profile

Postnatal Support Network

Save the Date! 'The Wilderness' book reading

Published about 1 year ago • 2 min read

Dear Reader,

We're thrilled to offer you a free online event as part of our ongoing Postnatal rEvolution Summit on Friday, December 13th from 12:30.

Aysegül Savas, a Paris-based Turkish writer, will be our guest for a book reading. Her latest book, The Wilderness, is a deeply felt chronicle into the wilderness of the first 40 days of new motherhood.

In the final weeks of her pregnancy, Ayşegül Savaş becomes fascinated by the mythology around the first 40 days after giving birth and the invisible beings that are said to surround the mother.

"In Turkish, we speak of extracting the forty days, like a sort of exorcism. My grandmothers assure me that it will all get better after forty days are out."

A friend lends a book that suggests 40 days of rest and fortifying broths and avoiding wind and cold.

In Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, forty days are seen as a period of trial and transformation. They are often journeys into the wilderness and "its vast and unruly territories."

When the baby arrives, Savaş charts her own path into the wilderness of new motherhood - a space of contradiction, of chaos and care, mothering and being mothered.

"What is the trial of the postpartum crossing?" writes Savaş. "Where will mother and child emerge once they have left the wild?"

​

​

​

Postnatal rEvolution Summit

Redefining Fundamental Needs to Build a Flourishing Society

online & in-person events
November 2024 - February 2025

  • In-person Summit day on February 1st, 2025 in Amsterdam
  • 5 Expert Talks (Nov-Dec, 2024)
  • Expert Talk Replays
  • Participation in the Dialogue Forum (Jan 2025)
  • Free copy of the Postpartum Plan

​

​

Please note: Our Summit counts as continued learning for midwives, maternity nurses (kraamzorg), and doulas!

The ​Dutch Organisation of Midwives​ (KNOV) has assigned 16 points to the Summit, the ​Maternity Care Knowledge Center​ (KCKZ) gives 6 credits, the ​Dutch Professional Association for Doulas​ (NBvD) gives 12 points—the maximum possible, the Dutch Professional Training Foundation in Psychosocial Complementary Health Care (SKB) has accredited the Summit with SBU 40 and the Mondo Doula Association (Italy) assigned a total of 8 credits!

Note: To qualify for accreditation, you must register for the LIVE summit.

Read more at revolution.postnatalsupportnetwork.com​

Do you have any question?

Don't hesitate to reach out !

​

​

About Postnatal Support Network and the Postnatal rEvolution Summit

The Postnatal Support Network (PSN) addresses the importance of a well-informed and well-prepared Third Trimester, with a focus on the first 6 weeks postpartum. PSN is an international NGO promoting a supported and relaxed postnatal rest and bonding time. It organizes trainings for postnatal doulas and supporters, offers information for parents who are preparing themselves, and provides an online directory of local professionals.

With the Postnatal rEvolution Summit, PSN amplifies and expands its voice in collaboration with the European Doula Network (EDN) and Geboortenis Zutphen. This Summit brings together the shared vision to facilitate a dialogue between sectors and disciplines involved in postpartum care and its social relevance to the well-being of our society.

Stichting PSN, Baron G.A. Tindalplein 121,, Amsterdam, 1019TW
​Unsubscribe · Update my profile​
​

Postnatal Support Network

The Postnatal Support Network (PSN) promotes the importance of a well-prepared and relaxing 40-day postnatal period, connects families and postnatal doulas, trains professionals and builds bridges. PSN is an international organization with a nonmedical and social network, dedicated to raising awareness and educating the larger public on the importance of postnatal rest and care.

Read more from Postnatal Support Network

Dear PSN Community, Behind every new mother is a profound inner transformation — one that reshapes identity, brain, emotions, and sense of self. This transition has a name: matrescence. At the Postnatal Support Network, we believe that naming this passage changes everything. When mothers, doulas, families, and communities understand matrescence, we move from pathologising normal change to honouring one of the most significant developmental transitions of adult life. What Is Matrescence? The...

3 days ago • 2 min read
Postpartum is a season. Care is the light. And no one should have to carry it alone.

A season of light, rest, and being held Dear friends, At this time of year, many cultures mark a quiet turning point. The days are still short, winter is not yet over — and yet, the light is unmistakably returning. February 2, traditionally known as Candlemas, is a moment that has long been associated with warmth, protection, and the gentle promise of renewal. Today, we reclaim it not as a religious observance, but as a symbolic pause — one that speaks directly to the postpartum experience....

14 days ago • 1 min read

Dear Community, We are absolutely delighted to share a major milestone in our work supporting families through the postpartum period: the Postnatal Support Network’s Postnatal Plan is now available in Japanese! 🎉 This translation marks more than just access to another language. It represents expanded cultural relevance and accessibility for Japanese-speaking parents around the world — including those navigating the early postpartum weeks with limited in-language resources. The first 40 days...

24 days ago • 1 min read