Dr. Simone’s Mind Space

New mom back in shape

8 weeks ago our son was born. 1 week after the c section, I’ve illegally started running again. Listening to my body, starting slow and for me only short distances. What a feeling, the first postpartum run felt like freedom! So incredible, all the senses involved in that very basic run.

Yoga work outs were possible 10 days after c section delivery. Starting at home, then PT, followed by group training. Gaining confidence with every day and every movement, reconnecting with my body and mind.

Yoga work outs to bring back balance, strength, and grace. The longer you stay active during pregnancy, the shorter, and smoother the recovery. Headstand and forearm stand stood highest on the priority list.

Beside the me-time for sports, taking care of your inner and outer beauty is essential for new mommy health.

 

Sports tips

• Never stop moving
• Start with low impact activities
• Routines rock, 5min exercise a day
• Listen to your body, its signs
• Trust your instincts!

@drschwank 

@unesurcent 

@optimalperformancezurich

Phone-free spaces

Today’s podcast in conversation live from LA with Graham Dugoni. He’s American entrepreneur and founder of Yondr, the company that pioneered the concept of phone-free spaces. 

 

Born and raised in Portland, Oregon, Graham went on to earn a political science degree from Duke University in 2009. He has a longstanding interest in sociology and philosophy of technology, and this interest eventually inspired the creation of Yondr. 

 

Invented in 2014, Yondr uses a patented system of lockable phone pouches to create phone-free spaces for artists like Dave Chappelle, Jack White, and Madonna, as well as school districts around the world.

 

@drschwank

@unesurcent

@optimalperformancezurich

 

 

Seasonal affective disorder SAD

Winter and darkness, fog, rain, and lack of sunlight impacts many people’s well-being during the winter months. It’s named seasonal affective disorder. This specific seasonal depression affects people around the world and occurs when days get shorter.

 

How do I know that I’m suffering from SAD?

-If you are not depressed or low in mood during the rest of the year and only in the winter months, it’s most likely SAD.

-If you lack vitamin D.

-If you lack time outside.

 

What can we do to reduce symptoms of SAD?

-Exercise, especially during the bright daylight hours. No matter rain or sun.

-Winter swimming, a pure endorphin booster.

-Meet and be active with friends.

-Head to the mountains for snow and bright sunlight.

-Plan a trip to warmer sunnier climate.

-Light therapy, use a SAD lamp at home.

-Reach out to an expert before symptoms get too severe.

-Psychotherapy can support you through the darkest months of the year.

 

@drschwank

@unesurcent

@optimalperformancezurich

 

 

Returning to myself

Friday our beloved son was born. My husband is incredibly engaged, changed most diapers, takes care of the feeding, and cooks for the three of us. He’s absolutely incredible. It’s the partner I’d wish any working mom!!! It’s such a relief and joy to carry the responsibility together. We complement each other and help each other out. It all comes very naturally, magic really.

An aspect however, we both need to work on, is the focus and enjoy the baby bubble.

 

@drschwank 

@unesurcent

@optimalperformancezurich

Baby countdown

Sitting getting my nails done, working, and mentally preparing for tomorrow’s c section.

Yoga PT will be the perfect power flow I need, in order to feel grounded for the operation and life changing experience tomorrow.

Decided that yoga is essential as preparation. I’ll be doing it from our practice and maybe my working colleague and dear friend joins me. Quality time pure and what I truly need. Tomorrow, I’ll be running together with my sister and then to the hospital. Why not, I feel it’s exactly what I need.

@drschwank 

@unesurcent

@optimalperformancezurich 

Final countdown till the baby arrives

This is a description of the final days before the baby arrives. Fixing all the last errands, a trip to our home in Stockholm, buying all the baby essential, mommy essentials from Totême, Prada, Chanel, and co. Meeting all my professor colleagues in reproductive health, as well as our hero, our ivf doctor and CEO of the very best fertility clinic in Scandinavia.

Then an incredible snowstorm hit Sweden! Everything stoped and stood still, people snowed in their homes! I was supposed to meet my PhD professors in person, but both insnowed at home!! All my errands and meetings were planned me using me race bike, 9 months pregnant, but instead I ended up running around in the craziness of a snowstorm! Luckily, I decided to buy new Nike winter runners! A true life saver, save also as 9 months pregnant women.

Comes yesterday, constant snow and everything looking pretty grimm to make it on a plane today. This uncertainty was definitely not what I needed!! Worrying I wouldn’t make it home for my delivery! This feeling of being out rather than under control is very stressful! That’s what I propose to all mothers to be in the last days! Go to massages, try to relax even if you’d whole system is on to-do-mode.

 

Example: Yesterday, I had 5 meetings at Karolina Institute and due to the crazy snow, 2 ended up remote. That’s why I acted immediately and next to the yoga booked a 30min Ayurveda massage. The very best I could do to treat my body AND soul. But even better was the special treatment by the daddy-to-be! He’s really gone above and beyond to spoil me with his cooking and organising our Stockholm home to look beautiful upon my arrival. Further, he’s also experiencing the final countdown feeling. That’s so nice not to be alone!! He’s running all the errands for his company, meetings, car winter driving training to be the best driver for his son.

 

To does: Well, we all can’t avoid to be in the fixing countdown stress in the last weeks before the baby arrives. That’s just to be accepted!

Therefore…

1. Book in specific down time session: exercise, yoga the best, massages, especially for head and feet to keep you grounded.
2. Say NO. Cancel and really don’t have any bad feeling about saying no.
3. Most importantly, enjoy the time together as the two of you! Such a precious time for you. Cocoon into your home, go for champagne apéros, to relax.

 

Don’ts: It’s important to try to relax and not stress around too much! Easier said than done! Stress and nervousness is normal!

Couple’s arguments: normal, yet unnecessary! Try to talk, rather than having escalating fights!

 

@drachwank

@unesurcent

@optimalperformancezurich

 

 

Yoga: The ultimate self care

In conversation with Marie, yoga teacher at MIX, originally from Southern California. Her positive energy is contagious and spread among all her students. She shares how yoga can be used as a mindset of a balanced lifestyle, how important breathing is for stress reduction, and mental well-being. As well as yoga as an exercise for everyone and how to incorporate it in your daily life. She’s heading home to Cali for Thanksgiving and shares some of her family traditions. Tune in and listen to a dynamic conversation about self care.

 

@drschwank

@unesurcent

@optimalperforrmancezurich

@mixstudioch

@swipedbyaswiss

Reinventing parenting part 6: yoga the ultimate self care

Today’s been a magic coincidence, managing to squeeze in an hour of yoga PT. Strong flow with Marie from MIX studio. Absolutely brilliant for body and mind. Back pain became real for me too again, like during the four years of ivf. Yet, instead of stopping my movements, lying in bed or taking pain medication, I arranged this yoga PT. The very best for both body and mind. I feel magnificent after. So strong, a complete moving meditation, exactly what I see as my way of meditating. I never felt comfortable with all the suggested meditation suggestions for pregnant women. It made me feel inadequate not doing it, even if I feel inside knew it’s not for me. This is one of the reasons, why I’m sharing this here. The more we listen to our selves, the stronger, and more powerful we feel. Movement is key to feel good from the inside out. A healthy soul lives in a healthy body. A healthy baby lives in a healthy mother’s womb. Self care is staying true to our self and trusting ourselves. This is the desired way to enter parenthood: self-confident, able to take out me time, and say no when we need space, be kind to ourselves to accept what we can’t control. 

To us women, who cherish and trust in their bodies and minds.

 

@drschwank

@unesurcent

@optimalperforrmancezurich

@mixstudioch

Reinventing parenting part 5: Babymoon

The countdown is real now. 22 days left until our child is born. We’ve just returned from a trip to Rome, as a special couple’s time and prenatal bonding. The so called babymoon. We’ve talked a lot about the future, our visions, dreams, but most importantly focussed on the NOW. The time together as a couple and the plan to focus on it also in the future is crucial for a happy and balanced partnership. This will be reflected in the child, his behavior is always a mirror of the caregivers’ capacity to maintain contained. This is something we’ve discussed on our trip over morning runs, long long walks, coffee breaks, champagne apéros, and wonderful dinners.

This attitude to focus on quality time as a couple, is essential to the both of us. That’s why we decided to go on this babymoon trip. The destination isn’t what matters, it’s the mindset that matters. This mindset is good to be trained and established, prior to the baby’s arrival.

An agreement on how to parent among the couple is very important. Another essential aspect is the sharing of one’s own childhood experiences. The reason, why it’s extraordinarily important, is that we tend to get into default mode, especially when stressed. The default mode, wether we like it or not, is the behavioral pattern we’re most familiar with from our own childhood. Wether this mode is constructive or destructive, it tends to take over the cognitions. That’s why one’s partner should know, in order to act appropriately. Couple time first!

 

@unesurcent

@drschwank

@optimalperformancezurich

Der Weg zum Baby

In der heutigen Episode wird Dr. Simone einmal ganz anders interviewt, von ihrer Praxis Partnerin zum Thema Infertilität.

Taucht ein ins Gespräch, entspannt am Freitagabend mit Champagner und Franciacorta.

 

@drschwank

@unesurcent

@optimalperformancezurich