A Sacred Beginning: Nurturing Your Body, Mind, and Soul during Baby's First Forty Days

Item No. 9781944967642     by Sarah Brangwynne & Sasha Rose Oxnard    376pp

Traditionally, the Orthodox Church has appointed forty days of rest and seclusion after childbirth for mothers to recover from the rigors of birth and get to know their new babies. In the modern world, it can be difficult to understand how to use this time to the fullest in the way it was intended. The authors of A Sacred Beginning - a therapist and a family physician who are both mothers themselves - come to the rescue with a resource that addresses the spiritual, emotional, and physical aspects of a mother's recovery from birth and embarkation on her new life. Whether you are preparing to birth your first baby or your tenth, you will find in this book a wealth of spiritual food, comfort, encouragement, and sound advice to guide you, one postpartum day at a time.

About the Authors:

Sarah Brangwynne is an Orthodox Christian, wife, mother, and psychotherapist. She received her M.A. in Expressive Therapy and Mental Health Counseling from Lesley University in Cambridge, MA and is a licensed professional counselor and board-certified dance/movement therapist specializing in reproductive mental health and holistic wellness. In addition to her professional training, she became a mother in 2010 and credits her children as being her most enlightening and demanding teachers. Sarah enjoys learning, cooking, crafting, the arts, exploring the natural world, and sharing about living a Christian life. A native of New Hampshire, Sarah lived, studied, and worked along the North and Southeastern United States, the West Indies, and Germany. Sarah lives with her husband and children, along with their dog and five hens, in the Northeastern US. This is her first book.

Sasha Rose Oxnard is an Orthodox Christian and a mom. She also happens to be a family doctor practicing prenatal care and pediatrics, as well as a wife, friend, daughter, amateur gardener, blogger, and lover of music, dance, art, animals, nature, and all things playful. With this book she adds writer to the list. Sasha writes a blog for AFM on trying to raise children to love God and their Faith (Shepherding Our Little Flock). She has lived and worked in the US, UK, Brazil, and Mozambique. She currently lives, works, and prays in New England with her husband, four small children, a dog, two cats, and five chickens.