Closing the bones  (or Cerrada) is a treatment/ceremony that is traditionally applied to new mothers. In Ecuador, women are given this massage within hours of the birth, and receive it again at least 5 or 6 times during the first 40 days postpartum. The massage stimulates blood flow which in turn; cleans, renews, moves fluids (may help with milk supply/lochia), moving hormones, immune system, toning muscles and tissue.

In traditional cultures, the 41 days of the postnatal period represent a sacred time. In this time the woman will have the closing massage at least 5 times, the first being 6 hours after birth, this begins to put the bladder and uterus back into place.

The treatment includes sifting (gentle rocking and aligning process) with a rebozo (long shawl), to close the hip bones, and using various hand massage techniques using oil around the pubic bones, belly and around the hips.

It addresses the physical opening of the woman at birth and also the spiritual opening in that it gathers her physically and energetically ‘back together’.

This ceremony/treatment was brought to the UK by Rocio Alarcon. Rocio is an amazing woman from Ecuador. She was trained in traditional midwifery, shamanism and, ethnobotany by her mother and grandmother, and she also holds a PhD in ethnobotany.

Closing the bones can also used to mark times of major transition and completion for women, such as:

• Menarche
• Birth
• Menopause
• New job
• Leaving a relationship
• After illness/trauma
• After loss (such as miscarriage, or death of a loved one)
• Moving etc…

Cost: £50.00