Meet Anna Gallup | Occupational Therapist & Certified Breastfeeding Specialist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Anna Gallup and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Anna, how does your business help the community?
Motion In Motherhood is dedicated to breaking the stigma that new moms SHOULD do it all (without support, hardship, difficulty, complaining, etc). Our society holds new moms to a standard which demands that they have a new baby and immediately snap back to their previous bodies, jobs, and routine all while taking care of a newborn–full time. It’s simple math…that’s just not possible. I’m committed to supporting and empowering new moms and encouraging them to be authentically seen, heard, and prepared for postpartum. There are HUGE emotional, hormonal, physical and social changes that occur when you have a newborn. Our society just doesn’t (yet) acknowledge how having a newborn impacts new moms. Motion In Motherhood is here to re-write the narrative and allow moms the time and space to make that adjustment the way they deserve to.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’ve always had a passion and desire to work in women’s health, especially as it relates to birth and postpartum. That really didn’t exist as an option for an occupational therapist when I got out of grad school. I started working with young kids and while that work lit me up, I couldn’t ignore that the moms of these children weren’t getting any support for themselves despite having children with special needs who required various therapies and doctors visits each week.

As I learned more about my field, I pursued a breastfeeding education, and really loved the nature of that work and was able to work with moms and babies together. I had the fortune of connecting with a few women online that were trailblazing positions as women’s health clinicians as occupational therapists and they helped connect me with others doing similar work.

Fast forward several certifications, mentorships, business coaching sessions and networking opportunities, I finally had the context and knowledge of HOW to be an entrepreneur and was able to design my dream business of preparing and supporting moms before and after they give birth to feel confident, strong, and supported.

This journey wasn’t easy and it took lots of unexpected twists and turns. Like in early motherhood, I emerged from this process as a new, stronger, more innovative, in-touch version of myself and understood the value of being vulnerable and honest with those around me as a first-time business owner and leaning heavily on my support system.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Decatur square, all of the little shops and restaurants there. I would take them down the beltline, piedmont park, out on a boat at lake lanier, and at night, to buckhead. (hopefully not a rainy weekend or this wouldn’t be a great plan…)

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would have to acknowledge my family who has always modeled the importance of following your career dreams, making your own path if it doesn’t already exist, and the benefit of valuing your expertise and time. Because of them, I am able to step into entrepreneurship with confidence and the tools to build my dream job of Motion In Motherhood.

Website: www.motioninmotherhood.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/motioninmotherhood/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MotionInMotherhood

Image Credits
Brianne Sanders Photography