Ebb and Flow Physical Therapy, PLLC

03/23/2023

We rescued her 5 years ago and she was already grown... But here's a picture of my first daughter and forever puppy.

10/13/2021

Do you love checking off boxes?⁠
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Me too.⁠
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Not only will I help you to reach your postpartum and post goals...But you also are provided that sweet, sweet satisfaction of task completion along with that delicious little check in a square. ⁠
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DM me: "I❤️✔️" and I'll hook you up!⁠
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08/31/2021

Today was A DAY.

Babes is feeling all those toddler feels.

Car is back in the shop.

Mama slept like $H!T last night.

I was crashing by 1pm.

I couldn't summon up the energy to exercise, so I just worked on my breathing. And you know what? I felt better.

Self-care is hard. Life is about balance. Sometimes you eat the greens, sometimes you scoop the Nutella out of the container.

And tomorrow the sun will rise again

08/23/2021

Before my Evie, we lost our first.

I say "we" because it affected both myself and my husband.

I avoid the term miscarriage because it makes it sound like someone is at fault.

I'm so grateful for the women in my life who were brave enough to tell their story so I could seek comfort from them.

Know that I'm here for you. To listen to you. To cry with you. To sit in silence with you. Even if I've never met you. And all the while, I'll be sending you wishes of healing and rainbows.

🌈🌈🌈

08/10/2021

Scar massage gets all the glory.

But did you know that making your scar and the skin around it less sensitive is something you can do day one, post ???

While the greatest changes will occur in those first 6 months or so, desensitization strategies can be done years after your

Look for more posts and a free resource in the next week all about strategies for all my

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07/29/2021

I struggle to find stock photos that are representative of the women I work with each day. Real bodies with less than perfect scars of varying skin tones are not well represented on social media.⁠
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A big thank you to the women who are willing to share their bodies to help normalize what are supposed to look like.⁠
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07/13/2021

Regardless of whether you birth your baby vaginally or via c-section, there is one thing outside of becoming a mother to a newborn that connects us all: the first p**p.⁠
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The sweat. The tears. The relief when it was all over. And then the fear that it would happen again. ⁠
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While I can promise you that it does get better with time, here are some tips to make those first few p**ps a little less stressful:⁠
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1.) Hydrate. You will need way more water than you think to keep yourself adequately hydrated. A good way to know is by looking at the color of your p*e. Anything darker than a light yellow means you need more.⁠
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2.) Fiber. Fruits and veggies are an important part of any healthy diet. And those early days, you need to be eating to promote healing. If produce isn't your thing, try a smoothie. (Stay away from too much banana or peanut butter as they can be constipating).⁠
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3.) Stool Softeners: Take. The. Pill. ⁠
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4.) Exhale when attempting to push out a stool, instead of holding your breath. Many of us hold our breath when we p**p, which actually creates more pressure and can make p**ping difficult. Counting out loud, singing a song, or humming are all ways to be sure that you are not holding your breath.⁠
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5.) And if you do decide to sing or hum, think low notes. Higher pitches have been proven to create more tension in the pelvic floor muscles. Less Mariah Carey. More Lauryn Hill. ⁠
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Here's to happy p**ping!⁠
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**pingafterbirth

07/12/2021

As we heal from our , pain can wax and wane. And with it, comes fear. Fear of not healing, fear of tearing, fear of never being pain-free again. ⁠
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Improvement is slow and difficult to measure. I always encourage my mommies to call their OB with any questions, at any time they are worried. YOU know YOUR body best. ⁠
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BUT if you are steadily healing and the pain you experience is staying the same from day to day with you actually doing a little bit more each day: walking a little bit further, doing the stairs one extra time, carrying your little one more...that's improvement. In those early days, an increase or change in lochia will often be the best visual feedback that you are doing too much and should rest. ⁠
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Gentle movements like taking deep breaths, stretching overhead and going for short walks those early days are so important for both your physical and mental well-being. Don't be afraid of them!⁠
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07/12/2021

Less than 24 hours before the Belly Birth Recovery Program begins. Let's go mamas!!!!!

07/10/2021

Hi Mamas! ⁠
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I'm looking for 5 Mamas who have had a C-section birth ( ) and are looking to jumpstart their fitness. It doesn't matter if you had your Belly Birth 1 week, month, year or decade ago. It also doesn't matter what your goals are! Want to walk more? Want to get back to Crossfit? Want to feel strong when you pick up your little one? ⁠
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I will meet you where you are. Through targeted activities, education and an accountability community, I can guarantee you will arrive on the other side of your goals.⁠
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Drop a line below saying, "I'm in" and let's get started. ⁠
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07/08/2021

Tell me not to do something and I can guarantee you, I will do it. That's how I wound up doing a 13 mile mud run in grad school. ⁠
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But I know plenty of people who when told not to do something, will avoid it forever. ⁠
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Both extremes. Neither are good.⁠
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Crunches get a bad rap. But for many postpartum women, they are appropriate and should be a part of their exercise routine. ⁠
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Drop a ❤️ below if you have any questions about how to incorporate appropriate ab exercises into your workout routine.⁠
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07/07/2021

You can do anything for 5 minutes. ⁠
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Warm-ups and cool downs are the easiest parts of your workout to skip. And as a mom pressed for time, these are usually the first items on the chopping block.⁠
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But a proper warm-up prepares your body for activity and gets your muscles ready to perform. A gentle cool down and stretch allows those muscles to relax. It's a healthy dose of injury prevention and a gentle way to transition into the next activity of the day. ⁠
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I used to always skip my cool down but now I frame it as my "Mommy Timeout", giving me a few extra minutes of focus on my breathwork and flexibility.⁠
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Drop a comment below and tell us which one you usually skip and your reasons why.⁠
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06/29/2021

06/27/2021

Pardon me while I get on my soapbox and rant.

Postpartum care is lacking. Until women worldwide are provided with consistent follow-ups by their health teams that encompass both physical and mental health screens based in the most up-to-date research, this is my stance regardless of what country you currently live.

As a PT, I have treated many people after various surgeries who are consistently returning to their orthopedists for follow-ups who are monitoring their progress. There are clear cut expectations on a weekly basis of what the patient should be able to. Shocker: NONE OF THEM were also caring for a newborn.

During pregnancy, most women see their OB at least 8 times! Why is 1 postpartum visit considered enough? We need so much more than those 15 minutes where we are "cleared" for exercise, s*x and a return to prior activities. Especially when we feel so far from "normal".

If this resonates with you, send me a DM and let's chat about how you can best be supported in your and beyond.

06/24/2021

Every Mom has heard tons of stories about birthing experiences. Sometimes we hear the good, but more often than not, it's the traumas that we hear most. ⁠
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This is not to take away from woman's experience. Some of us labored for hours or even days, only to wind up in the OR. Some of us had to deal with the fear that came with an emergency C-section. Some of us had a scheduled C-section due to complications. ⁠
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We all carry our own emotions and tell the stories that have defined us. ⁠
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But I encourage you to find a moment of joy in your Belly Birth, even if everything else about it still makes you cry. Because just maybe, you will give a soon-to-be-Mama strength and hope and belief in herself as she walks or rolls into that OR to bring her little one Earthside.⁠
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Be a part of the string that unites us all as Mamas. ⁠
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06/22/2021

I don't care if you're one day, week, month, year or decade out from your C-section surgery. All Belly Birth Mamas can and should touch their scar. ⁠
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In those early postpartum days, it is important to desensitize the scar and the skin around it. You can do this safely but softly running your fingers around the scar, feeling for the areas that are numb. If you still have staples or stitches, you can gently place your palm over your Belly Birth site and just rest it there. ⁠
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Once cleared by your OB, scar massage is a MUST! And while the greatest changes to the layers of skin occur in those first 6 months postpartum, there is still room for improvement years and even decades after the birth of your child. Especially if you're still numb, have pain or are dealing with incontinence. ⁠
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Drop a ❤️ below if you would like to learn more about scar massage post-Belly Birth.⁠
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06/22/2021

The most decorated woman in track and field history just qualified for her FIFTH Olympics.

I could go on and on about her track accolades or the fact that she's a brand ambassador for or that she went to war against Nike for maternity leave protection.

But today, I want to celebrate this extraordinary woman's athletic accomplishments only 2.5 years after her emergency c-section to her baby girl.

Her second place finish was to Quanera Hayes. And guess what? She has an almost 3 year old son.

Moms. Are. Superheroes.

These 2 just happen to have super sp*ed.

06/19/2021

No one can deny that being a mom is pretty much a superpower. We push to the extremes, both physically and mentally, day in and day out. ⁠
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But just because we can, doesn't mean we should. At least, not on the daily.⁠
Because burnout and compassion fatigue and sleep deprivation are all real and steal moments and hours and days from our little ones.⁠
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We use timeouts for our little ones but do you ever put yourself in timeout? ⁠
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Mama, you should. ⁠
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Every one of us can find 3-5 minutes every day for a "Mommy Timeout". Put your baby in the crib, turn on the TV for your older ones and go find a quiet spot for yourself. Close your eyes, take a few deep breaths and just be. ⁠
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And if you can't do it for yourself, do it for your little ones. You'll be a better mom for it. ⁠
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Drop a heart below and comment what you did during your "Mommy Timeout" today!⁠
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