Poised & Powerful Parenting

Do you know where your pelvic floor is, and why should you care about it? That’s exactly what we dive into in today’s episode with Lindsey Vestal. Lindsey is an occupational therapist with a focus on pelvic health, and today she joins us (from Paris!) to talk about the pelvic floor, and how this structure supports our essential functions. This week, episode 34 of Poised & Powerful Podcast is sharing inside knowledge on pelvic floor care! 

Do you find yourself needing extra time to recover from your weekend or time to prepare your mind and body for the week ahead? Join me for a restorative practice where we’ll release tension in our neck, back, and shoulders. Clear your mind so you’ll feel reset and re-energized for yourself and your family. Drop into my Sunday evening restorative group: https://poisedpowerfulparenthood.com/take-a-break

Lindsey Vestal has helped thousands of people overcome chronic pelvic health challenges like incontinence and pelvic pain. Her goal is to empower women and men to listen to the wisdom of their own bodies—without resorting to invasive surgeries or prescription drugs—so they can heal and get back to enjoying life again.

In this episode of Poised & Powerful Podcast, Lindsey and I discuss the following:

• What a pelvic floor is, and where to get started exploring this part of your body so you’re not afraid of it.
• How your daily activities - and bathroom habits - affect your pelvic floor. 
• How to find the right pelvic floor therapist for you, who takes the time to listen to you and understand your concerns. 
• How more muscle tone isn’t always better when it comes to the pelvic floor, and other pelvic floor myths debunked! 

Whether you’ve given birth or not, your emotions and experiences affect your pelvic floor, and we want everyone to be empowered with this information. Especially if you’re dealing with leaking, “sneeze pee”, chronic constipation, painful sex, or other pelvic health challenges - we don’t want you to be too embarrassed to seek help. Take care of your pelvic floor and it will take care of you! 

Do you have a favorite pelvic floor fact, exercise, or practice - post to your stories and tag us! And please rate and review - it helps new listeners find us!

Learn more about Poised & Powerful and Sarah at https://poisedpowerfulparenthood.com/interviews

CONNECT WITH LINDSEY VESTAL:

Website

Instagram: @functionalpelvis

Kegels that Work! 

Lindsey’s newsletter with great insider tips 

Podcast: OTs in Pelvic Health

CONNECT WITH SARAH MAYHAN:

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Work with Sarah! 

LINKS MENTIONED:

Pelvic Organ Party Podcast Episode

We love our kids - but wow, they can press our buttons. How do you keep your cool with your children when dealing with daily frustrations and stresses? I posed this question to Morgan Rysdon, AT teacher and parent. We talk about mindful skills that can help you - but also, you don’t have to be a perfectly calm parent all the time. This week, episode 33 of Poised & Powerful Podcast is sharing what to do when we are losing it with our kids! 

Do you find yourself needing extra time to recover from your weekend or time to prepare your mind and body for the week ahead? Join me for a restorative practice where we’ll release tension in our necks, backs, and shoulders. Clear your mind so you’ll feel reset and re-energized for yourself and your family. Drop into the online Sunday Scaries Support group class: https://poisedpowerfulparenthood.com/take-a-break

Morgan Rysdon is a nationally certified Alexander Technique teacher and founder of Center Studio. She has a private practice in Atlanta, NYC and online where she helps individuals elevate their performances on stage, at work, and in life. Her teaching is focused on improving the overall function of an individual's mind, body, breath, and voice—as well as helping those struggling with chronic pain, injury, stress, and/or anxiety. Morgan has a BA in Acting and, in 2011, she gained her teaching certification from The American Center for the Alexander Technique. Since then, she’s gone on to teach international private lessons and group classes that improve others' self-awareness, self-confidence, and poise. 

In this episode of Poised & Powerful Podcast, Morgan and I discuss the following:

• What you can learn by allowing yourself to slow down and enjoy those moments when you have to adjust to your kid’s speed. 
• Why yelling at your kids creates resistance and what it truly teaches them - or doesn’t.
• Providing choices can give your child autonomy and decision-making skills they will carry with them as they grow. 
• The importance of educating your children through honest conversations, and how it enables kids to become helpers and collaborators in the home and beyond.
• Why it’s important to model taking care of yourself as a mom, and where we can cut ourselves some slack. 

We are human, so we all get frustrated and upset. However, it’s how we act after making a mistake or blowing up at our kids that matters the most. Morgan illustrates a unique, honest, and open relationship with her kids that you’ll love to learn about.

Learn more about Poised & Powerful and Sarah at https://poisedpowerfulparenthood.com/interviews 

CONNECT WITH MORGAN RYSDON:

YouTube

Website

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CONNECT WITH SARAH MAYHAN:

Facebook

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Work with Sarah! 

Mentioned: 

Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman (affiliate link) 

Rupture and Repair

Constructive rest with Morgan

Constructive rest with Sarah 

Do you feel like you have to just grit your teeth and power through to get through challenging situations? The reality is, we all need help and kindness. Our society could do a better job of supporting parents - a first step might be recognizing that we are not alone in our struggles. This week, episode 32 of Poised & Powerful Podcast is sharing the importance of supporting your mental health, through pregnancy, postpartum, and into parenting. 

Want to support your mind and body during pregnancy? In my upcoming class, Stress Less in Pregnancy, you (and your partner!) can learn new ways to take care of yourself that will support you into parenthood. Hannah Lee is presenting an interactive component on mental health that last class’s participants found “super helpful!” Sign up: https://poisedpowerfulparenthood.com/pregnancy-class

Hannah is a social worker and therapist at Center + Room To Breathe, an integrated therapy and trauma-informed yoga space. At Center Hannah loves working with people as they care for themselves, and she has a particular passion for issues such as pre and postnatal mental health, parenting, and mental health care in the Asian American community. Hannah is certified in psychologically-sensitive yoga through Room To Breathe, and takes a holistic mind-body approach to her work. 

Hannah was born in England to Chinese and English parents, grew up in Massachusetts, and outside of Center has experience in social justice and nonprofit settings. She lives in Chicago with her partner and their two small, noisy children. 

In this episode of Poised & Powerful Podcast, Hannah Lee and I discuss the following:

• Different approaches to therapy, which can include options for embodiment, yoga, and mindfulness practices. 
• The “big picture” factors that influence our mental well-being (hormones are important, but they’re not the only part.) 
• The complex and mixed emotions that parenthood can bring, and allowing ourselves to feel those feelings. 
• You deserve to reach out for support, even if you’re not at an “extreme” like wanting to hurt your child or yourself. How and where to begin to draw in support, especially if you’ve never done it before.
• How to begin to give ourselves kindness and compassion (we extend so much care to our children, but can struggle to see ourselves as also worthy of care.) 

Learn more about Poised & Powerful and Sarah at https://poisedpowerfulparenthood.com/interviews

CONNECT WITH HANNAH LEE:

Instagram

Website

Blog

Upcoming: Mindful Parenting: Growing Self Compassion + Body Awareness Workshop 5/25 In Person

Upcoming: Caring for Yourself While Caring for Baby: Exploring Pre + Postpartum Mental Health 6/22 Online

CONNECT WITH SARAH MAYHAN:

Facebook

Instagram

Work with Sarah! 

Links mentioned: 

Instagram account @notsafeformomgroup

I’ve been wanting to talk about parenting with chronic illness for some time, since it’s a big part of my everyday life. I’m sitting down with myself and my husband to talk about his experiences with fibromyalgia, and what it’s like raising the most energetic four-year-old boy. This week, episode 31 of Poised & Powerful Podcast is sharing how we handled pandemic parenting with chronic illness! 

When getting ready for a baby, it’s so easy for YOU to get lost in the shuffle. This is why I want to share with you my parent-centered pregnancy class. Let’s support your ongoing well-being as a parent: relieve aches and pains, minimize responses to stress, unwind and sleep better. Join me for an *online* 6 week series: https://poisedpowerfulparenthood.com/pregnancy-class

Do you need a weekend from the weekend? Drop into the online Sunday Scaries Support group class: https://poisedpowerfulparenthood.com/take-a-break

Jeffrey Tran’s previous life included dropping out of a physics PhD program to be a ballroom dance instructor. His high-pressure career in the trading industry was interrupted by his health conditions. Now he likes to connect online with his people in the chronic illness community and to advocate for those with chronic health conditions, and parents of children under five.

In this episode of Poised & Powerful Podcast, my husband and I discuss the following:

• The winding roads to getting diagnosed with chronic illness. How a chronic illness can ebb and flow, but that isn’t the same as “getting better.” 
• How having a chronic illness as a parent changes the parenting game, and how we co-parent our child with our own limited energy levels. 
• The baggage around wanting to appear normal and do what “every other family is doing” with their children, versus the reality of having a family where chronic illness affects our decisions. 
• The power in asking each other for what we need, and how we draw in outside support.

Being a parent of a young child and having a chronic illness, or having a partner with a chronic illness, is life-altering. Your lifestyle isn’t going to look like everyone else’s, and that’s ok. We’ve learned to speak up and ask for help when we need it, and are learning our new normal.

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me!  And don’t forget to follow, rate and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!

Learn more about Poised & Powerful and Sarah at https://poisedpowerfulparenthood.com/interviews

CONNECT WITH Jeffrey Tran:

Twitter

CONNECT WITH SARAH MAYHAN:

Facebook

Instagram

Work with Sarah! 

Mentioned: The Invisible Kingdom: Reimagining Chronic Illness by Meghan O’Rourke (affiliate link)

You’ve been told to create a birth plan; now what? A lot of times a birth plan can bring up a lot of your own feelings or other people’s - maybe you’ve heard that you don’t need to waste time writing it because it all goes out the window anyway. It can also be really overwhelming to decide what you need in your own plan. We decided to bring on a doula to ask about birth plans so you know what to expect and how to create your own. Episode 30 of Poised & Powerful Podcast is sharing all about the birth plan with Jarriel Campbell! 

When getting ready for a baby, it’s so easy for YOU to get lost in the shuffle. This is why I want to share with you my parent-centered pregnancy class. Let’s support your ongoing well-being as a parent: relieve aches and pains, minimize responses to stress, unwind and sleep better. Join me for an *online* 6 week series: https://poisedpowerfulparenthood.com/pregnancy-class

Jarriel is a labor and postpartum doula, girl mom, and wife. She works with millennial couples to support them in creating an enriching and positively supportive environment to connect with themselves and their new family. Jarriel supports growing families at many different phases in their maternity journeys but they all have the goal to break out of the traditional molds and have the freedom to birth their family their way.

In this episode of Poised & Powerful Podcast, Jarriel and I discuss the following:

• What a doula is, and how to build a birth team that supports you! 
• How to create your own birth vision, what questions to ask yourself, and how to get on the same page with your partner.
• Why it’s good to know all your pain relief options - it’s not just epidural or nothing!  
• Why doulas are extra helpful when you’re considering induction.  
• There are multiple points along the road to birth to practice self-advocacy, and how doulas can support you during that process. 
• How Jarriel used her birth plan as a roadmap to her birth vision, and how her doula helped her partner be the MVP of her birth support team. 

This episode will open your eyes to your own advocacy options as you build your birth plan - we hope it takes you from overwhelmed to empowered! 

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me!  And don’t forget to subscribe, rate and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!

Learn more about Poised & Powerful and Sarah at https://poisedpowerfulparenthood.com/interviews

CONNECT WITH Jarriel Campbell:

Website

Instagram

CONNECT WITH SARAH MAYHAN:

Instagram

Un-hunch, un-scrunch, and take up space with Sarah! 

Drop into the restorative Sunday Scaries Support online class: https://poisedpowerfulparenthood.com/take-a-break

LINKS MENTIONED:

Doulamatch.com

https://icpa4kids.com/find-a-pediatric-chiropractor/ to find a Webster certified chiropractor

All About Pregnancy and Birth podcast

Evidence Based Birth

When you have a huge, life-changing experience, don’t you just need a friend who’s been there before to hold your hand and tell you’ll be ok? Today’s guest Eugenia Viti channeled the experiences of pregnancy and new motherhood into her new book Be Pregnant: An Illustrated Companion for Moms-To-Be - and it feels just like a friend giving you the inside scoop. Whether you’re currently Googling your symptoms, up all night with an infant, or just remember those experiences vividly -  this comical, illustrated book will resonate with you! Episode 29 of Poised & Powerful Podcast is sharing Eugenia Viti’s new book, and experiences while being pregnant! 

Do you find yourself needing extra time to recover from your weekend or time to prepare your mind and body for the week ahead? Join me for a restorative practice where we’ll release tension in our necks, back, and shoulders. Clear your mind so you’ll feel reset and re-energized for yourself and your family. Drop into the online Sunday Scaries Support group class: https://poisedpowerfulparenthood.com/take-a-break

Eugenia Viti is a mom, illustrator, writer, and cartoonist for the New Yorker. She is also now a published author of her first book, Be Pregnant: An Illustrated Companion for Moms-to-Be. 

In this episode of Poised & Powerful Podcast, my guest and I discuss the following:

• Eugenia shares how a funny gift for her baby shower guests evolved into her illustrated book on the many changes and surprises of pregnancy. 
• Why her book is more like a colorful travel itinerary than a prescriptive “how-to” guide.
• She also shares her thoughts on the importance of a companion - and how she gathered support for herself, including a doula and a pelvic floor physical therapist.
• What it was like being a new mom and working on her first book during a global pandemic. 

We hope you enjoyed this friendly chat, covering both the funny moments and the tough stuff.

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me!  And don’t forget to subscribe, rate and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!

Learn more about Poised & Powerful and Sarah at https://poisedpowerfulparenthood.com/interviews

CONNECT WITH Eugenia Viti:

Instagram

Get her book: Be Pregnant: An Illustrated Guide for Moms-to-Be

Be Pregnant featured on The New Yorker

Mentioned: 

@common_wild:The nights may be lonely, but you are not alone.

Parenting double standards with @momlife_comics

Birthways: Doula Services in Chicago

*Bringing Up Bebé by Pamela Druckerman

CONNECT WITH SARAH MAYHAN:

Facebook

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Work with Sarah! 

You can check out all the books we’ve mentioned at the show here. *Note: these are affiliate links.

CW: There are some swears, so please use headphones if you need to. 

Have you ever felt overwhelmed about or ashamed of being “behind” or “failing” at life basics like cooking, cleaning, household management, or hygiene? Why doesn’t “just try harder” ever seem to work to get us organized and “together”? What if, instead of trying to fix ourselves, we could treat ourselves with more compassion and find systems that work for us? Episode 28 of Poised & Powerful Parenting Podcast is sharing the importance of establishing a foundation of care, with KC Davis of Struggle Care! 

Do you find yourself needing extra time to recover from your weekend or time to prepare your mind and body for the week ahead? Join me for a restorative practice where we’ll release tension in our necks, back, and shoulders. Clear your mind so you’ll feel reset and re-energized for yourself and your family. Drop into the online Sunday Scaries Support group class: https://poisedpowerfulparenthood.com/take-a-break

KC Davis is a licensed professional therapist, author, speaker, and the person behind the mental health platform Struggle Care. Struggle Care is about learning how to accomplish care tasks—and being kind to yourself—when you have functional barriers.

In this episode of the Poised & Powerful Parenting Podcast, KC and I discuss the following:

• Why KC, who’s a mental health advocate and Founder of Struggle Care, doesn’t like the term “self care” and why she finds it completely unhelpful for the average person.
• Why care tasks are morally neutral; how you do care tasks has nothing to do with your character as a “good” or “worthy” person.
• Being diagnosed with ADHD as an adult and how she makes systems that work for her while pandemic parenting. 
• The importance of understanding that good enough is perfect - where we picked up our emotional baggage around perfectionism and how we can drop it. 

Establishing a foundation of care for yourself, and understanding that you deserve kindness and care no matter what, is more important than trying to “keep up” with what others show you their life looks like. 

Learn more about Poised & Powerful and Sarah at https://poisedpowerfulparenthood.com/interviews

CONNECT WITH KC Davis:

Facebook

Instagram

Website

Podcast

Watch KC clean up: https://www.tiktok.com/@domesticblisters 

How to Keep House While Drowning by KC Davis, LPC (and on audiobook)

CONNECT WITH SARAH MAYHAN:

Facebook

Instagram

Work with Sarah! 

LINKS MENTIONED:

Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself by Kristin Neff

The F*ck It Diet Book by Caroline Dooner

Maintenance Phase podcast 

Allegra Marino Shmulevsky is helping us reflect on Jewish traditions and rituals across the world, and how leaning into your faith during this time of transition through birth and postpartum can enrich your own birth story and post-birth experience. Episode 27 of Poised & Powerful Podcast is sharing the importance of a strong postpartum plan, especially with other children at home! 

Book your FREE 15-minute virtual consult to learn more about working with Sarah! She offers virtual sessions for expecting and new parents. Expecting parents will have a framework for considering and building positive habits for not just the baby - but also yourself. New parents will learn how to move like a kid again, so you have more energy for what matters.

Allegra is a mom to four, a postpartum doula, and an educator in language and art education. She is the founder of JoyBird Doula, where she creates a holistic approach to addressing the transition into the fourth trimester. 

In this episode of Poised & Powerful Podcast, Allegra and I discuss the following:

• What postpartum is and why it’s important to be prepared for that time as well as the birth while pregnant
• Unique birth and after birth traditions in different Jewish cultures from all over the world.
• How leaning into faith and rituals can help alleviate fear and hesitation through important moments both during and after birth.
• Why you should create a postpartum plan, even if not elaborate or not your first birth, to help set expectations for when the baby comes. 

By setting up a plan for birth and postpartum, as well as by leaning into faith and/or cultural traditions, you can alleviate a lot of stressors around the experience and transition for yourself.

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me!  And don’t forget to subscribe, rate and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!

Learn more about Poised & Powerful and Sarah at https://poisedpowerfulparenthood.com/interviews

CONNECT WITH Allegra Marino Shmulevsky:

Instagram

CONNECT WITH SARAH MAYHAN:

Facebook

Instagram

Work with Sarah! 

I get asked a lot of questions about “mom posture”, also known as the mom hunch. Today, I wanted to address these questions for those looking to carry your body differently. Nothing could have prepared me for the physical intensity of the newborn phase, but this posture can happen for anyone caring for smaller children or those who work at the computer a lot. Episode 26 of Poised & Powerful Podcast is sharing tips to relieve the “mom hunch”! 

When getting ready for a baby, it’s so easy for YOU to get lost in the shuffle. This is why I want to share with you my parent-centered pregnancy class. Let’s support your ongoing well-being as a parent: relieve aches and pains, minimize responses to stress, unwind and sleep better. Join me in January for an *online* 6 week series: https://poisedpowerfulparenthood.com/pregnancy-class

In this episode of Poised & Powerful Podcast, discuss the following:

• What is mom posture; the rounding of the back that brings the shoulders forward, and how you typically might get it.
• Ways to work in exercises and stretches into your routine.
• The power of rest to fix our posture and as self-care.
• How doing tummy time with your baby can help you both build strength.
• Why you should not get a posture brace or other device to help your posture unless medically necessary and prescribed by your doctor.

While it would be nice to just buy a device that fixes all these postural issues we may have, it’s best to follow the cues provided in today’s episode to allow your body to reset and help you identify your body and body needs. 

Thank you for listening! Did you learn something new? Why not tag me in your IG stories, share with a parent friend, or write a review so new listeners find the show? 

Learn more about Poised & Powerful and Sarah at https://poisedpowerfulparenthood.com/interviews

CONNECT WITH SARAH MAYHAN:

Facebook

Instagram

Work with Sarah! 

LINKS MENTIONED:

More on forward head posture (with visuals): https://poisedpowerfulparenthood.com/blog/2019/5/16/new-parent-neck-pain

Youtube playlist, Posture & Pain Relief for Parents: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQbI8XC6o0zNNFVsm7jcovDUEvc6y5z-d        

 All guided audio practices playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/216cfnYMEqA8DilrUHxaFv?si=H4WNQeqQSDOqQU55pO3bzg  

Constructive rest: https://poisedpowerfulparenthood.com/blog/2021/3/22/minisode-your-guided-daily-reset 

Reminders to "relax up" when sitting: https://poisedpowerfulparenthood.com/blog/2021/4/19/minisode-guided-practice-relax-up-for-sitting 

Stretches on the floor: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0f-ZctdlDE&list=PLQbI8XC6o0zNNFVsm7jcovDUEvc6y5z-d&index=2&t=6s

Tummy Time for grown-ups! https://youtu.be/2AL319QhTDA

Doorway stretch, keeping spine lengthened: https://youtu.be/iBwKq7OVFHM

Have you ever found yourself holding your breath? It’s easy to get caught up in what’s happening in the now and forget to give your body what it needs. This week, Episode 25 of Poised & Powerful Podcast is sharing some breathing tips to help with anxiety and stress! 

Holding your breath doesn’t help you deal with whatever unknowns you face. Instead, take a long and slow exhale and just allow the inhale to come in gently through your nose. 

Book your FREE 15-minute virtual consult to learn more about working with Sarah! She offers virtual sessions for expecting and new parents. Expecting parents will have a framework for considering and building positive habits for not just the baby - but also yourself. New parents will learn how to move like a kid again, so you have more energy for what matters.

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me!  And don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!

Learn more about Poised & Powerful and Sarah at https://poisedpowerfulparenthood.com/interviews

CONNECT WITH SARAH MAYHAN:

Facebook

Instagram

Work with Sarah!