When I was pregnant I found a plethora of information on pregnancy and birth but almost nothing about postpartum care. Having gone through the postpartum experience I frankly find it mind-blowing to realise no weight of attention or advice is given to our aftercare, and that we have no system or tradition in place to care for women after giving birth.

Luckily however, with various resources including our lovely doulas, my Shiatsu colleagues, and friends with experience, I learned enough to set myself up for optimum healing support after the event and I want to share that with you.
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I realise when you are pregnant there is SO MUCH to organise, learn and decide about – but trust me, this is not an area to skip. It is paramount to plan for as it will affect your long-term health. I am no expert in the area of postpartum care, but I have gone through it myself using most of the tools I describe here. There will be postpartum doulas who will be able to advise you further as well as guide you to other resources. Consider this article a jumping off point to prepare you for your healing journey postpartum – it’s an overview of suggestions that I wish I had been given up front.
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Nicola Ley 
​​Nicola is one of the founders of the Shiatsu College. Currently she is passionate about teaching people who want to teach Shiatsu and Qigong - ways to make that really effective.

She is also an artist and makes work about the energy of Shiatsu and Qigong. She loves to make ‘energy portraits’, which are often a watercolour of a person’s energy on an etching of the central channels. Since completing an MA in art she has worked on this theme in her studio and is also returning to her old love of botanical work. www.artofshiatsu.wordpress.com

Profile: Alice Whieldon, MA PhD SFHEA MRSS(T)
​Alice has spent her life researching the keys to what helps in finding fulfilment and acting less from old traumas and patterns.  In 1985 she came across Shiatsu and it was this work, along with the Enlightenment Intensives, that struck particularly strong chords for her.  She has remained a student of both disciplines ever since.

In 1997, she also met Kishi Akinobu, internationally renowned Shiatsu master, however, in 1980, Kishi began to develop his work in a new direction called Seiki  which is within the Shiatsu tradition and a development of that work. When Alice met Kishi she recognised the key she was looking for.  When in 2008 Alice suggested they write a book together, Kishi was keen on the idea and Sei-ki: Life in Resonance, The Secret Art of Shiatsu was published in 2011. Kishi died in 2012 but Alice continues to work with Seiki. 

​She has also spent time training in and practicing Mind Clearing.  Mind Clearing is based, like Seiki, on the principle that there is an essential person that is not the mind and not the body.  In 2016 her book, Mind Clearing: the key to mindfulness mastery was published by Singing Dragon, London and Philadelphia.