The Barbell Mamas Podcast | Pregnancy, Postpartum, Pelvic Health

A viral video of a near term athlete lifting sparked a surprisingly supportive comment section and it signals a real shift: more people now accept that strength training during pregnancy can be normal, safe, and empowering when it is approached thoughtfully. We lean into that momentum and share the principles we use to help active moms train with confidence instead of fear, whether you are a recreational lifter, a CrossFit athlete, or someone simply trying to stay strong for everyday life. We start with the idea that there are no hard and fast rules for lifting while pregnant. Some people feel great bracing and moving heavier loads, others feel better dialing back intensity, range of motion, or volume, and both can be valid. The right approach depends on your fitness going into pregnancy, what movements you have practiced, and the specifics of your pregnancy. Our goal is to help you make individualized decisions rather than follow blanket restrictions that do not fit your body. Next, we break down the pregnancy changes that affect training: ligament laxity, rib and pelvis changes, shifting posture, and why muscles become your dynamic support system as your center of mass changes. Then we make “listen to your body” actually actionable by naming the signals that matter most for the pelvic floor and core. We talk about symptoms like heaviness, leaking, and pain as capacity cues that suggest adjusting load, effort, or technique, and we explain why coning alone is not always the deal breaker people think it is. We also challenge the outdated belief that pregnancy is never the time to start exercising, because smart, scaled strength work can make pregnancy and postpartum less punishing. If this helped, subscribe, share it with a training partner, and leave a review. What is the biggest question you have about lifting during pregnancy right now?___________________________________________________________________________Don't miss out on any of the TEA coming out of the Barbell Mamas by subscribing to our newsletter You can also follow us on Instagram and YouTube for all the up-to-date information you need about pelvic health and female athletes. Interested in our programs? Check us out here! 

You can do everything “right” and still feel blindsided after birth. That’s the heart of today’s conversation: why so many moms reach the postpartum months and think, I wish I would have known, and how that gap in education can quietly break trust in the healthcare system.We talk about informed consent in pregnancy and postpartum through a pelvic health lens, including what changes are expected after vaginal delivery, what can shift with pushing, and why interventions like tearing, episiotomy, vacuum, or forceps may affect pelvic floor recovery. We also name the uncomfortable truth that many people are led to believe their body will return to exact pre-pregnancy function, when reality is more nuanced. This is not about doom or blame. It’s about realistic expectations, better preparation, and clear options, including what pelvic floor physical therapy can support during postpartum recovery and return to exercise.A big thread is communication: how do clinicians discuss risk, pelvic organ prolapse, and symptom monitoring without accidentally creating fear, pain sensitization, or kinesiophobia? I share a personal story about blood pressure anxiety and “white coat hypertension” to show how the way we talk about health can shape how the body responds. We also zoom out to the bigger system, including how new pelvic floor research takes time to reach everyday care, and why proactive preconception education could change everything for active moms and athletes.If this resonates, subscribe for more evidence-informed conversations on exercise during pregnancy, postpartum rehab, and pelvic health, then share this with a friend who deserved clearer answers. After you listen, leave a review and tell us: what did you wish someone had explained before birth?___________________________________________________________________________Don't miss out on any of the TEA coming out of the Barbell Mamas by subscribing to our newsletter You can also follow us on Instagram and YouTube for all the up-to-date information you need about pelvic health and female athletes. Interested in our programs? Check us out here! 

Waiting for a single “all clear” date after birth leaves a lot of active moms stuck between fear and frustration. We walk through the early postpartum exercise framework I use with clients, starting from the first couple of weeks and extending into the messy middle months when progress feels slow. If you’re trying to return to strength training, CrossFit-style workouts, cardio, or just basic movement with confidence, this gives you a practical path forward that respects healing and your identity as someone who loves to train. We talk about when you can begin postpartum rehabilitation, including gentle pelvic floor contractions, bracing, and core canister retraining, and why I push back on the idea that you must do nothing for six weeks. Then we get specific: bodyweight exercises like squats, step-ups, and lunges can often work early for both vaginal delivery and C-section recovery, with simple modifications if scar tissue or pulling shows up. We also cover “green light” options that can feel amazing mentally and physically, like low-impact cardio on a rower or bike and lighter seated upper body work, so you can train without constantly second-guessing every rep. The heart of the episode is learning your “clinical buoys,” the key signs that guide your return to impact exercise, running, jumping, and heavier lifting. We break down what matters most, including increased bleeding, clotting, pain, pelvic floor symptoms, and heaviness, and how these cues help you balance work and rest while you rebuild capacity. We also zoom out to the real-life factors that shape recovery, sleep, stress, feeding demands, tearing severity, and the comparison trap, especially during the tough five-to-nine-month window when you think you “should” feel back to normal. Subscribe for more evidence-informed pregnancy and postpartum fitness guidance, share this with a mum who is ready to move again, and leave a review if the framework helps. What part of postpartum training feels hardest for you right now?___________________________________________________________________________Don't miss out on any of the TEA coming out of the Barbell Mamas by subscribing to our newsletter You can also follow us on Instagram and YouTube for all the up-to-date information you need about pelvic health and female athletes. Interested in our programs? Check us out here! 

The loudest voices on the internet say “don’t lift heavy when you’re pregnant.” We say: let’s look at what the body does, what the research shows, and how to train with confidence. Christina Previtt, pelvic floor physical therapist, researcher, and mom of two, unpacks three persistent myths—weight caps, benching on your back, and never holding your breath—and replaces them with clear, symptom-led guidance that respects both performance and pregnancy.We start by clarifying the landscape: strength training is not one thing. Powerlifting, Olympic weightlifting, strongman, and CrossFit all stress the body differently, and pregnancy asks you to meet those demands with smart adjustments. Christina walks through new data from hundreds of recreational lifters training above 85% of their one-rep max and explains why the old 20 to 30 pound rule came from a lack of data, not evidence of harm. She also breaks down supine hypotensive syndrome, how to spot symptoms like dizziness or nausea, and simple fixes like using an incline for pressing so you can keep the bar moving safely.Breath is the other lightning rod. The valsalva maneuver increases stability and load capacity, and recent studies show no adverse fetal effects during short efforts. Christina shares when exhaling on exertion can reduce pelvic floor strain, how to decide between strategies based on symptoms and goals, and why birth prep means practicing the opposite of max bracing. If you’re great at holding tension, you’ll benefit from learning to let go—especially in late-stage labor when pelvic floor relaxation matters most.This conversation is built for lifters, coaches, clinicians, and curious partners who want evidence, not fear. You’ll leave with practical benchmarks to scale effort, scripts to collaborate with your provider, and a mindset shift: adjust your strategy, not your identity. Subscribe, share with a training partner, and leave a review to help more strong parents find real guidance. What myth should we tackle next?___________________________________________________________________________Don't miss out on any of the TEA coming out of the Barbell Mamas by subscribing to our newsletter You can also follow us on Instagram and YouTube for all the up-to-date information you need about pelvic health and female athletes. Interested in our programs? Check us out here! 

Having a strong brace is important for lifting heavy weights. It is a critical part of CrossFit, powerlifting and weightlifting. Not to mention just life. We use bracing when we move couches, pick up our kiddos etc.   Weightlifting belts are a performance aid that really helps us to create stiffness through our midline to lift more as well.  We did an entire video on it on our YouTube channel.   Knowing HOW to brace and use a weightlifting belt though is super important for our pelvic floors AND our performance. 50% of women pee when they lift heavy weights. That is a massive number! But there is things we can do about it. We break it all down in this week's podcast episode If youre interested in learning specifica considerations for returning to bracing postpartum, check out our Barbells after Babies Webinar free. ___________________________________________________________________________Don't miss out on any of the TEA coming out of the Barbell Mamas by subscribing to our newsletter You can also follow us on Instagram and YouTube for all the up-to-date information you need about pelvic health and female athletes. Interested in our programs? Check us out here! 

Over half to as manyas 75% of pregnant individuals will experience some amount of muscular pain. The most common of which is pelvic girdle pain.   So many mamas can go to their providers and be told that there is nothing that they can do and that theyjust need to "wait until the baby comes out"   That is simply not true!  In this episode, Christina breaks down the myths then talks about the methods of treatment for pelvic girdle pain during your pregnancy.  If this is you, don't worry - there are things we can do to help! ___________________________________________________________________________Don't miss out on any of the TEA coming out of the Barbell Mamas by subscribing to our newsletter You can also follow us on Instagram and YouTube for all the up-to-date information you need about pelvic health and female athletes. Interested in our programs? Check us out here! 

It is hopefully coming from a good place but no one gives more advice about your body and your cgoices than when you are pregnant.   Don't do this. Watch out for that. You're going to ruin this.  Ick   It's also really harmful and potentially hurtful  We put it out to all of you on "what is the worst advice you got when you were pregnant" and we got SO MANY RESPONSES.   Christina goes through them in this week's podcast episode and where they came from/ what is true vs isn't. Gosh you all delivered!______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Don't miss out on any of the TEA coming out of the Barbell Mamas by subscribing to our newsletter You can also follow us on Instagram and YouTube for all the up-to-date information you need about pelvic health and female athletes. Interested in our programs? Check us out here! 

Gymnastics and body weight movements are a big portion of many CrossFit and calisthetics programs. They require you to bring your chin, feet or entire body over a bar. These movements are also incredibly CORE dominant. When you are pregnant, there is a lot of advice swirling around the internet. Some is good... some is not. Then when you have baby and are postpartum, there is big rehab process that many people feel lost navigating. In this episode, we talk about myths and misconceptions about returning to gymnastics after baby.  This builds on our podcast from last week with Pamela Gagnon. Have any other questions? Check out our YouTube channel. TBM Episode 11___________________________________________________________________________Don't miss out on any of the TEA coming out of the Barbell Mamas by subscribing to our newsletter You can also follow us on Instagram and YouTube for all the up-to-date information you need about pelvic health and female athletes. Interested in our programs? Check us out here! 

Having a strong brace is important for lifting heavy weights. It is a critical part of CrossFit, powerlifting and weightlifting. Not to mention just life. We use bracing when we move couches, pick up our kiddos etc.   Weightlifting belts are a performance aid that really helps us to create stiffness through our midline to lift more as well.  We did an entire video on it on our YouTube channel. Knowing HOW to brace and use a weightlifting belt though is super important for our pelvic floors AND our performance. 50% of women pee when they lift heavy weights. That is a massive number! But there is things we can do about it. We break it all down in this week's podcast episode If youre interested in learning specifica considerations for returning to bracing postpartum, check out our Barbells after Babies Webinar free. ___________________________________________________________________________Don't miss out on any of the TEA coming out of the Barbell Mamas by subscribing to our newsletter You can also follow us on Instagram and YouTube for all the up-to-date information you need about pelvic health and female athletes. Interested in our programs? Check us out here!