Postpartum as a Portal: Healing in Community with Káren & Kawi

Postpartum is more than recovery; it’s a portal.
A threshold into new rhythms, new responsibilities, and a new relationship with the body. It’s a time when gentle care, patient support and everyday acts of community can make all the difference.

This month, we’re honoring Káren, a midwife and new mother, and her baby Kawi, who’ve been part of the Kaname family since shortly after Kawi’s birth. At six months postpartum, their story continues to reflect the ways healing deepens when it’s supported by many.

The River, the Family, and the First Adjustment

Káren and Dr. Marisa met at the Yuba River when Káren was pregnant and the conversation between her midwifery practice and Dr. Marisa’s chiropractic and doula practice came up. A friendship began between their families, rooted in shared values around care, family and connection.

As her due date approached, it was Káren’s own family who encouraged her to reach out to Kaname.

So she did. After baby Kawi was born, Dr. Mari came to their home and adjusted baby. It was a quiet beginning to a new chapter of care.

Baby Kawi: Easing Into Balance

In the early days, Kawi showed signs of neck and shoulder tension. She mostly nursed on one side, had a limited range of motion in her neck, and was often fussy.

Through gentle adjustments, Kawi’s mobility improved, her body softened, and feeding became more balanced. The shifts were subtle but meaningful, clear signs that her nervous system was settling and finding ease.

Káren: Tending to the Caregiver

Though she’s supported many births as a midwife, Káren’s own experience was long and physically demanding. In the months that followed, familiar low back pain returned, along with waves of emotion that surfaced in the quiet moments of early parenthood.

With regular care at Kaname, her body began to feel more grounded and flexible again. But the changes weren’t only physical. As her spine found more movement, so did her breath and her emotional processing.

Care Beyond the Adjustment Table

At Kaname, interdependence is woven into every corner of the space. One of the most powerful expressions of this is our open adjusting room, where healing is shared, not siloed.

In this room:

🤍 Staff gently hold babies so mothers can be adjusted with ease.
🤍 Other patients step in, offering a hand or a smile, carrying car seats, rocking a fussy newborn.
🤍 Community care is normalized, not awkward or rare.

What We’re Honoring This Month

🌿 Postpartum as a time of transformation
🌿 Care that supports both body and nervous system
🌿 Spaces where healing is witnessed, shared, and held together

To Káren and Kawi, thank you for bringing your journey into this space.
It’s been a joy to witness your growth, strength, and the unfolding of care around you.

Interested in postpartum or pediatric chiropractic care?
We’re here for the small shifts and the big moments.