In the blur of caring for your new baby, don’t forget about your needs! Caring for your body postpartum is an essential part of a healthy transition into new motherhood.

Postpartum Care

The postpartum body deserves care of its own. After months of pregnancy followed by birth, recovery, feeding, carrying, and caring for a baby, it is common for the body to feel unfamiliar, depleted, tense, or simply different than it did before. Postpartum Massage provides space to reconnect with and support your body through this transition.

Sessions may address common postpartum patterns involving the abdomen, pelvis, hips, back, shoulders, and breath, while also considering the effects of vaginal or cesarean birth, scar tissue, abdominal restriction, and the physical demands of early parenthood.

Care may include therapeutic massage, abdominal and pelvic-focused bodywork, and gentle scar tissue work when appropriate. There is no expectation that your body should have “bounced back” or reached a particular stage of recovery. Treatment is guided by where your body is now, with the goal of helping you feel more comfortable, supported, mobile, and at home in your body again.

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Additional info:

3-6 weeks following a vaginal birth

8-10 weeks following a cesarian birth

When To Book

Sessions are normally 90 min. and may require 1-3 sessions to achieve optimal results. If you haven’t had a regular session(non-pregnant), you may need to book a 2-hour initial session to allow time to review your intake form and assess your current needs. (Your baby is welcome to join us!)

Session Length

  • Diastasis Rectus

  • Back pain

  • Pelvic floor pain

  • Tailbone/coccyx pain

  • Mastitis/clogged ducts

  • Adhesions

  • Scar tissue from cesarian

  • Lactation

  • Depression/anxiety

  • Digestion

  • Menstruation

Conditions That May Be Addressed

Postpartum Care FAQs

  • If you have an uncomplicated vaginal delivery you can return in 4-6 weeks. If you have a c-section you can return in 6-8 weeks. If you are unsure please feel free to call 816-509-4008 or email at shawnapatton@mamabearmassagekc.com with any questions. Postpartum massage can also be helpful in healing from other labor, birth or postpartum complications.

    Please reach out if you are needing medical massage postpartum to help address any post birth concerns. We can discuss your needs and if/how I might be able to help.

  • Yes! Keep in mind that this is time for yourself, so you’ll want to make sure you can truly relax with your little one with you. If you are going to bring your baby or child with you, please call ahead and let Shawna know.

  • In traditional medicine your postpartum journey is about a year long. For bodywork purposes we are looking at that first year in terms of healing. Supporting the body coming back to its balanced state physically, hormonally and spiritually. I use Mayan Abdominal Massage along with other massage therapy techniques to break up any post birth adhesions and stored lactic acid from birth. There are many benefits to postpartum massage.

    Sometimes, when Mom is “over,” massage therapy can help her lower her nervous system back to rest and reset. The body reacts to the mind. If the mind is stressed, the body will be restrictive. When we apply massage therapy techniques, a calming environment, and stretching as a way to encourage relaxation in a Mom who might be under stress from life or even just from being “overdue,” we can sometimes see labor begin as a response to bringing the nervous system back to rest.

  • Not at all. Assuming there is nothing extensive going on medically, these two therapies can work wonderfully well together. Abdominal massage is often times needed in order to help the pelvic floor, psoas and periformis fully release.

    Please feel free to call 816-509-4008 or email shawnapatton@mamabearmassagekc.com if you have any questions.

  • Postpartum massage can help alleviate clogged ducts by improving blood flow, detoxing the muscles and loosening the connective tissues around the ribcage. If Mom is feeling especially tender chested we can use the pregnancy cushion while she is face down. Everything on the table is set up to be able to be easily cleaned and sanitized in-between each client.

  • "I started seeing Shawna about two years ago to address some physical discomforts during pregnancy, and she then supported me in postpartum care. Shawna has a gift. She exudes calm and a sense of peace, and offers a non-judgemental space of comfort and support for me to address the needs of my body, mind, and spirit. I feel lighter–physically and mentally–after a session with Shawna, and am able to move and breathe more deeply and freely (in ways I never knew were possible before working with her!). Since our most recent AIH sessions, I have found my ability to rebound from anxieties and speed bumps of life to have improved immensely. Each session brings me closer to a sense of calm, clear-mindedness, and joy. And I can feel my authentic smile and laugh returning! Her work has been a huge part in my continuous healing, and I feel eternally grateful to have found her."

    — Toni

  • "Shawna has taken care of me through two pregnancies and in between (2019 to the present). I’ve been lucky enough to benefit from her expanded massage skills over the years. Incorporating Mayan abdominal massage made a big difference with my second pregnancy last year. Mama Bear Massage has helped me with hip pain and tightness, back pain, tight calves, and plantar fasciitis. Additionally, Shawna’s provided a safe and caring environment for emotional release during massage. She’s always encouraged me to feel anything that comes up and helps me breathe through it. I leave Mama Bear Massage able to breathe deeper, feeling lighter, and fully cared for. Cannot recommend enough."

    — Grace

  • "Shawna Patton is a fantastic masseuse and wonderful human being. She helped me with regular massages throughout a very painful pregnancy. Each session was calm, professional and eased the pains that come with growing a human being. I then suffered an Amniotic Fluid Embolism giving birth. My heart stopped for 14 minutes, my organs shut down and I went into DIC. This was a very painful experience to overcome. When Shawna was asked to perform massages in the hospital, she didn’t hesitate. She was compassionate and flexible to the challenging situation of giving a massage in a hospital bed. Due to the 109 units of blood transfusions I received, I had gained about 70 pounds. This obviously caused major swelling and pain. Regular massages throughout my recovery has been one of the biggest reliefs I have found. I believe in science and am grateful for all that it provides, but sometimes you just need a fantastic massage to get things moving and feel like yourself again. I cannot stress how valuable Shawna has been to me and with every massage I feel a little bit more like my old self."

    — Meghan