🤔 R U a Silky, a Crunchy, or a Scrunchie?

Jumping jellyfish. 🧜🏽 Mermaidcore (?!) is hitting our closets (shell earrings) and our homes (bubble light pendants).

We all know the inspo is the new Little Mermaid movie. And everyone has an opinion about the changes from the 1989 movie. But me? I’m still pining for the original Anderson version. Bring on the quest for an immortal soul! 🤓

Speaking of souls — since Wednesday’s email we crossed the 2,000 subscriber mark! Thank you, you beautiful people you!

In today’s email:

• Self-Help Books you’ll never find on the Self-Help shelves.

• Hats: you wear so many, why not one more?

• Summer bugs: not the swatting kind 🤮

• Tunes: Husband&Wife duo The Stapleton’s newest release 🔥

• Q&A Interview: Move over, Kegels! Kelly Keeny, Women’s Health OT, is here.

BOOK RECS: My Dad works with high-level CEOs. Me on the other hand? I work with high-level mess makers. 🚸 What do me and my Dad have in common? Our non-fiction book list. Whether you’re a boss babe or a SAHM, these books will give you a kick in the butt:

1. Essentialism: Yes, but what really matters? Learn the disciplined pursuit of less, but better.

2. Extreme Ownership: Mission Impossible. Gives you cues for leadership — whether that’s your gaggle of kids or co-workers.

3. Never Split the Difference: Negotiating with terrorists or toddlers? No matter — this book will give you practical tools to persuade. Audiobook recommended.

4. Abandonment to Divine Providence: The daily grind throws you curve balls, messes, and miscommunications — but it’s all part of God’s plan. Chock full of 300-year old wisdom on how to deal with peace and faith.

5. The Lazy Genius: Be genius about what matters and lazy about what doesn’t. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, this is a good book to steady you.

ETIQUETTE: Rudeness in on the rise. You got a problem with that? Well - do ya? Maybe we’ve forgotten etiquette. The simple things like opening doors, keeping your phone off during dinner, or a cheerful “hello” to the folks you meet.

Could it be we’ve forgotten gratitude? A little thank you note can go a long way. Here’s how. And here’s the prettiest hand painted stationary that can double as a thank you card or a hostess gift. Need a meditation to increase your personal gratitude? You’re welcome.☺

And, while we’re on the subject, how to really set a table.

FASHION: Our favorite summer duo? A hat + confidence. Elevate your style, feel extra fem, and stretch your fashion sense with a little head candy. Here are our picks:

Get the all French Feels in this budget straw beret. Not sure you can pull it off? You can, but here’s how the French girls rock them. (And here’s a free crochet pattern for all my DIY-ers). Next, a cute, packable Panama — perfect for vacation. Are you more in the market for sun protection while you garden? Call on your coastal grandma. Or, try a Dad hat: he’s always there for you and makes you feel like a million bucks, even on a greasy day! 🤎 Here’s a summer weather ad-visor-y: They’re back, but raffia-esque … and packable, too. And yes, bucket hats are still -in- this summer. Want to liven up your LBD for a wedding? We’ve found the answer.

HAT HAIR, NO MORE. 👒

GUT HEALTH: June was buggy this year. Stomach-buggy. 🤮Norovirus is ticking up this summer, so be ready. What should you do? Well, the usual scrubbing of hands, especially before eating. But here are some natural remedies when you’re just coming out of it. Don’t forget fermented foods to replenish your gut. Here’s a list of fermented recipes to try at home. Bring on the kimchi!

• 🎶They’ve got a harp, a guitar, and a big blue van. Oh, and 6 kids in tow. Dreamy vocals with a Celtic flair never looked (or sounded) this good.

• Parental advice for teens across the centuries.

• Are you a silky, a crunchy, or a scrunchie?

• Ten Makeup Tips that won’t cost you anything. 💄

• We love our country … and our BBQ. Here’s your July 4th menu.

“A truly rich man is a man whose children run into his arms when his hands are empty.” (h/t Ziad K. Abdelnour)

Does this sound right to you? 🤨

When you’re pregnant, your OBGYN sees you about ten times (or more). Your weight, blood pressure, mood, lifting capabilities, belly measurement, baby’s heart rate, diet changes, and more are all carefully scrutinized and documented. After baby? Not so much. One 5 minute postpartum visit to check the boxes and send you on your way.

Unfortunately, some isolating issues come up when you start trying to get back into exercise, intimacy, and real life— after that 6 week visit.

That fourth trimester is a tender time. Women need more care. And whether you’re 5 weeks postpartum or 55 weeks postpartum, there’s a chance you could benefit from a Pelvic Floor OT.

But what do they actually do?

⚡Meet Kelly Keeny, Women’s Health Occupational Therapist. ⚡

Kelly Keeny is a Women’s health OT/ pelvic floor therapist, with a focus on pregnancy and postpartum care as well as pelvic pain. She started Form and Function Pelvic Health in 2019. Kelly lives in Pittsburgh with her high school sweetheart and their six children. She is a fan of homebirth, cooking traditional recipes, and her blue Ford Transit van. She can usually be found teaching homeschool, overseeing piano practicing, or having playdates with other Catholic moms.

Oftentimes, women don’t know Pelvic Floor Therapy exists until they’ve been prescribed! Tell us how you found yourself practicing in women’s health.

Following the birth of my third baby, I was having many of the usual “mommy” symptoms that so many women experience – leaking, abdominal separation and weakness, and mild pelvic pain. I had heard about pelvic floor therapy, and began working with a pelvic PT. This was the beginning of my passion for women’s health! It was as if a light bulb went off – in the four years since I had my first baby, I spent so many hours a day clenching my pelvic floor, taking shallow breaths, overdoing it when I exercised - always feeling insecure and like having kids had “wrecked” my body.

Working with my pelvic floor PT changed all that – I finally felt like I was able to connect my core and pelvic floor, working the smaller groups of muscles, and not just focusing on “ab exercises.” In a few months, I felt more confident and comfortable in my new “mommy” body. I took the plunge in working in women’s health and never looked back!

What do you love most about your job?

After starting my own Pelvic Floor Therapy Practice in 2019, what I love most of all is helping so many young women, new moms and mothers of teenagers, as they discover those “aha” moments – whether it’s finally being able to have sex for the first time with their husband after months or even years of pain (this happens more than people realize!), finding the support and strength to be able to exercise without prolapse feelings, or finally getting a handle on leaking after years of barely making it to the bathroom.

As women, we tend to accept symptoms of dysfunction as “just normal” after having a baby. What are the common symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction that go unnoticed or unchecked by OBGYNs or midwives?

The 6 week check in with your midwife or OB can be, well, really brief. While it’s common to have many uncomfortable things going on after baby, many of them are really common but not normal. Common, meaning that they often happen to women postpartum, but not normal, in that they are a symptom that something is actually going wrong. Good news: we can help you correct it!

These common but normal feelings include - Leaking urine (even a little), needing to pee all the time, pelvic pressure - feeling of heaviness or that something is “falling out” of your vagina, pain with intimacy, constipation or difficulty controlling gas or bowel, difficulty engaging your abs, low back, hip or pelvic pain.

You can actually take a really easy quiz right here that will help you learn if you have pelvic floor dysfunction!

What kind of women do you see in your office? 

We see women of all ages! Those who have had babies years ago and those who are recently postpartum— young women who are experiencing the symptoms I mentioned earlier, women who need help with getting their C-section scar to heal, and pregnant women who want a better experience. We even see those who are healing really well postpartum but want a little coaching to prevent future issues.

We also treat women with diagnoses that require treatment from pelvic pain and fertility specialists, and we love being able to refer our clients to the amazing NAPRO physicians in Steubenville, OH — Dr. Blaise Milburn and Dr. Brian Burke.

What do you do in therapy to help women feel better? Are internal exams the go-to? (Currently crossing my legs.)

No, we don’t always do internal work! This can be really helpful, but we spend most of our time doing “other things” - like working on diaphragmatic breathing, back/body expansion and rib movement, not clenching pelvic floor muscles, or bearing down. We work on posture, progress abdominal exercises, do behavioral coaching (think bladder diary, as well as chatting through some of the emotional pieces that may be preventing sexual intimacy with your spouse!). We also do hands-on therapy like soft-tissue work through your abdomen, or skin rolling of your back and belly postpartum (this feels really good!).

We give customized exercise programs for each of our clients, with the goal to restore confidence, be pain-free and learn to love her body and enjoy moving and exercising well!

We don’t really hear a lot about Pelvic Floor PT/OT for pregnant women. What should pregnant women know about strengthening their pelvic floor? Is it worth it?

Honestly, I wish I had gone to pelvic floor therapy with my first baby! If you’re having common symptoms like low back or pubic symphysis pain, leaking or pain with sex or sitting - getting started during pregnancy can help to nix those uncomfortable symptoms early before they become a bigger problem.

Two big benefits from OT are preparing for giving birth and preventing prolapse in the future! Learning how to relax and strengthen your pelvic floor not only is crucial for giving birth but also sets functional strength for the postpartum activities: picking up toddlers, lugging a car seat, etc.

But truly, every woman can benefit from PT or OT - for starters, just doing kegels is very bad advice. Not every woman benefits from kegels at all points, and oftentimes doing a lot of kegels can make things worse!

What advice do you have for those postpartum mums who are itching to get back into the swing of things?

While occasionally some women are able to get back into running or lifting that first year after baby - the majority of women are really putting themselves at risk by jumping into these intense exercises without having the tools to build the base of strength first. And so, a women’s health PT/OT is there to bridge that gap — we want all women to enjoy and benefit from exercise after baby — and giving better, safer and more specific exercises that truly build strength without causing injury is our number one priority with our clients.

I think that the preventative side of pelvic floor therapy is really what is for everyone — that’s truly women’s health at its best.

Couldn’t agree more. Where can we contact you, Kelly?

Several ways! Subscribe to our monthly newsletter, download our free postpartum guide, book a free 20 minute phone call, or check out our website to learn more about our services.

Thanks so much, Kel! It’s crazy— I always learn something new from every Women’s Health Therapist I meet! Y’all are the best. 🫶

Have a great weekend, all!

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