2025 Pelvic Health New Year’s Resolutions From a New Mom & Pelvic Floor PT

At the end of each year I like to sit down and reflect on the past 12 months. I think about what I enjoyed about this last year and what I want more of in the coming year. I rarely take the time to think about what I want less of or mistakes I’ve made, because like most of us floating through life, I do a good enough job calling out what I’m doing wrong in real time.

This year, reflecting on what I enjoyed is easier than ever. My baby was born in June of 2024, and welcoming her into the world is hands down the coolest thing I’ve ever done. Everyone’s early months of parenting look different, so if this wasn’t your experience, know that that’s absolutely normal, too. But for me, the moment she was born, I was shockingly and unequivocally obsessed. Watching her grow, roll, sit and get markedly better at eating has been the greatest joy of my life.

Her birth has made it so easy to reflect on what I enjoyed about this past year. I love that I have a job that allows me to work on something deeply meaningful while getting quality time with her and the flexibility to be there when she needs it. I love that my schedule allows me both professional fulfillment and the ability to travel with her so she can spend time with her out of state grandparents. 

Last year, we shared our 9 New Years Resolutions for overall better pelvic health. This year, I’m coming back with a slightly new take and sharing my personal new years resolution for better pelvic, mental and physical health in 2025 in light of what I want more of in my life as a pelvic floor physical therapist and new mom. 

In true new mom fashion, I’m slashing 9 resolutions to 3 because one of the central tenets of goal setting is making them realistic and I can barely count to 9 right now. I’ll be using the typical S.M.A.R.T. physical therapy goal technique to help hold myself accountable. S.M.A.R.T. goals are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time based which allows the goal setter to be clear on whether they think they’ll truly be able to hit their goals as well whether they’re on track to do so.

My 3 New Years resolutions for better pelvic, mental and overall health in 2025:

Swap books back in for TV at night

I used to read at the end of the day. The types of books varied but somewhere along the way during a stressful pregnancy and postpartum recovery, my nightly reading turned into nightly binging crappy reality TV with my partner. For the last few months, we’ve told ourselves we’re just too exhausted to do anything else and this is the only quality time we have. But in reality, watching trash TV isn’t quality time for us and leaves us feeling a little bit worse about our day. 

My first goal tackles mental and relationship health. The goal is to read instead of watch TV at least 2 nights a week. To detail it in S.M.A.R.T. goal setting fashion - I’m going to read instead of turn on the TV (specific), at least 2 nights a week (measurable, attainable and realistic) for the last 30 minutes of my day (time based).

Increase my HRV from 47 for 6 month average to 60 for a 6 month average by December 2025

Heart rate variability (HRV) is being reported as a significant indicator of cardiovascular health and longevity. HRV assesses the variability in the time between heart beats and healthier cardiovascular systems have higher variability between heart beats. Research has found that HRV is impacted by stress, sleep and exercise.  

Now I’ll admit, I haven’t seen definitive data that HRV is truly the marker of longevity nor have I seen data definitively reporting the ideal range for folks of various genders and ages. But the research I’ve seen seems to indicate that sleeping better, participating in more cardiovascular exercise and managing stress positively impacts HRV and I want more of all three things in my life.

It’s important to note that sleep, stress management and exercise are all part of my weekly routine. HRV is how I’m choosing to measure the impact of my efforts.

So my goal for 2025 is to increase my HRV from 47, just below the recommended range for women in my age range, to 60 which is the middle of the recommended range. To put it in S.M.A.R.T. terms, I’m going to increase my HRV from 47 to 60 (specific and measurable), over 12 months (attainable, realistic and time based).

Pick a stretch of the day

As a type A person with a history of pelvic floor muscle tension, a 6 month old that isn’t yet sleeping through the night and a preference for weightlifting over yoga, stretching is so important for me and yet never top of mind. I thrive on a clear cut, realistic goal and picking a stretch of the day is a perfect way for me to get a little bit of openness and movement into my body without having to give up the workouts I enjoy or make big sweeping changes. 

Pelvic floor stretches are not enough to relieve chronic pelvic floor tension. Chronic pelvic floor tension often results from some combination of posture, stress management, base line muscle tone and body asymmetries. I’m tackling stress management and posture with my first two goals. I’m going to tackle asymmetries with this one.

What I love about a stretch of the day is that I can do it for 30-60 seconds broken up multiple times throughout the day or for a few minutes at the end of the day if I prefer. My S.M.A.R.T.  goal is to pick one stretch each day (specific) and perform it for a total of 5 minutes cumulatively throughout the day (measurable, attainable, realistic and time based).

New Years isn’t the time to reinvent ourselves.

We don’t need reinventing. It’s just a time for us to be a little more mindful about what’s working for us and what isn’t. And for me, New Years is coming serendipitously at the 6 month point of my baby’s life and my postpartum recovery. 

While everyone’s timeline is different, 6 months feels like the time for me to start finding myself again, to start moving in new ways, investing in myself, my health and my relationship and to maybe stop giving away so many of my brain cells to reality TV at the end of the night.

Wherever you are in your health journey, pregnant or postpartum, trying to conceive or never want children of your own, thinking about what you want more of is my favorite way to achieve better health in the coming year.

Happy New Year’s, y’all.

<3 Becky

P.S. Ready to take control of your pelvic health this year? Contact us today to get started.