The Self-Care Party for Moms
Are you a 40+ mom with unique self-care and parenting needs? Well, Dear Mommy, This Party Is Just Getting Started! Entering motherhood in your 40s is a different kind of journey for many women. If you are a mom of multiples, an adoptive mom, or a mom with unique situations that often present themselves in our 40s and you are looking to level up your self-care game as a busy mom who is doing all the things? Join me, Elizabeth Camargo Garcia, a psychotherapist by background and busy mom of twins myself, bringing you this podcast where I spill all the secrets for moms like you who want to prioritize self-care without sacrificing precious time with your little ones. Discover practical tips, heartwarming stories, and expert advice on practicing self-care and healthy bonding with your children, even with a jam-packed schedule on your hands. Join the party and hit that play button and let's dive into the amazing world of motherhood together!
The Self-Care Party for Moms
Enhancing Your Mom Self-Care During Surgical Recovery
Ever wondered what it takes to navigate a health issue involving surgery while being a mom? As a mom who recently journeyed down that road, I've got firsthand tips to share that'll help you navigate questions to consider with any upcoming procedures. In this enlightening chat, I unpack lessons from my experience, emphasizing the importance of asking all the right questions - from recovery time to pain medication usage - to help you quell uncertainties and mentally prepare for what lies ahead. Plus, I share on the necessity of roping in help outside of your partner and the importance of rest, even for the work-from-home warriors.
But that's not all! We also dig into the world of self-care for moms, a topic too often relegated to the back burner. On this journey, we'll explore different resources that can help you establish a proper self-care routine. We'll also discuss why seeking professional help when required shouldn't be shied away from, and why tuning into your body's signals is a non-negotiable aspect of self-care. Bear in mind, the advice shared here is from my personal experience and does not substitute for professional advice. This empowering episode is a must-listen for any mom considering hernia repair surgery, other surgical procedures or anyone seeking to enrich their self-care routine.
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Music Credits: Flybird Audio Jazz by Jamendo Music
Disclaimer: The information provided on this site is strictly for educational purposes. Do not rely on this information as professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Consult with your medical provider before engaging in any physical activity that may be contraindicated to your health. If you need medical advice, research and consult with a medical professional in your area.
Everyone knows that moms cannot afford to get sick, but when they do, here are three things that I learned from my recent ventral hernia repair. Hello, and thank you for tuning in today to Dear Mommy. This party is just getting started, the place where you find self-care, peaceful and fun parenting and wellness resources at your fingertips. Let's dive in. I have been away for a few weeks due to having had a surgical procedure to repair a hernia that I developed from having had diastasis recti after the birth of my twins. In case you don't know, diastasis recti is a separation of the abdominal muscles that can occur during pregnancy or in someone who had a pregnancy with multiples or someone who has had multiple children close together to each other. There are other situations, of course, that put a lot of strain on the abdomen that can also cause this, but the most common occurs during pregnancy or shortly after that. This abdominal separation can cause a connective tissue in the abdomen to become very thin and can often tear, which exposes the organs to move past this point, and this is how a hernia develops. I developed diastasis recti after the birth of my twins due to complications during my C-section. Not knowing anything about the condition, I was not aware of what exercises I could and could not do. I always felt odd in my abdominal area and often described it as feeling like I had a hole in my stomach. I saw physical therapy once I figured out what it was, and physical therapy helped me tremendously. But after I was done with the treatment I really didn't keep up with the recommended exercises. Long story short, I had a stressful time late last year, as some of you know, with the death of my father and my cousin and a major move to a new home that led to my weight increasing and me not taking good care about the physical activity that I was engaging in. So I developed a hernia earlier this year. Upon consulting with a few different surgeons, they all recommended I have this repaired hernia, due to the potential of my small hernia to cause pain and eventually be life threatening, as I guess the smaller ones are the most dangerous. So here I am, 7 days post-stop, and this is what I have learned so far about self-care for moms who are going through a similar situation.
Speaker 1:Okay, so self-care tip number one ask a lot of questions. It is important to know exactly how long you will be in recovery, and by recovery I mean unable to move much drive due to pain medication or unable to do usual activities like getting the kids ready for school, cooking, driving them to school. I really had no idea what I was thinking, that I thought it would only take about a week it for me to not fully recover. I mean, I knew things would be slow, but I thought I would still be able to drive around and stuff. I scheduled my surgery specifically on a Friday for this reason, which, if you're going to have surgery and you have the option I still would advise you to do. This helps you have the weekend to have others be able to help you with the recovery time. It makes it easier on your partner as well, in case they have limited days off.
Speaker 1:Okay, so back to asking questions. Ask how long you could be on pain medication. How long do people usually stay off of work? Since I work from home doing telehealth most of the time, it wasn't a big concern for me to ask this because this was not a big deal for me, but I didn't realize it would be a big deal when it came down to my kids activities. Between my husband and I, we share in driving the kids around to their evening activities, but I was not able to take them. On some of the days that I do the work, the surgeon did mention to my husband in a joking manner right before I went into surgery, that I shouldn't be doing any housework for about eight years. Gosh, I wish I were true, but I didn't think to really clarify. So again, ask those questions.
Speaker 1:Self-care. Tip number two arrange for help other than your partner. So, to make matters worse for us, my kids were supposed to be staying with my aunt, who is their godmother, for the weekend, so that my husband could just focus on helping care for me. However, my daughter came down with bronchitis, which was possibly pneumonia. It ended up being that he had to do a lot of caregiving for her and for my son, because we didn't want to expose anyone else to any viruses coming from our home. So we ended up keeping them home with us. We got through it.
Speaker 1:It involved a trip to urgent care for my husband and my daughter, but it did complicate things a little bit. Not only did my husband get sick from the kids, but, guess what, I got sick as well. That's why you hear me with a different tone of voice today. I was told to try to limit my coughing and sneezing. Ah, so these are the things you don't prepare for. So it's important to prepare for situations that might arise with your children and be prepared to isolate yourself from the rest of the household. You can't prepare for everything, there's no way, but do ask for help and have other people on standby in case you need additional help than what you prepared for.
Speaker 1:Self-care. Tip number three if you work from home and think that you can still continue to work, don't do it. If you can financially afford to take a week off, do so for your health. Rest, rest and more rest. The body tells you what it needs. I got through the week fine with working, conducting telehealth sessions. However, my body could have used more rest and I could have avoided a cough if I had listened and stayed put in bed.
Speaker 1:It is tricky to be on the pain meds because you feel fine with them and don't realize your body's still healing inside. Without you being able to feel pain, it's hard to realize what's going on inside of your body. However, when the medication wears off, oh boy, that's another story. You know your body's screaming for rest. So remember my fellow mom.
Speaker 1:These are just some of the self-care tips that I have for you. If you were undergoing any procedures in your lifetime as a busy mom in the near future, keep this in mind. However, there are other things to keep in mind, such as staying hydrated, eating healthy and practicing mindfulness meditation to aid in the overall healing of your mental and physical self. Again, if you are loving this type of information, please head on over to the link below and sign up for the weekly newsletter, where you will get your weekly self-care tip and many more self-care goodies that drop into your inbox every Monday, and also I would love and appreciate your reviews. So please, if you love this episode and found it useful or relatable to you, don't forget to rate and review this episode if you are enjoying it, and make sure you subscribe to listen on your favorite podcast station this is how I get discovered by other moms who might need this information by the ratings that the podcast receives. Until next week, don't forget to be your most beautiful mom's self. Thank you and goodbye.
Speaker 2:Hi, I'm Elizabeth Camargo Garcia, licensed marriage and family therapist and founder of Kalla Mind, an organization that helps moms establish self-care routines through courses, book clubs and community. A quick disclaimer yes, I am a licensed marriage and family therapist, but none of the educational material mentioned in this podcast is meant to be psychotherapy or medical advice. If you need these type of professional services, please seek the help of a medical professional in your area. By listening you