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Meeting You Where You Are: In-Home Pelvic & Occupational Therapy w/ Thrive Maternal Care

3/2/2023

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Pregnancy and new parenthood can be a beautiful period. But it’s also a time of immense changes to our bodies, lifestyle, identities, and emotional health. Many women experience pains and discomforts related to pregnancy or postpartum recovery. And yet, there’s little discussion about it. So many women don’t know how to find the resources or treatment they need and deserve.

Enter Isabel Hartounian, an occupational therapist who founded Thrive Maternal Care. She’s on a mission to meet moms where they are and help them towards smoother functioning in their daily lives. 

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Please tell us about yourself/your business and what you do.
I am a mom of two kids, born and raised in the Bay Area, and a licensed occupational therapist (OT) of 14 years. After my own experiences, I realized there are various challenges moms face everyday whether pregnant or after baby.​
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I started Thrive Maternal Care in 2022 to offer pelvic floor therapy in home. I'm passionate about helping moms manage symptoms of pregnancy and postpartum recovery so they can be more comfortable doing their everyday activities.

What inspired you to get into this work?
My background was in pediatrics so I listened to a lot of moms' experiences. After my second baby, I was dealing with pelvic pain and incontinence, so I asked my doctor for a referral to a pelvic floor therapist. I was inspired by how it helped me and pivoted my career by diving into all things pelvic and maternal health.
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What are the main reasons or areas of concern that lead families to seek out your services? What are your key resources and offerings to help address these needs?
Many moms don’t receive guidance on how their body mechanics change as their belly grows in pregnancy or how to deal with issues that arise in postpartum. 

One main concern in pregnancy is dealing with aches and pains, especially in the lower back, groin, and pubic bone area. Then in postpartum, moms get one 6-week checkup and are cleared for intimacy and returning to fitness. But they are often still healing from tearing or a Cesarean birth, learning the ropes of being a mom, and coming to terms with a new role and routines in their daily life.
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My vision is to keep pelvic floor therapy holistic where I consider your emotional well-being when we work together. We look at how managing overwhelm and making small adjustments to our routines can help with incontinence, pain with intimacy, diastasis, and so much more. I love to educate clients as well as offer lifestyle modifications, manual therapy, and exercises.
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How does your work support/uplift/impact expecting or new families?
My vision is to help moms to function in a way that feels better for them– where they feel like they understand their symptoms or challenges, have tools, and gain a new perspective. I believe all birthing people should have their pelvic health evaluated during and after pregnancy, and be given education to help themselves. At the same time, I think how we manage our expectations and give ourselves compassion as we become parents is huge.

​What's one tidbit of helpful information or encouragement that you'd want all families to know?
I know there are some discomforts and challenges we cope with and live with as moms, but I also know you don't have to live with them forever. This can mean within our bodies (ex. leaking, pelvic and other related pains) or within our minds (ex. emotional overwhelm in parenting, not feeling bonded with baby). Of course, the mind and body are always connected so I like to take a full, holistic approach without adding more burden to the mom's plate.
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So it sounds like you’re encouraging women to speak up for their health. Is it ever “too late” for someone to get PT or OT? When’s the optimal time to be seen?
It is never too late for someone to get pelvic floor OT/PT.  Realistically, the most optimal time to be seen is when you feel you need help with managing pain, leakage, navigating returning to fitness, managing overwhelm, adjusting to motherhood and so on. You can be pregnant, 6 weeks postpartum or 10 years postpartum. 
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But it’s been my experience that some moms have a hard time assessing when they need extra support or have a hard time asking for that help. I have a checklist I like to share to know when it might benefit you to go to pelvic floor therapy.
pelvic_therapy_checklist__thrive_maternal_care__8.5_×_11_in_-2.pdf
File Size: 49 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Where are you located? What area(s) do you serve?
I am in San Jose and serve moms within a 30 minute radius which includes, but is not limited to Campbell, Santa Clara, Los Gatos, Saratoga, Sunnyvale, Cupertino, and the surrounding areas.

What's the best contact for people to reach out for further information or questions?
I encourage moms to schedule a free, 15 minute phone consultation with me to see how I can help. 
You can also find more information on my website and I am on Instagram.
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Preschool Parents: Promoting Independence Through Play Spaces

5/16/2022

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As any parent of a young child knows, the toddler and preschool years are busy! It’s at this stage when young children are on the cusp of becoming more independent and wanting to do things themselves, yet still need some guidance from caregivers. There’s so much to learn and explore. 

Fostering our children’s social-emotional and academic development in this crucial period, while still managing our day-to-day work and responsibilities, can feel overwhelming or tiring at times. Parents are multitasking to keep up with it all!

What can parents do?
How can parents promote their children’s independence and learning? Are there manageable and fun ways to do this?
​Blanca Sobhan is a Montessori Teacher and Consultant with Giggle + Grow. Their focus is creating and utilizing effective learning/play environments for children.
What is Montessori?
"The Montessori method was created by doctor Maria Montessori and centers on developing the child’s whole self by providing an atmosphere with the right tools where the child can manage to do things independently. All to foster love for learning and discovery."
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How does a child’s environment/play area influence their independence and learning?
"Having the right set up can really ease some of the common challenges parents/caregivers go through with their little ones at home. 
Young children are constantly looking for hands-on opportunities to learn throughout the day, but most families' homes are set up in a way where the adult is required to do everything for them."

What tools/things are helpful to set up in a child’s play space?
"Toys, books, materials, and activities that not only entertain the child but also that can engage the development."
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What does Giggle + Grow do? What services and offerings do you have to help families?
“I help families with young children 0-6 years old from the comfort of their home using the Montessori method. I currently offer 4 services: Home Set Up, Playroom Set Up, Personalized Curriculum, Academic Support.

Beside mentoring parents and their caregivers: 
  • I design & set up child-friendly areas throughout the house to make day-to-day activities easier for the child but also for the caregiver. 
  • I design & set up a playroom where the child is motivated to easily clean up independently and promote a meaningful playtime 
  • I create a personalized curriculum tailored to the child’s needs with endless ideas and activities to do to meet developmental milestones. 
  • I provide play-based academic support using authentic Montessori materials and lessons to foster love of learning not only at home, but for upcoming school years."
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Where are you located? What area(s) do you serve?
I live in San Francisco but I serve the entire Bay Area. I currently work with families in SF, Palo Alto, Menlo Park, and Marin County.

What's one tidbit of helpful information or encouragement that you'd want all families to know?
With the Montessori method you can add simplicity and beauty in your home, as well as save time & energy to spend quality time connecting with your child. You can help your child succeed at home and empower them to learn— planting the seeds now to raise independent and intelligent human beings (both intellectually and emotionally).

Parents/caregivers can set up their home to be a space of YES: YES the child can participate in everyday activities like food preparation of snacks, YES the child can get dressed and ready for the day independently… YES the child can take care of their home by cleaning up their toys effortlessly.


How to get in touch with Blanca:
www.gigglegrow.com
gigglegrowsf@gmail.com
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Provider Spotlight Series

4/21/2022

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Click through to this playlist on Blossom's YouTube channel and hear directly from some of Blossom's passionate providers. 
To find providers for almost anything you can think of, please visit our provider directory!​
Members of Blossom's Provider Network will get a spotlight that will be posted on our Social Media accounts as well as our YouTube Channel.  What a great way to reach a wider audience with your story, purpose and offerings! If you want to participate, email Deana your videos for review!
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Don't miss out on this amazing offering any longer!
​Join our Provider Network today!
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Provider Focused Newsletters

4/21/2022

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We know it's been hard to stay connected in this new remote world that we live in and our hopes are that these small changes will bring us all a little closer. In this monthly newsletter we hope to share updates on our upcoming classes as well as updates that you may have to share. Our thoughts are to have a provider spotlight and a doula spotlight each month. We hope this effort will be seen as a type of career networking and experience sharing forum.
If you're interested in learning how to get your information on the newsletter, please contact blossom@blossombirthandfamily.org. 

- original post 11/2021 -- merged over from our Provider Blog

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Blossom Birth & Family is a 501 c(3) community based nonprofit organization 
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At this time, the best way to reach a member of the team is to email us:
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DISCLAIMER.                                                       Photo credit: Images by Rosalinda, Lilia Faith Schwartz, Photographer, Devin Begley, and Christy Scherrer, bellymotherbaby
Blossom is not a Medical Provider and Does not Provide Medical Services.  It is understood by all persons who use Blossom’s  services that: (a) Blossom is not a medical provider and does not render medical or other health care services or treatments to any and all persons who use Blossom’s services and Blossom’s services are not intended to or shall be interpreted as imposing, any duty or obligation to provide such health care services; (b) Blossom is not in any way responsible for the health care that is delivered by a health care provider to any and all persons who use Blossom’s services; (c) health care providers are solely responsible for the health care they deliver to any and all persons using Blossom’s services; and (d) health care providers are not Blossom’s agents or employees.