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This week is perinatal mental health week. If you

This week is perinatal mental health week. If you have experienced this please know you are not alone.
Historically, there has been an immense stigma around perinatal mental health issues and people feel like they cannot talk about it.
I had my daughter when I was 22. I had severe physis pubis pain, I couldn't walk very well, and I had some time with crutches while still trying to work. I have very little family support besides my husband. The constant pain started getting to me & I shared this with the male obstetric registrar, who began doing mental health screening in the most insensitive way. When he got to the question, 'have you ever thought about hurting yourself or the baby' I freaked out. I was shocked.
No, of course not.
Was I being judged as a bad mother before I was a mother?
As a Torres Strait Islander, I briefly thought, 'would you take my child from me?'
I had pain. Pain that coloured my whole existence.
Every breath, every movement, everything I sensed was through a filter of pain.
I started seeking solutions and saw a physiotherapist and acupuncturist, meditated and reframed my thoughts.
Self care and feeling cared for helped reduce my pain & improved my mood.
Without intervention this could of lead to a perinatal mental illness as I had risk factors.
Around the world right now are parents who feel scared, vulnerable, traumatised and unsure. Including people who didn't have the birth they dreamed of.

The childbearing years, especially the first few weeks after childbirth, is the peak period for the onset of depression in women and partners.

The signs of perinatal anxiety and depression include:
• persistent, generalised worry, often focused on fears for the health of the baby
• mood swings, or feeling constantly sad, low, or crying for no apparent reason
• having little or no interest in all the everyday things that bring joy
• withdrawing from friends and family
• finding it difficult to focus, concentrate or remember
• having thoughts of death or suicide
• changes in appetite: under or overeating
• sleep problems unrelated to the baby's needs
• loss of confidence and lowered self-esteem
Cont part 2.
#perinatalmentalhealth

As I was jumping on the rebounder I was reminded o

As I was jumping on the rebounder I was reminded of the importance of good pelvic floor muscles. Our pelvic floor muscles can be affected by child birth, and as we age due to declining oestrogen levels resulting in pelvic floor laxity.
Engaging the pelvic floor regularly is great not only for dance floor / rebounder trampoline confidence but encourages good pelvic floor health throughout menopause. Little videos like this are great ways to remind you to engage with your pelvic floor daily
❤️🌙🔥
#womenshealth #pelvicfloor #pelvicfloorexercises

I was called to get a tattoo of a mother & baby du

I was called to get a tattoo of a mother & baby dugong, one of my family’s totems on the left bicep so that she will be close to my heart.
Dugong guides the work I am here to do in the perinatal and breastfeeding medicine space.
She teaches the importance of breastfeeding and caring for the mother /baby dyad.
The dugong is classified under the scientific order Sirenia and was a significant influencer of mermaid stories. 🧜‍♀️ She is now a vulnerable species due to dwindling seagrass beds and injury caused to her by boats and jet skis.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were aware of her medicine, the healing gift of the oil from her body which was found to be a wonderful cure-all. There are stories from Minjerribah where the Dugong oil healed a child with a chronic lung condition that western medicine could not fix.
When I was a young girl, my father carved a piece of dugong rib into a pendant, and I wore it during my childhood.
Dugong is a peaceful and gentle breastfeeding mammal who travels great distances and who I see, as riding the songlines to the stars and back down to the land and sea, helping guide our new babies to Earth. Her breastmilk flows along the songlines from the Earth's watery womb to us.

The image is sweet and tender, and when you see it, you go awwwhhh. It induces an oxytocin surge inside you.
I keep this sweetness close to me as I help navigate the sacred ‘in between’ space of birth and postpartum. I love the juxtaposition of my strength and now this little bit of softness.
Rachel @theelysianheart and I will add to her story next year as more of my women's business medicine symbols reveal themselves ❤️❤️

#lactation #breastfeeding #sacredmedicine #torresstraitislander #pregnant #birthworker #postpartum #perinatal #perinatalmentalhealth

It’s been so fun to get back into skating. It’

It’s been so fun to get back into skating. It’s been a hot minute.
Nevertheless, we pumped the tunes and fearlessly went out there.
It felt like we were almost back at the beginning, but we were gradually getting our tricks back.
Double shoot the duck, spins, mini jumps and my old favourite ‘the downtown’.

It’s fun to have the fun!
But safe fun with allll the safely gear and padded pants 😊🙃
#witchskatecrew #rollerskatingbeginner #rollerskate

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