I’m just back from visiting Gabby Crossly of Empower Mums at her gorgeous little studio in Bolton le Sands. Gabby is a Women’s health, movement and exercise specialist. She helps women through their different stages of motherhood. From pre conception, and pregnancy, to post natal and beyond and her passionate focuss is bladder control. After she handed me a kettle bell and put me through my paces, she told me a little more about her vision and motivation.
Before motherhood Gabby was a gymnast. But during her pregnancy and then post baby she found there was very little support and guidance in movement for new mums. So Gabby started developing her own exercise program. She thought about what felt good, what was manageable and realised that what she was developing would be beneficial to other new mothers too.
Baby Friendly Studio
Her different courses build core strength to help women handle moving bulky items like the car seat and all the new effort required once baby has arrived. Then when her clients have built this foundation and are ready for a bit more, she moves them on to her Beaut camp where the women build on their strength and find their optimum selves.
Her studio is fabulously baby friendly, the little ones were crawling between the mothers as they exercised and playing together in the playroom. This intimate setting felt very empowering and fitting of Gabby’s business name!
Bladder Control
One of Gabby’s big motivations behind what she does is dispelling the myths around bladder control after birth: Weak bladder control is common but Gabby insists mothers don’t have to live with these symptoms. According to Gabby the NHS are currently pumping well over two hundred million into dealing with women’s bladder issues. And this doesn’t include what women are spending on products like tenor lady either!
Gabby firmly believes that simple exercises and movement changes can make all the difference. Her approach is to introduce little exercises into a mother’s daily routine. She promises she will have Mums jumping on the trampling. Running around playing with the kids in no time. And without worrying about any accidents.
Pelvic Floor Exercises
The leaflet that the NHS gives you is just the start of what you can do. Gabby says there is so much more. Beginning with introducing preventative action to this problem. Her Mummy to be course really focusses on building the pelvic floor strength.
She realises that before baby comes along you have all the time in the world, you can go to the gym; you can go swimming. But once baby comes along perspectives have to change.
Little and Often
Gabby’s approach is all about making exercise manageable. Fitting little exercises into your daily life. How you walk, and how you lift. How you breathe, can all make a huge difference to your strength and your pelvic floor. Gabby teaches you how to optimize your body and gives you a goal of just five minutes exercise a day.
She says to set a small goal, and if you reach it that is wonderful, if you exceed it then that’s even better!
Little and often is the way to succeed.
As well as running classes at her studio, Gabby also runs classes in Williamson’s park and on the pier at Morecambe.
I think we’ll all agree that a mother’s body has done such an amazing thing creating a new life and giving birth. Well done to Gabby for creating such an amazing support for new Mums and empowering them!
To find out more about Gabby and her services, visit her Facebook page.
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