Everybody prepares you for the baby. Who prepares you for what happens to you after the baby arrives?About this Event
The Fourth Trimester Circle is a free, facilitated community conversation about the part of pregnancy and parenthood we don't talk about nearly enough: life after birth.
This isn't a class, and there's no perfect way to do postpartum here. It's a welcoming space for expecting and postpartum parents to talk honestly, ask questions, share experiences, listen, laugh, vent, and connect with people navigating — or preparing to navigate — the same enormous transition.
We might talk about recovery. Identity. Relationships. Sex and intimacy. Feeding. Sleep. Family boundaries. Loneliness. Asking for help. Loving your baby and missing your old life. Feeling touched-out. Finding your village. The things that surprised you. The things nobody warned you about.
Nothing about the fourth trimester is too awkward, messy, small, or "TMI" for the conversation.
There is no set discussion agenda. The people in the room help shape where the conversation goes, with gentle facilitation and prompts available when we need them.
Who is this circle for?
Expecting and postpartum parents of all identities, family structures, paths to parenthood, and birth experiences are welcome. Whether you're navigating pregnancy yourself, supporting a partner, growing your family through surrogacy or adoption, parenting solo or with others, or finding your own way into this new season of life — there is space for you here.
You do not need to have a question prepared or a story to share. You're welcome to simply come, listen, and be in community.
A few agreements
We want this to be a space where people with different experiences, families, identities, beliefs, and choices can speak openly and be treated with care.
We can talk about how culture, faith, politics, healthcare systems, family expectations, and current events affect our lived experiences — but this isn't a space for debate or persuasion. We center personal experience, curiosity, respect, and compassion.
What is shared personally in the circle should stay in the circle.
About Your Facilitator
The Fourth Trimester Circle is facilitated by Lolonyo Carter, Founder & Lead Practitioner of Ancestral Roots Wellness, a Washington, DC-based holistic wellness practice supporting people through life's sacred transitions.
Lolonyo is a Certified Full-Spectrum Doula and holistic wellness practitioner whose work includes birth and postpartum support, perinatal education, intimacy and relationship coaching, grief and end-of-life support, Reiki, herbal wellness, and community-centered care.
The Fourth Trimester Circle is free to attend.
Come as you are. Bring your questions, your experiences, your curiosity — or just yourself.
The Fourth Trimester Circle is a community conversation and educational gathering. It is not therapy, medical care, or a substitute for individualized support from a qualified healthcare or mental health professional.
Event venue
Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, 901 G Street Northwest, Washington, United States
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