Rootswise Doula

Rootswise Doula Crystal Lyons - Holistic homebirth + postpartum support in Santa Cruz, CA and surrounding areas.

This is something I’m often reminding the families I work with—and extending grace to myself as I reflect on my own earl...
04/10/2026

This is something I’m often reminding the families I work with—and extending grace to myself as I reflect on my own early mothering journey.

There’s nothing wrong with you as a mother. Babies are not harder now than in the past. It’s that the system and conditions we’re parenting within are deeply misaligned.

The patriarchal, colonized, capitalistic structures we live in are in opposition to the way the mother-baby dyad is naturally wired.

In traditional societies, it’s understood that care for the dyad is shared—that it belongs to the family, the community, the village.

This is the consciousness I, and so many others in the birth and postpartum space, are working to revive.

Slowly but surely… we are remembering what we were never meant to do alone.

When we don’t rest in postpartum, we compromise the integrity of our pelvic floor, prolong healing, increase the risk of...
03/24/2026

When we don’t rest in postpartum, we compromise the integrity of our pelvic floor, prolong healing, increase the risk of mastitis, and place added strain on our mental health. And we certainly don’t want to normalize things like leaking when we sneeze or experiencing painful s*x later in life.

So how do you get adequate rest in postpartum?
You ask for help.

I promise you—your loved ones want to help. They want to support you, they just don’t always know how. Be specific in your requests so you can harness their willingness in a meaningful, productive way.

Friends and family can help with a meal train, errands, cleaning, spending time with older children, taking the dog for a walk, or simply keeping you company while bringing you food in bed.

Building a care team is just as important. Doulas, pelvic floor physical therapists, chiropractors, massage therapists, acupuncturists, perinatal mental health therapists, and other practitioners can offer specialized support—ideally arranged prenatally.

If finances are a barrier, look for providers who accept insurance or can offer a superbill for reimbursement. You can also create a postpartum care fund early in pregnancy, share it often, and invite loved ones to contribute to your care.

Your healing will be shaped not just by what you do—but by how deeply you allow yourself to rest and receive.

Rest is not a luxury in postpartum—it’s foundational.

Support is not a bonus—it’s how we’re meant to move through postpartum.

In Ayurveda, the postpartum season is referred to as a sacred window. It is a time when great care is taken in the mothe...
03/17/2026

In Ayurveda, the postpartum season is referred to as a sacred window. It is a time when great care is taken in the mother’s healing after birth and is known to be an investment in her future wellbeing… 42 days of rest, bodywork, warmth, special foods, and herbs to support 42 years of good health.

This kind of care takes planning, forethought, skilled postpartum practitioners, and community support.

Because this level of care cannot exist in a vacuum or within the nuclear family alone. It is too much for your partner to carry by themselves. Too vast to simply “wing it.” Too sacred to just “survive.”

The future health of you and your family is too important.

This is a time to be held.
A time to receive.

.ann.johnson

Your superpower as a mother will come from tuning out the noise and trusting yourself🤍
03/11/2026

Your superpower as a mother will come from tuning out the noise and trusting yourself🤍

03/09/2026

In honor of my birthday and International Women’s Day, I felt inspired to share this little glimpse into my childhood.

Little me just wanted to be a mom when I grew up… and lucky for me, I found the best job ever—where I get to mother other moms.

If you can relate, here’s your reminder that being “just a mom” is actually one of the most important jobs in the world. And if you’re a powerhouse mom boss, or executive doing big things out in the world, that’s amazing too.

However motherhood shows up in your life… women are incredible🥰

Eight-year-old, only-child me wanted nothing more than for my mom to have a baby. By the time I was nine, my wish came true and my brother was born.

Honestly, I think my mom had to fight me for him because I wanted to do all the things to take care of him.

Once I had my own sons, I realized… wow, my mom was really lucky to have an older daughter like me who was clearly destined to be in birth work someday😄 Eight-year-old me would definitely be proud.

I inherited my mom’s love of babies, and now—after 25 years of being a doula—I still leave client visits pinching myself and thinking, I can’t believe I get to do this for my job.

Even though my boys are nearly all grown, I remember all too well how tender and challenging those newborn days can be. No mother should have to figure it all out alone while she’s healing, learning her baby, and becoming someone new. It makes my heart swell to play even a small part in helping another mother feel held and supported through her own matrescence.

When I began this work, my mission was clear: to be part of the solution in a society that is sadly lacking in proper postpartum care.

Every mother deserves support.
We were never meant to navigate this season alone.

So when you hire me as your postpartum doula, you’re getting the same little girl who always wanted to care for the baby… and the experienced mother and doula who now knows just how much the mother needs caring for too.

And if the only two people I’m meant to make proud in this life are eight-year-old me and eighty-year-old me… I think I’m on the right path.

In the transformation that is motherhood, what’s helping you feel connected right now?Maybe it’s:Your sweet baby snuggle...
03/06/2026

In the transformation that is motherhood, what’s helping you feel connected right now?

Maybe it’s:
Your sweet baby snuggled in your arms
Your partner showing up for you in new ways
New friendships with other moms who get it
A mug of warm herbal tea bringing you back to yourself
Your support team caring for you & holding space
Feeling the sun on your face as you watch the leaves rustle in the wind

Whatever it is, take a moment to notice, acknowledge & give thanks for these connections as we head into the weekend. Happy Friday🤍

I know firsthand how overwhelming it can feel preparing for a first baby. Everywhere you turn there are lists telling yo...
03/06/2026

I know firsthand how overwhelming it can feel preparing for a first baby. Everywhere you turn there are lists telling you what you need, and it can feel like you’re supposed to buy all the things.

Over the years I’ve developed a pretty minimalist perspective on baby gear… because the truth is, you really don’t need that much.

But diapers?
Those are something you will be using every single day.

When my first son was a baby, I invested in two dozen cloth diapers. It felt like a big decision at the time, but looking back it was one of the best purchases I made. Those same diapers lasted through his entire diapering journey… and then through his two younger brothers as well.

As a doula, I’ve also come to appreciate how cloth diapering pairs beautifully with elimination communication — a practice that simply means tuning into your baby’s cues and offering potty opportunities from early on.

Believe it or not, it’s not nearly as complicated or intimidating as it might sound. In many ways it actually makes parenting easier.

I didn’t learn about elimination communication until my first son was already a toddler, and I remember wishing I had known sooner. I promised myself that with future children, I would try it from the beginning.

When my second and third sons were born, I did just that… and wow. The difference was like night and day. There was far less diaper laundry, much easier settling once I learned their cues, and it felt like such a natural form of communication between us.

If you’re curious about learning more, the account is a wonderful place to start exploring elimination communication.

And I’m so excited to share my new partnership with ! These are hands-down my favorite cloth diapers and truly one of the smartest investments you can make for your baby and the planet.

No judgment here — just sharing options and things I wish more parents knew about earlier.

I’d love to hear from you:

What about cloth diapers or elimination communication feels overwhelming or out of reach for you right now?

With the vibrant spring blooms, fairy-like twinkles of raindrops on clover, and rainbows between passing showers, March ...
03/02/2026

With the vibrant spring blooms, fairy-like twinkles of raindrops on clover, and rainbows between passing showers, March reminds us to dream.

Whether you’re in a busy season of growth or a restorative season of rest, hold on to your visions. As mothers, our aspirations may take longer to manifest as life twists and turns — but in the end, it all unfolds in divine timing.

Keep the focus. Trust the journey. Enjoy the ride as it refines us into our wisest, most authentic selves.

Grateful to be back here with you🌿✨

What are you dreaming into this season?

🌸

We were never meant to raise children inside of a nuclear family setup. It’s simply not how humans have thrived for gene...
02/16/2026

We were never meant to raise children inside of a nuclear family setup. It’s simply not how humans have thrived for generations.

When I meet couples who are banking on paternity leave as their entire postpartum plan, it’s usually because they don’t know what they don’t know. And babies have a way of humbling us like that.

Two weeks off work is not the same thing as a fully supported transition into parenthood.

The framework of “two layers of support” and postpartum scaffolding that I share here is something I learned through the teachings of Rachelle Garcia Seliga of Innate Traditions. It completely shifted the way I understand family care after birth.

Let this be your loving nudge to beef up your postpartum care team with as many steady, capable, nurturing people as you can. Think beyond survival. Think scaffolding. Think village.

Because postpartum isn’t just about caring for a baby — it’s about holding the whole family while it transforms.

As we head into the weekend, I’m lingering on this quote that I came across while reading Matrescence by Lucy Jones. Jan...
02/13/2026

As we head into the weekend, I’m lingering on this quote that I came across while reading Matrescence by Lucy Jones. Jane Lazarre, author of The Mother Knot, was referenced alongside musings about maternal ambivalence.

Ambivalence… I had to look this word up because at first glance I assumed it meant “not really caring.” But I learned it’s actually about holding mixed or conflicting feelings at the same time.

How appropriate for motherhood.

The author shared her frustration with constantly hearing the advice to “enjoy every minute of motherhood.” And while well-meaning — and yes, time truly does fly — those words can feel heavy for a new mother. Is she expected to enjoy *every* minute? Even the hard, frustrating, infuriating ones?

Talk about a gateway to mom guilt.

It’s important to acknowledge that there will be parts of motherhood you don’t love — parts you may even resent — and simultaneously, your love for your child is infinite. Both can exist at once.

Yet another reason good postpartum care matters. Having the calm presence of an experienced mother beside you — someone you can speak honestly with and not feel judged — changes everything. Someone who understands. Someone who’s been there.

So if you are in the trenches of mothering littles and feel this way, know that you’re not alone. There’s nothing wrong with you. You’re not a bad mom.

You deserve breaks.
You deserve time alone.

That doesn’t make you selfish.
It makes you wise.
It makes you resilient.

Pretty much. This is a season meant to be lived in receiving mode.The questions to ask yourself prenatally, when prepari...
02/05/2026

Pretty much. This is a season meant to be lived in receiving mode.

The questions to ask yourself prenatally, when preparing for postpartum, are: what needs to be in place to make this possible?

Who are the people you can call on?
Who will feed you?
Who will care for your home?
Who will care for your body?

And maybe even more importantly—what is your relationship to rest right now? What does rest mean or look like to you? How easy or difficult is it for you to ask for and receive help?

Remember, once your baby is in your arms, it won’t be the gadgets or the cute outfits that hold you.

It will be the people you surround yourself with.

The people you invite into this sacred space and time.

PS: If you’re preparing for postpartum (or supporting someone who is), this book is such a grounding, wise read. One I recommend again and again.

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Santa Cruz, CA

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

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(831)818-4562

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