We recently connected with Maria Lesmes and have shared our conversation below.
firstName}, thank you so much for agreeing to talk with us about a deeply personal and sensitive topic. Postpartum depression affects so many in the community and hearing from someone who has overcome PPD might help someone who is going through it right now. For readers, please note this is not medical advice, we are not doctors, you should always consult professionals for advice and that this is merely one person sharing their story and experience
Post partum depression is silent and if not identified it can be very dangerous for both Mommy and Baby. As women our pregnancy is one of the most fulfilling and happiest moments of our life, however our bodies are undergoing so many changes in such a short period of time that it’s challenging for the mind and the body to be in sync before another change comes… and that’s birth. They say that one of the most traumatic events we undergo as humans is childbirth, for both mommy and baby. And in my personal opinion I think I can agree for the most part. What’s interesting with unprocessed trauma though, is that we store it in the nervous system, and our minds are so powerful that they can make memories disappear, yet the body will eventually remind you of this unprocessed emotion, and motherhood sometimes can trigger those memories.
In today’s society women are expected to go back to work after 12 weeks and come home and take care of the kids and cook and clean, but what about their own rest and well being? We often forget!
We lose ourselves as new mothers and this was a huge catalyst for my PPD. My wake up call didn’t happen until my little girl was a year old. And it was a traumatic event that triggered the fear and the trauma that was stored in my nervous system. I was blessed enough that my husband was able to see the signs and we got the help that we both needed. Between becoming new parents, him being a first responder and the trauma that we experienced we were experiencing what our therapist called “new parent burnout” and I was diagnosed with PPD. Becoming aware of my diagnosis allowed me to seek different methods to overcome this. I had tools that I learned from before that I was now able to apply, like meditation, yoga, mindfulness and I really had to apply all the mindset tools I could find, after all we were trying to heal mind and body..
So I went through the process of accepting this new version, reinventing it to who I visualized myself to be, and gracefully integrating with patience and love the new person I was becoming. After all it had taken me 9months to create life! And once I had this breakthrough I went from “new mom” to Creatress!
When my second baby came, my experience with motherhood was completely different, but this time around we didn’t start from scratch, we started from experience, and today my little guy is 2yrs old, and my relationship with myself is better than ever. I love my body, I love this woman I am and I love that I can now help Other women like me reclaim that divinity that makes us Women!
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I’’m very passionate about my work. I believe that love is a force that guides us, and I love the human body and the human experience and I love the magic that there is in how we were designed. The human body is such a simple yet complex system that is fascinating to me. I come from a medical background of 18yrs, I went to school for surgical technology and health services administration, I always had a full time job in medical, however my second passion has always been wellness and alternative medicine, and that’s how I birthed BodydesignbyML in 2013. while I was going to school for surgical technology. I always had the mindset that you shouldn’t only have one source of income, and I am glad I do, after everything changed with COVID healthcare was never the same, however people still need healing and I love healthcare so much that I decided to further my skill set and decided to obtain my certification in Manual lymphatic Drainage, ultrasonic cavitation, radio-frequency therapy and laser Lipo. Though I was familiar with the treatments from experience with my first child, the aftermath of my second child and the challenge that I was having to get rid of the “saggy skin”, despite exercising and keeping a healthy lifestyle, was what really pushed me to dive deeper into alternative treatments other than surgery.
I love helping others with their health through the Manual lymphatic as well. Our lymphatic system is so vital in the proper function of our systems that it goes underestimated.
I also have my other business which is Nellarina’s Magical Fairy Hair. Nellarinas started as a hobby. As a mom of a toddler girl during lockdown something had to happen so we did Fairy hair and that’s how Nellarinas was born in 2020. Fast forward to 2023, and life and the universe aligned and Nellarinas took off so we added other services like glitter tattoos and Facegems. Nellarinas is my baby, because it allows me to give to the community! I love working with non profits and the school Board as a volunteer to bring all the smiles to the kiddos! It makes my heart full and reminds me that we’re here to serve and live a life well lived!
I am super excited though because there’s new things coming for Nellarina’s! Our amazing customers can now enjoy the Full Glitter bar! This is a whole experience that can’t be described! Let’s just say you will sparkle and shine baby! And life is always better with sparkle!
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
I feel just like with everything you have to build on solid foundations and there’s some ground rules for this. I believe in honesty as the number one policy, I believe in treating others how I would like to be treated. I feel like my tenure in the healthcare field and my education were the most impactful for my journey. They allowed me to step out of my comfort zone while still being able to maintain an ethical practice and working in alignment with my calling.
The only advice I have is don’t stop. It’s going to feel demoralizing and you’re going to want to throw the towel. It will be hard on your mental health, but you have to stay strong! Remember nothing good is easy and if it’s easy is it really worth having? Rome wasn’t built in one day, so give yourself grace for trying and step out of your comfort zone, I guarantee you the other side is scary but fun! Almost like a rollercoaster! (I love rollercoasters)
How would you describe your ideal client?
My ideal client is literally anyone! Men, women, children. We all have a lymphatic system and it works the same in everyone, so if you need a detox, to boost your immune system. My ideal patients are those who have a cosmetic procedure like a tummy tuck or liposuction I handle the post Operative process.
Athletes or people who work out are ideal candidates for a lymphatic drainage massage, it helps their recovery, assists with detox and boosts the metabolism, making it ideal for weight loss purposes.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.bodydesignbyml.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bodydesignbyml?igsh=MWVobXJrNmFmbmZ4NA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100095231911106&mibextid=LQQJ4d
Image Credits
@jessicaivettephoto
