Mayan Abdominal Bodywork for Pregnancy & Postpartum
Sacred care for every stage of the motherhood journey — rooted in ancestral wisdom and designed to support your body, baby, and spirit.
Rooted in ancient tradition and ancestral wisdom, this sacred hands-on therapy draws from the teachings of Don Elijio Panti — a revered Maya shaman and traditional healer of Belize — and Miss Hortence Robinson, a respected midwife who carried forward generations of womb-centered knowledge. Their lineage was preserved and respectfully passed forward by Dr. Rosita Arvigo, who apprenticed under Don Elijio with his blessing to share this sacred work with the modern world.
Candice also trained directly with Doña Rafaela Can Ake in the Yucatán Peninsula, learning traditional Maya techniques passed down through generations and practiced within her home. This work continues to honor the wisdom of the Maya and the midwives, healers, and spiritual leaders who have carried this knowledge across time.
The focus of this work is the core of the body — specifically the low back, hips, and abdomen, where tension, holding, and physical change occur throughout pregnancy and postpartum. While each session includes gentle relaxation strokes, the heart of this practice centers on restoring circulation, alignment, and balance within the womb and pelvic space.
Important Note:
Once you know you’re pregnant, Yoni Steaming must be stopped immediately to protect the growing pregnancy.
Massage can safely begin in the second trimester (around 13 weeks) and is beneficial not only for the birthing parent, but for baby as well.
Mayan Abdominal Bodywork for Pregnancy
Pregnancy brings profound change—physically, emotionally, spiritually. You don’t have to push through it alone.. Prenatal bodywork offers a gentle, nurturing way to create more space for your baby, relieve tension, and help your body prepare for birth.
Many mothers have found that this gentle therapy helps breech babies turn naturally by easing tension and increasing comfort in the womb.
Regular prenatal sessions can:
✦ Create more space for your baby to settle into an optimal position
✦ Strengthen the ligaments that support your growing uterus
✦ Relieve bladder pressure (especially helpful in the third trimester)
✦ Ease tension in your hips, back, and sciatic area
✦ Support digestion and reduce nausea or heartburn
✦ Breathe more deeply and freely as your diaphragm opens
✦ Prepare for a smoother birth by keeping your uterus supported and balanced
Midwives incorporating this work often report more efficient contractions and shorter, smoother births.
Mayan Abdominal Bodywork for The Fourth Trimester
Your pregnancy journey is just the beginning. The weeks after birth — often called the Fourth Trimester — are a sacred window of rest, nourishment, and deep healing. As your body recovers and adjusts, continuing care can help you restore balance, ease discomfort, and support your emotional well-being.
In many cultures around the world, postpartum recovery is honored as a sacred and intentional time — a period when new mothers are deeply cared for so their bodies can fully heal and their spirits can integrate the profound transformation of birth.
Mayan bodywork postpartum can:
✧ Encourage uterine involution and optimal positioning
✧ Rebalance the pelvis and abdominal wall
✧ Support healing from Diastasis Recti
✧ Ease low back, sacral, and tailbone pain
✧ Reduce scar tissue from surgical births
✧ Support emotional processing after birth or surgical delivery
✧ Improve bladder control and core connection
Fourth Trimester Care – Your Questions Answered
Gentle, restorative support for your body, mind, and spirit after birth.
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Yes, once your midwife or OB confirms you're physically ready, continuing Mayan bodywork postpartum can be deeply supportive. It helps your uterus return to optimal positioning, supports pelvic and core healing, and provides comfort for your lower back and hips.
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Most postpartum clients begin sessions after their six-week checkup (or earlier with clearance), but every body and birth is different. Your healing timeline is honored here. We’ll tailor the session to your comfort level and recovery needs.
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In addition to Mayan Bodywork, many clients find support through gentle abdominal massage, castor oil packs, nourishing herbal teas, grounding sound healing, and…
Yoni Steaming.
This ancient practice can help promote uterine cleansing, reduce inflammation, and bring comfort to your healing pelvic floor. If you're not sure where to start or don't have local access to care, I’ve created a gentle, safe way for you to explore this at home. Feeling unsure or lacking postpartum coverage? I’ve got you.
→ [Check out the Yoni Steaming eBook] for simple how-tos, herbal support, and steam protocols.
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Yes. All massage packages (excluding Mercier Therapy) can be used across any stage—pregnancy, postpartum, or beyond—and are flexible enough to share with family members too. This allows you to receive care exactly when and how it’s needed most.
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Absolutely. These sessions aren’t just physical—your emotional well-being is always welcomed into the space. We use bodywork, grounding touch, and supportive tools like sound healing or guided breathwork to help you feel safe, nurtured, and deeply seen.
Experience This Work
Candice has trained in both the Arvigo lineage and directly with traditional midwives in Central America—receiving sacred blessings from the elders and carriers of womb wisdom.