Concept & Mission

The first 40 days after birth are called the “Sacred Window” in Ayurveda. This special time is also referred to as the “Month of Gold” in traditional Chinese medicine and among Chinese-speaking communities across the globe today. Not by accident, on every continent, traditions, rituals and strict guidelines focused on honouring, protecting and caring for the newborn mother exist. Yet, in the vast majority of “modern” world, those traditions have been forgotten and the importance of the immediate post-partum ignored. This has actual repercussions for the health and well-being of the mother and baby, and, we can surely say, our society. Up to 20% of mothers worldwide fall into post-partum depression and 35% experience Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome symptoms after labour. Scientific research is only recently beginning to show that those instances can be significantly alleviated if the mother is allowed to rest with her newborn and taken care of for the first weeks after birth.

In 2020, the Postnatal Support Network launched a research project on the postnatal period with the mission to unearth scientific evidence and gather our own data on the subject. We aim to raise awareness and take the next step – demand social and political change in order to support young families with concrete measures.

The Postnatal Research Summit on Postnatal Health & Happiness is an integral part of our research project. We have invited researchers and visionaries of birth and the post-partum to share their expertise and wisdom in the co-creation of a body of knowledge.

The Summit is guided by the following research question:

“How is care and rest during the post-partum period crucial for the immediate and long-term well-being of mother, child, family unit and the society at large?”

We feel humbled by the overwhelming support we have received and express our deep-felt gratitude. A true shift of the current postnatal paradigm is upon us, and we thank you for being a part of it.

We invite our speakers and our viewers to become co-creators in this project. If you are interested in getting involved, please write to us at beant@postnatalsupportwork.com