Hello! I want to start by saying I love the title of this
blog- She works hard for the Mommy! It is so creative and I think this lines up
exactly with where I am now in my career. My name is Erin Glace and I am a
Physical Therapist specializing in Pelvic Health. A bit about my personal life
first. I married my high school sweetheart and we moved to Hampton Roads soon
after, thinking we would be here for a short time and we are still here 30
years later. We have raised 3 kids ages 24, 22 and 18- 2 girls and a boy in the
middle. All of my kids went through the Western Branch Schools, Go Bruins! My
baby is now at JMU and we are empty nesters. Everyone asks how I feel about
that and honestly it is with a mix of emotions but mostly pride in my kids and
enjoying some time with the hubby. Empty nesting is also giving me the
opportunity to pursue something I have talked about for many years- Mommy Care
PT!
Mommy Care PT is my side hustle. I am teaching workshops for
women about pre and postnatal care for themselves. I want women to learn ways
to recover their pelvic, abdominal and core strength and control. It is my work
passion. Throughout the years, I have worked with many women who had pelvic
health issues like prolapse, urinary incontinence, pelvic and back pain, and C-section
scar pain. It is interesting that we will rehab an injured knee but somehow
expect a woman’s body to just “bounce back”. I know that we have been having
babies forever, but we know more now and we can do better. My patients frequently
ask me, “Erin, why didn’t anyone ever tell me this before?”. Sadly, I just
don’t know. In the medical community, we know that certain pelvic floor issues
are strongly associated with childbirth. Women are strong and we can continue
to be strong and even stronger with some knowledge! Knowledge is power. Power
to choose to be proactive in your own health care. I believe the subject of
pelvic health is a bit taboo and as a society we are still somewhat embarrassed
to discuss these important issues.
A workshop with Mommy Care PT includes information about how
the changes our bodies go through during pregnancy, anatomy of the belly and
pelvic floor, simple ways to strengthen the pelvic floor and abdomen before and
after pregnancy, and ways to protect your pelvic floor muscles. These important
muscles are critical to core strength, bladder and bowel control and sexual
function and they can also contribute to pain in the pelvis, abdomen and low
back. These are important muscles in my book. And a side note, Kegels are important but these exercises are not the
only thing and some women should not do Kegels!
I fully recognize the difficulty of being a mom balancing
work, kids and family. Even with my “kids- now adults” away at school, it can still
be a balancing act. Moms have a tendency to back burner our own health care and
my hope is that as the conversation grows about maternal health, women will be
empowered to take steps to prioritize their wellness. If my girls have babies
in the future, I would love for proactive pelvic health care to be the norm.
I am partnering with some local businesses to provide these
workshops but will also do them privately for groups of as few as 2 women. If
you are interested in a workshop, please email me at erin@mommycarept.com and follow my
Facebook and Instagram accounts for updates and information – Mommy Care PT.
