by Kimberly Ann Johnson · 2017
Whole-system view of postnatal recovery — physical, emotional, identity-level.
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Modern Western culture treats the postnatal period as a quick recovery before "bouncing back". Most cultures historically have treated it as a sacred forty-day stretch requiring deep care. Johnson — a doula, somatic experiencing practitioner, and yoga educator — argues for the second view and builds a practical framework around it.
The book covers the physical recovery most prenatal books skip (pelvic floor, nervous system regulation, the actual healing timeline), as well as the identity shifts, relationship changes, and emotional terrain of becoming a mother.
For new mothers who feel that ordinary postnatal advice is missing the actual experience, this is often the book that names it.
A note. This is reading material, not clinical treatment. If you’re working through something difficult, books complement therapy — they don’t replace it. Book a session with our team for personalised support.
More books in postnatal mental health.
Our team sees adults, adolescents, and children in person at Bella Vista and via telehealth across NSW. Medicare rebates with a GP Mental Health Care Plan; NDIS self- and plan-managed; private health depending on fund.
