Thriving Postpartum: Embracing the Indigenous Wisdom of La Cuarentena

This illuminating primer by herbalist Pānquetzani (Learn the Pinche Internet) outlines Indigenous strategies for healing after giving birth. The guidance is based around observing la cuarentena, a 40-day postpartum period during which the mother rests and bonds with her baby. Pānquetzani breaks down how to spend some of that time, suggesting readers start taking vaginal steam baths as muscle soreness sets in three days after giving birth, and devote portions of the last few weeks to mourning “the old you.” Detailing the healing benefits of various herbs, she suggests that yarrow relieves inflammation and recommends including it in tea alongside chamomile, honey, and peppercorns. Elsewhere, she includes recipes for such easily digestible dishes as chocolate atole, bone broth, and fermented vegetables. A chapter devoted to working through emotions brings a welcome prioritization of mental health (to deal with feeling overwhelmed, she recommends listing one’s responsibilities and figuring out what can be cut or covered by someone else). Throughout, Pānquetzani provides detailed background on the Indigenous knowledge systems undergirding the advice, explaining that la cuarentena’s focus on rest stems from the belief that mothers need time to regain the tonalli (heat, roughly) they lost after giving birth. It’s a soulful ode to the wisdom of tradition. Agent: Steven Harris, CSG Literary Partners. (Sept.)