How I went from surviving motherhood to thriving.
Hey Mama,
My name is Ashley McGuirk. I’m a mother of four, wife, homemaker and health professional living in Maryland. Ive been blogging, coaching and sharing my knowledge of health and wellness for nearly a decade and feel extremely passionate about it. I have numerous certifications that include, Holistic Health Coach from IIN, Personal training from ACE, Registered Yoga Instructor from Razz Yoga and Pre and Postnatal coaching from GGS. This is a place I’ve always felt connected to while proudly serving others.
In this space I’ve learned valuable information that has not only changed my life, but the lives of others. I love using diet, exercise, gratitude practices and creative outlets to enrich the lives of mothers.
But I’m going to take a moment to be honest and vulnerable with you. Even as a health and wellness professional there have been times I struggled with my own health.
During the fourth year of my blogging journey I was blessed with my second baby boy, Graham. I had him here in the comfort of our home and couldn’t believe how incredible that day was. I was over the moon and started my second round of postpartum with a huge smile on my face and a grateful spirit.
However, this time around, postpartum threw me for a loop. When Graham was born I found myself mentally struggling for about eight months until I officially hit rock bottom. I’ll never forget the specific day I fell to my knees on my bathroom floor in tears. I could no longer deny the feeling of unworthiness that crept over me. It was a dark, foreign part of myself I never even knew existed. I locked the bathroom door behind me feeling like a failure. I was inconsolable. That’s when I knew I needed to do something that so many mothers are afraid to do, which is ask for help.
Since then, I am grateful to say I haven’t returned to that dark place. I’ve had to make a lot of vulnerable choices, open my heart and get honest with myself. I started talking with a therapist, prioritizing time for myself and making self care practices a part of my daily routine. At the end of the day, I realized taking care of myself was ultimately taking care of our family.
Through the chaos of my postpartum depression, I realized I wasn’t alone. The more I started opening up about it, more and more moms started reaching out to me and sharing their stories. I was in shock! So many women shared how they struggled during such a pivotal time in their lives. The more I researched the more I found little to no support for postpartum mothers. It felt like there was endless knowledge and support before the baby was born, but after? Crickets.
Right after giving birth to a newborn baby moms were expected to go home and come back in 6 weeks for a routine visit. Not to mention- no care or compassion about their birth experience, possible trauma, scars, major body changes… nothing. Doctors provided no info on nourishing meal plans, no exercises to help strengthen a mothers abdominals and pelvic floor muscles, no birth support groups or community outreach events… the list goes on. None of these crucial topics were a part of their healing journeys or covered by health care. Truly this was overwhelming to witness. That’s when I came to this realization…Our health care system is failing mothers.
Although I am not a doctor (and don’t get me wrong there and many wonderful doctors out there) I’ve discovered principles to supporting a well -rounded postpartum experience.
Through my personal struggles I’ve found practices that helped me navigate my postpartum depression and nourish my soul. I am so proud and joyous to say that after my third son was born, I used these principles to support my journey and found myself in a much healthier place. I used these principles again during my fourth postpartum journey after the birth of my daughter, Juniper. I never want any mother to feel as alone and helpless as I did on that day in February 2022.
That’s why I’m doing something I’ve never done before which is create a community to help mothers thrive during postpartum.
My goal is to reach as many mothers as possible. I dream to build a community where moms feel seen, heard, cared for and guided to be authentically themselves. A space I can share and educate moms on the crucial info that helped me heal and thrive.
As I build this dream of mine I’m going to do my best to keep each of you updated so make sure to subscribe!
I hope to have this postpartum community and guide active by April of 2026. If you are interested or have any questions please feel free to message me on instagram or shoot me and email at ashley@staysweetwellness.com
I decided 2026 is the year of courage and patience. I’m having the courage to share my vulnerable story. Im having the courage to create something much larger than myself. I’m having the courage to take a big step and stop caring about what others may think of me. I don’t care if this only reaches one mother because if it does I know it can give her what our health care system did not. In the midst of standing in my courage I’m giving myself the permission to do this while being present at home. To do it with grace. To start this journey softly with intention.
If you’re here now, mama, I want you to know that I see you. I feel you so deeply and I promise I’m doing everything I can to provide you the world you deserve. Every mother deserves the love she so freely gives to others.
Stay sweet.
xx
Ashley
xx,
