#PhilipsPartner Sharing the responsibilities during the fourth trimester is crucial, especially when balancing motherhood and a career. Prioritizing self-care while leaning on baby’s care team helps you find joy in everyday moments.

 

In this episode, I chat with Robin Arzón, a Peloton instructor and mother of two, to discuss:

• The importance of maintaining physical and emotional well-being through movement, breath work, and self-care practices
• The critical role of a support network in balancing the demands of motherhood with her career
• How using Philips Avent bottles allowed Robin the flexibility to switch between breastfeeding and bottle feeding
• And so much more!

 

Connect with Robin on Instagram @robinnyc. To learn more about Philips Avent and their suite of baby products that allow you to share the care, visit avent.com #ShareTheCare

00;00;00;00 – 00;00;15;24
Robin Arzon
Sharing the care is tricky, especially if you are breastfeeding like I was and bottle feeding and needing to figure out timing and tools and what the support system looks like for me and my husband, drew, it was making sure we could get into a routine and a rhythm, even if I had to adapt, you know, based on the baby’s needs.

00;00;16;01 – 00;00;38;25
Robin Arzon
We used products like Philips Advent Natural Bottle, which allowed us to seamlessly transition between the breast and bottle feeding. Atlas was really, really receptive to that, having drew be able to do two bottle feeds of breast milk while I was training, especially when I was getting back to work was huge. Like mentally that took a load off knowing that I could focus on what was in front of me, which was repairing my body.

00;00;38;26 – 00;00;41;20
Robin Arzon
Getting back to training. Getting back to peloton.

00;00;41;22 – 00;01;03;00
Dr. Mona
Hello PedsDocTalk podcast listeners, I’m Doctor Mona and thank you so much for being here. I know the juggle is real as parents, and I so appreciate you taking time out of your day to tune into these awesome conversations that I get to have about child health development, parenting, and parental mental well-being. Today, in partnership with Philips Avent, a global leader in mother and child care.

00;01;03;05 – 00;01;25;27
Dr. Mona
I’m excited to welcome someone I’ve admired for a really long time. During the pandemic, when I was postpartum and struggling with isolation and getting back into a fitness routine, I found peloton and the amazing Robin Aasen. Robin is such an inspiration both as a savvy career woman and mama. She’s the vice president of fitness programing and a head instructor at peloton.

00;01;25;29 – 00;01;57;15
Dr. Mona
She believes that sweat transforms lives and her story is living proof. Formerly a corporate lawyer, she left behind a successful law career to embark on new adventures in the health and wellness space. In addition to her roles at peloton, she has since reinvented herself into a 27 time marathon and ultra marathon runner. Good Morning America contributor, two time New York Times bestselling author, founder of Swagger Society and an incredible mom of two to Athena and Atlas.

00;01;57;18 – 00;02;24;18
Dr. Mona
With help from her husband Drew and Phillips Evan. Robin has been able to balance parenting her career and taking care of herself, too. As a breastfeeding mama, she use products like Phillips Avant Natural Bottle with natural Response nipple to share caregiving duties with her husband and others in her village. Phillips Evan is on a mission to show new parents that there is strength in sharing the care, postpartum and beyond so they can prioritize their own self-care.

00;02;24;18 – 00;02;43;08
Dr. Mona
And I cannot wait for you to hear Robin story and how she shares the care in her household. Robin, so excited to have you on! How has your fitness journey influenced your approach to motherhood, especially in terms of maintaining a healthy lifestyle during pregnancy and postpartum? The biggest thing.

00;02;43;08 – 00;03;10;00
Robin Arzon
That motherhood confirmed for me, and that I focus on in training, is one step, one mile, one rep at a time and really focusing on what I can control. This is honestly how I approach motherhood every day. There’s so many unexpected moments. Specifically, when I was postpartum, I continued to view myself as an athlete. There were things I had to modify, obviously, and I had to adapt things to stay safe, but I just continued to focus on what I could control.

00;03;10;02 – 00;03;25;00
Robin Arzon
And fortunately, I had a strong pregnancy both times. I know you know that that’s super subjective and individualized, of course. I also consider myself a corporate athlete, and I think the way I approach athletics is how I approach business, and definitely parenthood.

00;03;25;03 – 00;03;47;08
Dr. Mona
Well, I love that I am a peloton fan. I joined peloton in the pandemic. I was a new mom, and I can attest to the fact that even in your sessions, you bring that energy. You know that motivational energy on the bike, but also off the bike in motherhood, in life. And so thank you for everything that you do for the fitness community, but also for women everywhere and entrepreneurs everywhere.

00;03;47;09 – 00;04;04;08
Dr. Mona
It really is very admirable to see, and I’m just so excited to connect with you and hear more about how you navigated life as a mom and beyond. Yes. Me too. How do you navigate the emotional and mental aspects of motherhood, especially in relationship to your own well-being?

00;04;04;11 – 00;04;23;19
Robin Arzon
It was obviously it was hard in the beginning with a newborn, but ultimately I found that it really comes down to the basics. My well-being is so impacted. All of our well-being are impacted by how we eat, sleep, and move our bodies, and I am a better parent. When I make sure to take care of myself, move my body, get an endorphin release.

00;04;23;19 – 00;04;35;18
Robin Arzon
So that really kind of became the ground floor for how our household was operating, especially with a new, new roommate, as I like to call. Yeah, I call the newborn in the house.

00;04;35;26 – 00;04;38;16
Dr. Mona
Yeah, a new, noisy, very demanding roommate.

00;04;38;19 – 00;04;40;14
Robin Arzon
Very demanding, very demanding.

00;04;40;14 – 00;04;54;00
Dr. Mona
Rightfully so. And how did your support network help you balance, you know, the things that you wanted to do? You mentioned sleep, eating, moving your body, the fitness routine and self-care with the demands of being a new mom and motherhood.

00;04;54;02 – 00;05;15;12
Robin Arzon
I am lucky and privileged to have a huge support network. I am grateful for our nannies, my family, other childcare that, you know, my cousins often come and stay, stay with my kids when I’m when I’m working or I’m traveling overnight. And that really enables me to continue to be a working mom. Yeah, my husband is a huge support.

00;05;15;13 – 00;05;36;13
Robin Arzon
We are absolute partners. We share in the mental, physical, emotional labor of parenthood. Obviously there are some things that one can’t always delegate as as a as a mother, as a, as a nursing mother. But I believe in delegating where we can. I don’t believe one person should be doing it all. The idea of a village has taken lots of different forms in today’s day and age.

00;05;36;18 – 00;05;55;16
Robin Arzon
It can be what each family defines it to be, but it is important to even identify what help looks like. What a yes looks like, what a no looks like, right? I think that caregivers really need to be mindful of using their nose to protect their yeses. That’s that’s a crucial detail that sometimes is overlooked.

00;05;55;18 – 00;06;13;06
Dr. Mona
Yeah, I absolutely agree with that. You know, and I think the boundaries that we create and also just utilizing the village that we have. Did your husband, was he someone who just stepped up to the plate and was ready, or was that something that he prepared for when you were pregnant as well? Or how did that sort of evolve in terms of how supportive he was postpartum?

00;06;13;09 – 00;06;35;04
Robin Arzon
You know, he really was just in the mix, right? I remember learning we were learning together of course. And each kid, you know, parenting each kid is we’re parenting that person for the first time. So we were a little bit more comfortable around two. But he he asked questions, I give answers. And we learned together. So I think that that communication piece is massive.

00;06;35;06 – 00;06;50;05
Dr. Mona
I love that, you know, as a pediatrician, that learning together aspect of parenting, you know, if you’re fortunate to have a partner, which I know not everyone does. But if you have that support in a partner who understands and really wants to be there to say, hey, look, what do you need for me? How can I support you?

00;06;50;06 – 00;07;08;07
Dr. Mona
You mentioned that you were a nursing or breastfeeding mother, that I can’t do that because I don’t have what you have to do that. But what can I do to help you? You know, how can I be there to maybe change the diaper? Or how can I be there to? If you’re pumping clean pump parts and really be that supportive, you know, team effort.

00;07;08;08 – 00;07;26;10
Dr. Mona
I mean so much I in my office, I know that it’s not often possible that parents the you know, both caregivers can come together to visit, but when they are able to I just love being able to sit in that room and just be able to answer the questions that dad has or mom has or, you know, grandma has.

00;07;26;10 – 00;07;33;07
Dr. Mona
It’s so helpful so that everyone’s on that same page so that we can be that united front in raising these amazing children.

00;07;33;09 – 00;07;55;28
Robin Arzon
Yes, absolutely. And drew was really just it’s like, put me in coach like wherever. And you know, it’s like, let me get the Phillips Evan bottle ready. Let me make sure that things are clean. Let’s like, I’ll empty the dishwasher. Like, these are just little things that, you know, in isolation aren’t Herculean task. But as they add up, it’s it’s really amazing to be able to share share the care of our babies in that way.

00;07;56;00 – 00;08;10;20
Dr. Mona
Yeah. And I think from a pediatrician standpoint, the bonding aspect, I’m sure, because your husband was very involved with the children in that way, right, that it really did create that bond for him, too, which I think we forget how important the non birthing partner is to a child as well.

00;08;10;27 – 00;08;13;19
Robin Arzon
Yeah. Hugely important to establish that routine.

00;08;13;21 – 00;08;29;09
Dr. Mona
Yeah. Like my you know for my child. My first child I was in I was hospitalized, my son was in the NICU. And so my husband had to be the one to go and be with my son and bottle feed and do all of that and give, you know, the The Knick. You gave that Phillips the classic Phillips oven, you know, pacifier.

00;08;29;09 – 00;08;46;08
Dr. Mona
And it was so great because I really do think that that foundation from the beginning really helped their bond for the rest of their, you know, the rest of their life so far. So it’s it’s a beautiful thing to see. And I I’m glad to hear that you have that amazing support from drew. Thank you. Yeah. And you have such an active presence on social media.

00;08;46;08 – 00;08;59;02
Dr. Mona
Has sharing your story and personal motherhood experience online helped you maintain a community with other parents, and has there been any stand up advice that you’ve received from your followers or community?

00;08;59;04 – 00;09;22;19
Robin Arzon
Oh, I love that I found a whole new community of mother hustlers online. Really, really supportive community connecting with other parents is incredible. One of the best pieces of advice I have received was actually from Eva Longoria. I asked her what she wish she had known before becoming a parent. And she said she had to have blinders on with respect to unsolicited advice.

00;09;22;19 – 00;09;55;11
Robin Arzon
I think we’ve all been there with some unexpected advice, sometimes in air quotes, advice. You know, we’re in this age of abundant advice and information, and we can go down rabbit holes when we feel unsure. And I think it is really important to have a group of trusted critics and other parents who you respect to lean on. Obviously, we don’t want to be in isolation, but not every comment section needs to contribute to how we operate as parents, how we are showing up for ourselves and our families, and really internalizing that stuff sometimes really isn’t helpful, especially when it’s fear based and uneducated.

00;09;55;11 – 00;10;00;18
Robin Arzon
That’s like a really, really awful combination. So make sure your scope of influence is curated.

00;10;00;20 – 00;10;11;24
Dr. Mona
Yeah. And how did you create boundaries for that on social media? Because I imagine that you’re getting a lot of unsolicited opinions or advice maybe on like, hey, you’re you shouldn’t be working out or, you know, you shouldn’t.

00;10;11;24 – 00;10;13;02
Robin Arzon
Be like, I think I.

00;10;13;02 – 00;10;17;14
Dr. Mona
Know, I think I know what I’m doing. But how did you approach those situations?

00;10;17;16 – 00;10;39;26
Robin Arzon
Well, I really try to educate myself. Right? I try to remain open minded, especially if it’s a subject matter that I’m that I don’t have expertise or experience in. But a lot of times it’s closing the app, closing the phone, and going back to what I know is true and the practices such as movement and breathwork that allow me kind of to zoom out and take a wider vantage point.

00;10;39;28 – 00;10;57;04
Dr. Mona
Yeah, absolutely. It’s such an important tip. I really appreciate you sharing that because, you know, you said it perfectly. The age of over information, right? Too much information and too much opinion really allows us to lose our self insight, in my opinion. Right. Like when we start to take on too much of that, you know, commentary, we forget our own intuition.

00;10;57;04 – 00;11;16;09
Dr. Mona
We forget what we know to do because we’re thinking we’re doing it wrong all the time. And so such an important aspect of mothering and parenting in general, in what ways has sharing the care of the baby impacted your self-care journey during your first months postpartum? And why do you think more people should know the importance of sharing the care?

00;11;16;12 – 00;11;33;08
Robin Arzon
Oh, wow. Sharing the care for the baby has been huge. I think we were better at it with Atlas, our second child. The second time around, I had a better idea of how I could be supported. You know, specifically, what were the things that I needed support with. And I was more confident in that role. So I was able to be more specific.

00;11;33;12 – 00;11;52;06
Robin Arzon
And the more specific you can be with folks, the the better they can support you. Sharing the care is tricky, especially if you are breastfeeding like I was, and bottle feeding and eating to figure out timing and tools and what the support system looks like for me and my husband drew, it was making sure we could get into a routine and a rhythm, even if that had to adapt.

00;11;52;06 – 00;12;20;23
Robin Arzon
You know, based on the baby’s needs. We use products like Philips, Abbott, Natural bottle, which allowed us to seamlessly transition between the breast and bottle feeding. Atlas was really, really receptive to that, having drew be able to do bottle feeds of breast milk while I was training, especially when I was getting back to work was huge. Like mentally that took a load off knowing that I could focus on what was in front of me, which was repairing my body, getting back to training, getting back to peloton and training was a non-negotiable for me.

00;12;20;23 – 00;12;41;04
Robin Arzon
In order to take care of my physical and mental well-being and ultimately get back to work, because it is my job, being able to trust that we had a routine around feeding that was safe for our baby was crucial, and I was really able to unload a bit of the emotional labor and labor around thinking about feeding, which is, you know, we always have that schedule in the back of our minds.

00;12;41;04 – 00;12;46;05
Robin Arzon
It’s something a lot of people don’t talk about. So the ability to share the care for Atlas was huge.

00;12;46;07 – 00;12;56;29
Dr. Mona
Oh, absolutely. I can I can see that. And you how how soon after Atlas did you go back to work? You know, physical activity, working out and getting back into that routine?

00;12;57;02 – 00;13;12;28
Robin Arzon
I mean, I started breathwork immediately, you know, diaphragmatic breathing and kind of very gentle movement, going on walks. So there was those were kind of the first things that we did together. And then I was back to training. Again, this is super specific to me, and I know my body, and it was blessed by my care, by my my doctor.

00;13;13;05 – 00;13;20;21
Robin Arzon
After a few weeks, yeah, I was back to lifting and moving in ways that are familiar and and good for me. After a few weeks.

00;13;20;26 – 00;13;38;16
Dr. Mona
I love it. And thanks so much for saying for you. Right? I know people listening. Everyone has different fitness journeys. I was super, I felt like I was super in shape and then I had unfortunately traumatic deliveries, which meant that I had to delay my ability to get back into working out and, you know, moving my body. But then once I was able to ten weeks postpartum, I was ready.

00;13;38;16 – 00;13;58;11
Dr. Mona
I was excited. And it’s really important to remember that in clearing that with your clinician like you did, which I think is wonderful. Have you encountered any unexpected joys or surprises in your journey as a mother that you didn’t anticipate? Maybe with your first? I know you said with your second as well, it was a different experience, but any unexpected joys or surprises?

00;13;58;13 – 00;14;16;04
Robin Arzon
Every day I love joy. This rises every single day. I really didn’t have any preconceived notions of what kind of mother I would be there. There is a surrender to motherhood that I think is beautiful. As somebody who is very, very savvy, I like lists and control and I want to know what’s coming next. And I want it to happen faster.

00;14;16;09 – 00;14;38;20
Robin Arzon
Yes, there there’s so much about parenthood, obviously, that is uncontrollable. And I think that is where the joys lie. I never knew such joy just sitting down on the floor with my kids playing or like really meeting them in their world. Feeding my child in the mornings before the sun comes up is, I think, some of the most peaceful, beautiful moments of my week.

00;14;38;23 – 00;14;43;21
Robin Arzon
And I love having dance parties in the kitchen with my daughter.

00;14;43;23 – 00;14;46;08
Dr. Mona
Is there a song right now that’s your jam of choice?

00;14;46;08 – 00;15;09;15
Robin Arzon
Oh, there’s so many. You know, she’s very into. She’s really into. So I watch the Bob Marley, the Bob Marley biopic, a few weeks ago. So we were playing more Bob Marley in the house. So not just me. I’m Bob Marley, the Beatles. So we’ve been in old school vibe, which is cool. I’m glad she’s being introduced to these artists, you know, at such a young age.

00;15;09;15 – 00;15;34;14
Dr. Mona
Well, I love that you said that because I, you know, I think parents often think that you have to share, you know, what songs the kid always wants to listen to. But I believe that we can have them listen to our music and how beautiful that is, right? It doesn’t have to be kiddy songs all day long. I know they love that, but yeah, Bob Marley, we do a lot of Ben Bomer, which is like one of our favorite artists, but it’s a lot of just different songs and so nice to see our kids start to love what we love to.

00;15;34;16 – 00;15;42;02
Dr. Mona
Yeah. And that dance part is getting the endorphins going for your children and setting an example already of working out for them. How important is that.

00;15;42;05 – 00;15;48;29
Robin Arzon
Love it I get it. It’s a great way for it to get like the wiggles out. Yeah I know when we’re trying to end the day. Yeah I know.

00;15;48;29 – 00;16;06;03
Dr. Mona
I have a motto that we’re, you know, if it’s a rough day, I’m never going to end the day with a bad attitude or a rough day. So we’re going to turn on some music, get that dance party going. So I love that I’m leading a very parallel life to you, knowing that I’m also doing dance parties with my littles while you are, so that’s awesome.

00;16;06;05 – 00;16;06;15
Robin Arzon
I love.

00;16;06;15 – 00;16;12;28
Dr. Mona
That if you could recommend one piece of advice for new moms figuring out their self-care journey, what would you say to.

00;16;12;28 – 00;16;23;04
Robin Arzon
Them? The thing I think the lesson that was hardest for me to learn was release yourself from the idea that a workout needs to be 45 minutes or 60 minutes.

00;16;23;06 – 00;16;23;13
Dr. Mona
And.

00;16;23;13 – 00;16;47;25
Robin Arzon
Leave you thrashed on the floor in order for it to, quote, count. When I was postpartum the first time, I had a tough, really tough conversation with myself around this concept. Some days you’re doing five minutes of a workout and then you get interrupted, and that’s what self-care looks like that day. And that’s okay. And also, you know, depending on what your body is able to do at that time, you’re not going to be starting with 45 and 60 minute workouts.

00;16;47;27 – 00;17;14;04
Robin Arzon
Although something as simple as a five minute meditation and breathwork can be extremely rejuvenating and early postpartum days, and being kind and patient with yourself during that time, little by little, you will get back to yourself. You will feel at home in your body again, little by little amounts to a lot. And that those small little moments, a small little punctuations of of movement and breathwork, even if it’s gentle, they count.

00;17;14;08 – 00;17;30;16
Dr. Mona
And I think that’s a really great point, because I feel like a lot of women get scared of that mentality of like, well, I need to have the 45 minutes or 60 minutes and I need to, like you said, it perfectly, leave you thrashed on the floor for it to count like it has to wear you out. And I, I also was that person, by the way.

00;17;30;16 – 00;17;47;06
Dr. Mona
I thought that, oh yeah, it was 45 minutes. My husband would be like, you only worked out for 30. I’m like, yeah, but I did it very efficiently and it was wonderful. And so I think that mentality can be very harmful. And when you started out, did you start doing that slow? You said you did the breathwork first and started to kind of ease into it as well, even though you were a trained athlete, right?

00;17;47;11 – 00;18;10;05
Robin Arzon
Yeah. Oh yeah. I mean, you got you. I started from the basics both times and breathwork, it’s gentle movement. You know, I have postpartum classes at peloton and it’s it’s important to take those small steps as you when you think about it, you you’re reestablishing the foundation of the house. Yeah. You know, and you do want to start layering on more challenging movements to kind of retrain and re pattern your body.

00;18;10;08 – 00;18;13;19
Robin Arzon
But you don’t want too much too soon. That’s actually going to set you further back.

00;18;13;25 – 00;18;22;02
Dr. Mona
Oh absolutely. Robin, thank you so much for joining me today. This was amazing. What would be your final uplifting message for everyone listening today?

00;18;22;03 – 00;18;41;04
Robin Arzon
I think that caregivers need to be told that they’re doing a good job. Yes. You know, please listen to Alicia Keys song. Good job. I listen to that when I’m, when I sometimes when I need, like, a good, good cry, right? Yeah. You know, you we need to be reminded that we’re doing the best we can with what we have, and, you know, it’s enough.

00;18;41;06 – 00;18;49;27
Dr. Mona
Well, I can I can say that you have made me cry in the best way possible on that peloton bike. I think you also played that song for us in class. I’m sure.

00;18;49;27 – 00;18;50;25
Robin Arzon
You have. Okay.

00;18;50;28 – 00;19;06;13
Dr. Mona
But I think I did. I think I used that for one of my reels to one time because after I rode with you, I was like, oh my gosh, you really uplift us. So thank you so much, not only for your, you know, advice for everyone listening today, but also for the work that you do. Thank you for joining us.

00;19;06;19 – 00;19;08;18
Robin Arzon
Oh I’m honored. Thanks. Thanks for having me.

00;19;08;20 – 00;19;33;08
Dr. Mona
I’m so grateful to have connected with Robin, as you probably felt, because I know I did. She’s such an inspiration and I so appreciate her honesty and vulnerability and sharing her story and how she’s able to not only be an amazing mother, but pursue her other passions as well. Something that I can connect with doing the same. We as parents are not meant to do this alone, and we can find more joy in motherhood and parenthood when we share the care.

00;19;33;10 – 00;19;52;22
Dr. Mona
Make sure to check out advent.com to learn more about Philips Advent products and how we can share the care. And if you love this episode, make sure to leave a review and share it on your social media channels. And tag Peach Doc talk Robin at Robin, New York City, so Robin NYC and Phillips Avenue, thank you for joining us and I’ll catch you all next time.