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Rootswise Doula

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Rootswise Doula

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Crystal Lyons - Holistic homebirth + postpartum support in Santa Cruz, CA and surrounding areas.

10/05/2026

I see you mama🫶

Beautiful words from Madalyn Hughes | Author | Poet

10/01/2026

All throughout my second pregnancy, my midwife assured me that second babies come fast. Although I knew that was usually the case, I didn’t want to be attached to that expectation. So, I took her words with a grain of salt.

For about a week leading up to his birth, I had several days where I thought labor was starting, but each time, the contractions would fade away. Another day of waiting.

I went about a week past 40 weeks with all of my boys.

My first son was born after 27 hours of labor, and that’s what I was mentally prepared for again. A marathon, not a sprint. My oldest was also born just after 2 am…this time I thought, “Wouldn’t it be cool to have a baby during the day? And then eat lunch? ;)”

On the day my second son arrived, I woke right around 7am as usual, snuggling my 4-year-old. I was feeling mild contractions, just as I had the morning before, except this time they stayed.

We slowly started our day just like any other. Breakfast, followed by chores. My 4-year-old was in the kitchen with his dad while I tidied up the living room, quietly pausing for contractions that were steadily increasing in intensity.

Crawling around on the floor picking up toys, I stopped to lean my elbows on the couch, swaying and breathing deeply.

At some point, I excused myself and went to the bedroom to be alone. I was in my own little world. I monitored my dilation and nonchalantly fielded several calls with my midwife. Each time she checked in with me, I totally downplayed how intense the contractions were getting. I truly thought I had a long ways to go and she didn’t need to come yet.

I headed to the shower, swaying my hips under the water and letting out many horse-lipped exhales, just letting my body melt.

I eventually found myself kinda camped out on the toilet. I hung out there for quite a while, with my 4-year-old popping in and out, holding my hand and encouraging me.

There was no more hiding the intensity of the contractions. Each one brought loud moans as my baby descended further.

Finally, when I felt again, I was surprised to feel his head!

I yelled to my husband to quickly call the midwife…

…continued in the comments💖

09/29/2026

Make it make sense🫠

Now repeat after me:

Struggling 👏 in motherhood 👏 does NOT 👏 mean 👏 the mother 👏 is the problem!! 👏

Modern mothers are fighting their way through motherhood with an extreme lack of support—often carrying far more than one person was ever meant to carry alone. These are conditions in which anyone could quickly burn out.

When a flower is wilting, we don’t blame the flower. We look at the conditions.

Has it been watered?
Is it getting the right amount of sun?
How’s the soil?
Does it have what it needs to thrive?

Motherhood deserves the same kind of consideration.

You’re a flower, mama🌸
Let’s look at the conditions around you and make sure you have the support, nourishment, rest, and care you need to thrive—not just get better at carrying more.

Because sometimes the answer isn’t asking the mother to carry the load better.

It’s lightening the load.

09/21/2026

Loving these postpartum-friendly reminders from Nicola Jane Hobbs on this cozy autumn morning 🍂

In early motherhood, there are seasons when rest may not look the way we’re used to.

Part of resting in this season is also reframing our relationship with productivity. We don’t have to be constantly doing, accomplishing, or checking things off the list. Postpartum is not the season for productivity—it’s a season for healing, bonding, receiving, and simply being.

While these creative ideas won’t replace a full night of sleep, they can help us reframe our mindset around rest and offer a little respite or reset until the next nap or bedtime.

In this season, rest can encompass more than sleep. It can include mindfulness, presence, gratitude, reverence, and simply allowing ourselves to slow down for a moment.

Which of these might you try this week…perhaps while holding, breastfeeding, or cuddling your little one? Or while laying them down and taking a moment to ground, breathe, and re-center.

Because sometimes, in the midst of caring for everyone else, even one small moment of intentional rest can matter🤍

09/18/2026

I for sure utilized this tactic when my 3 sons were little because, as any mother knows, the exhaustion is REAL😴

I’d post up horizontally on the couch in our little baby-proofed living room and let them play around me while I rested. Was I in a deep sleep? No. I was half-listening and peeking an eye open here and there to check on them. But just laying down and closing my eyes for a bit helped SO much. It was the reset I needed.

Our children don’t need to see us martyr ourselves to motherhood. They need to see us taking care of ourselves, honoring our needs, upholding boundaries, and being unbothered by the fact that we need rest, too. This teaches them SO much.

We don’t always have to be “on.” We can show our children that rest is a normal and necessary part of life—and that taking care of ourselves matters.

And remember: we have to put our own oxygen mask on first before we can help anyone else❤️

I also believe there’s something powerful about helping our little ones learn that Mom can be present without constantly entertaining, engaging, or tending to them. Sometimes we can simply be together, in the same space, while Mom rests and baby plays.

Our little ones are incredibly sensitive to our energy and state of being. Creating a home where both baby AND mama are allowed to rest, relax, and simply BE can be a beautiful gift to the whole family.

09/16/2026

Yes, *and*, you probably will miss it one day…even the hard parts. May you have the support you need to enjoy it more.

If you need help making that happen, let’s connect. I offer virtual postpartum planning sessions to help you map it out and gather your village🫶

Send me a DM or fill out the form on my site. I look forward to hearing from you!

rootswisedoula.com

09/15/2026

Can you relate?

I should clarify that as a primarily postpartum doula, I’m typically with my clients for 1-3 months so this cadence will be different for someone solely supporting births.

During these slower weeks, I’m seeing clients about 3 days a week, leaving me much needed time to work on things behind the scenes…tweaking my website & directory listings, continued learning, revamping/restocking business cards & other marketing materials, attending networking events, etc.

If you are a newer doula, I’d love to hear in the comments what kinds of questions you have!

09/14/2026

📣Calling all expecting families in Santa Cruz with Medi-Cal through CCAH/Alliance…did you know you can receive free in home support after you give birth?!

Hi, I’m Crystal Lyons, a Holistic Postpartum Practitioner and Doula for the past 26 years and mother of three. I know from experience how important adequate care is in the first months after birth. It is truly preventative medicine.

Don’t leave your care in this delicate season to chance…make a postpartum plan prenatally to ensure the best possible experience for you, your baby, and your growing family.

Head to my page Crystal Lyons📍Santa Cruz, CA Postpartum Doula and check out my website rootswisedoula.com to get a better feel for what I’m all about. If it resonates, please reach out to book a free connection call where we can chat more about working together.

Send me a DM or fill out the form on my site. I look forward to hearing from you, and remember…EVERYONE deserves a doula🫶

Now booking through March!

09/10/2026

Still soaking in the blessings of this past weekend with Naolí…

30 women gathered in sacred circle at the beautiful Hidden Villa for a retreat and a very special opportunity to learn from this magical soul✨

I’ve been inspired by Naolí for 26 years, since first seeing her film Birth Day during my first pregnancy. I’m so deeply grateful to Olesya and Taya for bringing her to California and creating this opportunity for us to learn from her!

We spent our days working with the concepts of Libido as Life Force Energy, warming “cold” energies, following the threads that light us up, and exploring the transformative power of Truth.

I was able to deepen my understanding of the traditional Mexican practices of Closing the Bones, Rebozo, and Sobadas for supporting the body and spirit through life’s cycles and transitions.

So much to integrate, reflect on, and carry forward from this beautiful gathering💖

Naolí Vinaver Olesya Uglova | Somatic Therapy Taya Shopen

09/09/2026

✨💖✨

Address

Santa Cruz, CA

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Telephone

(831)818-4562

Website

http://rootswisedoula.com/

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