Welcome to the Active Mom Podcast — where real motherhood stories meet real science.
Hosted by Dr. Carrie Pagliano, double board-certified physical therapist, runner, mom of two, and internationally recognized expert in pregnancy, postpartum, pelvic floor, and perimenopause performance.
Whether you’re a mom navigating running with prolapse or leakage, a clinician supporting active women, or a lifelong athlete trying to stay strong through every hormonal season — this show gives you evidence-based guidance and real life mom stories without the fear, confusion, or shame.
Each week, Dr. Carrie brings candid conversations with researchers, clinicians, elite athletes, and everyday moms to explore what it actually takes to run, lift, jump, and live confidently through pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause, and beyond.
We talk about: • Postpartum return to running & lifting • Pelvic floor symptoms (leakage, prolapse, pain) • Pregnancy exercise myths & safety • Strength training at every age • Perimenopause performance & hormone changes • Mental health, identity shifts & motherhood • The realities of being an active mom in a busy life
Real talk. Real science. Real moms.
Because you deserve to feel strong and supported — at every stage of your active life.
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Is Pilates enough? How much is "enough" protein? What does "lifting heavy" ACTUALLY mean?
In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Alyssa Olenick, PhD, founder of Doc Lyss Fitness and creator of The Lyss Method, to break down what the research actually shows about strength training and protein in perimenopause.
As a strength athlete, ultramarathon runner, and certified sports nutritionist, Alyssa bridges the gap between science and real-world training. Together, we cut through fear-based messaging, social-media misinformation, and one-size-fits-all advice to talk honestly about what matters most for women navigating perimenopause, menopause, and midlife fitness.
This is a grounded, evidence-informed conversation for women who want to train smarter, feel stronger, and move with confidence—without overcomplicating it or chasing extremes.
In this episode, we cover:
The massive knowledge gap around strength training for women
Is Pilates enough—and how to know when it’s time to add load
Training to failure: what it means and whether you’re actually training hard enough
Why quality matters more than quantity in midlife training
How to start with what feels accessible and build from there
Building confidence in the gym (especially if you feel behind)
Fueling to support training and recovery
Protein needs, fiber, and common nutrition misconceptions
Is it menopause, aging, or both—and how to think about that question
If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re doing too little, too much, or just the wrong thing when it comes to training in perimenopause—this episode will bring clarity, perspective, and relief.
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 💌
Women’s Health Research Made Simple: How to Spot Misinformation (and What Actually Matters) — with DR. RITA DEERING
In this episode of the Active Mom Podcast, I’m joined again by Dr. Rita Deering, PT, DPT, PhD — Associate Professor of Physical Therapy and Director of the Movement Sciences Laboratory at Carroll University. With 18+ years of clinical experience and 15 years specializing in pelvic health, Dr. Deering is a leading researcher in perinatal musculoskeletal health, pregnancy and postpartum exercise, pelvic floor function, and female athlete performance.
This conversation is a must-listen for anyone navigating the overwhelm of women’s health information — clinicians, coaches, athletes, and moms trying to get real answers outside the noise. We dig into how to actually interpret research (not just quote it), what different study types really mean, and how to confidently separate evidence-based guidance from trending misinformation on social media.
Whether you’re dealing with pelvic floor symptoms, postpartum return to running or lifting, perimenopause changes, or pregnancy athletic performance, this episode brings clarity to the research so you can make informed decisions with confidence.
We break down:
What “evidence-based” actually means in pelvic health & pregnancy fitness
Different types of research (RCTs, systematic reviews, case studies) and how to interpret them
Why outliers in research don’t invalidate lived experience
Making research relatable and useful for everyday moms & athletes
How AI, algorithms, and social media fuel misinformation
Translating research to clinical practice without fear-based messaging
Why respectful, nuanced conversation in women’s health actually helps patients
Time Stamps
1:00 Introduction
3:15 making research accessible
Ultrarunning Through Pregnancy & Planning a Strong Postpartum Return— with LEAH YINGLING
In this episode, I sit down with Leah Yingling, an internationally ranked trail and ultrarunner from Salt Lake City, Utah. Leah has achieved multiple top-10 finishes at Western States and UTMB, and has represented Team USA at the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships. In addition to her racing career, she’s the co-host of the Trail Network Podcast, works full-time in Population Health, and runs for Lululemon, Osprey, Garmin, and Hydrapak. Leah is also a new mom, recently welcoming her first child, Monte, in July.
We dive into what it means to pursue longevity in sport, how she balances full-time work and elite-level training, and what it looks like to plan a sustainable running career while growing her family. Leah shares insights on goal setting through different life seasons, increasing visibility for women in ultras, and the power of building a supportive community.
We talk about:
-Longevity in running
-Balancing full-time work and training
-Planning a long sustainable running career
-Goal setting with family planning
-Increasing visibility of ultras
-Building your community
Time Stamps
1:00 Introduction
2:32 comparing ultras to parenthood
3:31 moms in the ultra community
9:09 the problem solving aspect of ultras
12:24 deferals for races
20:43 competing while pregnant
24:44 navigating postpartum
29:45 resources for pregnancy and delivery
Postpartum Hormones Explained: What’s Normal, What’s Not & What Actually Helps — with DR. ASHLEY WINTER
Today, I speak with Dr. Ashley Winter, Board certified urologist who specializes in sexual medicine and postpartum hormones. After realizing that many of the common concerns that patients were brining to her clinic were not being addressed by the information she was being taught, she decided to do a fellowship in sexual disfunction. After working in managed health for five years following her fellowship, she decided to branch out into the tech side of medicine to help improve sexual health care for everyone.
We talk about:
-foray into parenthood
-normal hormone levels
-failures in postpartum care
-impacts of estrogen
-knowing when it’s something else
-topical estrogen and breastfeeding
-finding the right provider
-the benefits of Telehealth
Time Stamps
1:00 Introduction
7:33 parallels of hormones levels in pregnancy and postpartum
16:00 after the baby comes
22:30 genitourinary symptoms in lactation
25:24 barriers to obtaining vaginal estrogen
34:50 finding the right provider
45:02 listening to patients
50:33 rapid fire questions
CONNECT WITH CARRIE
Celebrating 100 Episodes: The 2024 Pelvic Floor State of the Union — with DR. CARRIE PAGLIANO (SOLO EPISODE)
Today, we are celebrating our 100th episode! I’ve been doing the podcast for about two years now, and I’ve have interviewed some incredible guests! But today is my first solo episode. Think of this as a State of the Union” Pelvic Floor edition. I cover what I’m loving about the pelvic floor space right now as well as things I’d love to see change.
We talk about:
-state of the union
-the need for more specialization in pelvic health
-from pregnancy to menopause
-growing the profession
-pregnancy on social media
-too much DIY?
-high tone versus under activity
-listener questions
Time Stamps
1:00 Introduction
2:45 current state of pelvic floor physical therapy
10:05 all the way to menopause
13:38 bad things happening in PFPT
18:35 DIY fallout
23:57 biggest impact over the last 5 years
33:49 Top 5 podcast guests
39:47 olympic lifts after prolapse
42:10 exercising in supine in pregnancy
50:00 social media pet peeve
60:55 balancing mom and business owner
Postpartum Mental Health, REDs & Returning to Sport — with HOLLY BROOKS, Nordic Ski Olympian and Mental Health Therapist
Today I speak with Holly Brooks, a 2-time Nordic Ski Olympian, twin mom, licensed therapist working at the intersection of performance and mental health. She is also the co-founder of Moms Matter Now, a group focused on empowering, educating, and supporting women from pregnancy to early motherhood so they don’t lose their minds, selves or relationships. Her two passions are athlete & maternal mental health. Holly’s goal is to give moms tools to be models, not martyrs in their motherhood journeys!
We talk about:
-life after professional sports
-the athlete mindset
-preparing for the uncontrollable
-educating to empower
-matrescence
-knowing when to pivot
-navigating mixed messages of returning to sport
-maternal gatekeeping
-RED-S in moms
Time Stamps
1:00 Introduction
6:08 combining her interests to serve more people
9:17 athletes and first time moms
11:29 ways to guide a mom through pregnancy
17:20 knowledge without anxiety
21:23 dedication and perseverance for athletes and moms
26:30 when to return to sport
31:50 being a mom with goals
36:40 maternal gatekeeping
43:20 be a model, not a martyr
Navigating Prolapse After Pregnancy: Guidance & Hope — with DR. MARGO KWIATKOWSKI aka @postpartum_pop_pt
Today I speak with Margo Kwiatkowski, an orthopedic and pelvic health physical therapist in Southern California. She has made it her life’s mission to provide valuable, evidence based, and accessible information about pelvic organ prolapse in postpartum people. Margo was diagnosed with pelvic organ prolapse after the birth of her first child in the summer of 2021. She knew all the statistics about pelvic organ prolapse and did “all the right things” but was still taken aback by the diagnosis. She was the most shocked by how deeply this diagnosis affected her physical AND mental health. She quickly realized there was a need for more education and exposure about pelvic organ prolapse and created her Instagram with the hopes of normalizing changes postpartum. Her goal is to help dispel fears about prolapse and help people get back to what they love.
We talk about:
-learning about pelvic floor therapy
-expectations going into pregnancy
-not being heard postpartum
-empowering but not scaring
-speaking with a mental health professional
-common but not normal
-reducing symptoms to restore nervous system
-shifting organs
Time Stamps
1:00 introduction
2:56 learning about pelvic health
5:40 pregnancy as a PT
10:10 discovering she had prolapse
15:00 validating patients’ feelings
20:30 ah-ha moments from pelvic health
Postpartum Marathon Push: How Twin Mom, Carter Norbo Chased an Olympic Trials Qualifier Attempt at 4 Months Postpartum
Today I speak with Carter Norbo, a physical therapist, new mom, and member of the Rabbit Elite Team who ran at the University of North Carolina. In August 2023, she had twin boys at 29.5 weeks, but still went for an Olympic trials qualifying time on November 30th, at a marathon in Virginia. Even being so early in her postpartum, she came 73 seconds away from qualifying! Carter is still learning to adjust to life with running, work, and caring for the twins, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
We talk about:
-Carter’s start in running
-having a twin pregnancy
-running during pregnancy
-energy deficiency with training and pregnancy
-spending time in the NICU
-experiencing postpartum
-returning to exercise postpartum
-the future of her running
Time Stamps
1:00 introduction
4:21 ideas of running through pregnancy
6:25 looking for information about activity and pregnancy
9:05 being able to run during pregnancy
11:21 having premature twins
14:15 being newly postpartum
18:20 taking one more shot at a qualifying time
21:35 race day experience
25:50 PRing her marathons time early in postpartum
How to Rehab After a Tummy Tuck: Diastasis, Core Strength & Realistic Expectations — with MUNIRA HUDANI
Today I speak with Munira Hudani, a Pre- and Post-Natal physiotherapist in Canada, and an emerging leader for the management of Diastasis Rectus Abdominis. After years of frustration in landing inconsistent results with her clients, and the dissatisfaction in having to say “we just don’t have enough research right now,” Munira began to challenge the conventional method to managing DRA. She realized that part of the inconsistent results came down to how DRA was being conceptualized. She started practicing with a different set of principles which improved outcomes. She has now compiled all of her knowledge and experience into a new framework that revolutionizes how we conceptualize, assess, and manage DRA. She is passionately committed to transferring this knowledge to both professionals and patients so they can finally make sense of the steps to take when navigating this condition.
We talk about:
-learning about diastasis recti
-separating DR from back pain and other dysfunctions
-DR is not preventable
-factors that lead to long-term issues
-management of DR
-problems with the research
-Is the gap bad?
-feeling at home in your body
-targeting the transverse abdominis
-experiencing pregnancy and motherhood
-letting go of expectations
Time Stamps
1:00 introduction
7:05 defining diastasis recti
10:50 prevention of DR
Top 5 Episodes of 2023: #1 The Hip–Pelvic Floor Connection: Strength, Stability & Symptom Relief — with DR. ALISON GRIMALDI
Today I speak with Dr. Aliso Grimaldi, an expert in the management of hip, groin and lumbo-pelvic pain and dysfunction. She is also Principal Physiotherapist at Physiotec and an Adjunct Senior Research Fellow at the University of Queensland. Because of her interest in the assessment and optimisation of lumbo-pelvic and lower limb biomechanics, Alison has collaborated with the European Space Agency on research. Alison is passionate about understanding why we develop problems around the hip and pelvis, and what we can do to most effectively prevent and manage these problems.
Alison firmly believes research should have practical application, and should be easily accessible to physiotherapists.
She established Physiotec in 2005 and continues working with patients with complex hip and lumbopelvic conditions, across a broad spectrum of sports, including elite triathlon, running, dance, cricket, athletics & swimming.
We talk about:
-establishing collaborative care
-relationship between pelvic floor & hip
-strengthening the pelvic floor
-stress incontinence
-using real time ultrasound
-“ban the clam”
Time Stamps
1:00 introduction
5:19 collaborative care
9:30 dead butt syndrome
11:42 certainties of relationship between hip and pelvic floor
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 💌
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