Pre-conception stage It was great to see some couples at the recent baby expo on their pre-conception journey visiting the expo and looking for things that could support them. Two things we recommended were our Red Dates tea and Moxa sticks. Red dates are a great source of many nutrients, including Vitamin C. For females, Vitamin C can help boost fertility and improve hormone levels, while for males, Vitamin C may help by improving sperm count and quality. They are also blood-boosting which is important when trying to fall pregnant. Just note that the Tea should not be consumed during menstruation. On the same note of promoting blood flow and warmth, moxa sticks help with stagnation and have the ability...
"Grief and death, like birth, is not linear so you can never control it. Practicing techniques to surrender and letting go into the pain." -Leah Patara 1. What is the role of a Death Doula?While I'm not professionally trained as a death doula, I have found myself supporting families this year through their journey of death, which has been very similar in supporting families during birth. I assist with meal trains, cleansing, death plan, private ceremony, creating rituals to support your grief. I also educate and enlighten you on the stages of grief, the values and ethics in your family, and reinforce meditation. Whilst creating a positive space, eliminating feelings of anxiety at the end of life.2. Do you have...
"...our loss felt incredibly depleting, especially when the grief was so fresh. Living with grief has been a journey..." - Joelleen Winduss Paye Would you please share about your loss? Our first pregnancy ended at 16 weeks and one day last June 2022. After around 3 weeks of bleeding on and off, from a subchorionic hematoma, our baby girl was born at home quite unexpectedly in the early hours of a Sunday morning. I chose to labour and birth at home, as this was our original birth plan, and the place I felt safest. Holding our girl for the briefest moment was all we needed to feel the unconditional love and beauty one sees in their own child, we named her...
This isn’t a story I share often, but when I do, I receive many surprised responses. So, I thought it was worth sharing with the Elan community in hope that you can continue to learn more about me and how Elan came to fruition. I am an Accountant by profession, having graduated from the University of Melbourne with a Commerce and Arts degree. Being the child of Asian migrants with little education, doing well in school and getting a “good and stable” job was the goal. I naturally fell into the rat race with the aim of scoring a role at a Big 4 which I did. On my second day of work, my boyfriend at the time, now husband and father...
I love a good design and when I was building the Elan brand, I worked with an agency that really communicated my vision to bring the brand forward. Whilst the prospects of Elan have paused and pivoted whether it be due to the pandemic or taking some time to expand my family, our true essence of acknowledging and recognising traditional practices to support and empower families postpartum has not swayed. Today I’m sharing a story of Elan’s branding and vision. Most times, followers, customers and the external audience don’t take note of the small details business owners make that create a well-considered and cohesive brand. The name Elan was chosen to change the misconception many people have of Chinese Postpartum Confinement...
