Today we’d like to introduce you to Natalie Elliott.
Hi Natalie, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
When I was young and got my period for the first time, my immediate reaction was excitement. I felt like I had just become someone new! It was a rite of passage and as with any rite of passage, I sought guidance from those older and wiser than me. Unfortunately, the paradigm back then was to definitely not talk about periods and definitely not celebrate them. My initial excitement dissipated and I spent many years hating my period, having terrible cramps, and thinking that all of this was normal and just my lot in life as a woman.
It wasn’t until I started practicing yoga in college and becoming more aware of my body that I knew something had to change, and thus began my Womb Healing journey. In this time, I went to women’s circles, began practices such as womb massage, yoni steaming, honoring my bleeding time as sacred, and living cyclically. I became so immersed in my healing and enthralled with the blood mysteries of womanhood that I decided to quit my corporate job and sign up for Doula training. I had the strong desire to walk with women as they cross the threshold from maiden to mother.
I spent a few years as a doula attending births throughout the hospitals, birth centers, and homes of Los Angeles and Ventura County until it stopped feeling “right.” How many births had I been at where we had developed a beautiful birth plan, discussed how to advocate for yourself, the cascade of interventions, etc., before only to have it all crumble when the medical system deemed a labor too long, too dangerous, or more accurately, too inconvenient, to continue as is. I could no longer be a part of that and serve in integrity. I could no longer lie to my sisters, the women of my community, about what this system really holds for them.
I spent some time away from the birth world and dove into teaching women about their cycles, wombs, and menstruation. It felt good to take a step back to this original rite of passage because I truly believe trust in your body’s cycles is a pre-requisite for trust in your body’s ability to birth. Now, I coach women 1:1 on how to align their entire lives with their cycles and heal their relationships with their womb bodies. And I am finally re-entering the birth world, not as a doula, but as a Birth Keeper. This spring, I will be diving into Free Birth Society’s Radical Birth Keeper school so that I may serve women in deeper integrity with trust in undisturbed physiological birth.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The road has not always been smooth. It’s hard stepping outside of the systems you have always known! At times, I have felt isolated, unsure and questioned myself. There is a lot of stigma around many of the things I teach about- periods, free birth, even using the word woman is triggering to some. I have also had my own struggles with my menstrual cycle that made me question my worthiness as a teacher. Ultimately what I have realized though, is that these struggles or roadblocks are actually the most important part of the work. As my mentor said, they are opportunities to sink teachers into your teachings. I feel grateful for that.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Moon Baby Magic is a space of wild womanhood that values living cyclically, seasonally, and in tune with the female body. I help guide women back into harmony with their wombs no matter where they are in their lives or on their journeys. My instagram @moonbaby_magic is a great place to start receiving some information if you are curious. From there, mentorship is a container to deepen for those who are currently cycling. I offer birth and postpartum support packages for women in those phases of life, as well as rites of passage ceremonies such as Mother Blessings, Closing of the Bones, and Menarche Ceremonies for girls. There are also a few opportunities for one-off calls/sessions for anyone who is curious about what working together may entail! The most important thing to know is I am passionate about supporting women. My mission on this earth is to remind women of their inherent power and give them permission to live more easefully and in tune with their bodies.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
The most important lesson I have learned is trust. I have learned to trust to let things go that no longer feel in alignment and to trust that the next step will reveal itself when it’s time. I have learned to trust my body. One of my favorite quotes is from a teacher of mine, Elder Midwife Whapio. She says “Your body was never meant to confuse or confound you.” When I look at the menstrual cycle, birth, and the physiological and biological reality of being a woman, it is so simple. Our bodies are always working for us. The best thing we can do is just support them and love them.
Contact Info:
- Website: moonbabymagic.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/moonbaby_magic
Image Credits
Paula Simons Photography Lore Photography Ventura
