Prenatal and postpartum benefits as versatile as you
Lauren didn’t expect a routine physical therapy (PT) session for her shoulder to lead her to discover a pathway to a healthier pregnancy. As someone who values health and fitness, Lauren, operations integration consultant, routinely sought out resources to continue her active lifestyle during pregnancy. When her physical therapist referred her to Dr. Sara Ljubic at the Mutual Health Center for preventative pelvic health PT, Lauren was all in.
“This was something I was already interested in and have seen influencers do to help with recovery. I wasn’t sure it was for someone like me, but figured it couldn’t hurt to try,” Lauren said.
Expert support for an active pregnancy
Lauren booked an appointment with Sara and was surprised at what she learned.
“I thought everything we’d be doing would be preparing for postpartum. It was interesting to learn all the things you can do now to prevent some of pregnancy’s aches and pains.”
Sara gave Lauren a comprehensive pregnancy workout plan, which changes for each month of pregnancy. The guide offers two workouts each week and suggests doing a moderate-intensity workout for a third day. It includes common exercises like squats, deadlifts and chest presses, while focusing on important attributes like core stability and balance.
Lauren continued to see Sara until her due date and plans to resume her sessions postpartum to help restore her pelvic floor.
Using Northwestern Mutual’s benefits to prepare for parenthood
Lauren also used Northwestern Mutual benefits in other ways to prepare her body and mind for parenthood. She found a pregnancy coach who called her to check in on several items like her overall preparedness for birth and postpartum, and her mental health.
“I think people forget about some of the mental components of pregnancy. It was helpful to have that second check.”
She also used a health app to monitor her baby's weekly development and gain insights into the milestones and changes expected during each stage of pregnancy.
Overall, Lauren was thankful for to have comprehensive benefits through her pregnancy.
“There’s so much information out there about pregnancy, birth and parenthood, whether it’s good or bad. I’m thankful to have had medical professionals to consult with at work and feel much more prepared than my friends who don’t have access to these resources.
Prenatal and postpartum benefits are just one of the many ways Northwestern Mutual helps employees take care of their health and families. For more information on our benefits, visit our Culture page.