of birth, babies’ entry into the world calls for an urgent postnatal education that meets parenting needs while attending to care. More than information, apps and checks are required to replace the proverbial ‘village’ rallied to nurture new or transforming family units. In a day by day, week by week steep learning curve, primary carers can benefit most from instant, easy- to-use and body-based resources which support them physically and emotionally through the wondrous but most demanding ‘fourth trimester’ of pregnancy with their newborns. While this is common sense and responds to a desire to alleviate generally reported distress, it is also based on research. Studies evaluating current forms of postnatal education/care, perinatal psychology and neurophysiology concord in supporting interventions that promote connection. In short, let’s call it ‘embodied postpartum’. 

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