by muneera1978 | Dec 19, 2014 | Uncategorized
COSMETIC: increases blood flow to the vagina encourages tissue regenerations tightens removes vaginal odors MENTALLY: enhances creativity clarity quiet mindfulness increase sexual arousal/awareness less moodiness PHYSICAL clearer skin increased cardio encourages more restful sleep increased energy detoxes the whole body places your menses in harmony with your body (heavier if you need to clean; lighter if you have been letting go too much) helps with fibroids, cysts & endometriosis increases fertility, helps with vaginal discharge, yeast infections, and bacterial vaginosis soothes hemorrhoids open pores to take in steam...
by muneera1978 | Dec 19, 2014 | Uncategorized
So I have finished my WOMB SAUNA practitioner certification and was reflecting on how I was lead down this path… Last year, I met the sista who developed this modern method for this ancient practice at a birth worker of color event that I was sponsoring. We clicked immediately and I knew that I was meant to meet her that day. She explained to me what she did (I had never heard of it) but it just made intuitive sense. I decided to gift a womb steam to a sista that had recently experienced a miscarriage and she told me how the experience helped her to release a lot of negative energy around the situation. I then decided to try it for myself and I noticed a huge difference in my energy level, creativity, and overall well-being. On my third go-round I made the sincere intention to clear my womb of all negative energy and to be a welcoming energy for a spirit (I wanted a third child). A month later I found myself pregnant! It was then that I decided that I was going to have to add this certification! Vaginal steaming was done across cultures as a initiation into womanhood, a cleansing ritual, and as ancient medicine for women. It is an honor to carry on this tradition and bring it forth into the 21st century. Basic vaginal steaming can be done at home, there are several YouTube videos that you can google and look up, but a WOMB SAUNA steam is a unique experience that offer 25+ biopsychosocial benefits that make it unique. You can definitely...
by muneera1978 | Nov 14, 2014 | Uncategorized
So here I am, pregnant with my third child. All of my children are almost exactly 8 years apart..NOT PLANNED! I would have liked to have them closer but it just didn’t happen for me. My first son was a C-section without a trial of labor (more on that in another blog post), my daughter was a 3-day, marathon, prodromal VBAC in a birth center (yet another post). My second son and third child was a water birth at home and here is his story… This was my most intentional birth. I had been a doula for six years at this point. I had been in most every local hospital and birth center and realized that I really did not want to be bothered with anyone’s protocol and I just wanted to be able to completely trust my own instincts and birth the way I wanted. If I could have had my choice, I would have birthed without labor support-but I didn’t want to do that to my husband. So I carefully chose who I wanted in my space during my birthing process. They were all people that I knew and trusted to honor my birth wishes. I was officially a week and a day past my “due date”, I was impatient to see my son, but my other children all went past the 41 week mark so I was not surprised. I had done a self-check (all women should know how to check themselves!) the day before and was pretty sure that I was a few cm dilated as I could fit a few fingers in my cervix....
by muneera1978 | Nov 7, 2014 | Uncategorized
I have decided to start a blog about all things birth and female health related. So I guess you should know a little bit about me! I have worked as a doula, child birth educator, and peer lactation consultant for over six years. I am a mother of three, 1 c-section, 1 VBAC @ a birth center, and 1 HBAC where I caught my own baby as he came out! (more on those stories later) I also work as a special educator and am very interested in the correlation between birth practices and the rising incidences of disabilities. I am a practicing Muslim and there is a really is not much written from an Islamic perspective as a birth worker and I really wanted to change that. I am also an African-American and I’m not seeing enough written about the large health disparities with black babies in this country! Even correcting for education and socio-economic status, black babies die 2-3X more than their white counterparts. The United States is ranked 60th (further down from 50th!) in maternal mortality. We are just one of eight countries to see a RISE in maternal mortality. We are triple the rate of the U.K. (who use a midwifery based system). See this great summative article on the topic. All these issues, plus the fact there is always so much more that I want to share with my clients that I can fit in our monthly visits! 🙂 This blog is going to be a little bit of everything… I hope you come along for the ride and...
