Dear Mom, You are important.

Dear Momma,

I want to talk to you about you. I want to talk to you about why you are important. And if you’re already well-aware of how important you are.. I want to reinforce it. Specifically, I want to talk about why your physical health and habits matter so much.

Everything I'm about to share is backed by research, but let's be honest—this information is something we intuitively know. Even if you're not feeling particularly significant right now or you're not in the mood to ponder your importance (I've been there, too), deep down you know that your role as a mother is unparalleled. I’ll be the first to acknowledge the weight of #1 being a parent and #2 being a mom—the literal vessel of life. It is heavy! It's a weight we sometimes struggle to carry, but remember, you've been entrusted with this role because you are more than capable.

Let's dive into why exercise is such a powerful ally for moms and moms-to-be:

1. Combatting Muscular Issues: Exercise can help reduce the severity and impact of pregnancy-related muscular issues like diastasis recti (the separation between your abs) and pelvic floor disorders (including uncontrolled peeing, painful sex, or prolapse). It can also aid in correcting these issues post-childbirth. This directly influences how your brain and body function during and after giving birth.

2. Aches and Pains Begone: Exercise clears throat when programmed and executed correctly, can alleviate—or even entirely banish—those nagging aches and pains. Yes, that pesky back pain, pelvic discomfort, joint issues, and more. Movement is your medicine.

3. Stronger Bones for the Future: Load-bearing exercise can improve or restore bone mineral density (BMD). Pregnancy and breastfeeding may tap into minerals like the calcium and phosphorus in your bones to support the baby and lactation. While the risk is typically low, none of us want to deal with osteoporosis-type issues down the road. So, let's lift those weights, Momma!

4. Boosting Mental Health: Exercise isn't just for your body; it's for your mind too. We all know those postpartum hormones can be ruthless, but perhaps exercise can help. Anxiety and depression suck. But just like movement is medicine, movement can also be therapy. One study, in particular, focuses on how exercise can benefit perinatal anxiety and depression.

So, those are just four ways exercise can benefit YOU, specifically.

Now, let's pivot and look at how your physical health impacts your children. Think back to when your sweet little babe was all curled up, cozy inside your belly. Well, your exercise and nutrition habits directly influenced the baby you carried. Your baby's fetal and intrauterine health can determine their health as an adult! As mothers, we hold the power to shape the health span of our children's lives while they're in our womb. What an incredible responsibility!

Here's an article for you to explore further. But this topic deserves its own space, I dive deeper into Fetal Origins of Adult Disease here.

Let's also consider how your health impacts your children. This study found that if a mom's general health, including nutrition and exercise habits, was subpar, her child was more likely to have poor general health into adolescence (tracked from infancy to age 12). The same study showed that the stress, depression, or anxiety a mom experienced during pregnancy and the first year postpartum was associated with poor health in her adolescent children. Your personal health is generational. The way you treat your body before, during, and after pregnancy shapes how your children develop.

And let's not forget: you deserve to take care of yourself. It's essential. While the mainstream idea of "self-care/self-love" is commendable, it's often misdirected. If you've made it this far, please know that the BEST thing you can do for yourself and your loved ones is to prioritize your emotional, spiritual, and mental well-being. And guess what? The common denominator among these aspects of your psychological health is your physical health. So, Momma, I’ll say it again, you deserve to take care of yourself. Be disciplined about it.