In this episode, we will be learning about an occupational therapy practitioner working in maternal health and fitness. You will hear from the personal and professional experiences of Maria Banks, OTD, OTR/L. Maria is the owner of The Health Mamas; a company she started to help pregnant and postnatal women safely meet their health and fitness goals. Maria is a Doctor of Occupational Therapy with over 10 year’s experience helping adults achieve their functional goals and a Certified Pre and Post Natal Fitness Specialist certified by AFPA. Maria is also a mom of one, recently giving birth to her healthy baby boy.  Maria combines her background as an Occupational Therapist and a Pre and Post Natal Fitness Specialist to provide a holistic approach to help new and expectant moms meet their health and fitness goals. She provides a variety of services, including health coaching, nutrition support, personal training, and group fitness classes to help women physically, mentally, and emotionally along their maternal health journey. Maria has always been interested in fitness and maintained a strong fitness regimen. During her pregnancy, she took the necessary steps to maintain a strong health regimen and felt inspired to help other women through their journey. She became the resource that she wish she had during her pregnancy and postpartum journey. She strives to empower women and build a community of women who want to take charge of their maternal health.

Show Key Points:

·      Maria gives us a glimpse of her background and interests

·      Maria describes The Uncommon OT work that she does, the setting and population serves

·      Maria describes what drew her to this type of work and how she got there

·      Maria describes a typical day on the job

·      Maria discusses salary, compensation, and career advice for interested listeners

·      Maria dispels some myths about the profession

·      Maria provides her contact information on how she can best be reached 

RESOURCES:

Benefits of Fitness on Maternal Health:

Clapp, J.F., 2000, "Exercise during pregnancy: A clinical update" Clinical Sports Medicine 

Domenjoz, I., B. Kayser, and M. Boulvain. 2014. "Effect of physical activity during pregnancy on mode of delivery." American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology  

Perales, M.L., Calabria, C. Lopez, E. Franco, J. Coteron, and R. Barakat. 2015. "Regular Exercise Throughout Pregnancy is Associated With Short First Stage of Labor." American Journal of Health Promotion 

As always, I welcome any feedback & ideas from all of you or if you are interested in being a guest on future episodes, please do not hesitate to contact Patricia Motus at [email protected] or DM via Instagram @transitionsot 

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