I remember when I just over 4 weeks postpartum, I walked into the office for baby’s monthly wellness visit during one of the toughest few weeks of my life. As most babies struggle with gas or stomach issues, he was no exception. Although weight gain and diaper count was fine, our boy still struggled to stay latched consistently, and it felt like every waking hour he would be unsettled and unable to calm. Not surprisingly, both my husband and I as new parents were at a loss. All the things that I should have been doing for my own postpartum recovery, stretches, pelvic floor mobility, or eating enough calories, went out the window as my baby’s health flooded my every thought, increasing my anxiety to the max.
One of the things that stuck out to me in all of this was the mental load added that week with every healthcare consultation. When expressing my fear of potentially needing to remove dairy or gluten, the naturopath suggested I take out nearly everything for 2 weeks, not only removing dairy and gluten, but also eggs, nuts, corn, refined sugars, soy, and citrus, to name a few. Simultaneously, I was also told I needed to be eating 120 grams of protein, which was going to be very impractical for me given my current struggle of food intake already. The lactation consultant said that my breastmilk storage would no longer be usable before eliminating those foods. A pediatric triage nurse suggested we get him checked for pyloric stenosis at the ER. The emergency room pediatrician mentioned he probably had reflux. Lastly, we were told that he needed to be reassessed for a tongue tie release, meaning more appointments, more money, and more uncertainty.
While well intended and very valid advice, you can imagine the stress this put on our family. Although we were blessed with this information, not every family has the ability to walk through what we did, either due to financial, energy, or time constraints. I did not end up going on an elimination diet, and thankfully, our son is much better now with probiotics, regulation techniques, and a tongue tie release. I don’t regret any information I was provided with, but this experience reminded me of how important it is to make home programs not only effective, but also practical.
When working with patients here in the clinic, I come across various kinds of women (and sometimes men) of all different occupations and circumstances. Although my home program is largely different than a primary doctor or pediatrician, the following examples are ways I have intentionally tried to incorporate an otherwise difficult home program into my client’s daily lives.
• Sneaking in hip stretches or tension release with therapy ball when “stuck” on a floor mat with a clingy newborn
• Using household chores or outdoor heavy lifting as reminders to practice breathwork with functional activities.
• Increasing awareness and relaxation of one’s pelvic floor during weightlifting at the gym
• Nervous system and body awareness reset techniques performed while commuting for errands, on the way to pick up kids, or work.
• Reframing a nutrition plan to add in necessary nutrients rather than just removing likely comfort foods or liquids.
Some clients are ready to receive an extensive list of exercises and stretches to take home, but more often than that, I find most can’t even find time to literally breathe, much less pay attention to their bodies. Sometimes what might be the “best” for patients simply can’t happen with their current state or circumstance. Although I educate clients on what is ideal, my job as an occupational therapist is to work to find what is most practical for each individual. I’d rather stretches are performed while entertaining your baby, although that can sacrifice nervous system down training, if the alternative is none at all. If required heavy lifting for work puts greater pressure on the pelvic floor, it can still be used to build strength, increase body awareness, and practice breathing mechanics.
I’ve began asking patients, when do you see yourself finding the time, energy, and mental capacity to do this at home? Whether you’re a patient who feels like they need to “do better” with your home exercises, a provider giving a home program to your own clients, or even a parent raising a child to learn new skills, we can all learn to take a step back and ask ourselves, what is the most beneficial way to incorporate this into my daily life? Let your home program become a part of and add to your life, not pause it or put it on hold.
Blessings,
Kaylen and Your Moment of Truth Team
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