A MomLife Mecca
Every month, we celebrate and feature a woman who went for it, bringing their vision and passion to life. While their businesses and projects vary — they all have battled through self-doubt, jumped before fully ready and embarked on entrepreneurship while simultaneously carrying a heavy load specially reserved for modern mothers.
For March, we are chatting with the amazing Dr. Caryn Phillips, Founder of MomLife Health in Medfield, MA. Here, she shares how recognizing a void in in the perinatal and pelvic health space in healthcare inspired her to not only create a practice that solely focused on these issues, but a thriving community of support for moms as well.
Tell us a little about the inspiration to start MomLife Health and how you initially brought this vision to life.
I had been working as a pelvic floor PT for about 9 years and really felt that there was a void in the perinatal and pelvic health space in healthcare. In my previous jobs, I would see patients who had been dealing with their pelvic floor issues for years and were just then being sent to pelvic floor PT. I would think, "there must be a way to teach these women about their pelvic floor health earlier to help prevent these issues from happening". So I eventually decided that I wanted to start a PT practice that exclusively served this perinatal and pelvic health population, not only through PT services, but through community education and awareness as well.
I started out by going to women's homes who were pregnant, postpartum, and/or dealing with pelvic floor issues. I also focused on collaborating with others in the community to hold workshops to increase awareness about pelvic health. I think that this helped women realize there is help out there and they can be proactive in taking care of their pelvic health, instead of waiting until symptoms occur. We now have a clinic location in Medfield with six other pelvic floor PTs, and continue to hold these workshops to spread awareness.
What kind of conditions do your physical therapists treat?
Our physical therapists are all trained in pelvic floor and perinatal health, as well as orthopedics. They treat the following:
Pregnancy-Related Conditions: Back pain, sciatica, hip pain, nerve pain, birth prep, core/pelvic floor strengthening through pregnancy
Postpartum Recovery: core and pelvic floor rehab, painful intercourse, painful scar, bladder bowel issues
Pelvic Pain: abdominal/pelvic pain, vaginal pain, rectal pain, painful intercourse
Bladder: urinary incontinence, urinary frequency, urgency, incomplete emptying
Bowel: fecal incontinence, constipation, painful bowel movements
Pelvic Organ Prolapse
Pre and Post-Surgical Rehabilitation: preparing for surgery or recovering afterward
Musculoskeletal Pain: Hip, low back, even jaw pain can be connected to the pelvic floor!
Our audience doesn't necessarily have new babies or little little kids. Can they still benefit from pelvic floor PT?
Absolutely, individuals beyond the newly postpartum phase can benefit significantly from pelvic floor physical therapy. Whether someone is navigating pelvic pain, addressing issues related to incontinence, managing pelvic organ prolapse, or seeking to enhance overall pelvic well-being, PT can be beneficial at any time!
Another "older mom" question, but perimenopause is gaining more recognition recently. Can being perimenopausal impact your pelvic health?
Perimenopause can have a notable impact on pelvic health. During the perimenopausal phase (which typically precedes menopause) hormonal fluctuations can lead to a variety of changes in the pelvic region. This can include: muscle tone changes, vaginal dryness, urinary symptoms (such as incontinence), sexual function changes, and bone health considerations.
I recently had a conversation with a colleague about medical gaslighting and how women can often be told that their health concerns are normal and just part of having children or being their age. We discussed how men would not ever be told this. I was wondering if you've ever heard this from patients who come to you for help?
It's unfortunately not uncommon. In our practice, we do encounter instances where women have been told that their pelvic health concerns are deemed "normal" and just part of the natural process of having children or aging. It's disheartening to observe how these dismissive responses can contribute to delayed diagnosis, inadequate treatment, and the emotional toll on patients. Our approach at MomLife is rooted in creating an environment where every patient feels heard, validated, and understood.
You have two young children and work full time (let's be real, probably more than full-time as a business owner) - how do you juggle all the roles? And what's your take on "having it all"?
Well a "juggling act" is a great way to describe it. It's been a learning process for sure...and I've found honestly that taking the time I need for me, and doing things that help me relax and recharge, are what keep my roles as mom, wife, business owner in check. It's hard to step away and take time for yourself (mom guilt), but I honestly think we are our best selves when we're taking care of ourselves.
I think to me, "having it all" means realizing that there is no having it all, lol. Life is never going to be perfect...we're all going to have days that we feel like all we're doing is messing up. I think it's about making intentional choices, embracing flexibility, and understanding that some days, certain aspects might take precedence over others.
What were some challenges of starting your own business and what are your proudest moments?
Starting my business has been an incredible journey filled with both challenges and proud moments. One of the initial hurdles was navigating all of the logistics of starting a business (not something we learn in PT school!). Then of course there was that small curveball called Covid. And honestly every new phase of growth brings on its own set of challenges (sounds a little like motherhood!)
My proudest moments revolve around the impact we've had on our patients' lives. Witnessing hundreds of patients regain their confidence, overcome pelvic health issues, and improve their overall well-being is immensely gratifying. Seeing our clinic grow from a one-woman-show to a team of nine wonderful employees I am very proud of as well.
Your business is more than just a practice of physical therapists. You've really worked to create a community with classes, workshops, events, resources and partnerships with other local businesses to better the lives of moms. How important do you think it is to nurture your business as a community? What are the benefits of this approach?
I have always been very passionate about increasing community awareness not only about pelvic and perinatal health, but about the resources available to moms in general. Moms need to find their tribe, and in this age of social media and having any article at our fingertips, it's HARD to figure out who/what to trust and what you really need to do to help you feel better. A mom's overall well-being depends on many different factors, so being able to provide trusted resources in all these different categories is hopefully making moms feel well supported.
I think this approach is a win-win-win. Win for us, win for the other businesses, and a win for the moms. By building a network and collaborating with other businesses, the businesses benefit from increased exposure and getting to let more people know about their services, and the moms get to find out about all of the amazing resources around them!
What are your hopes for MomLife Health in the next few years?
I'm honestly not great at answering this question. My vision for MomLife has changed so many times since starting the business that I've learned to just let things happen as they're meant to happen. I just hope that as the years go on, we continue to grow and have more and more of a positive impact on the community. Not only in terms of providing excellent patient care, but in serving as a valuable resource for the community, by providing amazing job experiences for other pelvic floor PTs, and in supporting other local businesses as they pursue their dreams as well.