Creating a Powerful Narrative Around Pelvic Health - Interview with Clare Bourne

In this episode Zoe speaks with women’s health advocate, pelvic health physiotherapist and mother of two, Clare Bourne.   They talk about pelvic organ prolapse, exercise and Clare’s own experience of motherhood. An episode full of invaluable information as well as overcoming the adversity that comes with being a mum, both mentally and physically.   KEY TAKEAWAYS Clare has known her husband since they were teens when they were very close friends. They lost touch for most of their 20s but fate meant they crossed paths again and have now been married for 5 years and have two children. In Clare’s early 20s she hadn’t had any normal periods, she was diagnosed with hypothalamic amenorrhea. It was a difficult few years for her because she couldn’t find a treatment that worked for her as well as the worry of not being able to have children when she was ready. Incredibly, Clare fell pregnant straight away after trying with her Husband and had her daughter 9 months later. Even though Clare was a pelvic physiotherapist she didn’t focus on her own pelvic health in her early 20s. Her training was mostly focused around birth and into menopause, we are not told as women that we need to start looking after our pelvic health when we are young, not just after birth or as we age. Clare has a prolapse which she discovered after birth, she believes it was due to a combination of complex reasons, including lack of knowledge before birth and a long pushing stage during labour. After a year of symptoms, she saw a PT that specialised in prolapse rehabilitation and became symptom free. With a prolapse, some women find that they become more symptomatic around ovulation and/or before their period. When suffering with a prolapse it’s important to take your own individual needs and experience into account. What exercise might be awful for one person might be totally ok for another and vice versa. Having her own experience with pelvic prolapse had absolutely helped Clare in her work. She has authentic empathy and understanding for her clients. BEST MOMENTS   “The hormone doctors were like, I don’t know what do with you!”   “Sometimes too much knowledge is not a good thing”   “I’m becoming more aware of my symptoms and I’m just not afraid of them anymore”   “Sadly, we can’t support all the women in the way they need at the moment and that does break my heart a bit”   “Saying to women that there are no blanket rules what we need to teach you is to be in tune with your system”   VALUABLE RESOURCES   www.petalscharity.org www.tommys.org www.arc-uk.org www.sands.org.uk         ABOUT THE GUEST Clare Bourne       ABOUT THE HOST Zoe Cresswell Devoted mother of two (and a big hairy dog), UK trained midwife, doula and personal trainer, specialising in pre and postnatal fitness. Zoe was born in the UK and before moving to Dubai in 2013 and worked as a midwife in central London, both in a birth centre and a very busy NHS hospital. Although late to the scene, Zoe is an aspiring athlete having won numerous triathlons and representing Great Britain where she placed within the top 10 on the world stage. With her husband James, the couple will soon be launching their cloth nappy company, Bop & Bee, where they hope to inspire families to swap a few disposable nappies a day for the more planet friendly option of cloth. Zoe’s goal is to share her knowledge and experience, tell real life stories, manage expectations and open up those often difficult conversations. Zoe’s own motherhood journey has been full of twists and turns as she put everything on hold and went through numerous miscarriages and rounds of IVF.   CONTACT DETAILS Instagram : @zoecresswell_me Facebook: Zoe Cresswell LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/zoe-cresswell