My Hoo-ha Changed After Childbirth, so I Put Some Herbs in a Pot, Boiled Them, and Sat Over Them

A sit-down (literally) on postpartum healing with womb wellness expert Thema Azize Serwa of The Womb Sauna — Interview by Alix Khoury Settle

When your postpartum care plan involves more freezer pads than feelings, something’s gotta give. Enter: yoni steaming. While it might sound like something Gwyneth Paltrow invented at a spa retreat, women around the world have used it for centuries to speed up healing after childbirth.

Alix Khoury sat down with Thema Azize Serwa, founder of The Womb Sauna, to talk about steaming your way to a better fourth trimester, how America is behind the curve, and why moms deserve more than a six-week checkup and a prayer.

Been There, Steamed That

Alix: You’re not new to this — you’ve been in the womb wellness space for years. What made you turn to yoni steaming after giving birth?

Thema Azize Serwa: By the time I gave birth, I had already birthed The Womb Sauna, was a certified doula, and sat on the advisory board for my doula training school.

So when it came to postpartum recovery, I didn’t Google — I gathered my herbs. I knew steaming would help me heal faster, and it absolutely did.

Physically, I felt warmth, circulation, and tenderness where there had been numbness and strain. Emotionally, I cried for the first time in weeks — not out of sadness but release. 

That moment led me down a rabbit hole of ancient wisdom, global maternal practices, and ultimately, into becoming a mom who held less guilt about prioritizing what I need to be there for my child.

3 Reasons Moms Should “Pop the Squat”

Alix: Let’s break it down — how does yoni steaming actually help postpartum recovery?

Thema Azize Serwa: Oh, I love this question! Here’s the short version:

1. Flush It Out
   Steaming supports the release of lochia (post-birth discharge) and helps the uterus contract and clean itself out more quickly.
2. Heal It Up
   Herbs like comfrey, calendula, and lavender reduce inflammation, ease hemorrhoids and perineal pain, and support tissue repair.
3. Feel Like You Again
   It’s not just physical. Steaming creates a sacred moment for moms to reconnect with their bodies after all that stretching — emotionally and spiritually.

The Fourth Trimester Needs a Glow-Up

Alix: In many countries, steaming is standard postpartum care. Why hasn’t the U.S. caught up?

Thema Azize Serwa: Because we treat birth like a finish line, not a beginning. In Korea, Haiti, and Ghana, postpartum care is ceremonial — it includes yoni steaming, warming foods, massage, recognition from “your tribe,” your community.

Here? You get a brochure and a “good luck.” We need to change that narrative and recognize womb care as healthcare.

Midwives and medicine women have used it to help women reconnect with the womb after birth trauma. Meanwhile, in the U.S.? We’re offered a frozen diaper, a pat on the back, and a “see you in six weeks.”

In many countries, steaming is part of routine postpartum care. Women are supported by family or trained birth workers who help them prepare herbal blends and take sacred time to restore their bodies. 

That’s healthcare. That’s love. And that’s what American moms deserve too.

5 Holistic Tips for a Healthier, Faster Postpartum Recovery

Alix: What else do you recommend for new moms?

Thema Azize Serwa: Well, here’s what I tell our postpartum clients at The Womb Sauna:

1. Bone Broth & Warm Foods
   In many cultures, postpartum nutrition is all about warmth. Bone broth, stews, and herbal teas rebuild blood, support lactation, and bring comfort to your whole being.
2. Abdominal Binding (Bengkung Belly Binding)
   This traditional Malaysian practice supports the womb, back, and core muscles after birth. It’s like a postpartum hug that says, “You’re held.”
3. Womb Massage & Castor Oil Packs
   Gentle abdominal massage or castor oil packs can reduce inflammation, promote circulation, and help with constipation and emotional stagnation.
4. Yoni Steaming
   Our clients schedule their Womb Sauna postpartum steam sessions as part of their birth plan. Because of our method, we are mobile and bring the treatment to our clients in their homes. We use gentle herbs like calendula, lavender, chamomile, and motherwort to support healing. We wait at least a week postpartum, especially if you had a cesarean or extensive tearing.
5. Digital Detox + Sacred Silence
   Turn off your phone. No scrolling, no comparing, no text threads about how your baby should be sleeping through the night. Give yourself sacred silence to hear your body’s voice again.

America, We Need to Talk

Alix: If you could tell U.S. healthcare leaders one thing about postpartum care, what would it be?

Thema Azize Serwa: It’s time we stop treating postpartum recovery like an afterthought. If France can give new moms pelvic-floor rehab, and Latin American cultures offer la cuarentena (40 days of rest), why are we still acting like a Target diaper bag and a lactation cookie is enough?

We need to center womb wellness in maternal health. That includes access to holistic care, better insurance coverage for traditional birth workers, and yes — yoni steaming stations in postpartum recovery centers.

Final Steamy Thoughts

Alix: For the moms out there side-eyeing their teapot, still skeptical, what would you say?

Thema Azize Serwa: Your body just did the most miraculous thing ever — birth. Don’t settle for surviving when you can thrive. Boil those herbs, sit your sacred self down, and steam your way back to your power, your body’s GPS for calm.

And here’s the deeper truth: Postpartum healing isn’t just about your stitches or your swelling — it’s about your birth story. At The Womb Sauna, we help you process your birth story, hold space for your emotions, and honor the magnitude of what you’ve just been through. Giving birth changes you forever. That moment deserves reverence.

To every mom reading this who’s felt broken, exhausted, or unseen after giving birth: You’re not crazy, you’re not weak, and you’re definitely not alone.

Your body is sacred. Your healing is sacred. And sometimes the answer is as simple as herbs in a pot and the courage to sit still long enough to remember who you are.

Find a Certified Womb Sauna Practitioner and schedule your postpartum steam today. We don’t just support your body — we honor your transformation into motherhood.

About The Womb Sauna:

Founded by Thema Azize Serwa, The Womb Sauna is a global movement teaching women how to heal everything through a holistic expression of yoni steaming, online university with holistic education available 24/7, and certification programs for women who want to empower other women. Learn more or find a practitioner at thewombsauna.com.