The idea persists in our minds that the woman of today is the pillar of the house, the one who capably manages her own energies to hold together private and social life, work and children, always with a smile on her face. Throughout her life, her body and mind undergo many pressures and some total upheavals, but these are natural, and so a real woman doesn’t complain about them but handles the situation effortlessly.
Our bodies go through so many upheavals, that it is essential for us to convey the message that it is normal for this to have consequences. No one should feel alone in their journey.
And what if the time had finally come to say out loud that this view of women needs to be reshaped? What if we learned to tell ourselves that it is normal to seek support to relieve pressure or to be afraid of childbirth, that hormonal changes exist and so does the menopause? That it is normal not to know how to handle a body that has undergone major physical or perhaps even painful changes? That intimacy changes and, at times, so does our self-perception? This is the mission of Baby Be Woman, because it is true that women are biologically predisposed to all this, but nowhere in the rule book does it say that they have to manage it alone.
BabyBe Woman: What is it?
Established in 2010, BabyBe Woman is a centre dedicated to the well-being of women at every stage of life. Initially focused on the care of mothers and children, it has expanded its mission to offer full support to women in the most complex and delicate stages of their lives, from pregnancy to menopause. Thanks to its excellent specialisation in physiotherapy and a strong holistic approach,
the centre promotes coaching paths to help women rediscover and consolidate both their physical and emotional well-being. BabyBe Woman is more than a place of care: it is a space for listening and growth, where every woman can rediscover her balance, feel strong, understood and beautiful.
Often all of this is even more than a taboo: not only do we not talk about it enough, sometimes we are not even aware that a long string of effects is left in its wake.
Sexual maturity, the fears and vulnerabilities experienced during pregnancy, the effects of hormonal changes, the shift in body perception, sexuality, and relational capacity, the implications of menopause. For a long time these were real taboos, topics that every “good” woman had to handle in private, sometimes even without the comfort of her own family system. But today something has changed.
What is your point of view on this?
Something is undoubtedly shifting, and perhaps the aspect in which the change is most evident is that of pregnancy and childbirth. But it is not enough, because everything that happens, for example, in the postpartum period, is often even more than a taboo: not only is it not talked about enough, sometimes we are not even aware that a long string of effects is left in the wake of the baby’s birth. Not to mention the menopause and how it changes us, there is no mention of that at all. And yet, it is something that really affects all women, because, whether or not we are mothers, we will all go through menopause. BabyBe Woman exists to support every woman with an integrated approach, working both to preserve women’s physical and their emotional well-being. We have created a multidisciplinary team so that we can embrace all the vulnerabilities, doubts and concerns that can arise in these particular periods. We focus on listening, providing support and care, so that every woman can feel welcomed, understood and guided in her journey.
We have created a multidisciplinary team so that we can embrace all the vulnerabilities that can arise in these particular periods… so that every woman can feel welcomed, understood and guided in her journey.
In each different country, there is a cultural legacy that undoubtedly influences this way of thinking and also the pressure load that women take upon themselves. How does it make you feel to be able to support them in times of such great vulnerability?
We know all too well how often a woman stops taking care of herself, to take care of others, so we are convinced that it is important to have someone who reminds you of your right to take care of yourself, to look after number one. Being able to do this, having the privilege of seeing women come back into their own again, makes us feel really lucky, we really love it. We have experienced it and still do today, firsthand. The fact that someone listens to you, takes care of you and understands exactly how you feel helps a lot, which is why we always strive to provide every woman with the finest professional expertise in every field.
Every experience is unique, every woman is a world in her own right, which is why listening in earnest is essential. So yes, knowing that, at such an intense and important time in your life, someone chooses you and trusts you to take care of them, deserves all our commitment and gratitude.
Having the privilege of seeing women come back into their own again, makes us feel really lucky. Knowing that, at such an intense and important time in your life, someone chooses you and trusts you to take care of them, deserves all our commitment and gratitude.
You just told us, BabyBe Woman comes from having experienced firsthand how important it is to have a reference point at these times. Your #sisterhood begins as something biological, but then you structured it and generously opened it to all women…
Yes, that’s true. Our project was born at a time when we needed each other, and that request for help led to something magical. We realised that the needs we were experiencing were probably the same ones that every woman was facing. At that point it was natural for both of us to start thinking about a solution that could be useful to other women like us. We are lucky to have had this special bond since we were little: we played together endlessly, grew up side by side, with the younger one constantly clinging to the older one—who, poor thing, just wanted some peace and time for herself.
But in the end, we have always shared everything. We would fall asleep holding hands. Not everyone is as lucky as us and in the end, you know, this project was inspired by our idea, but we have grown and evolved also thanks to the women who have relied on BabyBe Woman. Each one of them has pointed us towards a new step in our journey, and it is also thanks to each of them that we have perfected our work day after day, year after year.
We realised that the needs we were experiencing were probably the same as every woman’s. This project was inspired by our idea, but it has also evolved thanks to the women who have relied on BabyBe Woman. Each one of them has pointed us towards a new step in our journey.
How important is it to understand that having a support network is okay and that there should be no feelings of guilt or failure in asking for support? What role do men, our companions have in this?
One of the most important messages we want to convey is that asking for help does not mean being weak. On the contrary, accepting the support of a network of people who take care of us is an act of strength and awareness. Often, guilt and fear of judgment prevent women from taking the space they deserve for their own well-being. But no one should feel alone in their journey. What about men? They play a key role.
In our centre, we always invite you to be an active part of the woman’s journey, especially in delicate moments such as pregnancy, postpartum or menopause, because the woman first does not know how she will feel and at certain times, hormones can be like a Molotov cocktail! This is why a conscious and present partner can make a huge difference. He is a fundamental support for transforming insecurities and fears into shared experiences of growth and support.
Men? They play a key role. We always invite them to be an active part of our centre. They can be a fundamental support to transform insecurities and fears into shared experiences of growth and support.
Let’s talk a little more about #sisterhood: what is it like working side by side, day by day, with a person who knows every nuance of your being so well?
It’s a joy and a fortune. It means having a partner next to you who not only understands you perfectly, but who also knows all the hardest moments you have experienced, who knows how to support and encourage you, even at times when you feel that you are not at your best. And it always works two ways. Then, precisely because we are sisters, maybe we might also argue in a more heated way: this happens in the family, paradoxically where there is more trust is often where more friction if found. So, like most sisters, we have had some clashes and we will surely have more. Because in the end the special union we share is solid and it also allows us this freedom. From an entrepreneurial point of view, we are a good match, as well as for different areas of specialisation, also because we have two complementary natures: one is more impulsive and daring, the other is more rational and reflective. One is practical and fast, the other is a perfectionist. This complementarity is our strength. We have experienced some amazing moments and some complex challenges too, but always with the certainty of being able to count on each other.
Like most sisters, we have had some clashes and we will surely have more. Without problems. Because in the end the special union we share is solid and it also allows us this freedom.
What contribution to change do you want to leave to the world with @BabyBe Woman?
BabyBe Woman’s mission is to raise awareness of the importance of every woman’s right to take care of herself, in the most complete way possible: to learn to look at herself, to be a little selfish. Before being able to take care of others, first of all, you have to be able to take care of yourself. Without feeling guilty: our bodies go through so many upheavals, that it is essential to pass on the message that it is normal for this to have consequences. We know well how too often women end up neglecting themselves and always demanding too much of themselves. We want to bring every woman greater confidence and self-esteem: inside and out. We want women to feel good in their bodies and emotions, and to learn that they have the right to feel understood and supported. And beautiful, because appearance also plays a role in self-esteem!
We want to raise awareness of the importance of every woman’s right to take care of herself. We want women to feel good in their bodies and emotions and to learn that they have the right to feel understood and supported.
