Ali Young - Work. Mama. Life.

70 57

71 58

72 59

73 60

74 61

75 62

76 63

77 64

78 65

79 66

80 67

81 68

82 69

83 70

84 71

85 72

86 73

87 74

88 75

89 77

90 78

91 79

92 80

93 81

94 82

95 83

96 84

97 85

98 86

99 87

100 88

101 89

102 90

103 91

104 92

105 93

106 94

107 95

108 96

109 97

110 98

111 99

112 100

113 101

114 102

115 103

116 104

117 105

118 106

119 107

120 108

121 109

122 110

123 111

124 112

125 113

126 114

127 115

128 116

129 117

130 118

131 119

132 120

133 121

134 122

135 123

136 125

137 126

138 127

139 128

140 129

141 130

142 131

143 132

144 133

145 134

146 135

147 136

148 137

149 138

150 139

151 140

152 141

153 142

154 143

155 144

156 145

157 146

158 147

159 148

160 149

161 150

162 151

163 152

164 153

165 154

166 155

167 156

168 157

169 158

170 159

171 160

172 161

173 162

174 163

175 164

176 165

177 167

178 168

179 169

180 170

181 171

182 172

183 173

184 174

185 175

186 176

187 177

188 178

189 179

190 180

191 181

192 182

193 183

194 184

195 185

196 186

197 187

198 188

199 189

200 190

201 191

202 192

203 193

204 194

205 195

206 196

207 197

208 198

209 199

210 200

211 201

212 202

213 203

214 204

215 205

216 206

217 207

218 208

219 209

220 210

221 211

222 212

223 213

224 214

225 215

226 216

227 217

228 218

229 219

230 221

231 222

232 223

233 224

234 225

235 226

236 227

237 228

238 229

239 230

240 231

241 232

242 233

243 234

244 235

245 237

246 238

247 239

248 240

249 241

250 242

251 243

252 244

253 245

254 247

255 248

256 249

257 250

258 251

259 252

260 253

261 254

ALI YOUNG

First published in 2022 by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd

42 McDougall St, Milton Qld 4064

Office also in Melbourne

© John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd 2022

The moral rights of the author have been asserted.

ISBN: 978-0-730-39656-7

All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the Australian Copyright Act 1968 (for example, a fair dealing for the purposes of study, research, criticism or review), no part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, communicated or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written permission. All inquiries should be made to the publisher at the address above.

Cover design by Wiley

Cover image: © Chinnapong/Shutterstock

Inside cover photo by Hayley Bracewell Photography

DisclaimerThe material in this publication is of the nature of general comment only, and does not represent professional advice. It is not intended to provide specific guidance for particular circumstances and it should not be relied on as the basis for any decision to take action or not take action on any matter which it covers. Readers should obtain professional advice where appropriate, before making any such decision. To the maximum extent permitted by law, the author and publisher disclaim all responsibility and liability to any person, arising directly or indirectly from any person taking or not taking action based on the information in this publication.

For my children, Matilda and George for gifting me motherhood, and to Pedro for supporting me on this wild soul ride I'm on.

Dr Ali Young is a chiropractor on a mission to help mums reclaim and reset their health and their life. To rediscover their joy, self and health. After opening a private practice in Perth, Western Australia, in 2003, she soon began to work with many mums and children.

She went on to complete her Masters Level Paediatrics degree in addition to her Chiropractic degree, and through this avenue of working with more and more children, she also began to work with more and more mothers. It became highly apparent to Ali that the stress load of life could easily negatively impact not just their health but also the mums' and families' enjoyment of life.

Dr Ali became a mother for the first time herself in 2012, and with her husband moved to Malaysia as an expat mum in a foreign land. This radical shift from a very busy business owner to a mother with a minimal support group really highlighted the importance of understanding the motherhood journey, matrescence and the power of intuitive self and education.

After several moves, time as a SAHM (stay at home mum) and a FIFO (fly-in fly-out) wife/mum, and throwing one more child into the mix, her family ended up living in South Korea for two years. This is where the concept of an online community for mothers was born.

Combining her love of all things neurology, research, stress and chiropractic with her personal motherhood journey, Dr Ali created an online community, resource hub and courses for mothers the world over called UnFcK Motherhood. She continues her private practice in regional Queensland, having worked with thousands of mothers in her 20 or so years of clinical experience. She is passionate about providing mums with the opportunity to regain their health, their joy and their sense of self within their motherhood journey.

Dr Ali lives in a small seaside town on the east coast of Australia, six hours north of her closest capital city. From here, she aspires to continue empowering mothers the world over with knowledge, evidence and intuitive practices.

This book has been sitting in my brain for years, and there are a few key people who have challenged me, supported me and nurtured me to help bring her to life. I wouldn't have had my own mothering journey without the experience I had as a child with my own mum, and my two grandmothers. Growing up surrounded by so many strong (some might say stubborn ;) ) women was such a blessing. My mum showed me how working mum life can be, both the good and the bad, and began to open my eyes to the possibilities. Thanks to you and Dad for your never-ending support of your crazy daughter, and to my brother for keeping me level. Nothing without Fambam.

To my soul-sister Olivia, who I owned my first practice with and who blessed me to be embraced as close as one can with her crazy triplets journey. You've been my supporter since I met you in 2003. Thanks for being my sounding board, my level head, my chiro-queen and my gin-buddy.

To the calm mums in my world. You don't know how much you show up for me, and how much you show me how to choose calm in my mothering choices. To my SIL Michelle, with your grace and composure, you show me how to be me and not lose myself. To Court, if I didn't have my dose of Calm-Court each week I think I'd be a basket case by now, and to Michelle S – the way you navigate your mothering journey is so inspiring to me, thanks for letting me in!