Chatty Doulas

Tending the Postpartum Nervous System with Alexi Neil

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Welcome back to Chatty Doulas for Season Two! While Soly is away soaking up newborn snuggles, Emily and Kristin are kicking off the season with Alexi Neil—a holistic postpartum doula and trauma-informed somatic healer.

In this episode, we dive into how birth fundamentally changes us and why learning to listen to our bodies is the ultimate nervous system care. Alexi breaks down how to move away from transactional relationships with our physical selves, navigate the survival biology behind intrusive thoughts, and reject the isolation of modern "bounce-back" culture.

Quick Takeaways:

  • Acceptance vs. Resistance: Why "radical acceptance" triggers the parasympathetic "rest and digest" state your body needs to heal.
  • The Myth of Isolation: Why our mammalian brains actually crave a safe, chosen community rather than an isolated "honeymoon bubble."
  • 60-Second Micro-Tools: Practical somatic exercises (like horse-lip breaths and targeted self-touch) you can do in under a minute while holding a baby.

    • Connect with Alexi: Grab her free Somatic Reset Menu and Postpartum Planning Guide at soulfullsomatics.com, or find her on Facebook (Alexi Neil) for updates on her upcoming workshops for birth workers.

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    Chatty DoulasBy Chatty Doulas