1:1 Mom Mentoring
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Sometimes, we just need someone to talk us through the tough times.
And new motherhood can bring more tough times than we were expecting.
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But it doesn't have to be this way.
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Let's get you the support and advice that you need to be the parent you want to be. Whether that's talking though physical issues that have come up for you or your baby, making plans to support your health and wellness for after baby arrives, or returning to the activities you love; our mentoring sessions help you to see your strengths and put strategies in place to use those strengths in your everyday life.
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You are stronger than you know. We help you to see that.
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Through our virtual services packages, starting at two 30 minute problem solving sessions, we can support you to look after your body and mind while caring for your baby. Take a look below for a few ways we can support you as a new or expectant parent.
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Planning For Birth & Post-Birth
Your baby may not read your birth preferences, but planning for the big day can help us as parents to feel calmer, and helps your care providers know how best to support you. And what about after your birth? Let's make sure you continue to have the support you need while you bond with your baby.
Support During Pregnancy
Pregnancy is an incredible, exciting, but often hard, time; your body is changing and growing a whole new person!
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As a new parent, there's plenty of information available on birth planning and baby care - but far less information on how to look after yourself as a parent. This often leaves us with questions about how to care for ourselves as our body changes, including what exercise is safe and appropriate during each trimester, and how to manage all those ‘fun’ pregnancy symptoms like nausea, back and pelvic pain, and carpal tunnel syndrome.
Prenatal classes rarely touch on the ergonomics of parenting; how to keep yourself safe, healthy and injury-free while looking after your baby. As parents, you are your baby’s support system - you're important too!
Our Mom Mentoring sessions help you to assess your home environment and provide recommendations on how to set up your diaper changing area, feeding station, stroller and baby carrier to avoid injury. We can also chat about pregnancy symptoms and how to adapt your activities to ensure you can continue enjoying them, and make sure you have the knowledge about how to do those repetitive tasks (feeding, changing, holding baby) in a way that isn't going to cause too much strain on your body once baby arrives.
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Want this information on demand? Check out our new WellParent Online Course - everything no-one told you about being a new parent!
Planning for Birth & the Postnatal Period
There's so much to think about during pregnancy! Making plans for your labor and delivery is important, but it can be difficult when you're not sure what to expect, or if you’ve had a previous delivery which didn't go as you envisioned.
Our Mom Mentoring sessions offer support with thinking through your birth preferences. We discuss the care you’d like to receive in various birth situations, giving ideas for comfort measures during labor, documenting preferences and ensuring healthcare staff work with you to accommodate your wishes where possible. From unmedicated births to various types of pain management and delivery options, we’re here to make sure all eventualities have been considered and that your voice is heard.
Your birth experience matters! We’re here to ensure you're prepared and supported during this exciting time.
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And what about after baby arrives?
As an expectant mama, we get so much (sometimes it feels like too much!) support and advice about pregnancy and birth. And then baby arrives. And it feels like all of the support falls off the face of the Earth.
Being a new parent is hard. Amazing, but hard. Your baby has just been born, and so have you - as a parent.
Let’s give ourselves some grace, and make this easy (ok, easier) on ourselves. Let’s adjust our expectations of ourselves, and of our baby.
Our Mom Mentoring sessions help new parents put a postnatal plan in place for this time of growth and change, so you have the strategies to feel prepared and navigate those early newborn days without unnecessary stress.
Returning To The Activities You Love
It can be incredibly hard to find time for yourself as a new mom. It's easy to end up feeling stressed, frustrated and burnt out.
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We're so busy prioritizing others, the activities we value often fall to the bottom of our to-do list. Our Mom Mentoring sessions help you change that; here are a few examples of the support available:
Safe Return To Exercise
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As new moms, we often rush back into exercise as soon as we’re cleared by the doctor; however a significant percentage of moms are not ready for high impact activity for several months after birth. With 30% of moms experiencing incontinence post-birth (Fritel et al 2004)​, and 60% of moms having a diastasis recti, or separation of abdominal muscles, six weeks after birth (Sperstad 2016), sometimes our bodies need a little time and rehabilitation.
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Having experienced stress incontinence after returning to high impact exercise too quickly after my first baby, as a therapist I’m well placed to empathize with and support moms experiencing these symptoms. I develop tailored core and pelvic floor rehab plans with women who are pregnant, newly post-birth or may have been experiencing symptoms for several years after having children; it’s never too late to treat core and pelvic floor disorders. We’re not broken - these injuries can be rehabilitated!
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Return To Work
Whether you are looking forward to returning to work, or feeling anxious about it, (or a bit of both!), it’s important to plan for your return after baby.
Our Mom Mentoring sessions can support new parents to develop plans and work on strategies to ensure the transition back to work is as smooth and worry-free as possible. This can include planning for feeding your baby, caregiving and changes to routines, timing of transition back to work, or liaising with your employer about maternity leave and adapting your role or work day.
It’s our mission to be the helping hand you need to navigate your shift back to the workforce.
