The Postpartum Revolution

Friends, it’s January which means there’s still time to change your mindset for 2021. Who am I kidding, anytime is a great time to make positive changes but why not start now?

Today’s episode dives deep into the mindset of starting small sparks with just one little action to transition into the journey of healing your pelvic health. Healing the physical body is just the beginning, the emotional body cannot be ignored any longer. 

This episode features Lauren Ohayon, who is an internationally recognized Yoga + Pilates teacher specializing in core and pelvic floor issues, and has been teaching for the past two decades.

She creates online exercise programs that are challenging, unique, safe, sustainable and life-changing.

In addition to Yoga and Pilates Lauren is also certified as a Restorative Exercise Specialist™, in Neurokinetic Therapy® and in Anatomy in Motion.

Although Lauren started her journey as a yoga and pilates teacher she soon honed into the pregnancy and postpartum world once her own motherhood journey began. She realized the knowledge gap in the pelvic health world and was motivated to create a program to help women across the board. 

Thus her own program was born. Restore Your Core is a step-by-step program for women to heal their core and the pelvic floor, and has helped thousands of people feel strong and confident in their bodies again.

Follow Lauren on Instagram, or YouTube 

You can join her 24K member Facebook group here

Or find her website at www.restoreyourcore.com

As always, join the revolution on Facebook and help us spread the Postpartum Revolution message! 

Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Want to be a guest on the show? Email Annie at [email protected]

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It's December, which means we're heading into the season of colder temps and less daylight, and it's a time I feel called to hibernate and store up some energy for these long winter months. I've already put up lights, candles, and a tree to create a cozy den for myself! It's something I've done for years, as an antidote to the bustling Holiday Season, where everyone is busy, over extended, and staying up late. That frantic energy during the darkest month of the year just doesn't sit well with me - it doesn't feel good to be out of sync with the seasons.  

Ancient medicines like Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine describe Winter as a season of cool, wet, slow, feminine and quiet energies. So, to feel balanced and healthy we should lean in to the qualities of warm, dry, coziness and use the slow, quiet, feminine qualities  to rest, reflect, hold space, hibernate, and withdraw some of your outwardly focused energy and redirect it inward.

That's what I'll be doing this December - slowing down, resting, reflecting, deepening connection to my community... and building season 2 of The Postpartum Revolution!

I'd love to stay in touch over the break, so please follow me on Instagram @fullbloomwellness603 - you can join me in a daily 5 min morning meditation (or just cheer me on and hold me accountable to my own practice!). I would love to hear about what rituals and daily nourishing practices you're implementing in your life, and how you are creating more space for you during the hectic holidays. (let's start a Relaxation Revolution!) 

And, let me know what you want to hear more of in season 2! I love talking to change makers and learning more about how we can rise up together as a community and change postpartum culture for the better. 

Thank you so much for all the love, support, engagement, and inspiration for my first season - it's been a wild ride and a lot of fun... a bright spot in this strange year. I can't wait to share season 2 with you! 

KIT (that's "keep in touch" for anyone under 30 lol)
[email protected]
IG: @fullbloomwellness603
FB: Full Bloom Wellness, LLC
www.fullbloomwellness603.com

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Have you ever wondered what a Pelvic PT uses for treatment? Like, does everyone need a set of vaginal weights, or an insertable wand to release tight muscles? And electric stimulation for the pelvic floor... what the what?!

In today’s episode, Blair and I talk about some common tools that you might find in a pelvic PT's toolbox, and who they might help and why.

1:39 Lube, knowing the differences between the three types of lube and the pros and cons of each. Brands we love: Good Clean Love, Uber Lube, Desert Harvest. More lube options here.

9:24 Arousal Nonconcordance, Wet = aroused, right? Not as often as we are led to believe, hormones play a huge part, especially for postpartum moms. 

I highly recommend EVERYONE read the book: 

Come as You Are: The Surprising New Science that Will Transform Your Sex Life by Emily Nagoski, Ph.D. 

16:21 Vaginal Weights/Yoni Cones, Intimate Rose is a great brand

22:49 Pelvic Wands, vibrating and regular

31:56 Dilators

37:25 the Ohnut, can help control depth of penetration during intercourse 

39:16 Squatty Potty

45:09 Splinting for Prolapse

52:48 Pessaries 

61:25 E-Stim & Biofeedback

70:43 Bladder Pads vs Menstrual Pads, what's the difference

*Disclaimer* neither Blair nor I are in any way sponsored by any of these companies/products. We are just providing, with our best knowledge, information that you should consider but not take as medical advice.

We covered a lot of stuff here, but if we missed something you have questions about - reach out and ask! 

Connect with Blair:
www.pregnancyandpostpartumpt.com
Instagram: @pregnancy_and_postpartum_pt
Facebook: Pregnancy and Postpartum PT

Connect with Annie:
www.fullbloomwellness603.com
Instagram: @fullbloomwellness603
Facebook: Full Bloom Wellness

Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Want to be on the show? Email me at [email protected]

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Alright, my Revolutionaries, grab your partner and give this episode a listen together. After you birth a child, you realize that your body needs to heal and get stronger to keep up with your kiddo, but what we don’t mention is that the non-birthing parent needs to get strong too!

The typical “prepare for baby” talk involves car seats and changing diapers. But, were you ever asked, “Are you physically strong enough to carry a 20 lb kettlebell around all the dang time?” 

Probably not… the physical demands of children are hard. And nobody warns soon-to-be parents of what their body is about to endure. 

The lifting, the pulling and tugging, the jumping, and more, our body is in the frontline of injury. 

You wouldn’t put your body through a marathon without training, so why is parenting treated any differently?

Today, I chatted with Jason Levine, an orthopedic physical therapist and a father of two girls. PT to PT, we discussed the physical demands of children, how you can prevent these child-induced injuries by getting creative with your daily movement and finding the right care based on your individual needs. 

Here are the links to Jason’s amazing resources. (Seriously, join his FB Group for inspiring ways to bring exercise into you and your child’s life!) 

The Powerful Parent Club Facebook Group

Website (Where you can find The Newish Parent Guide to Avoiding Unnecessary Pain): https://www.focused-physio.com

Instagram: 
@thepowerfulparentclub
@focusedphysio

Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Want to be on the show? Email me at [email protected] 

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“After trying all the things, and being in talk therapy for years, I realized that I don’t have anything else to talk about… and I still had anxiety and panic attacks. I wondered, if the problem isn’t in my head, then where is it? And then it hit me - the issue was in my body.” 

Overwhelm, lack of control, constant stress, and anxiety - sounds a lot like being a new parent, right? So how can we find time to ground and heal ourselves when we have so many demands on our time, our bodies… and so little support? 

Today I talked to Christa Gowen, a certified TRE (tension and trauma releasing exercises) provider, yoga instructor, and owner of Inside Out Healing. Her coaching practice helps to empower other mothers on a journey of healing trauma and doing deeply transformational personal development work.

We discuss... 

- How unmet needs don’t leave our bodies until they are met, and motherhood just serves to amplify these traumas

- The commercialization of “self-care”... while bubble baths and a glass of wine are nice, it doesn’t meet our deeper needs. 

- Dynamic self-care: this practice fills our cup and resets our nervous system in the moment, and it can be as simple as a quick breathwork exercise.

- Intergenerational trauma, and how becoming a radical mother can heal the generations before us, and the ones who follow

- Nervous system literacy - learning to cultivate self-love, self-compassion and self-awareness

- Polyvagal theory, and why the way you breathe influences everything from your stress response and hormone levels, to pelvic floor function

Because, as cliche as it sounds, you really do have to fill your own cup. And fill it until it overflows, mama… when you are a more balanced and regulated person, others will benefit as well. Self-care isn’t selfish, it’s what will break cycles of trauma and heal the world. 

Connect with Christa:

www.christagowen.com: get your free download of The Ultimate Reset List or find out about her 4-week TRE & yoga virtual series (next one starts 11/15!)

facebook.com/groups/theradicalmotherproject 

instagram.com/insideouthealing

Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Want to be on the show? Email me at [email protected]

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Today felt like a good day to talk about stress and the pelvic floor... so I had a good chat with myself about it.

In this episode I talk about...

The difference between a stressor and stress

How our bodies change in response to stress

How the pelvic floor responds to stress

And how you can create and implement nourishing daily practices that either balance out the sympathetic stress response or discharge all that excess fight/flight energy so that your body can get back to balance.

There’s a little breath work practice in there too, something simple and effective to start relieving the stress response in your body.⠀

I’ll leave you with one of my favorite mantras, one that has been my go to during these last few weeks...

“May all beings everywhere be happy and free, and may the thoughts, words, and actions of my own life contribute in some way to that happiness and to that freedom for all”

Find me on FB and IG - fullbloomwellness603
If you want to learn more about your pelvic floor through working with me, head over to my website www.fullbloomwellness603.com to schedule a free 15 min call or book a session.

Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Want to be a guest on the show? Email me at [email protected]

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It's time the standards change for all birthing experiences.

There's a whole lot of trauma in a person’s life that never gets the attention it deserves and is too easily brushed under the rug. How did we let this become the new norm?

When it comes to birth, let's ask ourselves; is basic survival enough?

NO! 

The patient's needs are not being heard. The providers don't have the time to really listen, nor are they taught how to empathize in medical school. 

The side effects of birth trauma are more significant issues than we make them out to be. Something CAN be done if we stop being quiet and nice and start to give give real, honest feedback. 

No more: "Everything is fine." - "I'm okay." - "The baby is healthy, and that's all that matters."

Instead, we need to empower women to talk about their feelings and advocate for  themselves. 

That's why I was so happy to invite Dr. Tracey Vogel, a practicing OB anesthesiologist and a certified Sexual Assault Counselor, on to talk about what can be changed in the labor and delivery units so that birthing people feel seen, heard, and supported.

Tracey truly is the definition of the Postpartum Revolution. 

Dr. Vogel is fighting to bring attention to this trauma, and she is a strong advocate for consistent feedback to the medical system. Dr. Vogel gives women a voice to make a change. 

Tracey learned many of her skills for trauma informed care while becoming a rape counselor. She's combined her experience and knowledge as an anesthesiologist with obstetrics and has some unique ideas for the healthcare world. 

In today's episode, we talk about the importance of informed consent and how the patient's needs should be discussed ahead of time. What-if scenarios should be a real discussion with actual back-up plans. 

"Part of fear is lack of understanding and lack of knowledge."

There is no black and white answer to the issues. It takes some creativity to navigate the gray areas and find the right solution for both parties. 

Tracy has created a center that is giving women the power to have their voices heard. She's creating structured plans, investigating fears, and bettering communication across the board! 

Everyone deserves a positive birth experience. 

Want to work with Tracy? 

Check out her website http://www.theempowermentequation.com/

You can also share your story, read about other birth experiences, or write a grievance on her website.

Twitter @TraceyVogelMD

Are you a member of The Postpartum Revolution's Facebook group? Join us!

Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Want to be a guest on the show? Email me at [email protected]

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First trimester: nausea

Second trimester: eat all the things! (but don’t gain “too much” weight)

Third trimester: heartburn, still eating all the things and watching the scale

Fourth trimester: time to go on a diet to lose the baby weight! 

This old familiar pattern is so engrained in our lives.. it’s in movies, diet culture, blogs, memes... so this all must be normal right? Nothing we can do about it, it’s all just part of the sacrifice birthing people sign up for when they decide to become parents. 

Right? 

Wrong. 

I talked with registered dietitian and perinatal nutrition specialist Shelby Guptill about how we can nourish ourselves throughout our pregnancy and postpartum journeys. And guess what? Nausea, cravings, heartburn, bloating... they’re common, but not normal! AND there’s a way to combat these ailments through food. 

No fad diets. No miracle products. Just a food first, supplements second approach to nourishing the birthing person along their journey. And the best part? Shelby is here to teach you how to do it! (aka no more google rabbit holes, judgey mom blogs, and wasted money on supplements your neighbor “heard were helpful”). Our postpartum bodies need to be nourished with whole foods, not deprived of calories. In fact, Shelby argues that we need MORE nutrients, food variety, and calories so that we can heal our bodies and feed our infants. 

We also talk about weight gain and weight loss, the BS that is BMI, and how to start listening for that deep inner wisdom that we all possess (it's still there, despite all the doubts that we have been taught to fear!). Nourishing ourselves is a lifelong pursuit, and pregnancy is the perfect time to start. 

Connect with Shelby:

[email protected]

603-609-7502

IG @shelbyguptillRD 

FB @ShelbyGuptillNutritionCounseling

Are you a member of The Postpartum Revolution's facebook group?  You can find Shelby's free Prenatal Nutrition Handout there!

Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Want to be a guest on the show? Email me at [email protected]

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Female hormones are finally getting their time in the sun - and everyone wants to talk about "how to balance our hormones"... but is anyone asking WHY our hormones are out of balance? 

During early postpartum, a period of hormonal imbalance is just a part of the deal - childbirth changes our bodies and our hormones are no exception. Our systems are designed to find balance again, but the conditions must be right... this is why ancient wisdom teaches that rest and  restoration during the 4th trimester is so vital. But here in modern day America, motherhood is anything but rest... we are overworked, underfed, and overtraining all in the name of "health". 

Enter Erin Holt. 

Erin is a functional medicine nutritionist who takes the term "nutrition" to a whole new level... it's not just what we eat, it also includes how we are (or aren't) nourishing ourselves holistically, and her  "unique" approach to hormone health addresses the whole picture.

We talk about how...
- Hormones are not the chief problem - hormones are RESPONDING to the chief problem
- No one has cured anybody by correcting a lab value: lived experience first, labs second. 
- Thyroid meds without a life that supports your thyroid doesn't cut it. 
-  Our culture  has no idea how to handle postpartum depression and grief (the grief associated with loss of self), so we easily fill the hole with trying to "fix" - dieting, etc.
- We’ve been taught that our bodies are something to fear, to not trust, and we’ve divorced ourselves from our bodies. 

So, lab values and supplements aside, how do we heal hormones? (hint: it's not exercise and calorie restriction like we've been told). In order to reclaim our female bodies, to understand that we are not broken, flawed, crazy, etc.  we need to:
- Set boundaries - we cannot continually give to others
- Feed ourselves completely with adequate calories and nourishing foods 
- Manage our stress response 
- Learn how to quiet down to listen to our body's natural rhythms - tracking how our energies cycle with our menstrual cycle/the moon.
- Let our intuition guide us out of the chaos that is modern day America

Connect with Erin:
https://www.erinholthealth.com/
Instagram
The Funk'tional Nutrition podcast - available wherever you listen!

Other Resources:
6 Tips for Moms Who Don't Have Time To Eat
Body Full of Stars - Molly Caro May

Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Want to be a guest on the show? Email me at [email protected]

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Postpartum has it all - depression, anxiety, rage, joy, fear, love, frustration, happiness, grief... yep it's the full spectrum of emotions, sometimes all in one day. We hear about it sometimes, whispers of mental health struggles, but like the rest of the mental health world, it's not talked about openly. So how the heck do we deal with that? How do we know if we're okay? How do we ask for help?

That's what I talked about with maternal mental health counselor, and new mom herself,  Mary Sanker. How can we navigate this postpartum period and still feel like ourselves? How do we find support when the world we live in offers no village? Mary teaches us how to make subtle shifts by slowing down, taking stock, and moving towards what feels true to you. The first steps are not sweeping life changes, it's just doing the one small thing that's next. Listening to your body, letting go of unrealistic expectations of what you "should" be doing, and do what feels true. That's the beginning of your path.

We also talk about the scary stuff, the times when it's more than "just the baby blues"... and Mary shares the most beautiful insight into what's actually going on in someone's brain when their minds are consumed with harmful thoughts. 

Her message to postpartum people: you’re a mother, not a martyr - you do not have to continually abandon yourself for some productivity output, or unspoken expectation that isn’t serving you or your child. 

Connect with Mary:
Instagram @the.new.mom.therapist

www.marymartina.com

The New Moms Group starts Oct 22 - more info on her website

Additional Resources:
Postpartum Support International: https://www.postpartum.net/

Innate Traditions, Rachelle Garcia Seliga  https://www.innatetraditions.com/

Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer

Body Full of Stars by Molly Caro May

Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Want to be a guest on the show? Email me at [email protected]

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