Would love to see "bringing babies to dr appts" be a normal and welcome thing! I had a dentist when my youngest was a few months old, and we were new in town and didn't have a trusted sitter, and she insisted I bring him with me and her hygienists fought over who got to hold him while I got a crown placed. Still makes me mushy to think about, 9 years later.
I've also lived where the clinic had an hourly childcare room. !!! But then it got cut bc of funding issues, womp womp.
I wasn’t allowed to bring my baby to my 6 week checkup and it was like....you know I have a fresh baby....because that’s the whole reason I’m here...and you’re telling me I can’t bring her?” It was fucked up.
I have been trying to organize my comment and thoughts for over an hour because this is such a personally sensitive topic and so fucking important to being a functioning Mama and human. A list is best:
1. Thank you Claire for writing this. I feel less alone when we share and talk about pelvic floors, poop, pee, pain, and all of our experiences trying to heal.
2. I had an emergency cesarean birth and emergency hysterectomy 2 years ago.
3. I live in a rural area with very few pelvic floor therapists. Discovering a zoom therapist was helpful.
4. I needed time to start exploring my healing. There is and was a lot of trauma to work through.
5. Following through on exercises on my own at home is really really challenging.
6. I recently discovered Nancy Anderson’s Ab Rehab app, also called Birth Recovery Center. Daily exercises laid out for me, super easy to follow, massage techniques too. This has been the most helpful thing for me. I feel muscles I haven’t felt in years, my scar is less scary, my sneezes and coughs aren’t causing leaks, and the exercises are fun.
Thank you for sharing these resources. I heard from some other people that this struck a chord with them--thank you to the witches who shared their experiences so honestly and bluntly, we need this.
Love the extra-stuffie advice !! We actually have 4 (FOUR) jellycat turtles in rotation here. We swap them out super regularly because they stink, as the toddler they belong to insist on sucking on them (very practical as it acts like a pacifier but very very gross because...dried out spit)
My son’s blanket used to stink to high heaven. He would wait outside the laundry room for it to finish drying and promptly stuff as much as possible into his mouth.
I would add too that pelvic floor therapy is also for painful intercourse after childbirth. This is something many women experience due to scar tissue and can receive care for instead of just living with it.
I did pelvic floor therapy during my second pregnancy and again after I gave birth, which is more than most people and definitely privileged (although it shouldn’t be!). But the part I struggle with now is ongoing at-home care. My current mental load as a mother and general working person prevents me from ever doing my exercises and that sucks!
In Germany (where I used to live and had my first kid) health insurance covers a full session of pelvic floor training group classes with a midwife within 9 months of giving birth. Basically what you DO during parental leave is go to your "Rückbildungskurs" with a bunch of other new moms.
I also had PT both pre and post natal for my second pregnancy - I just recommend it now to mom friends to pre-book it in for 4 months postpartum. Something is gonna be effed up with your body for sure, you'll figure out what when you get there.
My daughter finally got pelvic floor therapy after putting up with issues for almost six years. She had to pay for it herself and travel almost an hour to get access. It’s wrong on so many levels.
Would love to see "bringing babies to dr appts" be a normal and welcome thing! I had a dentist when my youngest was a few months old, and we were new in town and didn't have a trusted sitter, and she insisted I bring him with me and her hygienists fought over who got to hold him while I got a crown placed. Still makes me mushy to think about, 9 years later.
I've also lived where the clinic had an hourly childcare room. !!! But then it got cut bc of funding issues, womp womp.
of course it did! Selfish moms shouldn't be needing to go get healthcare. 🙄
I wasn’t allowed to bring my baby to my 6 week checkup and it was like....you know I have a fresh baby....because that’s the whole reason I’m here...and you’re telling me I can’t bring her?” It was fucked up.
I took my kid to my acupuncture, chiropractic, dental, and physiotherapy appointments and it demystified all of it for her.
I bet the acupuncture in particular! My sons are very scared of needles (I mean, understandable.)
I have been trying to organize my comment and thoughts for over an hour because this is such a personally sensitive topic and so fucking important to being a functioning Mama and human. A list is best:
1. Thank you Claire for writing this. I feel less alone when we share and talk about pelvic floors, poop, pee, pain, and all of our experiences trying to heal.
2. I had an emergency cesarean birth and emergency hysterectomy 2 years ago.
3. I live in a rural area with very few pelvic floor therapists. Discovering a zoom therapist was helpful.
4. I needed time to start exploring my healing. There is and was a lot of trauma to work through.
5. Following through on exercises on my own at home is really really challenging.
6. I recently discovered Nancy Anderson’s Ab Rehab app, also called Birth Recovery Center. Daily exercises laid out for me, super easy to follow, massage techniques too. This has been the most helpful thing for me. I feel muscles I haven’t felt in years, my scar is less scary, my sneezes and coughs aren’t causing leaks, and the exercises are fun.
7. Sending a hug to all of you ❤️
Thank you for sharing these resources. I heard from some other people that this struck a chord with them--thank you to the witches who shared their experiences so honestly and bluntly, we need this.
My kids were all just discussing with their friends how moms pee on trampolines 🤣
Love the extra-stuffie advice !! We actually have 4 (FOUR) jellycat turtles in rotation here. We swap them out super regularly because they stink, as the toddler they belong to insist on sucking on them (very practical as it acts like a pacifier but very very gross because...dried out spit)
Jellycat is the 21st century Ty.
My son’s blanket used to stink to high heaven. He would wait outside the laundry room for it to finish drying and promptly stuff as much as possible into his mouth.
I feel so much less alone...#2 is a chronic blankie/stuffie chewer. Kids man...
My sucker turned into a chewer so now we have 4 mutilated Jellycat donkeys. He loves them so but holy hell do they stink!
I would add too that pelvic floor therapy is also for painful intercourse after childbirth. This is something many women experience due to scar tissue and can receive care for instead of just living with it.
I did pelvic floor therapy during my second pregnancy and again after I gave birth, which is more than most people and definitely privileged (although it shouldn’t be!). But the part I struggle with now is ongoing at-home care. My current mental load as a mother and general working person prevents me from ever doing my exercises and that sucks!
In Germany (where I used to live and had my first kid) health insurance covers a full session of pelvic floor training group classes with a midwife within 9 months of giving birth. Basically what you DO during parental leave is go to your "Rückbildungskurs" with a bunch of other new moms.
I also had PT both pre and post natal for my second pregnancy - I just recommend it now to mom friends to pre-book it in for 4 months postpartum. Something is gonna be effed up with your body for sure, you'll figure out what when you get there.
"Buzz one out"... (*cackles loudly)
Anyone in the Columbus, Ohio area? ISO Mom friends with vaccinated toddlers!
My daughter finally got pelvic floor therapy after putting up with issues for almost six years. She had to pay for it herself and travel almost an hour to get access. It’s wrong on so many levels.
Any other evil witches in Central MA?
Yes! Live in metrowest, but work in Worcester.