Passion Project

Hey there, if you’ve landed on this blog perhaps it’s because you’re a new mama, navigating all things fitness, pregnancy, and postpartum. Or maybe you’re a friend of mine, curious to know what the heck I’ve been up to the last three years. It could be that you’re here because you would like to work with me, and aren’t quite sure what you’re getting yourself into. 

Regardless of the reason, I am here - with you - because this is my passion project. Let me start at the beginning. I’ve been a dancer my entire life. I began taking typical ballet and tap classes at the young age of three, and continued dancing through my adult life. I got a BFA in dance at Webster University, and danced professionally in Houston, Texas for five years. I also taught dance at studios during this time. I never would have guessed that I would end up in a career mostly unrelated to dance, and basically only dancing in my kitchen, but life can be surprising, am I right? 

Me in 2013 at Webster University

In 2013 my then-fiance signed me up for Crossfit. It was horrifically wonderful. I had never used my body in such a powerful way, coming from a ballet world. At first I was nervous about getting hurt but I quickly fell for the sport, adrenaline, and rushing intensity of a workout. I felt strong, capable, and... badass. It was actually when I started Crossfit-ing that I began making more auditions and earning more roles as a professional dancer in Houston; there was definitely a correlation between my success as a dancer and my new found athleticism from Crossfit. I also took an opportunity to get my Crossfit Level-1 coaching certification, as I love teaching people about movement and have a passion for helping others. 

At Bayou City Crossfit, where I began my fitness journey.

In 2017 my husband and I got pregnant with our first daughter, Maggie. We knew we wanted to move back to the Saint Louis area to raise our babies since our families are both there. What I didn’t really anticipate was that having my sweet girl and moving would be the end of my dance career (for the time being). It turns out that motherhood is consuming, and without the professional connections and work I had achieved in Houston there just hasn’t been an opportunity or desire to pursue my dance career here. But Crossfit and fitness remained a constant. During my pregnancy with Maggie I would still push my fitness like I did before pregnancy. I did pull-ups, I ran, I lifted heavy, I flipped tires… I refused to let pregnancy define my fitness or to allow pregnancy to dictate what I could and couldn’t do. 

Pregnant with Maggie, April 2017

And then postpartum came. After a delivery that was “normal” but somewhat disappointing (I ended up birthing my first-born in a way that I never planned for or intended) I was determined to, again, prove my fitness. But just as I was unprepared for labor and delivery, I was unprepared for postpartum. I was so surprised to be experiencing symptoms like incontinence, painful sex with my husband, prolonged “coning” in the shape of my abdomen when doing ab workouts, and just generally being so “out of shape”. I remember one of my first workouts back, my little brother was in town to visit and wanted to workout in the garage with me. I was ruined by burpees. I couldn't keep up, I was winded, and everything felt “off” and hurt. Throw in a good ‘ole pee with movement along with everytime I sneezed, coughed, or laughed and I felt gross, wet, and so unlike myself that I wasn’t even sure where to go or what to do to find “me” again. 

This is when I pushed my OBGYN for a physical therapy referral, and started looking into postpartum coaching. I started coaching Crossfit in Saint Charles only eight weeks after birthing my daughter, and was determined to coach myself and others back to wellness. To me, wellness meant not peeing anymore with movement, among other things. 

I began pelvic floor physical therapy, where I learned more about my female anatomy than any family member, teacher, or doctor had ever taught me. I started to learn how important a breathing strategy was for life, but also for fitness. I slowly learned how to contract my pelvic floor to prevent leaking, relax my pelvic floor to have pain free sex, and so much more. I also obtained a certification to begin coaching the prenatal and postpartum population. This is when I began my business, Motherhood Strong. 

The early days of Motherhood Strong, spring 2018

And...then I got pregnant again. Just ten months postpartum with my first, and here I was starting from scratch...again. I was determined to do things so much differently this time around, and did. I was much more careful with my fitness, only pushing my body to the capabilities and limits that were safe (a threshold that is personal and different for each individual mama) and would ultimately help me and my pelvic floor, not harm it. I was so much more purposeful when choosing my birth team, and found care providers that listened and took my birth wishes to heart. I prepared for an unmedicated birth and I did proactive pelvic floor physical therapy. My second pregnancy was physically demanding in ways I didn’t anticipate; though I knew more and was better educated, you can’t educate yourself out of symptoms like pubic symphysis dysfunction (very sharp shooting pains in the pelvis or pubic bone) and you can’t take a nap all day if you have a toddler to care for. But my second birth and postpartum were indeed healing, deliberate, and informative. I had another daughter, Jane. My business was booming, and I was in full motherhood mode with two kids under two. It was a wild and crazy time. 

Pregnant with Jane, March 2019

It was around the time Jane was born that I realized my current certification wasn’t cutting it. I needed to learn more and do more. I have a good mama friend who also owns a similar business to Motherhood Strong, but in Nevada. She was certified through Pregnancy and Postpartum Athleticism, and had only excellent things to say. So I took on the 50-hour course, working through it in the mornings before my babies woke up or at naptime when the house was quiet. I learned so much information and continue to learn more every day from this certification. I could not be prouder to say that I am a certified Pregnancy and Postpartum Athleticism coach. 

And here I am. My baby Jane is now 18 months old, and Maggie just turned three. Motherhood Strong has seen growth, and decline, and growth again. Oh...and a pandemic. I have learned about the female body, about motherhood, and about how to run a business. I have learned how to do these things via zoom and the web! (HA! I know I’m not alone when I say covid sucks and I cannot wait for this world to return to some normalcy). And I do all of this because I am SO PASSIONATE. I have found purpose in motherhood, and helping other mothers. I want to help my fellow mama not pee her pants, but also to find the best baby monitor. I want to be a resource to my mama clients when they come to me as a friend and say “shoot, this is kicking my butt and I think I need help.” I gather resources, I learn as much as I can, I program workouts, I tailor my classes to my clients, I listen, and I am with you. I am with you, because I am literally in the trenches with you mothering, learning, and surviving (read, THRIVING in) the day to day.

Please, connect with me. I would love to be your coach, to be your friend, and walk this thing with you.