ot.in.motherhood

ot.in.motherhood I’m Kristy, Occupational Therapist and Mum passionate about C section recovery ☺️

It’s ok to say no . . . This time of year is always so full of social catch ups, Christmas shopping, end of year celebra...
15/12/2022

It’s ok to say no . . .
This time of year is always so full of social catch ups, Christmas shopping, end of year celebrations, community events, etc. There’s also so many traditions and projects that social media can lead you to believe you ‘should’ do (see my last post on ‘shoulds!) - there’s matching family pyjamas, Christmas photos, visits to see Santa, baking, Elf on the shelf, DIY Christmas decorations, handmade gifts, Christmas Eve boxes, personalised everything . . . The list goes on.

This is your reminder that you don’t need to do everything! If it brings you and your family joy, that’s amazing ☺️ However if it causes you stress, there’s no shame in opting out of something! Maybe pick 1 or 2 things to do as a family tradition, and leave the rest 👌🏻

Is there anything you’re opting out of this season?

Is your brain often filled with ‘shoulds?!’ For example;- I should do more sensory play with my baby- I should keep my h...
17/11/2022

Is your brain often filled with ‘shoulds?!’ For example;
- I should do more sensory play with my baby
- I should keep my house cleaner
- I should eat healthier food
- I should have my baby on a sleep schedule
- I should lose my ‘baby weight’
- I should . . .
There’s often so much guilt associated with being a Mum, and what you may think you ‘should’ be doing.
It’s time to reframe those thoughts! First of all, where is that thought coming from? Is it a message you’re receiving from social media/a stranger/family? Now, is it something that actually aligns with your personal values? Is it something you WANT to do??
If it is, next step is to work on how you can break it down and make it happen. For example, what does ‘eat healthier food’ even mean?? What does that look like?
If it’s not something you want to do, ignore it!
There are so many ways to be a great Mum - what works best for you and your baby is truly unique.

What’s a recent ‘should’ that has been filing your brain recently?

There is so much room for improvement in postpartum care right now. In our culture, there is huge emphasis placed on pre...
31/10/2022

There is so much room for improvement in postpartum care right now. In our culture, there is huge emphasis placed on pregnancy and birth - of course, these are extremely important, but what about afterwards? A baby is born and celebrated, but what about the new Mum? She is learning how to care for her new little love, while also learning about who she has become 💕

I personally was so unprepared for motherhood and all that it involved - was anyone else the same?

Sleep deprivation is not fun! My son is 6 months old, and has hardly slept longer than 2 hours at a time overnight 😴As a...
09/10/2022

Sleep deprivation is not fun! My son is 6 months old, and has hardly slept longer than 2 hours at a time overnight 😴
As a Mum, even when we do everything ‘right,’ baby sleep can be unpredictable and that lack of control is hard!
What we can control however, is our own sleep. Keep your eyes peeled for future posts about sleep hygiene, including tips and tricks to maximise your own sleep 👌🏻
Hands up if you’d like to get more sleep?!🙋🏼‍♀️

This post is not about debating the rate of c-sections in Australia, as of course c-sections are often required for the ...
28/09/2022

This post is not about debating the rate of c-sections in Australia, as of course c-sections are often required for the safety and well-being of Mum and baby.

It’s about postpartum recovery and support. It’s about the sheer number of women who end up having major unplanned surgery without being mentally/emotionally/physically prepared for it. Even women having elective c-sections may only have days or weeks to prepare.

Think about it for a minute . . . 40 000 women had major unplanned surgery, and then were expected to recover from that with minimal or no rehab, limited social support, and scarce information about how to minimise pain and follow their movement restrictions while completing their daily activities (occupations). All this while being sleep deprived, mastering feeding, and caring for their new tiny human!

I have had 2 c-sections myself, and I was fortunate to have the time, resources and knowledge at my disposal to plan for my recovery and be well supported during that initial 6 week period. However, I know that’s a rare situation, and I also know that recovery does not finish at the 6 week mark.

Did you have a c-section, and if you did, were you aware of your activity limitations and the recovery involved before you gave birth? Was there anything that surprised you?

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