Autonomous Pelvic Care

Autonomous Pelvic Care Holistic pelvic support: botanical care for the full spectrum of your reproductive health, education Scholarships may be available for courses and services.

Autonomous Pelvic Care brings the midwifery model to the full spectrum of reproductive health: fertility, pregnancy and post-partum, abortion and miscarriage, gender-affirming hormone care, STI testing, treatment for common pelvic complaints, herbal contraception, menstrual management, and more. Our client services and educational offerings center LGBTQIA+, Black and Indigenous people, and marginalized communities such as non-native English speakers, sex workers, and abuse survivors. In an effort to offer low-cost alternatives to our predatory health care and educational systems, fees and products are always sliding scale. However, we love alternative economies and are open to bartering Email autonomouspelviccare@protonmail.com.

Website is launched! We’re so happy to announce that we’re live at autonomouspelviccare.com, offering online bookings fo...
12/11/2021

Website is launched! We’re so happy to announce that we’re live at autonomouspelviccare.com, offering online bookings for community provision of pelvic and reproductive health services. Watch this space for workshops, digital libraries, and other free resources–we’ll be adding more soon. 💻❤🙌🏼

Posted • .maternity.care It hurts to hear, but it’s true. Your provider may pour their blood, sweat and tears into thei...
12/04/2021

Posted • .maternity.care It hurts to hear, but it’s true.

Your provider may pour their blood, sweat and tears into their job, but it’s still a job.

Thinking about your birth this way will keep you from leaning so hard on your provider, and get in to leaning on yourself - your research, your knowledge, your instincts, your decisions. This is what mothering is about.

Some hospital providers like to say that motherhood is about relinquishing control, and that’s just absolute BS. That’s their mindset, and their problem.

Lean on yourself.

Center yourself.

This is about you and your birth with YOUR baby.

They don’t own you. They don’t own your baby. They don’t live with anything they do to you or your baby.

They are not going to lose sleep over your non-consented cervical check. They are not going to have to heal for months from your c-section. They won’t have to deal with your prolapse. In fact, they likely won’t even hear about any of this, because your last appointment will be 5 minutes and 6 weeks postpartum, and they’ll catch you later at your next pap.

You care about your body, your life, your baby, your family. Your life, your birth, and your baby are worth everything. You are a blip in your provider’s day. (Okay, you are more than a blip in a homebirth midwife’s day.)

Do not overestimate how much they care. They at times do make suggestions that will not benefit you, but are just more convenient for them. They at times do make recommendations that are not evidence-based and will put you at risk. Once you can put aside your belief that they have your best interests at heart, at all times - you can leave room to put your interests first. To follow your gut. To fact check them. To ask questions. Demand they explain why they are making their recommendation. What policy are they following? What research are they following? And when they say they only care about your baby, remind them that you care more.

Why not reproductive care? We get asked a lot about our word choice, as a lot of our work focuses on education and servi...
10/25/2021

Why not reproductive care? We get asked a lot about our word choice, as a lot of our work focuses on education and services relating to "reproductive" or "s3xual" organs--it's a fair question! Language matters.
Lots of folks don't use those organs for reproduction: think menopause, infertility, gender affirming hormone therapy, or those who choose not to have biological children. For plenty of people, it's not precise or appropriate to say s3xual organs either.
Centering our model on descriptive terms like s*xual or reproductive isn’t inclusive, but everyone has a pelvis: the lower trunk, between your abdomen and your thighs, that serves as the structural basis for the rest of your skeleton and is the seat of your security and safety.
What do you think about reframing a new paradigm around pelvic care, grounded in the community provision of health resources? Do you prefer other terms?


*xualhealth

Our medical trauma and poor outcomes stem from a fundamental flaw in our healthcare system: that physicians and governme...
10/19/2021

Our medical trauma and poor outcomes stem from a fundamental flaw in our healthcare system: that physicians and government legislators are the experts on our bodies and the authority for treatment decisions comes from them. IT DOESN'T. Your body is YOURS, and so is your right to refuse treatment, give informed consent, discuss options, and seek other opinions.
It's disappointing to see so many mock and belittle those who make different decisions for their own health and bodies. From vaccines to abortions, we may not agree with others' choices, but we can support their fundamental right to choose what happens to their own person. Finding common ground with those who have opposing political views is a powerful way for us to get everyone on board with bodily autonomy!

Gratitude to everyone who came out to Samhain market, and to and for sharing the tent and table space. We loved meeti...
10/18/2021

Gratitude to everyone who came out to Samhain market, and to and for sharing the tent and table space. We loved meeting all of you and making new friends!

Donations keep this work possible! In order to offer sliding scale services and classes and free medicine, we rely on co...
10/15/2021

Donations keep this work possible! In order to offer sliding scale services and classes and free medicine, we rely on community donations and support. Can you spare $5? We're so grateful! 🙏🏼



[Image: a white and red sandwich board on a pink background reads "Donate to Autonomous Pelvic Care; CashApp $autonomouspelviccare, paypal.me/autonomouspelviccare" in a white font.]

Thanks for your support! This is a grassroots healthcare movement that relies on community to spread the word and get th...
09/25/2021

Thanks for your support! This is a grassroots healthcare movement that relies on community to spread the word and get the tools to take care of our own bodies into the world. Like and share this post, and tag a friend who would enjoy following us! When we reach 1000, 3 lovely people will get speculum exam kits (with a personal speculum, l**e, a relaxing bag of tea, and an 8-page resource booklet). And because that’s not everyone’s cup of tea, we’ll happily provide a pelvic health tea, rinse, or relaxing salt/scrub mix to the winner if you prefer. Get the word out! The pelvic care revolution is here.
Image 1: Orange flowers behind a peach text box that reads “Help us reach 1k; swipe for giveaway; like, share, and tag a friend.”
Image 2: A purple bag containing a speculum kit, a flyer, and a Cervical Self-Exam resource pack on a flowered cloth background.
Image 3 and 4: Cellophane bags containing herbal teas, rinses, and salt mixtures on a flowered cloth background. They are: Uterine Tonic, Nerve Soother, UTI Tonic, Peri-Fairy Rinse, and CBD lavender and dead nettle salt/scrub.


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Stick a spec on it! Our speculum stickers are a conversation starter, a gorgeous accessory, and a reminder that we can a...
09/19/2021

Stick a spec on it! Our speculum stickers are a conversation starter, a gorgeous accessory, and a reminder that we can and will reclaim our bodily autonomy from the white supremacist bio-medical patriarchy.
These will be available at the Oddities Mabon Market 9/19 from 5pm-dark, $3/each or 2/$5. Order a spec kit from us by Halloween and we'll throw one in for ya!
Thanks for this gorgeous design and your unending support for our initiative!

[An round antique white and gold picture frame holds 3 stacks of black and white speculum stickers against a wood grain background. The stacks are fanned out so that other stickers peek from behind the top one.]

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*xualhealth

Season change got you a little salty? Don’t forget CBD bath salts and scrubs to soak your cares away, and if you prefer ...
09/17/2021

Season change got you a little salty? Don’t forget CBD bath salts and scrubs to soak your cares away, and if you prefer tinctures to tea we’ve got those too!
These hand-made, small batch botanical items are made with loving care and are available this Sunday 9/19 at the Oddities Mabon Market, from 5 pm-dark, and are sliding scale $8/$10/$12. DM if you’d like to have one shipped. Nobody is turned away who is in need of medicine.
CBD salts/scrubs: Epsom salt with organic rose and vanilla OR lavender and dead-nettle. These small batch beauties include botanicals foraged locally in East Tennessee, and are ideal to add to a warm bath for a relaxing soak. Or, blend with coconut, almond, or jojoba oil for a luxurious and moisturizing body scrub to nourish your skin as the days get colder and drier.
Tinctures (not pictured): we’ll have blue cohosh, angelica, d**g quai, motherwort, nettle, and more! These medicines focus on preparing and sustaining the body through reproductive events, like birth, abortion, miscarriage, fertility, and menstruation. 
These are sold for $8/$10/$12 for 1 oz or $18/$20/$22 for 2 oz. Nobody who needs medicine is turned away.
[Image: floral background with a pink plate in center holding botanical salts in plastic bags.]


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What’s the tea? Uterine tonics to help with period cramping, nervine blends to calm anxieties, a UTI treatment blend for...
09/17/2021

What’s the tea? Uterine tonics to help with period cramping, nervine blends to calm anxieties, a UTI treatment blend for quick relief, and a soothing perineum rinse for irritated tissues (think yeast infections, post-partum, or even--ahem-- after a little frisky business). 
Available this Sunday 9/19 at the Oddities Mabon Market, from 5 pm-dark, and are sliding scale $8/$10/$12. DM if you’d like to have one shipped. Nobody is turned away who is in need of medicine.
Uterine Tonic Tea: d**g quai, ginger, and red raspberry leaf in a mild and delicious blend assists with proper hormone balance and provides relief for those experiencing painful cramps or heavy bleeding. 
UTI Tonic Tea: marshmallow root, uva ursi, and yarrow are perfect to provide physical relief and comfort during a urinary tract infection. Or, brew a cup of this before you get into that hot tub to support your uro-genital tract and prevent irritation!
Nerve soother: skullcap blended with aromatic lavender and chamomile brews up into a deliciously fragrant cup perfectly balanced to help calm anxieties and re-center. Great to help with the jitters and bring a sense of peace.
Peri-Fairy Rinse: yarrow, lavender, and calendula are powerhouses of soothing inflamed tissues, and this little package is a must-have to address irritation from bacterial vaginosis, yeast infections, UTIs, post-partum soreness, or for your after-s*x clean up. Make up a little brew to rinse yourself for instant relief!
[Image 1: white and yellow flowers on the left, turquoise blue velvet background, pink plate filled with herbal blends in plastic bags in the center. Image 2: floral cloth on a table with green and yellow flowered banquette in the background. A white enamel jug holds yellow and white flowers with green foliage, around the base of which is a green and white wreath.]


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Does your handkerchief have a speculum on it?These cyanotype prints feature medical devices like a speculum, flowers and...
09/17/2021

Does your handkerchief have a speculum on it?
These cyanotype prints feature medical devices like a speculum, flowers and herbs, vi*****rs, and even tools used in abortion care like cannulas. By grouping botanical elements with objects used for reproductive health, we want to normalize the idea of softening our bodies for pelvic care and invoking the idea of pleasure and ease--yes, even for a pap smear! It’s possible to create new worlds together through home-based and community-provided services.
Cyanotype printing uses the sun to create silhouettes of objects. Are some of these a little over-exposed? Yeah! But then so is Knoxville to Covid, because y’all won’t wear masks. 🤷🏻‍♀️😜
These cyanotype handkerchiefs are available this Sunday 9/19 at the Oddities Mabon Market, from 5 pm-dark, and are sliding scale $20/25. DM if you’d like to have one shipped. 
**Check the cyanotype print highlight to see all the styles available**
If you love the look but want a G-rated, kid-friendly version, we’ll have small masks ready and prepped for printing available for free with any $15 purchase from our market stall. All you’ll need to do is help a kiddo place favorite objects (shells and leaves look beautiful, but tiny toys and treasures are fine too) on the pre-prepared mask, lay it in direct sunlight for 5-10 minutes, rinse and let dry. What a perfect family activity to celebrate the Autumn Equinox! 
[Image 1: A grouping of indigo blue cyanotype handkerchiefs in plastic envelopes on a yellow background. In the middle is an unfolded handkerchief printed with flowers and a Hitachi wand vi****or. Images 2-11 feature cyanotype printed handkerchiefs featuring flowers, leaves, speculums, cannulas, and vi*****rs.]




 

 







*xualhealth *xtoy ****or

Why the heck spec check yourself? Cervical self-exams help you:-Familiarize yourself with the tool-Learn to self-insert ...
09/17/2021

Why the heck spec check yourself? Cervical self-exams help you:
-Familiarize yourself with the tool
-Learn to self-insert at your next gynecology appointment
-Assess cervical mucous and cervical opening (os) for fertility if trying to conceive or avoid pregnancy
-Check general health (color of tissues, lubrication)
Our Speculum Kits include a speculum (the star of the show), l**e, and an 8-page resource and instruction guide. They are sliding scale $8/$10/$12, but FREE FOR BIPOC/BLACK WOMEN. We’ll have these available at the Oddities Mabon Market 9/19 from 5 pm-dark. DM if you’d like to order one shipped.
Did you know the history of the speculum is one of the darkest in American medical history? Our “Liberation and Resilience” class details how the “founder of American gynecology” invented this device while experimenting on unanesthetized enslaved black women. And while it’s certainly one of the worst examples of our medical system exploiting and violating vulnerable bodies and people of color, it’s not the only one! Reclaiming this tool and developing stronger skills for reproductive self-advocacy and care is something that should be free to all those who bear the ancestral burden of that history.
[Gossamer bags of white, purple and silver on a yellow background with sprigs of lavender in the foreground. The outlines of l**e packets and speculums can be faintly seen through some of the bags.]




 
   
 




Address

Knoxville, TN

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 5pm
Tuesday 10am - 5pm
Wednesday 10am - 5pm
Thursday 10am - 5pm

Telephone

+18653158505

Website

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