What is pelvic steaming?
Simply put, the practice is just to bring clean water to a high temperature, until just before a boil when steam starts to rise from the surface of the water, and then sit over the steam. It can be done with just water, a few cleansing ingredients, or herbs, depending on your needs.
The practice of pelvic steaming has been done all over the world, arising in cultures and societies on every continent! It’s most common reported use across the globe is to aid in healing during the postpartum time after delivering babies. It is also commonly used for MANY other purposes, and is known as a miracle worker for reproductive health, including: as a hygienic practice, to assist with fertility, and to aid in improving a wide variety of gynecological problems such as heavy periods, missing periods, PMS symptoms, cramping, breast tenderness, bloating, emotional balance, infection (including yeast infections and bacterial vaginosis), dryness, ovarian cysts, fibroids, lifting and tightening the vaginal canal, scar softening, cervical healing, prevention and treatment of ingrown hairs… the list goes on! There is even funded research being done in South Korea to explore it’s potential for treating colon cancer and rectal health in men. Steaming is for everyone and every body!
Create sacred space around your new self care practice.
Feel free to reach out and ask me about my personal healing journey with pelvic steaming.
Our stories are medicine. They validate our experiences, and create a framework for others to understand different ways of knowing and give us confidence to find deeper healing through intuition.
In turn, listening to people’s stories of success with steaming will help end the societal taboo and spread of misinformation about this practice.
Slowly heat clean water with your desired ingredients. Keep your pot of water covered until you’re ready to sit.
Choosing which medicinal herbs to steam with should be done with a trained facilitator - but all options are pleasant! I love the smell of the cleansing blend.
Use a wood steam sauna to sit over your herbs with comfort, and to preserve the heat of the steam.
If a trained facilitator determines you are not a sensitive user, you can have an advanced steam set up which includes an electric burner for a longer, warmer session!
My offerings
I have completed training and certification through Keli Garza, the Steamy Chick, in order to be able to educate you on the basics of steaming. I am here to facilitate your developing a steaming plan and practice in your own home, to meet your specific needs. Whether you are simply looking for more meaningful self-care practices and connect to the cyclical nature of your body - or working to heal deep trauma, disease, or explore healing modalities for a specific condition before committing to an invasive or risky medical procedure - I can help you find the plan, herbs, and set-up that is best.
I can help you choose the best herbs for your needs, and supply the tools for your at home set-up through a rental or for purchase.
Pictured left: Cleansing Herbs
Pictured right: Wood Steam Sauna
postpartum pelvic steam benefits
I am passionate about bringing steaming into regular postpartum care for all birthing people, and some of my packages include steaming as part of your postpartum services. See the list below for some of the incredible reported benefits, as cited by Keli Garza:
Heals birth canal opening
Reduces skin swelling
Clears out lochia
Shrinks Hemorrhoids
Assists with weight loss
Helps uterus reduce in size
Lifts uterus and organs into place
Addresses pre-pregnancy menstrual cycle imbalances
Stimulates milk production
Reduces incidence of infection
Helps disinfect and heal stitches and tears
Relieves postpartum contractions
Helps regain sexual pleasure
Improves mental health
Praise for pelvic steaming consultation:
“Having a consult with Rachel is like coming home to yourself. I had sought Rachel’s guidance for a holistic approach to treating an infection and to learn more about vaginal steaming. Rachel’s grounding and nurturing presence made me feel completely comfortable to ask questions. I left the consult with a deeper understanding of my cycles as well as resources to further learn. Rachel gave me a sense of autonomy to integrate my self care and advocate for my needs. Do yourself a favor and book with Rachel now!”
-Marlee Nesser, Royal Oak, MI
“Rachel facilitated a pelvic steam consult and custom protocol for me and I could not be more pleased. Our phone consultation was informational, comforting, and even inspiring! Rachel's wisdom and knowledge in feminine health is truly amazing, I know I will be seeking her expertise for many years to come. My favorite part of our consult was how safe, heard, and seen she made me feel. Working with her is a gift.”
- Maggie Finwall, Clawson, MI
“Working with Rachel on establishing a pelvic steaming routine postpartum was a breath of fresh air. Where other reproductive health professionals provided little guidance, she was able to give direction. Rachel is extremely knowledgeable and answered all of my questions thoughtfully. I would recommend Rachel to anyone who needs guidance with their reproductive health.”
- Taylor Ficht, Detroit, MI
dedication & acknowledgements
My personal healing work, as well as all professional work with my clients, is dedicated to - and made possible by - the womb wisdom ancestors from the Black and Indigenous lineages who worked to keep these traditions and knowledge alive despite generations of white supremacy, colonialism and genocide that specifically targeted these life generating and affirming practices and their keepers.
It is a testament to the potency of these practices as well as the tenacity, strength and resiliency of these communities that I am able to learn and disseminate information about these practices.
I dedicate my personal healing work, and professional work with all my clients, to the Black and Indigenous practitioners who are alive today, and continuing in the footsteps of their ancestors to fight to legitimize these practices despite the continued oppression, suppression and invalidation of their traditions. I especially want to thank Keli Garza and her team for their dedication to this task.
I also wish to dedicate my work to the European womb wisdom ancestors who kept traditions alive despite generations of violence and systemic persecution. Steaming has been shown to be present in my indigenous/ancestral heritage in both France and Italy. My ancestors did use the practice of steaming, but I have only discovered this connection because of the work of BIPGM leaders and communities like SteamyChick.com - and I am relearning and reintroducing it into my community now. I also dedicate my work to the Chinese Medicine and Ayurvedic traditions that continue to retain the longstanding recognition of the menstrual cycle as an honored vital sign.
I pray that my work contribute to bringing healing to the generations of harm and trauma that persist in humanity and in our flesh and spirits as womb-holders.
I pray that my work contribute to fight for the collective liberation of Black people, and the fight for the sovereignty of Indigenous peoples.
Steam consultations and facilitation will be offered to BIPGM at 40% discount. For all other appointments I will be contributing 10% to nonprofit donations (5% to the American Indian Health and Family Services of Southeast MI and 5% to Birth Justice Detroit).