For the past few months, I’ve been gravitating towards the subject of motherhood devouring podcasts, books, and articles on the subject. Possibly because I am knee-deep in early childhood as the mother of two young children or because the subject is so deep and vast and I like many parents thirst for some guidance and support. My interest in the topic might also be due to the amplification of my role and responsibilities as a mother during quarantine. Regardless of the force behind this hunger, it has been an interesting journey that has lead to thoughtful introspection of “mothers” and the cultural expectations of mothers in society.
In this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies, I speak with author, speaker and licensed social worker Dayna Kurtz about her new book, Mother Matters: A Holistic Guide to Being a Happy, Healthy Mom. We have a very fun and lively conversation about “mother care”, the ever-changing role of a mother, and “fair fighting” with your partner as well as many of the ups and downs new parents face on the parenthood adventure.
In this episode:
- Dayna’s background and personal transition into motherhood that inspired the birth of her book, Mother Matters: A Practical Guide to Being a Happy, Healthy Mom.
- Mother care – what is it and how is it currently intertwined into our culture.
- How the role of the mother figure has changed in the last several decades.
- The biggest disconnect between the idea and image of a mother “doing it all” and the reality many people live.
- Challenges new parents face these days.
- Self care and ways a new parent can incorporate acts of self care into daily routine.
- “Fair fight” technique.
- General themes or issue Dayna commonly when researching and writing her book.
- Final advice for new and expectant parents.
About Dayna:
Dayna M. Kurtz is a leading authority on the subject of women transitioning to motherhood and serves as Director of the Anna Keefe Women’s Center at the Training Institute for Mental Health in Manhattan. She is a writer, licensed social worker and NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine) Certified Personal Trainer with an additional certification in training pre- and postnatal clients. Dayna is the author of the newly published Mother Matters: A Holistic Guide to Being a Happy, Healthy Mom (Familius Press), and the forthcoming Total Body Cure For Women and is a contributor to The Doctor’s Book of Natural Remedies (both published by Rodale/Hearst). Dayna also serves as a Real Answers expert on TheBump.com. She has written or been consulted on articles for the websites of The Today Show, Pregnancy & Newborn, Pop Sugar, Big City Moms, Pregnancy Corner, Women’s Running, and ProNatal Fitness among others, and writes the Mother Matters blog for the Huffington Post. A sought-after speaker, Dayna regularly presents on the subject of mothercare. She lives in New York City with her family.
You can find out more about Dayna and her work at http://www.daynamkurtz.com
Instagram: @daynakurtz
Facebook: @daynakurtzmotherhoodmatters
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