The Aloha spirit
Writing to you from the height-of-summer, I’m happy to report that my presentation at PSI in July was a success. My session on parent-centered crisis intervention drew about 50 attendees who posed beautiful, thought-provoking questions that will surely help invigorate my work over the months to come. I’m so appreciative to everyone who stopped by and, if you weren't able to, feel free to contact me for the PDF form of the poster.
Out of that whirlwind experience, one session, “Cultural Consideration of Pacific Islander Postpartum Traditions,” inspired me so much that I want to use this month’s post to amplify some of its lessons. My connection to this region is personal and professional: Married to a Hawaiian raised for nearly 16 years, I am licensed to practice in Hawaii, a state with just 15 registered PMHCs.
From the earliest days of visiting Kailua Kona, on the west coast of the big island, the ‘Aloha spirit’ won me over. Getting licensed to practice there was a natural extension of this passion, woven through with humility for my outsider perspective. I approach my work with the community collaboratively, recognizing I have as much to learn as I have to teach.
I hope to continue my conversation with Stevie Merino, full spectrum birth trainer, but for now I want to share two gems about perinatal traditions in Oceania Pacifica (the preferred name for the region, as they taught me): respect for elders around birthing; and the power of coconut during the postpartum period.
With the pandemic causing people to rethink their birth plans - opting for home births or being more intentional with who is in the room in a birth center or hospital setting - the traditional Hawaiian approach to birthing feels more relevant than ever. Hawaiians are deeply deferent to the elder matriarchs in their community whose years of experience guiding mothers through the birth experience makes them invaluable partners.
Stevie’s presentation piqued my interest about the use of coconut, so I reached out to some of my colleagues in Hawaii to learn more. During the perinatal period, coconut water serves:
as a staple of hydration: It’s not uncommon to swing by the gas station before heading to the beach for coconut water; and it’s also used during labor to soothe nausea and promote healthy digestion.
to help replenish fat for a variety of reasons, including lactation and brain function.
as a great source of vitamin E for the skin – to help with scarring, tearing and yeast infections – and can be used on cracked nipples
Not to mention it’s delicious.
This session also helped me reaffirm my commitment to continue the conversation and to serve Hawaii clients (specifically the Big Island, Oahu and Maui). As part of that commitment, I will travel there in December to network. During my trip I can:
-Provide a home consultation to interested individuals and couples
-Meet with pediatricians, OB/GYNs, midwives or doulas to establish an in-person connection and share resources.
While so much of my attention has been drawn to preparing for – and enjoying the fruits of – PSI, I’m also preparing next month’s blog about a topic that’s been getting quite a lot of media attention: the future of IVF in the wake of the overturning of Roe v. Wade. It’s a complex, multifaceted topic with lots of angles to consider, and I look forward to sharing my thoughts with you – and hearing your experiences, concerns and hopes.