Wowsers. What an exciting week! Finally we have a few international OTs to be interviewed for the case study, and a consumer!!! Best news. I’m so excited!!
On Facebook this morning in the WomensHealth4OT group, there’s so much talk about how people are increasingly becoming more aware of the occupational performance issues women face during perinatal transitions, and recognising the emerging role for OTs to support these women. Just so inspiring and motivating to read and learn about people’s perspectives and thoughts!
Interestingly, I interviewed an OT this week who had a completely different perspective on their role in maternal health… it made me really reconsider my own biases. Yes, I totally can see a clear, simple and massively broad/holistic role for OTs in maternal health. But I hadn’t really considered what happens when men are the primary carer for a newborn. Should the OT role be reconsidered as the OT role in primary parenting? Is there a role for OTs in men’s health (supporting new dad’s)??? I’ll keep it in my mind, and see where the research findings take me… What a journey this is!
Author: Dr Hannah Slootjes (PhD)
I'm an occupational therapist, women's health researcher, academic, writer, mum, and passionate life learner. In 2022, I completed PhD exploring how OTs globally do, could or should work to promote health and maintain wellbeing for mothers during and after pregnancy, and matrescence. Titled, 'The Role of Occupational Therapists in Perinatal Health' my thesis introduced the Person-centered Occupational Model of Matrescence (POMM) to understand women's wellbeing from a human-centered approach, and the Functional Co-occupation Spectrum (FCS) for working with mother-infant dyads.
I am currently teaching occupational therapy and public health students at La Trobe University, and writing a textbook about working with women during perinatal stages and matrescence based on my thesis (aiming for publication in 2024). I still love clinical practice, and work in women's health locally in Bendigo.
After taking a year-long sabbatical to recover and re-energise after completing my PhD, I'm rolling up my sleeves and gearing up for the next life chapter! I'm still writing and teaching, and will be increasing practice-based supports for OTs from this website from May 2023. I am so looking forward to reconnecting with OTs practicing and researching in this space, and cannot wait to be part of the next phase of practice-based professional development!
View all posts by Dr Hannah Slootjes (PhD)
Research & evidence-based practice for OTs in perinatal health, motherhood, and matrescence 