Active Mom Podcast: Pregnancy, Postpartum, Perimenopause, Menopause & Beyond

Send us Fan MailThree years ago Joy Black came on this show to talk about climbing in pregnancy and postpartum, and quite honestly, we had almost no research to point at. She came back this time as a published researcher. Two papers, both in Sports Medicine, both with Dr. Margie Davenport's lab at University of Alberta.So we sat down and broke them open.The first is qualitative: 11 elite climbers, Olympic and World Cup level, on how they actually made decisions while pregnant. Not "is climbing risky, yes or no." Something much more interesting. They're assessing risk continuously, move to move, inside a single climb.The second one is big. 692 climbers. Roughly 64,000 hours of climbing during pregnancy. And it gives us numbers we have never had before.More than half of those climbers were never given a single recommendation about climbing during pregnancy by a practitioner. Not "here's how to modify." Not "here's what to watch." Nothing. And fewer than 40% were offered any rehab at all postpartum.We did not tell them no. We said nothing. Which they heard, correctly, as we have no idea what you do.🔹 Why a fall in climbing is not what you think it is, and why that distinction changes everything 🔹 What the fall rate and adverse event rate actually were across 64,000 hours 🔹 The modifications climbers make on their own, top roping, vertical over steep, lower grades, not topping out 🔹 Controlled impact versus chaotic impact, and why a six week okay is not clearance for either 🔹 What to ask a climber in your clinic when you have never climbed in your life 🔹 The prolapse story that made me want to stand up and cheer, and maybe throw somethingI promise you, you do not have to be a climber to help a climber. Joy says it better than I do, and she says it about halfway in.Guest: Joy Black, climbing coach for pregnant and postpartum climbers, @climbingwithjoy, trainedbyjoy.com. Her first time on the show was Season 2, Episode 12.Research collaborator: Dr. Margie Davenport, @drmargiedavenportStudies discussed: 🔹Davenport MH, Ray L, Black J, McHugh TL. "An Informed Risk Assessment": A Qualitative Exploration of Elite Climbers' Experiences During Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period. Sports Medicine. 2025.🔹Davenport MH, Osachoff L, Ray L, Black J, Cheung NKY, McHugh TL. To Climb or Not to Climb: A Cross-Sectional Investigation of Risks and Benefits During Pregnancy and Postpartum. Sports Medicine. 2026.The Active Mom Podcast — a real mom's guide to pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause & beyond, for active moms and the professionals who help them get there.Quick-hit conversations with moms, providers, and researchers... because you don't have a lot of free time (you're probably listening at 1.5x right now).Follow so you don't miss an episode. Rate & review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — it's how the next mom searching for these answers actually finds them. Share it with the friend who needs it.Questions or topic requests? DM me 💌

Send us Fan MailLabor Day is in the rearview, the temps are finally doing what they're supposed to do, and this is the last rewind of the summer. Quite honestly, this is the one I wanted to close out on.When Margie came on for this one, she spent a good chunk of the hour telling me she couldn't tell me things. I'd ask, she'd dodge. I'd ask sideways, she'd dodge nicer. At one point I told her she was like a mystery novel and I just wanted to know what happened on the next page. She said she'd love to tell me, but she can't.She wasn't being precious about it. The Canadian postpartum guidelines were still in peer review, and she walked me through exactly why researchers go quiet. Until a paper has been through that process, she is not going to stand up and tell you something is safe. She also told me the first draft went out to postpartum women for feedback and came back with a note that it was going to cause a lot of mom guilt. So they went back and reworked the messaging. As a mom herself, that was not a message she was willing to send.Listening back now, with the guideline published and Margie already back on the show this past summer to walk us through it, this one plays completely differently. This is the hour right before.🔹 Why the assumption that elite athletes have the best of everything is mostly wrong, and what happens to the ones who get told they're done at the first trimester 🔹 The athletes nobody has studied: the ones who wanted to come back and couldn't. Margie's team put out the invitation and got almost nothing back. 🔹 The one thing Margie says she'd go back and do more of, in pregnancy, in postpartum, and now heading into perimenopause 🔹 Postpartum and perimenopause showing up in the same body at the same time, and how little we currently have to offer either one 🔹 In Canada, 7% of all grant funding goes to women's health. The postpartum guideline got none of it. It got built by volunteers and undergrads. 🔹 The PhD student she says to watch, and why sleep may turn out to matter as much as exercise in this windowMargie is one of my favorite people to just throw questions at, and this is her at her most honest about what we still don't know.Margie first came on the show back in Ep 38 in 2022, and she was back this summer on Ep 252 to walk through the guideline once it published. If this one leaves you wanting the answers, that's the episode with them.Find her on Instagram at @drmargiedavenport.One thing this whole hour keeps circling: screening before somebody hands you a program. Nobody can tell you what your body is ready for without looking at it first. If you're in the Arlington area, come see me in the clinic. If you're anywhere else, telehealth and virtual consults are open. This is education, not individualized medical advice. If you're having symptoms, get eyes on it.The Active Mom Podcast — a real mom's guide to pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause & beyond, for active moms and the professionals who help them get there.Quick-hit conversations with moms, providers, and researchers... because you don't have a lot of free time (you're probably listening at 1.5x right now).Follow so you don't miss an episode. Rate & review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — it's how the next mom searching for these answers actually finds them. Share it with the friend who needs it.Questions or topic requests? DM me 💌

Send us Fan MailSomewhere between 2019 and now, "wait 12 weeks" turned into a rule. It is not a rule. It never was.I have been in pelvic health for 26 plus years, and right now I am watching that number get handed around in Facebook groups, on social, and quite honestly by a lot of professionals who are leaning really hard on it. I don't know that the foundation exists to do that. So this is a solo episode where I walk you back through how we got here.🔹 Why the six week visit was a medical checkpoint, not a green light to run🔹 What the 2019 UK document really is, and what it isn't🔹 The 2024 international Delphi: 95 professionals, 12 countries, seven professions, and what they actually agreed on🔹 Why "returning before 12 weeks is possible" is the line that keeps getting missed🔹 The one in a hundred outlier, and why I will not shut her down🔹 Gatekeeping. My own profession has been doing it, and I was a product of it🔹 The 2025 Canadian postpartum guidelines, including why sleep got named a movement behavior🔹 The four variables nobody puts on a timeline: sleep, fueling, support, mental health🔹 What you control and what you absolutely do not🔹 The line a kindergarten teacher gave me that I now use with patientsIf you are a mom trying to figure out when, this one gives you better questions than a date on the calendar. If you are a pro who has been leaning hard on 12 weeks, this one is an invitation to step back.And if what you really want to know is where YOU are right now, that is what the free Return to Run Readiness Screen is for. Balance, strength, impact. https://course.carriepagliano.com/R2RreadyscreenIN THIS EPISODE (00:00) Why we are talking about 12 weeks right now (02:44) Where the six week mark came from (03:55) The 2019 UK document that was never a guideline (05:22) ACOG moved off six weeks in 2018 (08:50) The 2024 Delphi: what 95 professionals agreed on (11:16) The one in a hundred outlier (14:07) Gatekeeping movement in pregnancy and postpartum (16:08) The 2025 Canadian postpartum guidelines (18:06) Phase based instead of date based (20:26) All roads end up in the same place (22:03) Sleep (22:50) Fueling and energy availability (25:13) Support, childcare and logistics (28:32) Mental health, and what is going on physically (31:51) What you control and what you do not (39:28) Episodes to listen to nextSTUDIES MENTIONED Christopher SM, et al. Br J Sports Med. 2024;58(6):299-312. Deering RE, et al. Br J Sports Med. 2024;58(4):183-195. Davenport MH, et al. Br J Sports Med. 2025;59:515-526. Schulz JM, Thornton JS. Br J Sports Med. 2024;58:511-512. Christopher SM, Cook CE, Snodgrass SJ. PLoS One. 2021;16(8):e0255383. ACOG Committee Opinion No. 736. Obstet Gynecol. 2018;131(5):e140-e150.The Active Mom Podcast — a real mom's guide to pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause & beyond, for active moms and the professionals who help them get there.Quick-hit conversations with moms, providers, and researchers... because you don't have a lot of free time (you're probably listening at 1.5x right now).Follow so you don't miss an episode. Rate & review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — it's how the next mom searching for these answers actually finds them. Share it with the friend who needs it.Questions or topic requests? DM me 💌

Send us Fan MailShefali got hate mail.Not a snarky comment on a post. Emails. From other people who work with postpartum runners, coming at her over a single number in a consensus paper.The number was three. As in, after a minimum three week period of rest and recovery, some people might be ready to start doing some things. Drills. Not a 5K. Not a race. Some things.And she wasn't even giving her opinion. She surveyed clinicians and exercise professionals, coded what they said, and reported it back. That is the entire job of a Delphi.I'm bringing this one back for the Summer Rewind because there are so many new moms getting back to running right now, and the six week clearance conversation has not moved an inch. It is still the default. It is still a date instead of a plan. And I promise you it is still costing women the strength they walked in with.🔹 What a Delphi study actually is, and why it exists when the research is thin🔹 Where the six week rule came from and what it never accounted for🔹 The consensus on what "postpartum" means, and on who gets to call herself a runner (you'll like this one)🔹 Why detraining is a real cost and not a theoretical one🔹 The bias every one of us carries: the moms who were doing great were never in your caseload🔹 Shefali on her own two pregnancies, and what changed between themIf you have ever been handed a date instead of a plan, press play. And if you're the one handing out the dates, I especially want you in this one.Which date were you given, and did anybody explain it?The Active Mom Podcast — a real mom's guide to pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause & beyond, for active moms and the professionals who help them get there.Quick-hit conversations with moms, providers, and researchers... because you don't have a lot of free time (you're probably listening at 1.5x right now).Follow so you don't miss an episode. Rate & review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — it's how the next mom searching for these answers actually finds them. Share it with the friend who needs it.Questions or topic requests? DM me 💌

Send us Fan MailThis one is going to ruffle some feathers.Hypopressives. Low pressure fitness. Whatever your algorithm is calling them this week. The theory has been the same since 1984: you do the breath, you hold the posture, your intra-abdominal pressure drops, and your pelvic floor switches on because of that pressure drop.Nobody had measured the pressure.Silvia Saraiva did. She trained 36 women who had never done a hypopressive in their lives, gave them two weeks to practice, then brought them into the Motor Function Measurement lab at the University of Ottawa with an intra-abdominal pressure sensor, EMG inside and out, and ultrasound running. Supine and standing. With the hypopressive posture and without it.The pressure didn't drop. The pelvic floor did turn on. Just not through the mechanism we have all been teaching.Here's what makes this conversation worth your time: Silvia is hypopressives-trained. She still teaches them. She has patients who seek her out specifically to learn them. She is not here to tell you to stop. She is here to tell you the explanation doesn't hold up.🔹 What a hypopressive actually is, broken all the way down 🔹 The theory, and where it came from 🔹 Why the measurement tools matter more than most of us want to admit 🔹 What happened to intra-abdominal pressure lying down versus standing 🔹 How hard the pelvic floor actually worked, compared to a max contraction 🔹 Whether nailing the posture changed anything 🔹 If the pressure didn't drop, what IS causing the contraction 🔹 What Silvia tells the patients who ask her to teach them 🔹 Where hypopressives fit if strength is the goalSilvia Saraiva, BScPT, MScHK, is a pelvic health physiotherapist and researcher who completed her Master of Science in Human Kinetics at the University of Ottawa under Dr. Linda McLean. Her paper is out now in Physiotherapy, and there is a second one coming.When you learned hypopressives, or taught them, was the pressure drop the whole point? I want to know what you were told and what you think after listening to the pod!Saraiva S, McLean L. Intra-abdominal pressure and pelvic floor muscle activation observed during hypopressive exercises performed in supine and standing: An observational cohort study. Physiotherapy. 2026 Sep;132:102316.Silvia on Instagram: @thepelvicgirlThe lab: @mfm_lab 00:00 Intro 01:00 Why we have never covered hypopressives 01:45 Meet Silvia Saraiva 02:25 Ottawa to northern Ontario 05:45 How far the nearest pelvic floor physio really is 06:55 Why hypopressives are big in Brazil, Spain and France 07:35 What a hypopressive actually is, step by step 09:00 The theory: pressure drops, pelvic floor turns on 10:00 Why how you measure it matters 10:50 The tools: pressure sensor, EMG, ultrasound, dynamometry 14:40 Crosstalk, motion artifact, and the problem with earlier studies 16:15 What clinicians miss when we skim to the conclusion 18:45 Who was in the study 21:05 Training beginners, and the expert who flew in 23:45 Are hypopressives easy? No. 28:15 The findings 30:00 Did position or posture matter? 31:30 If the pressure didn't drop, what is causing the contraction? 32:40 "You're just not doing it right" 33:30 What Silvia tells patients now 35:35 What about a high tone pelvic floor? 37:40 Prolapse and first line care 38:20 What she would study next 42:30 When the explanation is wrong but the results are real 43:40 Where to find Silvia The Active Mom Podcast — a real mom's guide to pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause & beyond, for active moms and the professionals who help them get there.Quick-hit conversations with moms, providers, and researchers... because you don't have a lot of free time (you're probably listening at 1.5x right now).Follow so you don't miss an episode. Rate & review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — it's how the next mom searching for these answers actually finds them. Share it with the friend who needs it.Questions or topic requests? DM me 💌

Send us Fan MailOkay, so this one is a Summer Rewind, and I'll be honest with you, I went back and forth on which episodes to bring back. This one wasn't a hard call.The original aired in September 2022. I re-listened before we re-ran it and quite honestly? I'm still hearing every single one of these myths in clinic. Every one. A couple of years later.Rich Willy has spent 20+ years treating injured runners and publishing the research the rest of us end up citing. And the thing I love about him is that he opens by admitting he used to believe most of these myths himself. That's the whole reason it holds up.So I asked him to name the running myths he most wishes would just disappear. Stretch more. Strengthen your glutes. Land softer. You're running wrong.Here's what we get into:🔹 Why stretching isn't the thing standing between you and an injury, and what to do with that warm-up time instead 🔹 The calf, not the glute. Running is a plantar flexor sport, and Rich tells you exactly where to spend your strength minutes if you only have a few 🔹 The bone force number that flips "just land soft" completely on its head (this one genuinely changed how I talk to runners) 🔹 Why your single biggest injury risk factor is the injury you already had, back in your 20s, in high school, in a body you don't have anymore 🔹 REDs, energy availability, and why a normal body weight tells you almost nothing 🔹 Return to participation, return to sport, return to performance. The three-stage model most of us skip right past 🔹 What actually happens when you tell a runner to change the way she runsAnd I promise you, this is a pelvic health episode. If the calf and the quad and the hip aren't holding up their end of the bargain, the pelvic floor is left holding the ball. You can hyperfocus on the pelvic floor and still completely miss the boat.So if you're a mom who's five or ten years out and still hasn't gotten back to running, this is for you. And if you're a clinician who's been quietly wondering whether the thing you've taught for a decade is actually still true... this one's for you too. No judgment. I've been there.Come find Rich on Instagram: @montanarunninglabThe Active Mom Podcast — a real mom's guide to pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause & beyond, for active moms and the professionals who help them get there.Quick-hit conversations with moms, providers, and researchers... because you don't have a lot of free time (you're probably listening at 1.5x right now).Follow so you don't miss an episode. Rate & review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — it's how the next mom searching for these answers actually finds them. Share it with the friend who needs it.Questions or topic requests? DM me 💌

Send us Fan MailHilary Cairns races Hyrox at the pro weights, which means the farmer's carry is a pair of 53 pound kettlebells and she is essentially hauling her own body weight down the floor. She is the top ranked American in her age group. She also has three kids in their twenties and has been racing in DC since 1993.Now the part nobody handed her. She nursed all three kids for years and trained hard the whole time. She got a stress fracture after her second. Nobody sat her down and talked to her about how to eat while doing both, because back then almost nobody was having that conversation at all.This is the first in a new series where we sit down with the athletes in our own backyard here in the DMV. Hilary is a very good place to start.🔹 What running through three pregnancies looked like when there was no information to work with 🔹 The stress fracture after baby two, and what she says she would eat differently now 🔹 The eating disorder she had in high school and college, what doctors offered her instead of answers, and what she wishes she had understood about long term cost 🔹 The commute stacking trick that made training possible when the kids were small 🔹 Going through menopause and having no idea what to attribute anything to 🔹 Raising a 26 year old competitive runner and hoping she gets the longevity without the glitches 🔹 Starting the Aging Athletically podcast with ultrarunner Michael Wardian, and the one question they keep asking older athletesIf you are deep in the baby years doing the math on whether you get to keep any of this, Hilary is what the far side can look like. Not because she got lucky. She will tell you she has been fortunate on injuries, and then she will tell you about 30 years of showing up.Come find me after and tell me which part of her week you would steal first! CHAPTERS 0:00 A new DC series, and meet Hilary Cairns 0:58 Minnesota to DC, tennis to track to triathlon to Hyrox 2:22 Ranking the three sports she is doing right now 4:08 The workout you dread is usually the one you need 5:38 Ten kinds of gel and the old school one she keeps picking 7:36 What she eats after: chocolate milk and salty things 8:29 Running in DC, Rock Creek and the Tilden hill 9:48 Banneker track and the free Wednesday workout 10:57 What she has now that her 30 year old self did not 12:08 Her Cherry Blossom result this year 12:34 Running through three pregnancies with no information 15:39 What changed in 26 years of postpartum advice 19:12 A stress fracture after baby two and the fueling gap 20:37 Strength training before it was standard 22:13 Energy availability, REDs and lactation 23:31 Going through menopause and not knowing what to attribute 25:36 Why peers stop racing, and why she has not 27:23 Eight ten mile races, all within 80 seconds 29:12 Her full training week, including the 100 burpees 32:05 What training looked like when the kids were little 34:04 Commute stacking and being the low maintenance queen 36:05 The eating disorder in high school and college, and what she wishes she had known about REDs 39:17 Raising a competitive 26 year old runner 40:24 The mental piece she works on with her kids 45:13 Starting Aging Athletically with Michael Wardian 49:05 Feeling 30 at 55 50:41 Why Hyrox, and what a first race is like 53:41 Pro weights, world championships and top American times 55:01 Station by station: erg, farmer's carry, sled, burpee broad jump 59:25 Shoes, and why not Alpha Flies 1:02:08 The thing she never could have planned 1:04:51 Where to find Aging Athletically and Track Pack DC LINKSPelvic floor assessment, Arlington VA clinicTelehealth PT and virtual consultsAll free resources and coursesHilary Cairns on InstagramTrack Pack DC on InstagramAging Athletically PodcastThis podcast is education, not medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider with medical questions.The Active Mom Podcast — a real mom's guide to pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause & beyond, for active moms and the professionals who help them get there.Quick-hit conversations with moms, providers, and researchers... because you don't have a lot of free time (you're probably listening at 1.5x right now).Follow so you don't miss an episode. Rate & review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — it's how the next mom searching for these answers actually finds them. Share it with the friend who needs it.Questions or topic requests? DM me 💌

Send us Fan MailRelaxin is one of the first words you learn when you find out you're pregnant. Somebody hands it to you like a fact. Your joints are loose, your pelvis is unstable, be careful, this is just what pregnancy does.Here's the problem. Everyone has relaxin. Not everyone has pelvic girdle pain.This Summer Rewind is with Dr. Sinead Dufour, a Canadian pelvic health physiotherapist, researcher and co-founder of The Womb, and she has spent years trying to drag the actual state of the science on pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain out of the journals and into somebody's treatment room. The systematic review on relaxin and pain has been sitting there since 2012. The authors of the guideline that made the relaxin story famous have since gone back and said they didn't interpret the data correctly. And moms are still being told their pelvis is coming apart.Sinead also gets into virtual pelvic health care (she was doing it well before 2020, and no, it is not the discount version), the new Canadian guidelines on obstetrical anal sphincter injuries, and the fact that cesarean birth is the number one surgery performed in Canada and was not in the physio curriculum until last year. That one still gets me going.🔹 Where the relaxin theory came from, and why it will not die 🔹 What the 2017 antepartum guideline said we should assess first (it is not a joint) 🔹 The guideline update Sinead is leading right now 🔹 Virtual care: who it actually serves best, and where it genuinely falls short 🔹 Third and fourth degree tears, and the new Canadian recommendation to refer to pelvic health PT 🔹 Why she thinks women should understand their pelvic floor long before they're pregnantIf you've carried pelvic pain through a pregnancy and been told it's just relaxin and it'll go away when the baby comes, trust me, there is more to it than that. And if you're a physio, this one is for you too.If you're pregnant right now and someone blamed relaxin for your pain, what did they tell you to do about it? CHAPTERS 0:00 Summer Rewind intro 1:19 Meet Dr. Sinead Dufour 1:38 The Womb, and how a twin pregnancy changed her career 4:46 Virtual pelvic health care before the pandemic 9:28 Treating with your hands behind your back 11:39 What patients say after the first virtual visit 14:37 Pattern recognition, distance, and the licensure compact 19:46 Snow days, sick kids, and moms who stop cancelling on themselves 21:43 Pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain 24:21 Why pain science gets dropped the second the patient is pregnant 25:37 The relaxin myth, unpacked 31:35 The antepartum guideline update Sinead is leading 32:11 We underdosed exercise in pregnancy for years 33:51 Symptoms are not damage: FIFA, athletes, and diastasis fear 37:23 Sport, sponsors, and the fear of being pregnant in public 42:17 When postpartum and perimenopause overlap 43:56 OASIS injuries: what third and fourth degree tears mean 45:57 The new Canadian guidelines and the referral recommendation 48:17 What ACOG's fourth trimester guidance left out 52:11 How access to pelvic PT actually works in Canada 56:49 Cesarean is the number one surgery. It wasn't in the curriculum. 59:49 Rapid fire: podcast pick, trail walks, one piece of advice 1:08:13 What it means to be an active momLINKS Pelvic floor assessment, Arlington VA clinic: https://carriepagliano.com/ Telehealth PT and virtual consults: https://carriepagliano.com/ All free resources and courses: carriepagliano.com Dr. Sinead Dufour on Instagram: dr.sineadThis podcast is education, not medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider with medical questions.The Active Mom Podcast — a real mom's guide to pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause & beyond, for active moms and the professionals who help them get there.Quick-hit conversations with moms, providers, and researchers... because you don't have a lot of free time (you're probably listening at 1.5x right now).Follow so you don't miss an episode. Rate & review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — it's how the next mom searching for these answers actually finds them. Share it with the friend who needs it.Questions or topic requests? DM me 💌

Send us Fan MailThis should not be revolutionary in 2026.They asked the women. Went out across Canada, asked postpartum women what they were actually desperate to know, and let the answers drive it. What came back was mental health and sleep.That's the 2025 Canadian postpartum guideline. Dr. Margie Davenport, PhD, was primary author on it.  She's the director of the Program for Pregnancy and Postpartum Health at the University of Alberta, and this is her fourth time on the show.  (Yes, we're already talking about Green Jacket choices)Quite honestly this one turned into a state of the union on pregnancy and postpartum exercise guidance. What we finally have. What changed. And the part she says nobody ever asks her about.The how.Not "is it safe." We have a LOT of that now. HOW do I use it. On Monday morning. With this patient. At mile two. On the pitch, in the moment, when you've got about four seconds to decide.🔹 What the 2025 Canadian postpartum guideline actually changed, and how they built it 🔹 Why six weeks was never the right number, for anybody 🔹 The Get Active Questionnaire for Postpartum, and what changed about needing clearance before you move 🔹 The 140 beats per minute rule in PREGNANCY: ACOG put it out in 1985, pulled it in 1994, and women still hear it in 2026. Margie has more heart rate data coming. 🔹 Sleep and mental health, in a guideline instead of a footnote 🔹 Vaginal vs cesarean, and the gap researchers hadn't thought to split out 🔹 Informed risk: how you counsel climbing, soccer, cycling, skiing 🔹 Inside the IOC consensus meeting she chaired this year 🔹 FIFA's Female Health and Performance Project, free, with a pelvic health module in it 🔹 Margie as an athlete on her national team years, and the label she gives herself now (which I did not accept)Dr. Davenport's whole personality is: tell me why. And if you can't give her a good reason, she's doing it anyway. I love that about her.Press play. And then tell me, what's the postpartum question you've been trying to get answered that nobody will answer?TIME STAMPS: 00:00 Fourth time on the show 01:59 Why she left the lab for social media 03:32 The 140 rule that will not die 05:51 The question nobody asks: the how 06:44 Frameworks instead of hard timelines 08:44 Two C-sections, same day, two very different postpartums 10:48 2021: the first heavy lifting in pregnancy study 14:24 What the 2025 Canadian postpartum guideline changed 15:37 Sleep and mental health, because that's what women asked for 16:00 Vaginal vs cesarean, and the gap nobody had split out 18:17 The Get Active Questionnaire for Postpartum 19:54 The six week clearance problem 23:50 Informed risk 27:41 Three points of contact on the wall 33:58 Inside the IOC consensus meeting 38:03 FIFA's Female Health and Performance Project 43:06 Where physios can actually be effective 46:20 Margie on her own athlete journey 55:37 What's coming out of her lab The Active Mom Podcast — a real mom's guide to pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause & beyond, for active moms and the professionals who help them get there.Quick-hit conversations with moms, providers, and researchers... because you don't have a lot of free time (you're probably listening at 1.5x right now).Follow so you don't miss an episode. Rate & review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — it's how the next mom searching for these answers actually finds them. Share it with the friend who needs it.Questions or topic requests? DM me 💌

Send us Fan MailNot everybody has time to sit down and read the whole paper. Not everybody wants to. I get it. But you do need to read beyond the abstract, so let's do it together.For this summer rewind episode, I'm bringing back my 2024 conversation with Dr. Rita Deering, PT, DPT, PhD, one of the authors on the two international Delphi studies and consensus statements on postpartum return to running. This is the one where we take the research apart.Rita walks through what a Delphi study actually is and how this one ran. Over 100 clinicians and coaches from around the world, three rounds, anonymous voting so nobody gets swayed by a name they respect, and a 75% bar for consensus. Then the piece that made these two papers different: once the panel agreed, the authors went and checked those recommendations against the published literature. Sometimes the literature did not cooperate.(Her explanation for why they couldn't just put everybody in one room together is one of my favorite things anybody has said on this show. You'll know it when you hear it.)🔹 What a Delphi study is, and why that literature check after the vote matters so much 🔹 What everyone agreed on: a period of relative rest, gradual increases in duration and intensity, starting with a walk-run, strength training all the way through 🔹 The variables that have nothing to do with mileage: sleep, fatigue, lactation, fueling, hydration, mental health, social support 🔹 Where it got contentious: support belts, back extensors, lower extremity strengthening, and the honest problem that for some of it there just isn't literature yet 🔹 The hardest line in the whole paper. Somebody can be ready to return before 12 weeks AND still deserve protected parental leave. Both are true. 🔹 Why so many people getting this care are self-referred and paying out of pocket, and who that leaves out 🔹 Screening for REDs in a lactating athlete, when a missing period may be completely normal 🔹 The question that lives in my DMs: does running early postpartum increase your risk of prolapse?Both consensus statements were selected as editor's choice and are open access, so when we're done you can go read them yourself. No paywall, no institutional login, no favors required.Rita's on Instagram at @ritadeeringphd.If you could get one research question answered tomorrow, funding no object, what would you ask?The Active Mom Podcast — a real mom's guide to pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause & beyond, for active moms and the professionals who help them get there.Quick-hit conversations with moms, providers, and researchers... because you don't have a lot of free time (you're probably listening at 1.5x right now).Follow so you don't miss an episode. Rate & review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — it's how the next mom searching for these answers actually finds them. Share it with the friend who needs it.Questions or topic requests? DM me 💌

Send us Fan MailMeghan Rabbitt has been a health journalist for 25 years. And the thing she said to me about reporting this book was: why don't I know this?If she didn't know it, what are the rest of us working with?Meghan writes about women's health for Women's Health, Oprah Daily, Prevention, and Maria Shriver's Sunday Paper. Her book, The New Rules of Women's Health, came out of years of interviews with the people actually doing the research. Her phrase for what she wants for all of us is that we become our own health journalists.🔹 Your pregnancy history is heart information. Preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, even recurrent miscarriage. Pregnancy is the heart's first stress test, and the results don't expire when the baby arrives. 🔹 The lifetime breast cancer risk number you can calculate yourself. Meghan ran hers, brought it in, and that is the only reason she got her first MRI. 🔹 Why joining a research study can mean free care. She got a thousand dollars of genetic testing out of one. 🔹 Vaginal estrogen, and the applicator that was clearly invented by a dude. Zero instructions in the box. I spend real time counseling people through this. 🔹 What happened when she finally went to pelvic floor PT, and why "just do your Kegels" was never an assessmentSomething I say on air and mean: ask us. We will talk to you for days. Nobody has to pry this out of us.What questions have YOU been waiting to have answered?Meghan's book: newrulesofwomenshealth.com · Instagram: @MeghanRabbittThe Active Mom Podcast — a real mom's guide to pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause & beyond, for active moms and the professionals who help them get there.Quick-hit conversations with moms, providers, and researchers... because you don't have a lot of free time (you're probably listening at 1.5x right now).Follow so you don't miss an episode. Rate & review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — it's how the next mom searching for these answers actually finds them. Share it with the friend who needs it.Questions or topic requests? DM me 💌

Send us Fan MailProlapse might be the single most fear-loaded word in postpartum health. Not because of what it is. Because of how little anybody tells you about it.This week we're rewinding to one of our season one conversations, with Dr. Cheryl Iglesia, MD, urogynecologist here in Washington DC and one of the very first mentors I had in pelvic health. My first pelvic health job was at National Rehab Hospital back in 2001, and a couple days a week I was over in her office with absolutely no idea that I was standing next to a LEGEND in the field. (I figured that out later. Much later.)Here's what I want you to hear in this one. She says out loud that part of being a good surgeon is knowing when NOT to operate. Then she spends the rest of the hour showing you what that actually looks like.🔹 What prolapse is, and how urogynecologists actually grade it 🔹 Why "elective" does not mean "cosmetic" 🔹 How much bigger conservative care is than most people realize: pelvic floor PT, pessaries, local hormones, bulking agents 🔹 What changed in prolapse surgery over 30 years, and the honest version of the mesh story 🔹 The average age of a prolapse surgery patient, which is younger than you're picturing 🔹 Why two women with the same exam can have completely different symptoms, and what muscle tone has to do with that 🔹 How to tell whether the provider in front of you is actually listeningIf you've been handed a diagnosis and a surgery date and not a whole lot in between, this is the conversation I want in your ears. You are not doomed to a life in an armchair. You have options, and you're allowed to ask for all of them.Which option did nobody explain to you?ABOUT OUR GUEST Dr. Cheryl Iglesia, MD, FACOG, FPMRS is Director of the Section of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery at MedStar Washington Hospital Center and Director of the National Center for Advanced Pelvic Surgery at MedStar Health. She is also Professor of Obstetrics/Gynecology and Urology at Georgetown University School of Medicine, and is double board-certified in Ob/Gyn and female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery with more than 30 years in the field. Find her on X at @cheryliglesia.Free resources for pregnancy, postpartum and perimenopause are at carriepagliano.com.Time Stamps1:00 introduction3:15 fear surrounding pelvic organ prolapse10:00 conservative care before surgery18:14 pelvic floor prolapse or decreased tone26:45 recommendations for getting additional care28:45 tissue healing and RED-S30:10 PTs collaborating with surgeonsCONNECT WITH CARRIEIG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/Website: https://carriepagliano.comCONNECT WITH CHERYLIG: https://www.instagram.com/cbiglesia/Website: https://www.medstarhealth.org/doctors/cheryl-bernadette-iglesia-mdThe Active Mom Podcast is A Real Moms' Guide to pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause & beyond for active moms & the professionals who help them in their journey.   This show has been a long time in the making!    You can expect conversation with moms and professionals from all aspects of the industry.    If you're like me, you don't have a lot of free time (heck, you're probably listening at 1.5x speed), so theses interviews will be quick hits to get your the pertinent information FAST!   If you love what you hear, share the podcast with a friend and leave us a 5 start rating and review. It helps us become more visible in the search algorithm! (Helps us get seen by more moms that need to hear these stories!!!!)The Active Mom Podcast — a real mom's guide to pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause & beyond, for active moms and the professionals who help them get there.Quick-hit conversations with moms, providers, and researchers... because you don't have a lot of free time (you're probably listening at 1.5x right now).Follow so you don't miss an episode. Rate & review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — it's how the next mom searching for these answers actually finds them. Share it with the friend who needs it.Questions or topic requests? DM me 💌

Send us Fan Mail"It is probably nothing."The swelling is probably the third trimester. The breathlessness is probably the stairs. The ache in your calf is probably that run you should not have done. And most of the time, all of that is exactly right.Most of the time is doing a lot of work in that sentence.Dr. Rachel Rosovsky is a hematologist at Massachusetts General Hospital, where she has spent twenty years on blood clots, and she co-authored the first ever AHA/ACC guideline on acute pulmonary embolism. The American Heart Association reached out about this one, and I said yes immediately, because this is the conversation I do not think most of us have ever actually had.🔹 What a blood clot actually is, explained the way a former math and science teacher explains it 🔹 Why the symptoms of a clot and the symptoms of a normal pregnancy look almost identical 🔹 The risk factors worth raising before you are pregnant, not after 🔹 Why the postpartum window is the highest risk stretch, and also the one with the fewest appointments 🔹 Why the standard D dimer cutoff does not work in pregnancy, and what the guideline uses instead 🔹 Whether imaging is actually off limits when you are pregnant, and the honest answer 🔹 Blood clot history and hormones later on, including what the evidence says about the patch 🔹 Dr. Rachel Rosovsky's rule: take it out of your hands and put it in mineThis is not an episode about being afraid of your body. It is an episode about being allowed to ask a question without needing a good enough reason first.Most of the women in the largest survey we have on this were never told what to watch for. That part is fixable. That is the whole reason this conversation exists.Guest: Dr. Rachel Rosovsky, MD, MPH, hematologist, Massachusetts General Hospital. With thanks to @american_heart.Time Stamps0:00 introduction3:10 from math teacher to hematologist6:13 having a baby during med school10:10 choosing hematology12:31 explaining blog clots17:11 addressing the guidelines for pregnancy20: are you at higher risk if you’re pregnant? 24:41 potential problematic symptoms31:47 seeing a rise in risk postpartum35:53 where to seek care40:23 what care can look like47:12 looking ahead to perimenopause and menopause52:50 follow your intuitionCONNECT WITH CARRIEIG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/Website: https://carriepagliano.comCourse waitlist: https://course.carriepagliano.com/RSAWLR2R Screen: https://course.carriepagliano.com/R2RreadyscreenCONNECT WITH RACHEL:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-rosovskyWebsite: https://www.massgeneral.org/doctors/17898/rachel-rosovskyGuidelines: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41712898/The Active Mom Podcast is A Real Moms' Guide to pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause & beyond for active moms & the professionals who help them in their journey.   This show has been a long time in the making!    You can expect conversation with moms and professionals from all aspects of the industry.    If you're like me, you don't have a lot of free time (heck, you're probably listening at 1.5x speed), so theses interviews will be quick hits to get your the pertinent information FAST!   If you love what you hear, share the podcast with a friend and leave us a 5 start rating and review. It helps us become more visible in the search algorithm! (Helps us get seen by more moms that need to hear these stories!!!!)The Active Mom Podcast — a real mom's guide to pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause & beyond, for active moms and the professionals who help them get there.Quick-hit conversations with moms, providers, and researchers... because you don't have a lot of free time (you're probably listening at 1.5x right now).Follow so you don't miss an episode. Rate & review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — it's how the next mom searching for these answers actually finds them. Share it with the friend who needs it.Questions or topic requests? DM me 💌

Send us Fan MailYou leave the hospital with a healthy baby, a folder of paperwork, and zero mention of the fact that your estrogen just went from about 3,000 to almost nothing.That is where this conversation starts. In 2022, I sat down with Dr. Rachel Rubin, urologist and sexual medicine specialist, back in season one, long before she became the person everyone quotes about hormones. I've known her since she walked into the PT department at Georgetown as a resident and asked if she could shadow somebody and learn about Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy. This is her before the rest of the world caught up.We're rewinding it now because almost everything she predicted in this episode has since happened.🔹 The estrogen arc, in actual numbers: baby, teenager, cycling, pregnant, postpartum 🔹 Why breastfeeding puts you in a menopause-like state, and what that does to tissue 🔹 Why the bladder and urethra are full of hormone receptors nobody talks about 🔹 What to say when you're told to use more lubricant and wait until you're done nursing 🔹 Birth control, IUDs and local hormones: what actually interacts with what 🔹 The 2000s study that scared a generation off hormones, and how badly it was reported 🔹 The postpartum visit she wishes every woman got, mirror includedSince we recorded, the FDA moved on the estrogen warning label and the AUA published its first guideline on genitourinary syndrome of menopause. Rachel was already saying all of it into my microphone. Come hear where it started.A correction on my intro: I say "FDA approval" for local vaginal estrogen in the open, and I want the record straight. Vaginal estrogen was already approved. What changed, in November 2025, is that the FDA moved to remove the black box warning from estrogen products, the warning that scared a generation of women and their doctors off it. The approval was never the problem. The label was.This episode is education, not medical advice. If you want a clinician who actually knows this material, The Menopause Society keeps a practitioner finder at menopause.org.Time Stamps1:00 introduction4:01 hormone health and changes11:10 advocating for yourself17:30 hormones and the urinary tract21:30 HRT misconceptions 27:45 testing and perimenopause29:30 advice for momsCONNECT WITH CARRIEIG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/Website: https://carriepagliano.comCONNECT WITH RACHELIG: https://www.instagram.com/drrachelrubin/Website: https://www.rachelrubinmd.com/The Active Mom Podcast — a real mom's guide to pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause & beyond, for active moms and the professionals who help them get there.Quick-hit conversations with moms, providers, and researchers... because you don't have a lot of free time (you're probably listening at 1.5x right now).Follow so you don't miss an episode. Rate & review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — it's how the next mom searching for these answers actually finds them. Share it with the friend who needs it.Questions or topic requests? DM me 💌

Send us Fan MailThere's a thought a lot of moms have had and almost none of them have said out loud. Maybe it was an image of dropping the baby. Maybe it was something worse. And the second it showed up, the next thought was: what is wrong with me?Dr. Vanessa Komarek is a psychologist who specializes in trauma and PTSD recovery, a powerlifter, and a mom of two under two. She came on to talk about mental load and we ended up somewhere much more honest: birth trauma, intrusive thoughts, and why so much well-meaning postpartum advice lands flat.🔹 What mental load actually is (the cognitive part and the emotional part nobody names) 🔹 What "birth trauma" includes, and why it's broader than most people think 🔹 What's a normal reaction after a hard delivery, and the signals that it's worth reaching out 🔹 Intrusive thoughts: what they are, why fighting them backfires, and what actually helps 🔹 Why "sleep when the baby sleeps" and "take time for yourself" fall flat for so many women 🔹 The trade-offs nobody admits are baked into "balance" 🔹 All-or-nothing thinking, exercise snacks, and Vanessa's phrase for it: embracing messy action 🔹 The pelvic health parallel: what happens when the brain decides the body is fragileThis one is worth your time whether you're in it right now or 15 years past it. And if any of it lands a little too close, that's information, not a verdict.Resources mentioned: Postpartum Support International: postpartum.net · HelpLine 1-800-944-4773 (call or text) · free online support groups and a provider directory If you are in crisis in the US, call or text 988. Find Vanessa on Instagram: @heavy_lifting_psychologistThis podcast is for education and is not medical advice. Please loop in your own provider.Time Stamps0:00 introduction6:07 talking about mental load9:48 what got Vanessa into psychology12:55 helping moms deal with trauma and expectations19:55 ignoring the bad advice23:48 the athlete identity28:17 balance is a myth35:58 helping moms overcome perfectionism37:41 what she has learned in her journey45:19 being an active momCONNECT WITH CARRIEIG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/Website: https://carriepagliano.comCourse waitlist: https://course.carriepagliano.com/RSAWLR2R Screen: https://course.carriepagliano.com/R2RreadyscreenCONNECT WITH VANESSA:IG: https://www.instagram.com/heavy_lifting_psychologist/Website: www.adaptpsych.orgThe Active Mom Podcast — a real mom's guide to pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause & beyond, for active moms and the professionals who help them get there.Quick-hit conversations with moms, providers, and researchers... because you don't have a lot of free time (you're probably listening at 1.5x right now).Follow so you don't miss an episode. Rate & review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — it's how the next mom searching for these answers actually finds them. Share it with the friend who needs it.Questions or topic requests? DM me 💌

Send us Fan Mail"I don't have enough milk." It's the first place a new mom's brain goes when the baby fusses, wakes early, or pops off the breast. And when you add workouts back into the mix? The doubt gets louder.This week's Summer Rewind brings back one of my favorite conversations, with my longtime friend (and former neighbor!) Kelly Kendall, RN, IBCLC, aka @thebalancedboob. Kelly was an L&D nurse who thought she had breastfeeding figured out. Then she became a mom. Tongue ties, mastitis, postpartum anxiety, all of it. That story is exactly why she does what she does now.We get into:🔹 Why "I must not have enough milk" is usually the wrong conclusion (and what's actually normal) 🔹 The real answer to "will exercise mess with my supply?" 🔹 Fueling for lactation AND training: calories, protein, and why this is NOT the season for a deficit 🔹 The logistics nobody warns you about (pumping in the car counts as a win) 🔹 The hardest part of all: believing you deserve time to move your bodyIf you're trying to nurse a baby and get back to the workouts you love, this one will take a weight off your shoulders. Press play.Find Kelly on Instagram @thebalancedboob or at thebalancedboob.comTime Stamps1:00 introduction4:19 common issues and struggles9:15 where moms struggle when starting to add in workouts11:50 nutrition advice for breastfeeding moms14:15 additional advice for momsCONNECT WITH CARRIEIG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/Website: https://carriepagliano.comCONNECT WITH KELLYIG: https://www.instagram.com/thebalancedboob/The Active Mom Podcast — a real mom's guide to pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause & beyond, for active moms and the professionals who help them get there.Quick-hit conversations with moms, providers, and researchers... because you don't have a lot of free time (you're probably listening at 1.5x right now).Follow so you don't miss an episode. Rate & review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — it's how the next mom searching for these answers actually finds them. Share it with the friend who needs it.Questions or topic requests? DM me 💌

Send us Fan MailYou've heard it. Maybe you've said it. "Your pelvic floor is too tight." It's everywhere right now — on the socials, in the clinic, out of the mouths of people who've never assessed a pelvic floor in their life. But here's the question almost nobody stopped to ask: can we actually feel the thing we keep confidently naming?Researcher Gosia Starzec-Proserpio, PT, PhD, just did the work to find out — across 528 women. And her answer is more interesting (and more freeing) than either side of the internet fight wants it to be.I got to sit down with Gosia — 12 weeks postpartum, "just coming out of the darkness into the light," her words — to talk about the study that went a little viral, and what it actually means for the person on your table.🔹 What "tone" even means (and why it meant nothing to her as a new clinician) 🔹 The single biggest mistake we make: treating "pain" and "tight" as the same word 🔹 Palpation vs. ultrasound vs. dynamometry — three tools, three answers, and why that's a feature, not a flaw 🔹 Where our fingers are genuinely good — and where they quietly aren't 🔹 Why you can't get "fixed on the number," even when we love a good number 🔹 The pregnancy nobody warns you about being harder than postpartumThis one's for the clinicians who want to sharpen how they assess and explain tone — and for anyone who's been handed a label they've been carrying ever since. Come nerd out with us.Education, not individualized medical advice — loop in your own pelvic floor PT for what's true for your body.Time Stamps0:00 introduction3:56 quick fire questions9:43 troubles breastfeeding18:55 muscle tone explained21:54 explaining the research25:35 communicating with patients33:51 comparing different measurement modalities45:53 addressing personal biases49:11 changes in clinical practiceCONNECT WITH CARRIEIG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/Website: https://carriepagliano.comCourse waitlist: https://course.carriepagliano.com/RSAWLCONNECT WITH GOSIA:IG: https://www.instagram.com/starzecproserpio_phd/Linked In: www.linkedin.com/in/mstarzecResearch: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Malgorzata-Starzec-Proserpio?ev=hdr_xprf The Active Mom Podcast — a real mom's guide to pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause & beyond, for active moms and the professionals who help them get there.Quick-hit conversations with moms, providers, and researchers... because you don't have a lot of free time (you're probably listening at 1.5x right now).Follow so you don't miss an episode. Rate & review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — it's how the next mom searching for these answers actually finds them. Share it with the friend who needs it.Questions or topic requests? DM me 💌

Send us Fan MailIf you've ever accepted leaking as the toll you pay to keep running, this one's going to reframe it.Dr. Linda McLean (@mfm_lab) is one of the foremost researchers on the pelvic floor and urinary incontinence — a professor and Chair in Women's Health Research at the University of Ottawa. In this Summer Rewind, we cut through what the science actually shows about why running-induced urinary incontinence happens… and where popular advice for active moms gets it wrong.We get into pelvic floor morphology, how running may load and change those structures, and what the evidence says about interventions — including pessaries and other intravaginal support devices for runners who leak. Linda also unpacks the difference between evidence-based and evidence-informed, and how to break down the barriers keeping women from exercise.Leaking when you run is common… but common doesn't have to mean permanent.Always work with your own pelvic floor PT and maternity provider — this conversation is education, not individual care.Time Stamps1:00 Introduction3:58 bio feedback in pelvic PT6:46 morphology paper16:41 the roll strength plays21:15 connecting clinical findings to research32:10 intra-abdominal pressure34:50 different causes of urinary incontinence40:20 supportive devices44:29 elongation of the pelvic floorCONNECT WITH CARRIEIG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/Website: https://carriepagliano.comCONNECT WITH LINDAIG: https://www.instagram.com/mfm_lab/Website: www.mfmlab.caX: @mfmlabFacebook: @mfmlabuottawaThe Active Mom Podcast — a real mom's guide to pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause & beyond, for active moms and the professionals who help them get there.Quick-hit conversations with moms, providers, and researchers... because you don't have a lot of free time (you're probably listening at 1.5x right now).Follow so you don't miss an episode. Rate & review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — it's how the next mom searching for these answers actually finds them. Share it with the friend who needs it.Questions or topic requests? DM me 💌

Send us Fan MailMelanie Cote spent years believing runners were a certain kind of person — thin, disciplined, elite — and she wasn't it. So when a coworker organized a 5K, she showed up to cheer instead of run, too embarrassed to try. A year later, she crossed that same start line. Today she's a half-marathoner who runs as @the.curvy.runner, and her story is for every mom who's ever thought "I'm not a runner."Carrie and Melanie get into starting couch-to-5K in your late 40s, why consistency beats performance, the gear struggles nobody warns curvy runners about, running through perimenopause, and letting go of the diet-culture rules we grew up with. It's a conversation about giving yourself permission — to take up space, to take the trip, to be the mom you're proud of.Time Stamps0:00 introduction5:08 how our relationship with running has changed8:43 separating running from weight loss11:29 becoming more active as kids get older14:56 being flexible to be consistent19:55 being creative with winter running25:32 finding community in running29:30 deciding to do a Disney half marathon34:02 running as a curvy woman43:13 dealing with hormonal changes48:40 quick hit questionsCONNECT WITH CARRIEIG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/Website: https://carriepagliano.comCourse waitlist: https://course.carriepagliano.com/RSAWLCONNECT WITH MELANIE:IG: https://www.instagram.com/the.curvy.runner/Website: www.thecurvyrunners.comThe Active Mom Podcast — a real mom's guide to pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause & beyond, for active moms and the professionals who help them get there.Quick-hit conversations with moms, providers, and researchers... because you don't have a lot of free time (you're probably listening at 1.5x right now).Follow so you don't miss an episode. Rate & review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — it's how the next mom searching for these answers actually finds them. Share it with the friend who needs it.Questions or topic requests? DM me 💌

Send us Fan MailBringing this back because the "what exercises should I actually be doing?" question never gets old. Johnson cuts through the noise on rehab and strength work for runners — the movements that move the needle versus the filler. Practical, specific, and easy to act on this week.Today I speak with Chris Johnson, physical therapist, coach, author, teacher, consultant, and multiple-time Kona qualifier. He is also the creator of The Run Well, an online membership platform and community with a mission to fast-track clinicians, coaches, and trainers, who are looking to specialize in working with runners. We  talk about:-the love of running-exercises for runners-utilizing the power of walking-slowing down movements to evaluate-altered movement patterns from injuries-figuring out what’s heavy enough-using fundamental movements-hitting benchmarks before returning to running -similarities in returning to run after injury and postpartumTime Stamps1:00 introduction3:55 mistakes everyday runners make7:40 providing exercises to runners13:30 moving past the fear of old injuries17:34 demystifying injury recovery20:30 figuring out the right weight27:40 top exercise recommendations37:00 differences between working with men and women 44:35 Run Well Program CONNECT WITH CARRIEIG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/Website: https://carriepagliano.comCONNECT WITH CHRISIG: https://www.instagram.com/chrisjohnsonthept/Website: https://chrisjohnsonpt.com/The Active Mom Podcast — a real mom's guide to pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause & beyond, for active moms and the professionals who help them get there.Quick-hit conversations with moms, providers, and researchers... because you don't have a lot of free time (you're probably listening at 1.5x right now).Follow so you don't miss an episode. Rate & review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — it's how the next mom searching for these answers actually finds them. Share it with the friend who needs it.Questions or topic requests? DM me 💌

Send us Fan MailCan you run with pelvic organ prolapse? In this solo episode, Dr. Carrie Pagliano takes on one of the most feared pelvic floor diagnoses… and why prolapse doesn't have to mean hanging up your running shoes.Carrie introduces your "prolapse personality" — because prolapse isn't one experience, it's many. She busts the myths (no, running didn't cause it… no, you don't have to rest until it's "gone"), walks through the three symptom presentations she sees in the clinic, and explains why your anatomy doesn't predict how you feel or what your body can do.You'll hear how she thinks about graded loading and return-to-run dosing, where pessaries and support devices can fit, what "just breathe" really means for runners, and why a prolapse diagnosis is a starting point — not a stop sign.For active moms and the providers who support them. Education, not medical advice — always loop in your own pelvic floor PT or provider.Time Stamps0:00 introduction3:33 mythbuster rapid fire8:06 no on-size-fits-all prolapse14:25 how symptoms change with activity18:03 pressure management and breathing20:54 importance of early activity25:01 doing too much too soon27:05 support devices30:22 returning to run with prolapseCONNECT WITH CARRIEIG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/Website: https://carriepagliano.comCourse waitlist: https://course.carriepagliano.com/RSAWLThe Active Mom Podcast — a real mom's guide to pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause & beyond, for active moms and the professionals who help them get there.Quick-hit conversations with moms, providers, and researchers... because you don't have a lot of free time (you're probably listening at 1.5x right now).Follow so you don't miss an episode. Rate & review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — it's how the next mom searching for these answers actually finds them. Share it with the friend who needs it.Questions or topic requests? DM me 💌

Send us Fan MailThis is the single most-downloaded episode in Active Mom Podcast history… and if you joined in the last two years, you've probably never heard it.Dr. Alison Grimaldi connects hip strength and stability to the pelvic floor symptoms so many women keep chasing in isolation. If you've been faithfully doing your pelvic floor work without the result you expected, this conversation reframes where you might look next.Alison is an expert in hip, groin and lumbo-pelvic pain, Principal Physiotherapist at Physiotec, and Adjunct Senior Research Fellow at the University of Queensland — with research collaborations that even include the European Space Agency.We get into: building collaborative care, how the hip and pelvic floor may relate, what "strengthening the pelvic floor" actually involves, stress incontinence, using real-time ultrasound, and why she wants to "ban the clam."This one's a foundational listen. As always, your own maternity care team and pelvic floor PT are your best guides for your body.Want a follow up listen?  Check out Ep. 210 with Dr. Jenny Lacross and Dr. Laurel Proulx on recent updates in understanding hip & pelvic floor anatomy!1:00 introduction5:19 collaborative care9:30 dead butt syndrome11:42 certainties of relationship between hip and pelvic floor 19:40 clinical use of real time ultrasound23:09 biggest misses by physios29:34 “ban the clam”38:30 future researchCONNECT WITH CARRIEIG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/Website: https://carriepagliano.comCONNECT WITH ALISONIG: https://www.instagram.com/dralisongrimaldi/Website (professional): https://dralisongrimaldi.com/Website: (public): https://hippainhelp.com/The Active Mom Podcast — a real mom's guide to pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause & beyond, for active moms and the professionals who help them get there.Quick-hit conversations with moms, providers, and researchers... because you don't have a lot of free time (you're probably listening at 1.5x right now).Follow so you don't miss an episode. Rate & review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — it's how the next mom searching for these answers actually finds them. Share it with the friend who needs it.Questions or topic requests? DM me 💌

Send us Fan MailWhat load actually reaches your pelvis when you run? For years we couldn't really answer that — we just said "wait twelve weeks, then go." Babe, we've come a long way.Dr. Megan James is back — and this time it's Dr. James. She finished her PhD and brought two new papers that quietly shift how we think about returning to running postpartum.First: a graded pelvic loading pathway, built by measuring how much load actually reaches the pelvis across walking, hopping, jumping and running. The surprise star? Grounded running — a gliding, no-flight-phase style that showed consistently lower load at the pelvis than slow running at the same pace.Second: a return-to-run guide co-designed with postpartum runners. Their ask — treat us like mums who run, not athletes who happen to be mums. It's a guide, not a deadline. And if you're not running yet, you are not behind.We talk about:-Returning to running after injury versus after pregnancy-Why the research began with a nulliparous population-Hypervigilance and fear of movement-What impact forces actually reach the pelvis during running-Slow running, grounded running, and perceived impact-Creating a postpartum return-to-run guide-Looking at the whole person, not just the pelvic floorNote: This is education, not a prescription. For a plan built for your body, your birth and your symptoms, see your maternity care team and a pelvic floor PT.Time Stamps1:00 introduction6:23 setting up the research12:28 what they measured through the research16:45 surprises in the study21:20 slow running and grounded running26:42 rate of the perceived impact32:29 explaining the guide paper40:23 changing perception with feedback from moms45:32 the one-size-fits-all trap52:05 looking at the mom as a whole54:46 advice to former self58:12 potential future researchCONNECT WITH CARRIEIG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/Website: https://carriepagliano.comCourse waitlist: https://course.carriepagliano.com/RSAWLCONNECT WITH MEGAN:LinkedIn: @meganljames16The Active Mom Podcast — a real mom's guide to pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause & beyond, for active moms and the professionals who help them get there.Quick-hit conversations with moms, providers, and researchers... because you don't have a lot of free time (you're probably listening at 1.5x right now).Follow so you don't miss an episode. Rate & review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — it's how the next mom searching for these answers actually finds them. Share it with the friend who needs it.Questions or topic requests? DM me 💌

Send us Fan MailBecoming a mom can take your lifelong habits, chew them up, and spit them out. So how do you build new ones when there's no such thing as a typical day in parenthood?In this Summer Rewind — our season one finale — Dr. Carrie Pagliano sits down with James Clear, author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Atomic Habits. Carrie picked up the book thinking it was about business... and realized it was secretly written for every mom trying to find herself again after kids.They get into systems over willpower, the four laws of behavior change, identity-based habits (casting a vote for the person you want to be), the two-minute rule, and how to set up your space to outsmart yourself. If you've ever set a goal to get back to movement in postpartum or perimenopause, this one was built for you.Lane note: returning to activity looks different for everybody — loop in your maternity care team and pelvic floor PT as you go.Time Stamps1:00 introduction1:35 setting habits for parents7:20 life as a series of seasons 10:00 comparison on social media15:22 navigating your identity as a parent 22:20 taking the first step to building the habit27:25 scaling to build momentum37:00 mental toughness as flexibility versus rigidity40:15 James’ experience as a parentCONNECT WITH CARRIEIG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/Website: https://carriepagliano.comCONNECT WITH JAMESIG: https://www.instagram.com/jamesclear/Website: jamesclear.com Atomic Habits: atomichabits.comNewsletter: https://jamesclear.com/3-2-1The Active Mom Podcast — a real mom's guide to pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause & beyond, for active moms and the professionals who help them get there.Quick-hit conversations with moms, providers, and researchers... because you don't have a lot of free time (you're probably listening at 1.5x right now).Follow so you don't miss an episode. Rate & review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — it's how the next mom searching for these answers actually finds them. Share it with the friend who needs it.Questions or topic requests? DM me 💌

Send us Fan MailThin evidence. Loud opinions. And a body that still wanted to climb. That's where professional high-altitude climber Lotta Hintsa found herself when she got pregnant — wanting to stay active and keep doing her job, in an area where the research on altitude and pregnancy barely exists and everyone seemed to have a take on it.In this episode, Lotta walks me through how she navigated her own risk tolerance: gathering what evidence she could find, weighing it against her body and her experience, and making informed calls instead of fear-based ones. It's an honest look at staying active on your own terms when there's no roadmap handed to you.We talk about:-becoming a professional climber-motherhood as an extreme athlete-advice based on evidence instead of fear-losing contracts due to pregnancy-losing followers after getting pregnant-having a plan but not expectations-finding your identity as a mom🛟 Lane note: altitude and pregnancy is genuinely under-researched, and risk is individual. Decisions like these belong with your maternity care team — Lotta's story is her experience, not a guideline.Time Stamps1:00 introduction6:34 thinking about starting a family as an extreme athlete9:35 deciding where to go to for advice13:54 concerns with oxygen availability18:20 reactions of the climbing community and sponsors27:28 last weeks of pregnancy32:29 climbing a mountain versus having a baby36:00 exercise and activity postpartum43:22 expectations for competing as a new mom48:59 surprises in motherhoodCONNECT WITH CARRIEIG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/Website: https://carriepagliano.comCourse waitlist: https://course.carriepagliano.com/RSAWLCONNECT WITH LOTTA:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lottahintsa/Website: https://youtube.com/@highaltitudexperience?si=WS0EbOlKWiDb1bHxSubstack: lottahintsaThe Active Mom Podcast is A Real Moms' Guide to pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause & beyond for active moms & the professionals who help them in their journey.   This show has been a long time in the making!    You can expect conversation with moms and professionals from all aspects of the industry.    If you're like me, you don't have a lot of free time (heck, you're probably listening at 1.5x speed), so theses interviews will be quick hits to get your the pertinent information FAST!   If you love what you hear, share the podcast with a friend and leave us a 5 start rating and review. It helps us become more visible in the search algorithm! (Helps us get seen by more moms that need to hear these stories!!!!)The Active Mom Podcast — a real mom's guide to pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause & beyond, for active moms and the professionals who help them get there.Quick-hit conversations with moms, providers, and researchers... because you don't have a lot of free time (you're probably listening at 1.5x right now).Follow so you don't miss an episode. Rate & review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — it's how the next mom searching for these answers actually finds them. Share it with the friend who needs it.Questions or topic requests? DM me 💌

Send us Fan MailThis one's for every mom whose week is built around practices, meets, and the pool-deck waiting game. It's honest, real-talk strategy for squeezing your own training into a life that runs on everyone else's schedule — across postpartum all the way to perimenopause. No interview, just usable tactics, and it's landed with way more than the swim crowd.Today I speak with my fellow Swim Moms, Laura and JoAnne. And while you may think this episode is just an excuse to talk with my friends outside of swim practice, Laura and JoAnne share so much valuable intel on how to make time for your own workouts when your shuttling kids to their sports practices and meets. Laura, a mom of 2, is a recovering triathlete and a Commander in the Coast Guard. JoAnne, a mom of 3, has always used sports as a way to stay fit, but fell off the wagon after her daughter was born. When her oldest daughter was 8, she found her way back to fitness.We talk about:-being active as kids-becoming a morning person-different struggles with different age kids-setting the example for your kids-different seasons of the year-done is better than perfect-making family memoriesTime Stamps1:00 introduction5:59 we we stay fit9:45 changing fitness after each kid14:10 shifting to get up early19:05 shifts with older kids24:50 adapting to different seasons30:10 advice to your former self34:45 looking ahead to the next stage44:00 rapid fire questions CONNECT WITH CARRIEIG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/Website: https://carriepagliano.comThe Active Mom Podcast — a real mom's guide to pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause & beyond, for active moms and the professionals who help them get there.Quick-hit conversations with moms, providers, and researchers... because you don't have a lot of free time (you're probably listening at 1.5x right now).Follow so you don't miss an episode. Rate & review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — it's how the next mom searching for these answers actually finds them. Share it with the friend who needs it.Questions or topic requests? DM me 💌

Send us Fan MailGráinne Donnelly is back — and this time she's the editor and primary author of a brand-new Elsevier textbook, Sports Medicine and the Pelvic Floor: Science to Practice. It's the book this field has been waiting for... and the honest truth at its heart is that we don't know everything yet. What we do have is the clearest picture so far of where the science actually stands.An Advanced Practice Pelvic Health Physiotherapist and doctoral researcher, Gráinne walks us through what the current evidence shows on returning to running, graded loading, and where adjuncts like pelvic compression garments may fit — and what they can't promise. We get into grounded running as a bridge back to impact, the gap between research and real clinical life, and why "we don't actually know yet," said with confidence, beats the false certainty all over social media.A conversation for the clinicians and the active moms in the same room.Time Stamps1:00 introduction5:46 updates on the research11:40 external support garments20:24 clinical implications23:24 Sports Medicine and the Pelvic Floor - Science to Practice book33:13 planning for what is next41:50 storytelling as a form of health communication49:30 reexamining advice you give patients as you learn more CONNECT WITH CARRIEIG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/Website: https://carriepagliano.comCourse waitlist: https://course.carriepagliano.com/RSAWLCONNECT WITH GRÁINNE:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grainnedonnelly_absolutephysio/Website: www.absolute.physioThe Active Mom Podcast — a real mom's guide to pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause & beyond, for active moms and the professionals who help them get there.Quick-hit conversations with moms, providers, and researchers... because you don't have a lot of free time (you're probably listening at 1.5x right now).Follow so you don't miss an episode. Rate & review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — it's how the next mom searching for these answers actually finds them. Share it with the friend who needs it.Questions or topic requests? DM me 💌

Send us Fan MailHildee Weiss didn't run her first full mile until she was 46. And honestly? She was convinced she'd look ridiculous doing it… like Phoebe from Friends, flailing around while everyone stared. (If you're Gen X, you already get it.)Fast forward 12 years and she's 57, a mom of five, a grandma of five, and she's done 5Ks, half marathons, trail races, two Spartan races… the whole thing. Not to shrink herself. Not to earn her food. Just because she gets to.We get into all of it: starting from zero in your 40s, finally walking away from the scale she called her "metal monster," lifting heavy after 50, and what it actually took to come back after a hysterectomy when she didn't even recognize herself anymore.If you've been telling yourself it's too late… I really want you to hear this one. Her book, Embracing My Inner Athlete, is out now.Time Stamps1:00 introduction7:10 having 5 children in 8 years10:05 Gen X weight loss culture15:29 changing mindset around diet and exercise19:11 chasing number goals23:16 difference in generations and how they view exercise26:15 remembering the first starting line35:58 redefining success and failure41:35 coming back from injury and hysterectomy49:01 it’s never too late to start51:41 rapid fire questionsCONNECT WITH CARRIEIG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/Website: https://carriepagliano.comCourse waitlist: https://course.carriepagliano.com/RSAWLCONNECT WITH HILDE:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/momoffive68/Website: http://sites.google.com/view/Hildee-Weiss-authorThe Active Mom Podcast — a real mom's guide to pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause & beyond, for active moms and the professionals who help them get there.Quick-hit conversations with moms, providers, and researchers... because you don't have a lot of free time (you're probably listening at 1.5x right now).Follow so you don't miss an episode. Rate & review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — it's how the next mom searching for these answers actually finds them. Share it with the friend who needs it.Questions or topic requests? DM me 💌

Send us Fan MailWhat happens when the body that carried you through marathons suddenly starts changing the rules on you mid-stride…?In this episode, I sit down with Whitney Heins — founder of The Mother Runners run community, host of the Mother Runners Podcast, and a lifelong runner who chased an Olympic Qualifying marathon time through years of frustrating injuries before becoming a certified running coach herself. Whitney knows the gap between what training is supposed to look like and what running through motherhood and perimenopause actually feels like… and she's here to talk about all of it.We get into the realities of masters running: how shifting hormones change training, recovery, and injury risk as you move through perimenopause, why pelvic health belongs squarely in this conversation, and what it takes to stop rushing the comeback and start recovering smart. Whitney opens up about the mental side of injury — the pressure to bounce back fast, the identity tangled up in our race times — and how learning to reset goals instead of abandoning them can change your entire trajectory as an athlete. Plus, how raising active kids reshaped the way she thinks about her own running, and why staying open to doing things differently might be the most athletic move of all.Whether you're a runner navigating perimenopause, a mom training around real life, or a clinician supporting active women through these transitions — this conversation is for you.In this episode:Masters running and what really changes after 40Perimenopause, hormones & pelvic health for runnersThe mental load of injury recovery & the pressure to "bounce back"Resetting goals and expectations when your body shifts the rulesRaising active kids — and what they teach us about our own trainingTime Stamps1:00 introduction6:39 speaking “teenage boy”10:04 training your daughter14:30 navigating years of injury17:55 deciding to find a new coach23:55 talking more about perimenopause and menopause29:45 hormone therapy in perimenopause and menopause33:23 having guests on podcasts39:43 being open to trying something different43:50 rapid fire questionsCONNECT WITH CARRIEIG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/Website: https://carriepagliano.comCourse waitlist: https://course.carriepagliano.com/RSAWLCONNECT WITH WHITNEY:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themotherrunners/Website: www.themotherrunners.comThe Active Mom Podcast — a real mom's guide to pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause & beyond, for active moms and the professionals who help them get there.Quick-hit conversations with moms, providers, and researchers... because you don't have a lot of free time (you're probably listening at 1.5x right now).Follow so you don't miss an episode. Rate & review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — it's how the next mom searching for these answers actually finds them. Share it with the friend who needs it.Questions or topic requests? DM me 💌

Send us Fan MailYour bones started changing before you noticed. Most women don't find out until something breaks.Dr. Jocelyn Wittstein — orthopedic surgeon at Duke and co-author of The Complete Bone and Joint Health Plan — is here to change that. We dig into what perimenopause and menopause actually do to your bones, joints, and shoulders, why osteoporosis risk flies under the radar for active women, and what the research on frozen shoulder and hormone therapy is finally telling us.If you've felt "off" in your body in your 40s and couldn't explain it… this is the episode.We cover:Bone density loss in perimenopause & menopauseFrozen shoulder, hormones & why women are disproportionately affectedOsteoporosis risk factors most providers missLow energy availability & your musculoskeletal systemSleep, nutrition & exercise for long-term bone healthWhat rehab after hip surgery actually looks likeNot medical advice. Always consult your own provider.Time Stamps1:00 introduction6:12 starting the perimenopause journey12:12 why do we wait until 65 for DEXA scan?18:23 the importance of HRT 23:20 how exercise intervention helps27:33 inflammation and joint pain37:04 putting together all of the symptoms41:45 changing reception of HRT43:40 advice to former self53:20 practical advice with nuance57:32 worst health traits62:41 rapid fire questionsCONNECT WITH CARRIEIG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/Website: https://carriepagliano.comCourse waitlist: https://course.carriepagliano.com/RSAWLCONNECT WITH JOCELYN:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jocelyn_wittstein_md/The Active Mom Podcast is A Real Moms' Guide to pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause & beyond for active moms & the professionals who help them in their journey.   This show has been a long time in the making!    You can expect conversation with moms and professionals from all aspects of the industry.    If you're like me, you don't have a lot of free time (heck, you're probably listening at 1.5x speed), so theses interviews will be quick hits to get your the pertinent information FAST!   If you love what you hear, share the podcast with a friend and leave us a 5 start rating and review. It helps us become more visible in the search algorithm! (Helps us get seen by more moms that need to hear these stories!!!!)The Active Mom Podcast — a real mom's guide to pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause & beyond, for active moms and the professionals who help them get there.Quick-hit conversations with moms, providers, and researchers... because you don't have a lot of free time (you're probably listening at 1.5x right now).Follow so you don't miss an episode. Rate & review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — it's how the next mom searching for these answers actually finds them. Share it with the friend who needs it.Questions or topic requests? DM me 💌

Send us Fan MailShe's run ultras. She's survived pregnancy nausea. She's raced with a baby at home. And she has opinions about all of it.In this episode, I'm joined by Dr. Erin Kennedy Dalisay — ortho & sports PT, run coach, marathoner, ultramarathoner, and founder of RunWell Clinic — and we are getting into ALL of it. The stuff nobody talks about. The stuff every running mom is thinking but hasn't heard addressed from someone who actually lives it and has the clinical expertise to back it up.We talk about the myths that are still floating around out there about running through pregnancy and coming back postpartum, what it's actually like to deal with nausea when you're used to pushing your body hard, and the question everyone wants to know the answer to… is childbirth harder than an ultra?We also get into what it really means to have an orthopedic lens on postpartum recovery — why coming back as an injured runner and coming back as a postpartum runner have more in common than you'd think — plus the honest, unglamorous logistics of racing when you're also a parent.If you've ever tried to figure out how to hold on to your identity as a runner while also holding a baby… this one is for you.In this episode we cover:The biggest myths about running in pregnancy and postpartum — debunkedNausea during pregnancy: what helped, what didn't, and how to keep movingIs childbirth harder than an ultra? She's done both and she's not holding backComparing pre- and postpartum performance — and how to actually think about itWhat an orthopedic perspective adds to postpartum return to runningThe real logistics of racing and parenting — scheduling, childcare, guilt, all of it📌 Since this interview was recorded, Erin has announced she's expecting baby #2 — and she's sharing the whole journey on InstagramTime Stamps1:00 introduction4:19 running her first marathon at 166:45 navigating running and pregnancy14:04 returning to running postpartum18:06 surprises with birth and postpartum21:33 deciding to run an ultra28:58 a new understanding of running postpartum35:00 training postpartum41:45 comparing ultras and childbirth47:57 recovering from the ultra50:20 balancing everything 54:07 rapid fire questionsCONNECT WITH CARRIEIG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/Website: https://carriepagliano.comCourse waitlist: https://course.carriepagliano.com/RSAWLCONNECT WITH ERIN:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runwellclinic/Website: runwellclinic.comThe Active Mom Podcast — a real mom's guide to pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause & beyond, for active moms and the professionals who help them get there.Quick-hit conversations with moms, providers, and researchers... because you don't have a lot of free time (you're probably listening at 1.5x right now).Follow so you don't miss an episode. Rate & review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — it's how the next mom searching for these answers actually finds them. Share it with the friend who needs it.Questions or topic requests? DM me 💌

Send us Fan MailShe was mid-serve at a volleyball match in Cyprus when the device fell out completely. It landed in her underwear. There was a crowd. She ran off the court, grabbed it, and ran back on—so fast her coach didn't even process what happened.That's Aimee Oliver's life as a high-impact athlete with stress urinary incontinence. And after 10 years of trial and error, devices, physio, compression shorts, counting how far she'd have to run to find a toilet before a Hyrox race—she finally reached her breaking point on a long run and said: enough.In this episode, Aimee opens up about the full arc of her journey—from the third-to-fourth degree tear after her first birth, to navigating leakage while representing Northern Ireland in volleyball, to qualifying for the Hyrox World Championships in Sweden and scheduling surgery for the Tuesday after she flies home. It's one of the most honest, specific, and relatable pelvic floor conversations we've had on this podcast.This isn't a story about giving up. It's about a woman who promised herself she would try everything—and what happens when you actually follow through on that promise.In this episode:What stress incontinence actually feels like during high-impact sport and competitionThe devices Aimee tried—what helped, what didn't, and one very memorable moment in CyprusWhy she dehydrated herself for years during national training camps (and what she knows now)Is pelvic floor PT always enough? A real, honest answerThe emotional weight of feeling broken in your own body as an athleteChoosing surgery: how she got there, how she picked her surgeon, and what urodynamics testing actually involvesCompeting in Hyrox Worlds—and scheduling surgery for two days after she lands homeThe genetic component: her mum, her daughter, and a pattern that can't be coincidenceRecovery realities: 3 months out of her training world and what she's doing with her headTime Stamps1:00 introduction4:42 speaking about her pelvic floor issues11:10 emotional struggles of feeling restricted15:43 investigating the cause of her symptoms23:50 overcoming the DIY hurdle27:35 deciding to have surgery and the experience39:04 doing all of the things42:23 life post-surgery50:00 rapid fire questionsCONNECT WITH CARRIEIG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/Website: https://carriepagliano.comCourse waitlist: https://course.carriepagliano.com/RSAWLCONNECT WITH AIMEE:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bodyfitmums/Website: www.bodyfitmums.co.ukThis podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice or create a provider-patient relationship. Always consult your own healthcare provider before making changes to your care.The Active Mom Podcast — a real mom's guide to pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause & beyond, for active moms and the professionals who help them get there.Quick-hit conversations with moms, providers, and researchers... because you don't have a lot of free time (you're probably listening at 1.5x right now).Follow so you don't miss an episode. Rate & review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — it's how the next mom searching for these answers actually finds them. Share it with the friend who needs it.Questions or topic requests? DM me 💌

Send us Fan MailAfter interviewing 10 pelvic floor support device companies—6 internal, 4 external—Dr. Carrie Pagliano sits down with researcher and pelvic health physiotherapist and researcher Dr. Christina Prevett to do what she couldn't do alone: process it all.This is the debrief episode for the Inside Pelvic Floor Support: Devices, Fit & What You Should Know mini-series—and it's where the real clinical conversation happens.Together they unpack what the marketing language actually means, how FDA clearance changes what a company can and can't say, why "neuromuscular facilitation" made Carrie twitch, and what both clinicians and consumers should actually be asking when considering a pelvic floor support device.They also tackle some of the bigger picture questions that came up across the series: When do you use a device alongside PT instead of waiting? What's the difference between a normal anatomical change and a symptomatic one? What does "failing PT" actually mean—and is it even the right framing? Who is a good candidate for internal versus external support? And how do access, cost, and geography affect all of it?This episode is for the clinician trying to make sense of an increasingly crowded market—and for the person with symptoms who just wants to know what might actually help.In this episode:Predispositions for pelvic floor dysfunction and non-modifiable anatomyUsing devices and PT in tandem, not in sequenceNormal pelvic changes versus symptomatic changesFDA-cleared vs. wellness device language—and why it mattersInternal versus external device profiles and patient fitIndustry-funded research: the double-edged swordAccess, cost, and the case for over-the-counter optionsGetting client buy-in when suggesting a deviceTime Stamps1:00 introduction3:15 PTs fitting pessaries and other devices9:21 prolapse management involving anatomy and symptoms14:44 physical comfort with pessaries17:58 cutting through the marketing20:45 FDA approval versus “wellness”26:10 studies versus real world use30:01 reality of external devices39:44 big takeaways from the seriesCONNECT WITH CARRIEIG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/Website: https://carriepagliano.comCONNECT WITH CHRISTINA:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.christina_prevett/Website: https://www.ksr.ualberta.ca/exerciseandpregnancy/Substack: https://christinaprevettphd.substack.com/This episode is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice or create a provider-patient relationship.The Active Mom Podcast — a real mom's guide to pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause & beyond, for active moms and the professionals who help them get there.Quick-hit conversations with moms, providers, and researchers... because you don't have a lot of free time (you're probably listening at 1.5x right now).Follow so you don't miss an episode. Rate & review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — it's how the next mom searching for these answers actually finds them. Share it with the friend who needs it.Questions or topic requests? DM me 💌

Send us Fan MailIn this episode of the Active Mom Podcast mini-series Inside Pelvic Floor Support: Devices, Fit & What You Should Know, we’re speaking with:Lauren Barker, CEO & Co-founder of Uresta—a company developing a self-managed internal support device for stress urinary incontinence.Uresta was designed to provide a more accessible alternative to traditional pessaries by allowing users to size, insert, and manage the device independently.We cover:  • how Uresta works mechanically (intravaginal bladder support)  • who it may be a good fit for (and who it’s not)  • how sizing and fitting works without a clinician  • how to use it correctly and common mistakes  • how it compares to traditional pessaries  • where it fits alongside pelvic floor rehab and return to activityTime Stamps:1:00 introduction2:34 how Uresta started6:37 how to use Uresta10:46 who this is for12:52 explaining the studies16:38 real world use21:23 common misconceptions22:18 rapid fire questionsUresta is a reusable device designed for daily or situational use and is available direct-to-consumer without a prescription on their website.💲 Starter Kit: ~$179 USD 💲 Replacement Size: ~$129 USDDiscount Code:  https://uresta.com/ACTIVEMOM (10% off) Website: https://uresta.com⚠️ Disclaimer:This content is for education only and does not replace individualized medical care. Pelvic floor symptoms are complex and highly individual—always consult your own provider before making changes.The Active Mom Podcast — a real mom's guide to pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause & beyond, for active moms and the professionals who help them get there.Quick-hit conversations with moms, providers, and researchers... because you don't have a lot of free time (you're probably listening at 1.5x right now).Follow so you don't miss an episode. Rate & review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — it's how the next mom searching for these answers actually finds them. Share it with the friend who needs it.Questions or topic requests? DM me 💌

Send us Fan MailIn this episode of the Active Mom Podcast mini-series  Inside Pelvic Floor Support: Devices, Fit & What You Should Know, we’re speaking with:Ariana Sopher, COO at Reia—a company developing a modern pessary for pelvic organ prolapse.Reia was designed to improve on traditional pessary models by allowing for easier insertion and removal through a collapsible shape and applicator system, making self-management more accessible.We cover:  • how Reia works mechanically (collapsible pessary + applicator system)  • how it compares to traditional pessaries  • who it may be a good fit for (and who it’s not)  • how sizing and fitting works  • how patients access it (prescription-only model)  • where it fits alongside pelvic floor rehab and return to activityTime Stamps:1:00 introduction5:27 how Reia works10:04 who is this for?15:48 real world use21:55 common misconceptions25:27 rapid fire questionsReia is a prescription-only device available in the U.S. and New Zealand and must be ordered through a qualified healthcare provider.💲: Approximately $200 (pessary + applicator) Website:https://reiahealth.com Contact: [email protected]⚠️ Disclaimer:This content is for education only and does not replace individualized medical care. Pelvic floor symptoms are complex and highly individual—always consult your own provider before making changes.The Active Mom Podcast — a real mom's guide to pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause & beyond, for active moms and the professionals who help them get there.Quick-hit conversations with moms, providers, and researchers... because you don't have a lot of free time (you're probably listening at 1.5x right now).Follow so you don't miss an episode. Rate & review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — it's how the next mom searching for these answers actually finds them. Share it with the friend who needs it.Questions or topic requests? DM me 💌

Send us Fan MailIn this episode of the Active Mom Podcast mini-series Inside Pelvic Floor Support: Devices, Fit & What You Should Know, we’re speaking with:Steve Bollinger, Founder @Revive—an internal pelvic floor support device company based out of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.Revive was developed to address stress urinary incontinence and light bladder leakage by providing internal urethral support using a tampon-like applicator system.We cover:  • how Revive works mechanically (intravaginal urethral support)  • who it may be a good fit for (and who it’s not)  • how to use it correctly and common mistakes  • how it compares to traditional pessaries  • where it fits alongside pelvic floor rehab and return to activityTime Stamps:1:00 introduction 2:52 how Revive started5:08 how Revive works9:01 who is this for?14:34 real world use19:18 common misconceptions23:44 rapid fire questionsRevive is a reusable device designed for daily or situational use and does not require sizing or clinician fitting, making it more accessible for many users.Their products are currently available in the U.S. via their website, Amazon, and Walmart.💲 ~$40–$60 per device (reusable; multi-pack options available)Discount Code: DOC10 (10% off any purchase)Website:https://userevive.com⚠️ Disclaimer:This content is for education only and does not replace individualized medical care. Pelvic floor symptoms are complex and highly individual—always consult your own provider before making changes.The Active Mom Podcast — a real mom's guide to pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause & beyond, for active moms and the professionals who help them get there.Quick-hit conversations with moms, providers, and researchers... because you don't have a lot of free time (you're probably listening at 1.5x right now).Follow so you don't miss an episode. Rate & review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — it's how the next mom searching for these answers actually finds them. Share it with the friend who needs it.Questions or topic requests? DM me 💌

Send us Fan MailIn this episode of the Active Mom Podcast mini-series Inside Pelvic Floor Support: Devices, Fit & What You Should Know, we’re speaking with:Goli Ameri, PhD (Head of Research) and Cara McDougall, MPT (Clinical Specialist, Founder of Toronto Pessary Clinic) from COSM Medical.COSM was founded by Derek Sham, BEng, MBA, whose background in developing widely used urodynamics systems helped shape a more personalized approach to pelvic health technology.COSM Gynethotics are custom-designed intravaginal devices created using 3D printing technology to match an individual’s anatomy and symptom presentation.We cover:  • how COSM Gynethotics work (internal structural support for prolapse + incontinence)  • how they differ from traditional pessaries (personalization vs standard sizing)  • who they may be a good fit for (including those who haven’t found success with standard devices)  • how the fitting process works (clinical exam + collaborative design)  • what to expect (manufacturing time, trial period, real-world use)  • where they fit alongside pelvic floor rehab and return to activityTime stamps:1:00 introduction3:41 how COSM started7:43 how COSM works12:06 who it’s for15:59 dealing with avulsions17:20 real world use24:09 common misconceptions27:19 rapid fire questionsThese devices are not available over the counter and must be accessed through trained healthcare providers in Canada and the United States, including professionals already fitting pessaries (such as pelvic health physical therapists).💲 ~$500 CAD per device  Website:https://cosm.care⚠️ Disclaimer:This content is for education only and does not replace individualized medical care. Pelvic floor symptoms are complex and highly individual—always consult your own provider before making changes.The Active Mom Podcast — a real mom's guide to pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause & beyond, for active moms and the professionals who help them get there.Quick-hit conversations with moms, providers, and researchers... because you don't have a lot of free time (you're probably listening at 1.5x right now).Follow so you don't miss an episode. Rate & review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — it's how the next mom searching for these answers actually finds them. Share it with the friend who needs it.Questions or topic requests? DM me 💌

Send us Fan MailIn this episode of the Active Mom Podcast mini-series Inside Pelvic Floor Support: Devices, Fit & What You Should Know, we’re speaking with:Melody Roberts, CEO & Co-founder of Liv Labs—a company developing a pelvic floor fitness device designed to support active women.Pippa is an internal resistance-based device that works by creating load within the vaginal canal to stimulate neuromuscular activation of the pelvic floor during movement.We cover:  • how Pippa works mechanically (internal resistance vs passive support)  • who it may be a good fit for (active women, runners, fitness-focused users)  • who it’s not designed for (e.g. prolapse support)  • how to use it correctly (applicator-based insertion)  • common misconceptions about strengthening and performance  • where it fits alongside pelvic floor rehab and return to activityTime Stamps:1:00 introduction2:30 how Pippa got started5:59 how Pippa works8:55 who is this for?12:34 research and development15:24 real world use19:30 common misconceptions24:26 quick fire questionsPippa is available direct-to-consumer in the U.S. and is designed for reusable, independent use.💲 Starter Kit: $99 💲 Fit Kit: $149Discount Code: ACTIVE-MOMS-FOR-THE-WIN (10% off + free shipping)  Website:https://livlabsfitness.com⚠️ Disclaimer:This content is for education only and does not replace individualized medical care. Pelvic floor symptoms are complex and highly individual—always consult your own provider before making changes.The Active Mom Podcast — a real mom's guide to pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause & beyond, for active moms and the professionals who help them get there.Quick-hit conversations with moms, providers, and researchers... because you don't have a lot of free time (you're probably listening at 1.5x right now).Follow so you don't miss an episode. Rate & review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — it's how the next mom searching for these answers actually finds them. Share it with the friend who needs it.Questions or topic requests? DM me 💌

Send us Fan MailIn this episode of the Active Mom Podcast mini-series Inside Pelvic Floor Support: Devices, Fit & What You Should Know, we’re speaking with:Sandra Whittle, pelvic health physiotherapist and inventor of SomaFlex—a device designed to provide a softer, more flexible approach to internal pelvic support.SomaFlex was developed to offer an alternative to more rigid internal devices by using a multi-directional, shape-shifting design that blends with the body’s tissues.We cover:  • how SomaFlex works mechanically (flexible intravaginal support)  • how it differs from traditional pessaries  • who it may be a good fit for (and who it’s not)  • how sizing and fitting works  • how to use it correctly and common mistakes  • where it fits alongside pelvic floor rehab and return to activityTime Stamps:1:00 introduction2:45 how SOMA started8:48 who this is for10:34 real life application16:07 common misunderstandings20:36 dealing with birth injuries22:51 quick fire questionsSomaFlex is available as a starter kit and single units, designed for independent use and flexible wear depending on activity level.💲 Starter Kit: ~£80 💲 Single Unit: ~£60Discount Code: CP10 (10% off purchase) Website:https://somalives.com⚠️ Disclaimer:This content is for education only and does not replace individualized medical care. Pelvic floor symptoms are complex and highly individual—always consult your own provider before making changes.The Active Mom Podcast — a real mom's guide to pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause & beyond, for active moms and the professionals who help them get there.Quick-hit conversations with moms, providers, and researchers... because you don't have a lot of free time (you're probably listening at 1.5x right now).Follow so you don't miss an episode. Rate & review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — it's how the next mom searching for these answers actually finds them. Share it with the friend who needs it.Questions or topic requests? DM me 💌

Send us Fan MailIn this episode of the Active Mom Podcast mini-series Inside Pelvic Floor Support: Devices, Fit & What You Should Know, we’re speaking with:Lauren Fleming, Founder @HEM Support Wear—an external pelvic floor support device company based out of Central Texas (just outside Austin).HEM Support Wear is a woman-founded pelvic health company redefining what support looks and feels like. After developing pelvic organ prolapse following the birth of her first child, Lauren couldn’t find a discreet, comfortable option that actually helped—so she created one.We cover: • how the device works mechanically • who it may be a good fit for (and who it’s not) • how to use and fit it in real life • where it fits alongside pelvic floor rehab and return to activityTime Stamps:1:00 Introduction2:30 the founding of HEM4:21 how HEM works6:30 who this is for9:31 real world use12:332 common misconceptions15:37 rapid fire questionsHEM’s patented support garment uses an internal support panel to gently lift and support the pelvic floor—designed to integrate into daily life rather than feel like a brace or medical device.Their devices are currently available online via their website, with shipping across the U.S. and internationally (Australia, New Zealand, the UK, and Canada).💲 ~$70–$130 (varies by product type and bundle)💻 DISCOUNT CODE: $15 off with code ACTIVEMOM15🔗https://hemsupportwear.com⚠️ Disclaimer:This content is for education only and does not replace individualized medical care. Pelvic floor symptoms are complex and highly individual—always consult your own provider before making changes.The Active Mom Podcast — a real mom's guide to pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause & beyond, for active moms and the professionals who help them get there.Quick-hit conversations with moms, providers, and researchers... because you don't have a lot of free time (you're probably listening at 1.5x right now).Follow so you don't miss an episode. Rate & review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — it's how the next mom searching for these answers actually finds them. Share it with the friend who needs it.Questions or topic requests? DM me 💌

Send us Fan MailIn this episode of the Active Mom Podcast mini-series Inside Pelvic Floor Support: Devices, Fit & What You Should Know, we’re speaking with:Jeanice Mitchell, Inventor @myPelvicBra—an external pelvic floor support device company based out of Central Texas (Killeen).As a pelvic floor physical therapist with prolapse herself, she set out to create a device that offered supportive, discreet, external lift—something she couldn’t find in existing pelvic health products.We cover: • how the device works mechanically • who it may be a good fit for (and who it’s not) • how to use and fit it in real life • where it fits alongside pelvic floor rehab and return to activityTime Stamps:1:00 introduction3:15 how My Pelvic Bra was founded7:00 how it works12:31 who is this for16:17 real world use20:55 common misconceptions25:19 rapid fire questionsTheir devices are currently available online via their website and Amazon, with global shipping (where DHL ships).💲 ~$49-$79 USD (depending on style and configuration)Discount Code: Active25 (25% off your first product) Website:https://mypelvicbra.shop⚠️ Disclaimer:This content is for education only and does not replace individualized medical care. Pelvic floor symptoms are complex and highly individual—always consult your own provider before making changes.The Active Mom Podcast — a real mom's guide to pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause & beyond, for active moms and the professionals who help them get there.Quick-hit conversations with moms, providers, and researchers... because you don't have a lot of free time (you're probably listening at 1.5x right now).Follow so you don't miss an episode. Rate & review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — it's how the next mom searching for these answers actually finds them. Share it with the friend who needs it.Questions or topic requests? DM me 💌

Send us Fan MailIn this episode of the Active Mom Podcast mini-series Inside Pelvic Floor Support: Devices, Fit & What You Should Know, we’re speaking with:Sinead O’Donovan, Founder SRCHealth—an external pelvic floor support garment company based out of Port Melbourne, Australia.After experiencing significant pelvic girdle pain and postpartum recovery challenges, Sinead set out to create a garment that could provide functional, comfortable support for women navigating pregnancy and recovery.We cover:  • how SRC garments work mechanically (panel-based compression)  • the role of perineal support in symptom management  • who it may be a good fit for (and who it’s not)  • how to properly measure and fit the garment  • where it fits alongside pelvic floor rehab and return to activityTime Stamps:1:00 introduction3:30 founding SRC6:49 explaining different support garments12:05 who these are for15:45 testing and research17:46 real-world use23:19 answering common concernsSRC garments are designed to provide gentle, sustained compression—not high-pressure “shapewear”—to support muscle activation, symptom reduction, and recovery across pregnancy, postpartum, and beyond.Their products are available worldwide via their website and through clinicians trained in fitting and prescription.💲 ~$180–$220 (AUD) ≈ $115–$145 USD (depending on exchange rate)Discount Code: https://srchealth.com/?ref=ACTIVEMOM10 (10% off any purchase) Website:https://srchealth.com⚠️ Disclaimer:This content is for education only and does not replace individualized medical care. Pelvic floor symptoms are complex and highly individual—always consult your own provider before making changes.The Active Mom Podcast — a real mom's guide to pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause & beyond, for active moms and the professionals who help them get there.Quick-hit conversations with moms, providers, and researchers... because you don't have a lot of free time (you're probably listening at 1.5x right now).Follow so you don't miss an episode. Rate & review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — it's how the next mom searching for these answers actually finds them. Share it with the friend who needs it.Questions or topic requests? DM me 💌

Send us Fan MailIn this episode of the Active Mom Podcast mini-seriesInside Pelvic Floor Support: Devices, Fit & What You Should Know, we’re speaking with:Rosie Dumbrell, physiotherapist and founder of Everform Therapywear—a company developing compression garments designed specifically for pelvic floor support.Everform uses a targeted compression system (Femcore™ technology) to provide more support to the pelvic floor and lower abdomen—aiming to improve symptoms like leakage, heaviness, and pelvic girdle pain.We cover: • how Everform works mechanically (pelvic floor-first compression + lift effect) • how it differs from traditional shapewear or compression • who it may be a good fit for (pregnancy, postpartum, active women, perimenopause) • how to properly fit and wear the garments • common mistakes and troubleshooting • where it fits alongside pelvic floor rehab and return to activityTime Stamps:1:00 Introduction2:47 how Everform started6:20 how it works10:27 who it’s for15:53 how to get it19:59 research involved in design23:37 quick fire questionsEverform garments are designed for daily wear and activity, with options ranging from underwear to full compression leggings.Their products are available globally via their website and through clinician-supported fitting.💲 ~$99–$159 AUD (~$65–$105 USD) Discount Code: ACTIVEMOM15 ($15 off your purchase) Website: https://everformwear.com.au⚠️ Disclaimer:This content is for education only and does not replace individualized medical care. Pelvic floor symptoms are complex and highly individual—always consult your own provider before making changes.The Active Mom Podcast — a real mom's guide to pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause & beyond, for active moms and the professionals who help them get there.Quick-hit conversations with moms, providers, and researchers... because you don't have a lot of free time (you're probably listening at 1.5x right now).Follow so you don't miss an episode. Rate & review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — it's how the next mom searching for these answers actually finds them. Share it with the friend who needs it.Questions or topic requests? DM me 💌

Send us Fan MailIn Part 2 of this conversation, I’m joined again by Melissa Davidson, specialist pelvic health physiotherapist, clinical educator, and PhD, to go deeper into the clinical realities of pelvic organ prolapse, levator ani avulsions, and pessary use.This episode moves beyond definitions and into what actually matters in practice: clinical decision-making, patient education, and navigating an evolving pelvic health landscape where access is expanding—but not always with the training to support it.We talk about how to explain complex diagnoses in a way patients can actually understand, why accurate assessment matters, and how clinicians can balance symptom management with long-term capacity building.We also unpack the growing conversation around pessaries—including types, fitting considerations, complications, and the rise of over-the-counter options—and what that means for both patients and providers.This is a nuanced conversation about where pelvic health care is right now… and where it still needs to go.In this episode, we discuss: Different types of pessaries and how they’re used  What levator avulsions are (and why they matter)  Clinical decision-making in prolapse care  Potential complications and limitations of pessary use  The importance of provider training and ongoing education  What “high tone” actually means (and why it’s often misunderstood)  The role of mental health and psychological support in pelvic floor conditionsTime Stamps1:00 avulsions explained7:05 proper diagnoses of pelvic floor issues14:00 over-the-counter pessaries20:55 cutting through the marketing29:33 expanding access while preserving quality care33:33 what we don’t know40:26 how the research changes clinical practiceCONNECT WITH CARRIEIG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/Website: https://carriepagliano.comCONNECT WITH MELISSA:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drmelissapelvicphysio/Website: https://www.drmelissadavidson.com/The Active Mom Podcast — a real mom's guide to pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause & beyond, for active moms and the professionals who help them get there.Quick-hit conversations with moms, providers, and researchers... because you don't have a lot of free time (you're probably listening at 1.5x right now).Follow so you don't miss an episode. Rate & review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — it's how the next mom searching for these answers actually finds them. Share it with the friend who needs it.Questions or topic requests? DM me 💌

Send us Fan MailIn this episode, I sit down with Melissa Davidson, specialist physiotherapist in pelvic health, clinical educator, and PhD, to break down some of the most misunderstood topics in pelvic health. From prolapse to levator avulsions to the role of pessaries, this conversation focuses on what’s actually happening in the body and how we can move away from fear-based messaging toward informed, empowering care.We discuss the reality of anatomical changes, what “normal” really means, and why modification is often more helpful than restriction. Melissa shares clinical insight on assessing and managing prolapse, understanding tissue changes, and helping women feel more confident in their bodies across different life stages, including menopause.We talk about:-Modification over restriction-The role and use of pessaries-Normal anatomical changes-The importance of proper measurements-Tearing and levator avulsions-HRT considerations in menopauseTime Stamps1:00 Introduction6:58 the reality of prolapse17:04 the anatomy of a prolapse21:53 understanding what “normal” means27:45 empowering women before birth31:15 tearing and avulsions38:18 the perineumCONNECT WITH CARRIEIG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/Website: https://carriepagliano.comCONNECT WITH MELISSA:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drmelissapelvicphysio/Website: https://www.drmelissadavidson.com/The Active Mom Podcast — a real mom's guide to pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause & beyond, for active moms and the professionals who help them get there.Quick-hit conversations with moms, providers, and researchers... because you don't have a lot of free time (you're probably listening at 1.5x right now).Follow so you don't miss an episode. Rate & review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — it's how the next mom searching for these answers actually finds them. Share it with the friend who needs it.Questions or topic requests? DM me 💌

Send us Fan MailWhat if improving postpartum care in the U.S. didn’t cost anything—but still hasn’t happened?In this episode, I sit down with pelvic floor physical therapist and advocate Gail Zitterkopf, PT, DPT to break down the Optimizing Postpartum Outcomes Act (H.R. 4074)—and why it matters more than most people realize.We get into what this bill actually does, how systems like Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP shape access to care, and why pelvic floor therapy is still missing from standard pregnancy and postpartum support. The surprising part? This bill has been scored at zero cost—and still hasn’t passed. This conversation is about more than policy—it’s about access, awareness, and what it will take to move women’s health forward.In this episode, we cover: What the Postpartum Care Bill (H.R. 4074) actually means  The role of Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP in postpartum care  Why gaps in care still exist—and what needs to change  How to contact your representatives and support the bill  Why your story matters in advocacyTime Stamps1:00 Introduction3:30 origins of the bill8:15 explaining the bill11:50 actions you can take19:00 increasing awareness CONNECT WITH CARRIEIG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/Website: https://carriepagliano.comCONNECT WITH GAIL:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aptapelvic/Resource links:Bill As Entered into Federal Register: H.R.4074 - 119th Congress (2025-2026): Optimizing Postpartum Outcomes Act of 2025 | Congress.gov | Library of CongressAcademy Letter Template and Resources: https://www.aptapelvichealth.org/hr4074  Contact your legislatorsHouse: https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representativeSenate: https://www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htmAPTA advocacy resourcesWebsite: https://www.apta.org/advocacyApp:  APTA Advocacy AppThe Active Mom Podcast — a real mom's guide to pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause & beyond, for active moms and the professionals who help them get there.Quick-hit conversations with moms, providers, and researchers... because you don't have a lot of free time (you're probably listening at 1.5x right now).Follow so you don't miss an episode. Rate & review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — it's how the next mom searching for these answers actually finds them. Share it with the friend who needs it.Questions or topic requests? DM me 💌

Send us Fan MailWhat does pregnancy and postpartum really look like for female athletes—especially at the elite level?And more importantly… are we still treating it like a problem to manage instead of a phase to train through?In this episode of the Active Mom Podcast, I sit down with Emma Brockwell, pelvic health physiotherapist working at the highest levels of women’s sport—including Women’s Super League football, FIFA, and the Netball Super League.Emma has been at the forefront of shifting the conversation around pregnancy, postpartum recovery, and return to sport—not just in clinical settings, but on the field with professional athletes.She’s also:Co-founder of The Athletic FemaleCo-author of the 2019 UK Postpartum Return to Running GuidelineAuthor of Why Did No One Tell Me?This conversation goes beyond rehab timelines and checklists.We get into the evolution of care—from fear-based, overly cautious approaches to a more modern, performance-informed model that respects both physiology and athletic identity.We talk about:The old model vs the new model of pregnancy & postpartum care in athletesWhat’s actually happening with female pro athletes during pregnancy and postpartumWhy fear-based messaging is still showing up—and how to move beyond itHow to maintain play and training during pregnancy (not just “stay active”)Navigating hyperemesis and exerciseWhy avoiding deconditioning matters more than we thinkThe ongoing debate around relaxin and injury riskWhat clinicians and coaches often miss when supporting postpartum athletesResearch We Discuss:“Kicking Off Motherhood: Considering Return to Play Postpartum in the Footballer” Sports Medicine, August 25, 2025“Pregnant Pitches: Navigating Football Before and During Pregnancy” Sports Medicine, August 25, 2025“Stepping into Play: a FIFA decision aid for football participation after childbirth” British Journal of Sports Medicine, March 2026These papers are helping reshape how we think about return to play—not as a fixed timeline, but as a decision-making process grounded in context, capacity, and the individual athlete.🎧 Listen, Subscribe & Share:If this episode changed how you think about pregnancy, postpartum, or return to sport—share it with a coach, clinician, or athlete who needs to hear it.Time Stamps1:00 Introduction8:25 the rise of the professional female athlete15:29 investigations risks of contact 20:40 making individual decisions27:43 taking the comparison out of pregnancy35:13 breastfeeding and injuries43:40 the importance of sleep47:30 RED-s and low energy availability57:17 rapid fire questionsCONNECT WITH CARRIEIG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/Website: https://carriepagliano.comCONNECT WITH EMMA:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/physiomumuk/Website: www.physiomum.co.ukThe Active Mom Podcast — a real mom's guide to pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause & beyond, for active moms and the professionals who help them get there.Quick-hit conversations with moms, providers, and researchers... because you don't have a lot of free time (you're probably listening at 1.5x right now).Follow so you don't miss an episode. Rate & review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — it's how the next mom searching for these answers actually finds them. Share it with the friend who needs it.Questions or topic requests? DM me 💌

Send us Fan MailWhat does it actually look like to keep running when life shifts in a big way — like pregnancy, postpartum recovery, and becoming a parent?In this episode of the Active Mom Podcast, I’m joined by Laura Norris — certified running coach, science writer, and co-host of the Tread Lightly Podcast. Laura has coached more than 500 runners, from brand-new runners to podium finishers, and is known for bringing a thoughtful, evidence-informed approach to training. You may also recognize her work from Runner’s World, NPR Life Kit, Outside, GQ, Self, and Shape, or from her long-running website and Substack.But this conversation isn’t just about coaching theory.Laura shares what it was like to move through pregnancy, postpartum recovery, and the transition into motherhood while continuing to run, coach athletes, and rethink what training and performance look like in a new season of life.We talk about the messy middle — the recalibration that happens when your body, priorities, sleep, and identity are all shifting at once.This is a thoughtful, honest conversation about running, motherhood, mental health, and the evolving relationship many women have with sport over time.We talk about:Running through pregnancy and postpartumLearning to listen to your body when expectations and reality don’t matchThe identity shift that can come with transitioning into motherhoodRecognizing and talking openly about postpartum depressionGetting your kids outside and building a family culture around movementHow Laura’s coaching philosophy has evolved after becoming a momIf you’re navigating pregnancy, postpartum, or the early years of motherhood while trying to stay connected to running, this conversation will likely feel very familiar.And if you coach runners? Laura shares some great perspective on how lived experience changes the way we guide others.Time Stamps1:00 Introduction2:18 distilling studies in a concise way5:09 navigating running and motherhood12:33 having a breech baby16:17 recovering from a c-section22:28 handling different stages of childhood29:15 finding yourself in motherhood34:20 being a running coach38:43 collaborations on the podcast43:50 exposure and normalization48:03 rapid fir questionsCONNECT WITH CARRIEIG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/Website: https://carriepagliano.comCONNECT WITH LAURA:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauranorrisrunning/Website: https://lauranorrisrunning.substack.com/The Active Mom Podcast — a real mom's guide to pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause & beyond, for active moms and the professionals who help them get there.Quick-hit conversations with moms, providers, and researchers... because you don't have a lot of free time (you're probably listening at 1.5x right now).Follow so you don't miss an episode. Rate & review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — it's how the next mom searching for these answers actually finds them. Share it with the friend who needs it.Questions or topic requests? DM me 💌

Send us Fan MailThe Active Mom Podcast just crossed 100,000 downloads and 200+ episodes, which honestly feels a little surreal. So for this one, I did something a little different… In this solo episode, I reflect on how the podcast started back when it was the Active Mom Postpartum Podcast, how it evolved into conversations about pregnancy, postpartum, pelvic floor health, return to running, perimenopause, and menopause, and some of the guests and moments that shaped the show along the way.I talk about the interviews that challenged my thinking the most, the hardest episodes to record, and how talking with researchers, clinicians, athletes, and everyday moms has changed the way I practice as a pelvic floor physical therapist.This podcast has always been about one thing: making women’s health research, pelvic floor information, women's stories and real conversations about movement and performance more accessible.In this episode I talk about:• Why I started the Active Mom Podcast • What it means to reach 100,000 downloads in a very niche space • How the show evolved from postpartum conversations to women’s health across the lifespan • Some of the guests and research conversations that shaped my thinking • The episodes that were the hardest to record • Misunderstandings that still exist around pelvic floor function and exercise • What I hope the next chapter of the podcast createsIf you've been listening for a while, I'd love to hear your favorite episode or guest — send me a message and let me know.If this podcast has helped you feel more informed, less alone, or more confident navigating symptoms like leakage, prolapse, pain, or return to running, I’d love for you to share it with a friend or leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐review.Thanks for being here and for helping make 200 episodes possible.Topics discussed: pelvic floor health, postpartum recovery, return to running, women’s health, pregnancy exercise, perimenopause, menopause, prolapse, leakage, research in women’s healthTime Stamps1:00 Introduction2:57 quick fire questions7:20 why I started the podcast11:31 how the show has evolved15:39 shifts in clinical practice19:44 new things we’ve learned22:17 difficult episodes to record27:14 looking back at the start30:55 most overused phrases in women’s health36:27 changing your mind over timeCONNECT WITH CARRIEIf you’re looking for deeper support — whether you’re postpartum, navigating perimenopause, or trying to run and lift without symptoms — reach out. IG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/Website: https://carriepagliano.comThe Active Mom Podcast — a real mom's guide to pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause & beyond, for active moms and the professionals who help them get there.Quick-hit conversations with moms, providers, and researchers... because you don't have a lot of free time (you're probably listening at 1.5x right now).Follow so you don't miss an episode. Rate & review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — it's how the next mom searching for these answers actually finds them. Share it with the friend who needs it.Questions or topic requests? DM me 💌

Send us Fan MailMenopause care is changing — but not fast enough.In this episode of the Active Mom Podcast, I sit down with Ingrid Harm-Ernandes, PT — a physical therapist with more than 40 years of experience in women’s health, known as “The Pelvic Detective” on YouTube and author of The Musculoskeletal Mystery: How to Solve Your Pelvic Floor Symptoms. Ingrid has spent decades pushing for earlier access to pelvic health care, better clinical reasoning, and more respect for the complexity of women’s bodies across the lifespan.This conversation isn’t about trendy soundbites. It’s about what’s actually shifting in menopause and perimenopause care — and what still needs to change.We talk honestly about why individualized pelvic floor treatment matters more than ever, how exercise plays a critical role in perimenopause and menopause, and why we need to stop oversimplifying women’s health into one-size-fits-all solutions. Ingrid shares perspective from four decades in practice — what’s improved, what hasn’t, and what we can learn from previous generations of women who were told their symptoms were “just part of aging.”We also unpack the role of social media in pelvic health education — the good, the bad, and the nuance — and how emerging research in women’s health is shaping more comprehensive, lifespan-based care.If you care about pelvic floor dysfunction, menopause symptoms, individualized rehab, strength training in midlife, or long-term musculoskeletal health for active women — this conversation is for you.We discuss:Advocacy for better women’s health care and earlier access to pelvic PTThe evolution of menopause and perimenopause treatmentWhy individualized pelvic floor care is essentialExercise, strength, and musculoskeletal health in midlifeCoordinating the pelvic floor with the whole systemEmerging research shaping women’s healthWhat we can learn from previous generationsSupporting women across the full lifespanMenopause isn’t an endpoint. It’s a transition. And women deserve care that reflects that.If this episode resonates, share it with a friend who needs better answers.Time Stamps1:00 Introduction7:28 the rise in awareness around menopause and perimenopause12:25 the role of PTs in menopause care16:30 exercise in perimenopause 21:20 how advice has changed28:40 bridging the gap between postpartum and perimenopause32:10 including strength training and plyometrics39:25 opportunities for increasing awareness46:25 rapid fire questionsCONNECT WITH CARRIEIG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/Website: https://carriepagliano.comCONNECT WITH INGRID:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/harmernandes/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ingrid-harm-ernandes-5057773b/The Active Mom Podcast — a real mom's guide to pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause & beyond, for active moms and the professionals who help them get there.Quick-hit conversations with moms, providers, and researchers... because you don't have a lot of free time (you're probably listening at 1.5x right now).Follow so you don't miss an episode. Rate & review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — it's how the next mom searching for these answers actually finds them. Share it with the friend who needs it.Questions or topic requests? DM me 💌