Nurturing the Mother

Nurturing the Mother Hello! I'm Janelle, a Registered Massage Therapist, Postpartum Doula & creator of The Cesarean Recovery Guide.
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I am here to support and empower you in pregnancy, postpartum and especially post csection. Nurturing the Mother is the result of an evolution of care. Through the years I, Janelle Fontaine, have grown my practice from being a massage therapist to the general public to narrowing my skills in supporting birthing folks in pregnancy and postpartum. After the birth of my first son, I saw the need for postpartum support and became a postpartum doula. Being a postpartum doula allowed me to support birthing folks in a different way. It gave me the insight and tools to empower parents to be the parents they want to be. The next layer has been the addition of The Cesarean Recovery Guide. Seeing clients after their cesarean, I noticed a need for reconnection to self as well as a deep interest from clients to know what to do with their scar and abdomen. That’s when The Cesarean Recovery Guide was born - a guide meant to empower a client’s healing journey with self paced learning of hands on massage therapy. What drives all this is my belief that if a parent is supported, they can care for themselves and for their child. And the question that keeps pushing the evolution of Nurturing the Mother is - how good can this get? So join me, lean in to the support, and let me nurture you so you can be the best version of the parent you and your family needs.

09/19/2026

Cesarean rates are 41% locally, with 60.3% of those being unplanned.

Families are being sent home with little understanding of recovery beyond being told to take it easy and watch for infection.

If you work with postpartum clients in any capacity, you are already seeing this gap. Be apart of the change and close the gap by being a health care professional in the perinatal field who can help more families with their scars

Nurturing the Mother: Cesarean Massage & Rehab for Healthcare Professionals is for RMTs, bodyworkers, rehab professionals, movement practitioners, and postpartum support providers who want to confidently add cesarean scar work and recovery support to their practice.

Inside the training we cover:

Conception, pregnancy, postpartum, loss and trauma awareness. Understanding cesarean birth including primary care providers, indications, breech babies, risks, complications, and anaesthesia. Anatomy of a cesarean. The science of scar tissue. Pillars of cesarean recovery. Treatment including babies in the treatment room, intake and assessment, positioning, techniques, home care, and re-examination. Products that support recovery. + marketing and visibility so you can actually reach the clients who need you.

You will leave understanding the full experience of cesarean recovery and knowing exactly how to support it. You will become the practitioner people recommend because they finally felt seen, understood, and supported.

These are the last two offerings of 2026

In Person, Vancouver BC
September 26th & 27th at Local Health

Virtual via Zoom
October 4th & 5th

Both cohorts are invited to a follow-up Q&A, Integration and Business Mastermind on October 19th, 10-11am via Zoom. New for fall, this wrap-up session now includes a dedicated conversation on integrating the course material into your practice and, for those interested, a mastermind to brainstorm and level up your business.

Spots are limited. Link in bio to register or add yourself to the 2027 waitlist. DMs are open if you have questions. 🤎

Does your cesarean scar ever feel tight or uncomfortable? It may be worth exploring scar mobilization. 😯Here are 4️⃣ sig...
09/17/2026

Does your cesarean scar ever feel tight or uncomfortable? It may be worth exploring scar mobilization. 😯

Here are 4️⃣ signs that your scar might benefit from gentle massage or mobilization:

✨ It feels tight when you stand , exercise or stretch
✨ You notice a pulling sensation near your pelvis
✨ There’s tenderness or numbness around the scar
✨ You’ve experienced changes in posture or discomfort elsewhere

Scar mobilization can support recovery and help improve overall movement and comfort. Want tips on how to start? Let’s talk!

Hello! 👋 I’m Janelle, a Registered Massage Therapist with a focus on c-section recovery. Whether you just had a c-section or had one long ago, follow along for tips and tricks and all things cesarean healing related and put c-section recovery into your own hands✨ Have questions? My DMs are always open 🫶


09/16/2026

Cesarean recovery isn’t guesswork, so I simplified recovery into 4 pillars for new moms:

✨ Rest
✨ Compression
✨ Core Connection
✨ Scar Mobility

Checkout the carousel to learn more, and hit share to help other c-section moms!

Rest
Too much too soon = more pain, slower healing.

Compression
Wrap support can reduce strain and swelling.
Should feel snug, not tight. Check out

Core connection
Start with a 360 breath. Youtube can be a source of diaphragmatic breath tutorials.

Scar mobility
Closed doesn’t mean functional or pain-free.

Hello! 👋 I’m Janelle, a Registered Massage Therapist with a focus on c-section recovery. Whether you just had a c-section or had one long ago, follow along for tips and tricks and all things cesarean healing related and put c-section recovery into your own hands✨ Have questions? My DMs are always open 🫶

[ c-section recovery, scar massage, core rehab, pelvic floor recovery, postpartum healing, compression therapy, scar desensitization, postpartum wellness, cesarean care plan, holistic healing ]

09/15/2026

No but seriously, we don’t always need a pinch me moment in the Bahamas with our friends (though that’s thoroughly cup filling too) but it’s always good for us to check in with ourselves to see what we need at this time.

Many of us have supported our kiddos back to routine whether that’s a new daycare, preschool, kindergarten, a new school and now we’re in new routines.

The September dust is settling and we get to ask, where can I fit something in for me. It doesn’t have to be big. It can be simple.

And it’s by adding these things that fill us up that we can nurture ourselves.

After all, that’s pretty important (so much so I named my business after it 😆).

09/15/2026

One question I hear often is what does a midwife actually do if you’re having a cesarean? A lot of people assume care just stops there at birth, but it doesn’t. (Note: my answers are based on my geographical region of Vancouver BC.

In my area, registered midwives have hospital privileges and work alongside obstetricians, which means if a cesarean is planned, your midwife is still part of your care. They help you prepare, walk you through what to expect, discuss your options, and advocate for elements that matter to you—like skin-to-skin in the OR or support with feeding right after birth, when possible.

If your cesarean becomes necessary during labour, your midwife stays with you as part of the team. They help you understand what’s being recommended, support communication in the room, and remain a steady, familiar presence while care is transferred to the obstetrician for surgery.

And after birth, your midwife continues your care at home and in clinic for postpartum. In BC, that usually means one or more postpartum visits over the first 6 weeks are in your own home and the rest at their clinic. Checking your incision, your physical recovery, your baby, feeding, and your overall wellbeing.

This is a true example of continuous care. Cesarean birth IS birth, and you’re still supported through it.

Save this or share it with someone planning their care team.

Hello! 👋 I’m Janelle, a Registered Massage Therapist with a focus on c-section recovery. Whether you just had a c-section or had one long ago, follow along for tips and tricks and all things cesarean healing related and put c-section recovery into your own hands✨ Have questions? My DMs are always open 🫶

[ c-section recovery, scar massage, core rehab, pelvic floor recovery, postpartum healing, compression therapy, scar desensitization, postpartum wellness, cesarean care plan, holistic healing ]

Join Jae Day from Jae Day & myself, Janelle from Nurturing The Mother ✨ C-section recovery for the last Nurturing Talks ...
09/14/2026

Join Jae Day from Jae Day & myself, Janelle from Nurturing The Mother ✨ C-section recovery for the last Nurturing Talks of the summer this Friday September 18th at 11am PST and join the conversation.

Jae Day is a full spectrum Doula from Jae Day. Join us as Jae shares how she supports folks in pregnancy, postpartum and parenthood.

Can’t make it on Friday? Catch the replay!

In the meantime, if you have any questions for Jae or myself, drop them below and tag us! We can’t wait to connect.

✨

Nurturing Talks is a weekly series of Instagram Lives where I chat with inspiring folks who work to support people in pregnancy, postpartum and parenthood.



Hello! 👋 I’m Janelle, a Registered Massage Therapist with a focus on c-section recovery. Whether you just had a c-section or had one long ago, follow along for tips and tricks and all things cesarean healing related and out c-section recovery into your own hands✨

Have questions? My DMs are always open 🫶

The Cesarean Recovery Guide is a self-paced digital resource designed to support you in healing, in a way that feels ste...
09/13/2026

The Cesarean Recovery Guide is a self-paced digital resource designed to support you in healing, in a way that feels steady, practical, and reassuring.

Inside, you’ll learn:
• what’s happening in your body after a C-section
• how to care for your incision and scar with simple, approachable steps
• when and how to begin scar massage safely
• ways to move, rest, and carry your baby that support healing
• how to tend to your body in the weeks, months, and even years after birth

Created by experienced Registered Massage Therapist Janelle Fontaine from Nurturing The Mother who has a focus in cesarean recovery. This guide blends clinical understanding with real-life for new mothers, so the information feels practical instead of overwhelming.

You’ll have lifetime access, allowing you to move through the content at your own pace.
Whether you’re newly postpartum or revisiting your recovery later on, this guide meets you where you are at.

Recovery can feel supported, informed, and grounded.
You don’t have to figure it out alone.

👉 Learn more and get instant access here:
https://nurturingthemother.thinkific.com/courses/the-cesarean-recovery-guide (linked in b!o)

Hello! 👋 I’m Janelle, a Registered Massage Therapist with a focus on c-section recovery. Whether you just had a c-section or had one long ago, follow along for tips and tricks and all things cesarean healing related and put c-section recovery into your own hands✨ Have questions? My DMs are always open 🫶

[ c-section recovery, scar massage, core rehab, pelvic floor recovery, postpartum healing, compression therapy, scar desensitization, postpartum wellness, cesarean care plan, holistic healing ]

If you’re a health care or wellness professional who works with postpartum clients… this is the course that can change e...
09/12/2026

If you’re a health care or wellness professional who works with postpartum clients… this is the course that can change everything for your clients recovering from a cesarean.

Too often, the conversation about C-sections ends at “the scar looks good.”
But what about how it feels?
How it moves?
How it impacts core rehabiliation and connection?

👉 The Cesarean Massage & Rehab for Health Care Professionals course by .ca bridges that gap.

Inside this online or in-person training, you’ll learn:
✨ The layers of C-section anatomy and scar-tissue physiology
✨ How to assess and treat post-surgical tissue
✨ Positioning, draping, and pillars to cesarean recovery
✨ Home-care strategies and communication tools that empower clients to stay consistent
✨ Business insights to market your new skill as a practitioner

This is a professional training that gives you the tools that can help clients reclaim sensation, movement, and comfort in their body after a cesarean birth.

🎓 Taught by a Registered Massage Therapist with a focus on Cesarean Recovery, Janelle Fontaine.
🖥 Available online worldwide through Nurturing the Mother, or in person (Want me to come to your town? DM me!)

📈 Build your expertise. Serve your clients better. Watch your business grow, and community thrive.

👉 Enroll now through the link in bio.

Early bird is flying away soon 🐦✨If you’ve been thinking about joining the VIRTUAL Nurturing the Mother: Cesarean Massag...
09/12/2026

Early bird is flying away soon 🐦✨

If you’ve been thinking about joining the VIRTUAL Nurturing the Mother: Cesarean Massage & Rehab for Health Care Professionals cohorts, now’s the time.

OCTOBER VIRTUAL early bird ends in 48 hours!

This course/hands-on training is such a special gathering of thoughtful practitioners and professionals like you who want to learn, connect, and offer more to the cesarean mothers they care for. If that sounds like you — we’d love to welcome you in 💜

If you’ve been waiting for a nudge; this is it. Come as you are, leave with tools, connection, and perspective you can bring right back to your clients 💫

👉 Link in bio to save your spot before the rate changes.

09/10/2026

As an RMT specializing in cesarean recovery, these are the four things I wish every new c-section mom was told before she walked out of that hospital:

Start touching the area around your scar early, even before you are ready to touch the scar itself. Gentle desensitization of the surrounding tissue helps prepare your nervous system and makes scar massage much easier when the time comes.

Your scar goes deeper than you think. The incision moves through multiple layers of tissue including skin, fascia, muscle, and uterus. Recovery is not just about the surface healing. What happens in those deeper layers matters just as much.

Scar massage is very very importantl, it is one of the most impactful things you can do for your long term healing. Starting at around 6 to 8 weeks when your incision is fully closed, consistent scar massage can help with adhesions, restore mobility, and reduce pain and tightness over time.
The tightness, pulling, and numbness you feel are not just things to live with. They are signs your scar tissue needs attention, and they can improve significantly with the right care and consistency.

You deserved to know all of this on day one. The Cesarean Recovery Guide exists because of that gap. It walks you through everything step by step, week by week, starting from the very beginning of your recovery.

Link in bio. 🤎

Hello! 👋 I’m Janelle, a Registered Massage Therapist with a focus on c-section recovery. Whether you just had a c-section or had one long ago, follow along for tips and tricks and all things cesarean healing related and put c-section recovery into your own hands✨ Have questions? My DMs are always open 🫶

[ c-section recovery, scar massage, core rehab, pelvic floor recovery, postpartum healing, compression therapy, scar desensitization, postpartum wellness, cesarean care plan, holistic healing ]

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V5Z3N8

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+16043141727

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