Tending to Your Womb

A heart-centered, science-based guide to caring for your reproductive health Anietie “Tia” Ukpe-Wallace was 32 years old when she suffered a stillbirth halfway through her first pregnancy. It was her first major loss, but would not be her last; and it would set her on the path to learning everything she could about her own body, not only the anatomy and the physiology, but also reconnecting with the feelings and sensations of her own womb and its attendant emotional aspects: love, joy, as well as distrust, fear, anger and grief. Tia’s path would lead her to becoming a doctor of physical therapy specializing in pelvic health. In her practice, Dr. Ukpe-Wallace sees everyday evidence of the disconnection between women in their bodies. That disconnection has a variety of sources—trauma, embarrassment, miseducation—and results both in a lack of understanding and awareness and a reluctance to physically connect with their own bodies. Tending to Your Womb is the book that Tia wishes she had when she started her own journey towards conception, pregnancy and loss. Through self-care exercises, science-based information, and her own personal experiences and those of her patients, she helps women better understand and reconnect with their own bodies. The heart of the book is walking women through the journey from conception through pregnancy, with the full spectrum of outcomes considered. Also covered: Menstruation Grief Perimenopause and menopause Post-partum self-care Herbs for womb health Tia’s holistic approach draws on traditional knowledge (“to tend to our womb is not new”), and honors the relationships between the reproductive system and the rest of the body: for example, our feet, posture, breasts, heart, and brain. She encourages women to get personal with their anatomy, become curious observers of their own bodies, and become their own best advocate in a medical maternity care system that is not stacked in favor of women, and even less so for women of color. Tending to Your Womb is a trustworthy guide to improving your relationship with your most intimate parts.