What A Mom’s Morning Off in Lynnfield Reminded Me About Movement, Community, and Women's Health

Rain, Rhythm, and Women Reconnecting With Themselves

This past Saturday I had the opportunity to be a part of A Mom’s Morning Out hosted by A Mom's Village at MarketStreet in Lynnfield in support of Grateful Friends and honestly? I could not think of a better way to spend a Saturday morning.

It was lightly raining on and off all morning, but not a single person seemed to care. If anything, it added to the energy. Over 100 women showed up ready to move, laugh, sweat, dance, and simply enjoy themselves. These moms blocked off busy schedules, coordinated childcare, made plans with partners and family members, packed diaper bags, pumped milk and carved out time for themselves. A little rain was not going to deter them. Rain or shine, these women came to play.

The workout itself was such a fun mix of cardio, banded strength work, great music, and choreography that genuinely felt more like being on a dance floor than “working out.” There was a DJ, partner work, lots of laughter, and an openness among the women there that felt refreshing. Friends were introducing friends, women were chatting between circuits, and complete strangers were encouraging each other through the workout.

And maybe my favorite part? Even though this event was a kickoff to Mother’s Day weekend, these women were not there as “just moms,” caregivers, employees, or providers for everyone else around them. For a few hours they were simply there as themselves. Moving, laughing, dancing, connecting, and taking up space without apology.

And while that may sound like a small thing, for many mothers it can feel like everything.

Because somewhere between caring for everyone else, managing schedules, navigating pregnancy and postpartum changes, and carrying the mental load of everyday life, many women slowly lose connection with themselves and their bodies.

At Find Your Way Mama, that is a huge part of how we view pelvic floor physical therapy. Yes, we want to help women leak less, move better, feel stronger, and return to exercise comfortably. But ultimately, we want women to feel more connected to themselves again.

After the workout there were mimosas, popovers from Davio's, conversations, and that feeling of being welcomed and supported. It felt less like a fitness event and more like a reminder that women need spaces to move, connect, and simply exist as themselves again.

As a pelvic floor physical therapist serving women throughout North Andover and the North Shore, I could not help but watch through both lenses: one as a healthcare provider and one as a woman and mom myself.

Movement Should Feel Good

One thing I really appreciated about the workout was how accessible the modifications felt. They were thoughtfully integrated in a way that still made the workout challenging, effective, and fun while helping everyone feel included and supported.

Because movement should feel good and feel accessible.

Now, to be clear, that does not mean movement should always feel easy. Sometimes movement feels hard. Sometimes your muscles burn. Sometimes you are sore the next day. But “hard” is different than harmful, and sore is different than being in pain.

A good workout can challenge you while still allowing you to feel successful and supported in your body.

Many of the modifications throughout the workout centered around jumping movements, and honestly, that got me thinking about why so many women may feel the need to modify impact in the first place. But more on that in a minute.

First, let me just say this:

We LOVE jumping.

Why Impact Matters after Having Kids

Jumping is incredible for bone health, tendon health, cardiovascular fitness, strength, power, coordination, and overall resilience. As women age, impact activities can play an important role in maintaining bone density and helping us continue to feel strong and capable in our bodies. We do not want women avoiding impact forever after having babies or feeling like jumping, running, or high-energy movement is something they have to give up permanently.

The goal is not to avoid movement.
The goal is to support women so movement feels more comfortable, more confident, and more enjoyable again.

Because movement should expand our lives, not make us fearful of our bodies.

But if you are leaking with jumping, feeling heaviness or pressure, avoiding certain movements, or just feeling completely wiped out trying to keep up, your body may be asking for more support.

Why Might We Be Taking the Modifications?

Now back to the modifications. The modifications during Saturday’s workout were thoughtful, effective, and inclusive. They allowed women to still get an amazing workout while adjusting intensity or impact based on what their bodies needed that day. This is exactly what a skilled instructor at a supportive studio will accomplish!

And honestly? Many of us probably needed them for different reasons. But here are 3 big ones and I bet the most common ones that day.

1. Pelvic Floor Symptoms

For some women, the modifications may have been related to pelvic floor symptoms like stress incontinence, pelvic heaviness, pressure, or discomfort with impact activities.

These symptoms are incredibly common, not only postpartum but into perimenopause and the years beyond. Here's the thing common does not necessarily mean normal or more importantly something you simply have to live with forever.

A lot of women quietly stop running, avoid jumping, skip certain exercises, or feel anxious during workouts because they are worried about leaking or discomfort. Over time, this can create distance between women and the activities they once loved.

Pelvic floor physical therapy can help address pressure management, strength, coordination, mobility, and breathing mechanics so women can feel more supported returning to impact activities with confidence.

2. Deconditioning and Muscle Fatigue

Sometimes the reason we modify has less to do with the pelvic floor specifically and more to do with plain old fatigue and deconditioning after years of putting everyone else first.

Motherhood is physically demanding.
Life is demanding.
Sleep deprivation is demanding.

Sometimes our muscles simply are not conditioned yet for repeated impact, quick direction changes, or sustained cardio bursts. And that is okay.

Movement is not all or nothing.

Taking a modification while rebuilding strength, endurance, and consistency is not failure. It is often exactly how we safely progress back toward feeling stronger and more capable. And exactly what spaces like A Mom's Village allow you to do with encouragement and without judgement.

3. Feeling Winded and the Breathing Connection

And sometimes? The modifications have less to do with muscle weakness and more to do with feeling completely winded.

I actually found myself modifying some of the jumping too. I got a little more out of breath than I expected during the workout which was a good reminder that while I have been lifting heavy consistently, my cardio system might need a little more TLC.

That is the thing about movement.
It gives us feedback.

And modifications? They are information, not failure.

The Cycle So Many Women Get Stuck In

Your breathing system, core, and pelvic floor work together every single day. If one piece is "off" everything else can feel that way as well. That can quickly lead to less movement.

Less movement often leads to more deconditioning, which makes movement feel even harder the next time around.

Movement feels uncomfortable.
You modify more.
You avoid certain exercises.
Fitness decreases.
Movement becomes harder.
Confidence drops.

But that cycle can change.

And as with anything the first step to change is awareness.

Deconditioning does not mean you are lazy or out of shape. Sometimes it simply means your body has adapted to a season of survival, stress, interrupted sleep, pregnancy, postpartum recovery, work, caregiving, or years of putting your own needs lower on the priority list. This can happen faster than we think and can often catch us by surprise.

If breathing mechanics are off, that can increase pressure on the pelvic floor, contribute to leaking, make movement feel harder, and create a cycle of fatigue and avoidance.

Many women unknowingly hold their breath during exercise, grip through their core, or struggle coordinating pressure during higher intensity movement. Over time this can contribute to both pelvic floor symptoms and feeling more exhausted during workouts.

Pelvic floor physical therapy is not just about Kegels. It is about pressure management, breathing mechanics, strength, mobility, nervous system regulation, and helping your body move more efficiently so exercise feels good again.

One woman I spoke with after the workout shared that it took her years after having kids to feel like she could get back to running comfortably and that she wished she had known about pelvic floor physical therapy sooner. Conversations like that matter because so many women assume these struggles are simply something they have to accept.

They are common, but common does not always mean optimal.

Why Community Matters for Women’s Health

And this is exactly why spaces like A Mom’s Village matter so much. Because community makes returning to yourself feel possible again.

Saturday was not about “bouncing back.”
It was about movement.
Connection.
Joy.
Support.
And women showing up for themselves and each other.

Movement should feel empowering, not intimidating.
Women deserve support getting back to the things they love.
And motherhood should not mean losing yourself entirely in the process.

After Saturday, one thing is very clear:
The energy at A Mom’s Village is on point, the workouts are effective, and these women are building something really special.

If you are looking for supportive movement and community on the North Shore, this is a beautiful place to start.

And if you are finding yourself modifying more than you would like, leaking during workouts, avoiding impact, or feeling disconnected from movement after having kids, pelvic floor physical therapy can help you get back there.

Because motherhood changes us.
But women still deserve to feel strong, supported, and fully themselves too.