This Doctor Became a Better Mom by Putting Her Own Health First
Just weeks postpartum, dermatologist and newly-minted mother of two Fatima Bawany was feeling burnt out. When she prioritized [lon-jev-i-tee]nounLiving a long life; influenced by genetics, environment, and lifestyle.Learn More, she and her family started thriving again.
Two months ago, Fatima Bawany had a baby. And while she’s hyper-focused on keeping her newborn daughter alive and well, the 33-year old dermatologist is making someone else’s longevity a priority, too: Her own.
“For moms, a lot of us fall into this trap that we want to give our kids everything, and we end up neglecting ourselves in the process,” she says. “Once I started prioritizing my own health, I was able to also be a better mom.”
Prioritizing her own health is easier said than done with an eight-week old: Most moms at this stage barely have time to breathe, let alone exercise. And sleep? Forget it. But Bawany and her husband, who’s also a physician, are now keeping those life- and health-extending practices in focus while juggling their jobs and two kids under three.
“We’re both really passionate about longevity,” she says. “It’s something we love reading about, researching, and implementing in our lives.”
This fall, she’s added a little extra challenge and motivation: On top of being a new mom and a busy doctor, she’ll be a Founding Athlete at the first-ever Super Age Games in November.
Doctors’ Orders: Four Pillars of [helth-span]nounThe number of years you live in good health, free from chronic illness or disability.Learn More
When Bawany had her first daughter, now two years old, the Connecticut doctor says she had a wake-up call — not just from a crying infant, but about her health. She was in her medical residency, and her husband was working in a different state.
“So for six months after I had her, I was just in pure survival mode. I was pumping around the clock, running on very little to no sleep, not even exercising once during that time, and just constantly getting sick,” she says. “We decided we needed an intervention, and we poured resources into supporting me so I could take care of myself again.”
Bawany and her husband decided to prioritize her health, and their collective longevity. They focused on four key pillars:
Sleep
In a 2021 study of the UK Biobank that looked at data from more than 300,000 people, scientists found that those who got the best, most consistent sleep were 15 percent less likely to suffer a healthspan-ending event, like cancer, a stroke, or the onset of dementia. While it’s tough to get solid sleep with a two-month-old, Bawany and her husband make it a priority.
“It affects everything: Immunity, my mood, how I show up for myself, my patients, my family, and even my breast milk production,” she says. “We all have an evening routine. We’re controlling [sleep hy-jeen]nounHabits that promote quality sleep.Learn More, things like light, sound and temperature in the bedroom. And we have a consistent bedtime: The kids are in bed by 7:30, and we’re in bed by 8.”
Exercise
Working out is one of the most potent habits for improving healthspan, especially when strength training is included. Bawany tries to exercise every day, and says her combo of cardio and strength workouts helps not just her body, but her spirit.
“I spend a lot of my day as a physician, a wife, a mom, just serving others,” she says. “So this is kind of like my ‘me time,’ and it also gives me an energy boost that carries me throughout the day.”
Food
Here, the doctor is thinking not just about her own health, but that of her kids.
“What I bring into the house shapes my kids’ long-term health,” she says. “I try to keep junk food out of the house, and just focus on whole, balanced meals for everyone.”
Faith
Studies have found that people who attend churches or other religious gatherings live longer; in one study, those who were regular attendees lived an extra four years.
Bawany is a practicing Muslim, and says “my faith keeps me grounded, and reminds me that it’s my responsibility to put good in the world, whether that’s taking care of my body that I’ve been given, or maintaining good relationships with my community.”
Plus, Her New Fifth Pillar: Accountability
Putting good into the world has helped Bawany bolster her new, fifth pillar: Accountability. In addition to the couple holding each other accountable to their health-promoting practices, Bawany started making videos for Instagram and TikTok that highlight the importance of skin health. Doing so, she says, helps keep her accountable to healthy habits.
“I really enjoy it because it helps me educate the public and my patients,” she says, “but it also motivates me to practice what I preach in my own life.”
Stacking Accountability and Motivation as a Super Age Games Founding Athlete
Bawany’s got another motivation for her fitness goals: November’s Super Age Games.
“It was something [my husband] found while I was maybe 37 weeks pregnant,” she says. “I thought it would be a fun way to do something together as a couple and grow closer as we go through this transition period.”
Having and maintaining strong relationships is one marker of the Super Age Games where Bawany hopes she’ll excel.
“I feel like I’m someone who really just connects with people emotionally and empathizes with people… One of the things I really enjoy about being a physician is that you are someone that someone else is trusting with things they don’t share with anyone else,” she says. “So relationships are super important to me, and being able to be someone who can connect with people on that emotional level is really important.”
She’s less confident, she says, about her [grip strength]nounA key marker of strength and predictor of longevity.Learn More in a hanging challenge. While she’s used to exercising every day, her recent delivery has left her unable to do certain types of exercise, including core moves. But she’s improving every day, she says, and hopes to continue to be a strong example for her patients, social audience, and two daughters.
“Prior to really immersing myself in longevity, I just thought I wanted to be there for my kids for a long time,” she says. “But now, even more so, I want those years to be actually good ones where I can be there for them. And I can’t do that if I’m not healthy.”
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