Help!

Being a new Mummy is really hard but many are afraid to ask for help. Why?

I was really surprised to hear that so many mums are afraid to ask for help. I am a person that welcomes advice and is not ashamed to admit I am failing and to ask for help but so many are not.

So many put up with painful breast feeding etc because they think it is normal. So many think if we ask, we are admitting to failing and are incapable mothers. Not true.

Parenting is such an unknown world. It is not an exact science. Our babies are not ‘text book’ like geeky me was hoping. But there are experts out there who deal with these specific problems daily and through helping hundreds of parents out there, know just what to say. Like any profession there are some that don’t resonate with you and don’t help, but most are amazing.

I have had nothing but helpful advice and most importantly someone saying “you are doing a good job, it is bloody hard and it’s okay to have a cry”. “Whah” there I go.

“so many mums are afraid to ask for help...”

The broken sleep makes it all such a blur but I think it was when Misaki was 4 weeks old, I was admitted for 3 days in to this government funded hospital run by midwives and lactation consultants due to the massive troubles I was having breastfeeding. Torrens House. Amazing. I ended up getting more advice on settling but all sensational advice.

My point was that I first went to my post-natal and CAFHS (Child and Family Health Service) midwives and asked for help. They helped tremendously and then recommended this inpatient service. When in Torren’s House there were mothers there with 9 month old babies who only just admitted to specialists that they were having problems. They didn’t want to admit that they were having issues because that made them feel that they were failing as mothers.

Please don’t feel like this. There is help out there. Likewise, when doing market research for this business, people responded saying they wish they knew there were services that physiotherapists offer. If you have back or pelvic pain or pelvic floor, core or general weakness, or you are feeling stressed and just want a massage we can help you with this.

“it is not normal to put up with this pain...”

It is common to have these pains but it is not normal to put up with this pain. Physiotherapists are there to help. We totally understand.

Summary

Parenting is very hard with many questions but there are people to help. 

You are not failing at all if you ask for help. Please do.

Pains are common during and post pregnancy but not something you should put up with. Physiotherapy is there to help.

Melli Tilbrook is a Physiotherapist based at Adelaide Physiotherapy and Pilates Studio, Beulah Park.