It was the middle of the night when I found myself awake again in tears and desperation wondering how I could possibly show up for my kids tomorrow.
In the weeks following having my second child, I found myself constantly in tears, feeling completely depleted of energy, feeling anxious (something I had never experienced before), and wondering if I would ever feel like me again.
I remember thinking….
“Everyone says that postpartum depression is normal so why is everyone’s highlight reel talking about how much joy they are experiencing as a new mom and I’m not? (Where is everyone else finding their joy that I’m missing?)”
“Am I going to feel like this forever? (If so, I’m headed down a dark road that’s not supporting me in becoming the wife or mom I want to be.)”
“What are my options to be able to navigate this new normal? (There had to be something available!)”
Every day I felt…
- Overwhelmed by the responsibility weighing on my shoulders
- Stress-induced headaches
- Anxiety about if I was the mom my kids so deserved
- Disappointed by the person I saw in the mirror
- Selfish that I wanted more
Then one night, I finally went to my husband and told him I thought I needed antidepressants. It was the only solution that I knew of that would potentially make me feel somewhat normal. Honestly, I was embarrassed to even have the conversation with him and felt weak asking for any form of help.
I reached out to my physician and told her how I was feeling, and she thought I would be a perfect candidate to start antidepressants immediately. She was not the first person to tell me that this would be my solution to end all of these emotions and stressors that I had never felt before.
After thinking it over day and night for what felt like forever, I decided to take a different approach. While medication may be right for some, I did not want a pill to make me feel “normal” each day. I wanted to be able to make myself feel normal and not have to worry about the long term effects my body could have after taking this pill for quite some time.
It was after these thoughts that I committed to find another option.
And so I did.
That next day, I started researching holistic options to treat my emotional state and exhaustion. I immediately started integrating movement and nutritional changes into my daily plan. I started changing up my daily routines, my mindsets, and how I handled stress.
I researched everything I could about what I was eating that could cause sadness, anxiety, exhaustion, and bloating.
Within just a few weeks of altering my diet and lifestyle, I felt better than I ever had pre-babies. I knew I was onto something big!
- I woke up with energy to tackle the day.
- I was more present and active with my kids.
- My anxiety and overwhelm no longer dictated who I was.
- I was properly fueling my body with the nutrients that had been missing.
- I was able to proactively manage life stressors without it throwing my entire day.
- I was proud of myself and the person I was becoming.
I learned how to fuel my body and listen to my symptoms. And to this day, it’s the most empowering decision that I can make for myself. I am so grateful that I found this path, my answer, and my own way to be the best woman, mom, and wife I can be. And, I want the same for you.
I became a certified health and wellness practitioner because I was so inspired by my own journey of how quickly my body, mind, and life transformed. I became passionate about helping others find peace in the chaos of motherhood. I felt such a deep desire and purpose to share with other moms going through today what I went through 2 years ago. They need to know everything that I have learned and continue to learn about how to care for our bodies so we can show up to be the best moms we can be.
I am here to share that postpartum depression does not have to be normal, having energy (even when dealing with a newborn) is possible, feeling confident in all your pre-pregnancy clothes is achievable, and proactively managing the stress, anxiety, and overwhelm that come with being a mom can be done.
Since launching my health and wellness coaching business in 2021, I’ve already helped so many moms just like yourself find themselves again in motherhood, marriage, and in their own mind and body. My program takes a deep dive into all aspects of your health so that we can take a 360 degree look at absolutely everything that could be affecting your physical and mental health, whether you’re struggling with postpartum depression, weight gain, crippling fatigue, etc. Included in my program are the following:
- Customized nutrition targets personalized to your body’s biofeedback and your goals (no more yo-yo diets and eliminating all your favorite foods!)
- Weekly done-for-you meal plans that give your body the nutrients it’s been craving (and yes it includes meals that are family and kiddo approved! #yourewelcome)
- Food inflammation testing to determine if there are any specific foods causing inflammation in your body so you can get relief immediately (fact: food inflammation can control our stress levels, how we sleep, how energized or productive we are, and even chronic pain we experience!)
- A personalized workout plan created by yours truly that will show you exactly what to do and when to do it (no more second guessing if what you are doing is effective!)
- In-the-moment stress relieving strategies so you can stop the daily adrenaline rush and get to a place of calm (even during those toddler meltdowns!)
- Ways to tailor your current morning and nighttime routines to make your day less stressful and more productive (easy changes that can make BIG impacts, even as a new mom!)
- Mindfulness practices to remove #momguilt and find peace (a complete must-have in EVERY mom’s toolkit)
- Access to ALL my private client resources that provide tangible tips and tricks designed for the busy mom to navigate a long term healthy lifestyle so you can feel your best no matter how crazy your days get.
My personalized health coaching program is different for each one of my clients because everything is hyper-customized to their body and lifestyle—no cookie-cutter advice or one-size-fits-all tips. It’s just you, me, your body, and life, dialing in on exactly what you need to do to turn your health around in quick and targeted ways so you can focus all your time on becoming the mom and wife you always dreamed of being.
My services are not covered under insurance and are out of pocket so that we can dive deep together into all aspects of your health to create a personalized plan that works exactly for you in the stage of life that you are in. I do offer payment plans and financing options.
If you are interested in learning more about my coaching options, please reach out to me directly at [email protected]. I would love to chat in more detail about your specific needs and goals. You don’t have to settle; you deserve more.
What I’ll leave you with is this: All the emotions and stressors we feel as moms can take a huge toll on our health. This is why it is so important for you to take control of the things you can and make positive changes so that you can better be able to manage the tough moments and enjoy every minute of the great moments. I want that for you, because you deserve it.
About Lauren
Lauren Cobern is the founder of A Balanced Bloom, a health and wellness coaching business that specializes in helping busy moms regain their energy and confidence back by prioritizing their health.
Prior to starting her own business, Lauren had an eleven year career in medical sales. Her love for the medical field coupled with her passion for people made starting her own coaching business a perfect combination. Throughout her medical sales career, she spent lots of time with physicians and patients and saw just how much our daily routines including our activity levels, stress levels, foods we consume, and mindset affected our health status.
She launched her coaching business in 2021 and has never looked back. Her goal with her coaching business is to provide education, encouragement, accountability, and support to help her clients take action to become the best version of themselves. Her clients have regained their confidence, are sleeping better than ever, have more energy than before, and have finally found balance in building a long term sustainable, healthy lifestyle.
