enjoying personal time without the guilt

As a mother of two, my days are often planned down the minute…work, preschool, playdates, swim lessons and more!  And then if I’m lucky, I squeeze in a date night, a hair appointments or a mani/pedi.  But why is that I can feel guilty for taking that extra hour or two to myself?  All of the “I should’s” always quickly rush through my head…

• I should be home playing with my boys

• I should be home making dinner

• I should be working

And I know I’m not alone in this struggle.  My mommy clients and friends often express the same feelings.  Some moms refer to this as “mommy’s guilt”-that lovely feeling of always feeling like we should be doing more for our kids.  It come from such a good place in all of us, but we (I) need to practice letting it go!

And this last week, while I was in Colorado taking a course, I had the perfect opportunity to take advantage of some me time, while focusing on embracing the moment versus feeling guilty about it.  I leisurely enjoyed dinner alone outside (with a glass of rose, as you can see in the picture), I got a massage one evening after class and I even took a few hikes.  I know being out of town alone makes it easier to take time for yourself, but it made me realize how I need to do it more often when I’m home.

So I’m writing this blog as a reminder to myself and to all of you.  Our time will always be limited, there is always more we can do, but ultimately we are happier, more fulfilled and more present with our children when we take care of ourselves.  So take that extra hour to yourself without guilt and do exactly what makes you happy!

what is a women's health PT?

The practice of physical therapy has greatly evolved over the years.   Along with most other fields of medicine, physical therapy continues to become more and more specialized. More than ever before, physical therapy has also branched into areas of wellness and prevention that has allowed patients to continue their overall health long after recovery.  

Being exposed to a Women’s Health course in my Doctorate program, I immediately knew that was the speciality I wanted to achieve.  After passing my board certification and attending many continuing education courses, I became a Doctor of Physical Therapy and Board Certified as a Women’s Health Clinical Specialist. 

But exactly what does that mean?  What is a Women’s Health PT specialist and why should I see one? How could this possibly benefit me? 

As a Women’s Health Physical Therapist, our goal is to optimize function as it relates to the pelvic floor.  A Women’s Health Physical Therapist is competent in treating women who have had any pain, dysfunction, surgery or anything associated in their abdominal and/or pelvic region.  This might include, but not limited to, issues in and around pregnancy and delivery, pelvic floor pain, incontinence, anorgasmia and more.  And because the proper function of the pelvic floor is a key component to the core system, many other orthopedic concerns such as hip or back pain, can be treated by a Women’s Health PT as well. 

A Women’s Health physical therapist will take you through a thorough medical history,  assess your posture, strength, flexibility, movement, gait, viscera and pelvic floor function through an internal pelvic floor exam if appropriate.  Nutrition and lifestyle is also a key component to Women’s Health and wellness, so will therefore also be addressed and incorporated in the treatment plan. 

In today’s society many women’s health issues such as back pain during pregnancy, or incontinence after pregnancy are easily brushed off and considered “normal”.  When in fact, these symptoms might be very “common”, they are not “normal” at all.  I’m here to tell you that you can live pain free after giving birth. That you can continue to have mobility in your upper body post mastectomy. And you don’t need to leak urine every time you laugh.  Symptoms or no symptoms, a Women’s Health Physical Therapist can guide you to feeling like your best self and connect to your inner core.

sweet laurel motherhood wellness workshop

I was fortunate to have been a part of Sweet Laurel Bakery’s Motherhood Wellness Workshop a few weeks ago in beautiful LA. Laurel and Claire, the wonderful mothers and chefs behind Sweet Laurel, hosted a lovely Saturday afternoon get together on the most perfect fall day, where I had the chance to discuss with all the women in attendance, my approach on preparing your body for motherhood, pregnancy as well as healing your body post partum. It was so special to lead a group of women in an open and safe environment on a topic that is so important. 

In typical Sweet Laurel fashion, we all enjoyed a delicious grain free lunch, with ingredients so pure and nourishing, that we all felt energized and our blood sugar remained balanced for the remainder of the day. While we ate our desserts, we listened to Claire give a talk on what self care truly means to new moms, followed by Laurel doing a baking demo, using the best healing ingredients and foods to add to our bodies during and post pregnancy (and this can be found in cookies and brownies!)

The day concluded with the moms in attendance, continuing to share stories with one another about their own experiences and lots of numbers were exchanged before we said goodbye. All of the guests left with some of our favorite ways to take care of themselves at home, including my all time everything balm, Nucifera, which is great for daily massage especially abdominal massage (I demo’d this during my talk), and the most perfect non toxic and nourishing lipstick, from Kosås cosmetics, which I found out that day has natural SPF. Plus it wouldn’t be an LA event, without some palo santo, the perfect addition to cleanse your sacred home as well as your loved ones. 

I believe that it is so important to have a community of mothers who support each other in all stages of motherhood, so I am thankful for being a part of this important event and for everyone that attended!