Explore every episode of the podcast Active Mom Podcast: Pregnancy, Postpartum, Perimenopause, Menopause & Beyond
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kegels to CrossFit: A Pregnancy & Postpartum Exercise History | Crossover with Practice Brave, Brianna Battles | 18 Sep 2026 | 01:13:53 | |
Carrie was taught to go gentle. Brianna was taught to go harder. Neither one worked. Bri Battles reached out and said let's chat about history. I said okay. So here we are, two podcasts running as one episode, looking back at the last 10, 15, 20 years of how pregnant and postpartum athletes have been advised. And I promise you, we barely scratch the surface. Bri came up through the barbell side. I came up through the clinic side. Same women, opposite ends of the field, and for most of those years the two sides were not talking to each other at all. So we get into where we've come from and what's ahead. Which is funny timing, because I'm already in peri and Bri is over there hoping we get it figured out by the time she gets here. 🔷 The Theraband-around-the-belly era of diastasis "rehab," and the logic that made grown clinicians think it would work History matters here because it repeats. If you want to know whether the rule you were handed is current or just old, you have to know where it came from. Bri is at @briannabattles and @pregnant.postpartum.athlete. Her show is Practice Brave. So what decade is YOUR advice from? Come tell us. 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 💌 | |||
| The First Real Data On Climbing While Pregnant | JOY BLACK | 11 Sep 2026 | 01:15:09 | |
Three 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 I 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. Studies discussed: 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 💌 | |||
| REWIND Summer Finale// Pregnancy And Postpartum Exercise Research Is Years Ahead Of What You're Being Told: Why It Isn't Reaching You | MARGIE DAVENPORT, PhD | 09 Sep 2026 | 00:57:23 | |
Labor 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 Margie 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 💌 | |||
| 12 Weeks to Return to Run isn't Set in Stone - Solo episode | 04 Sep 2026 | 00:46:27 | |
Somewhere 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 If 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/R2Rreadyscreen IN THIS EPISODE STUDIES MENTIONED 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 💌 | |||
| REWIND // "Cleared at 6 weeks" doesn't mean cleared to run — what the research actually says — DR. SHEFALI CHRISTOPHER | 02 Sep 2026 | 01:18:51 | |
Shefali 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 If 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 💌 | |||
| Do Hypopressives Lower Intra-Abdominal Pressure? Here's What the Research Says with Silvia Saraiva | 28 Aug 2026 | 00:45:04 | |
This 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 Silvia 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.
00:00 Intro 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 💌 | |||
| REWIND // You're Not Running Wrong: Running Myths Debunked | RICH WILLY, PT, PhD | 26 Aug 2026 | 00:49:55 | |
Okay, 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 And 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: @montanarunninglab 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 💌 | |||
| STILL A RUNNER, NOW A MASTERS HYROX ATHLETE, AND NOT SLOWING DOWN AT 55 | HILARY CAIRNS | 21 Aug 2026 | 01:08:15 | |
Hilary 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 If 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 LINKS This 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 💌 | |||
| REWIND // Pelvic Girdle Pain, Relaxin & Pregnancy Support: What Women Really Need to Know — with DR. SINEAD DUFOUR | 19 Aug 2026 | 01:10:28 | |
Relaxin 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 If 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 LINKS This 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 💌 | |||
| THE POSTPARTUM EXERCISE GUIDELINES MOMS ACTUALLY ASKED FOR | DR. MARGIE DAVENPORT | 14 Aug 2026 | 01:02:04 | |
This 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 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 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 💌 | |||
| REWIND // EP 251: POSTPARTUM RUNNING RESEARCH YOU ACTUALLY NEED: WHAT SCIENCE SAYS ABOUT RETURNING TO SPORT | RITA DEERING | 12 Aug 2026 | 01:15:03 | |
Not 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 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 💌 | |||
| Everything We Now Know About Women's Health. Nobody Told the Women. | MEGHAN RABBITT | 07 Aug 2026 | 01:02:25 | |
Meghan 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. Something 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: @MeghanRabbitt 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 💌 | |||
| REWIND // Everything you've been afraid to ask about prolapse — answered by a urogynecologist — DR. CHERYL IGLESIA, MD | 05 Aug 2026 | 00:39:31 | |
Prolapse 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 If 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 Free resources for pregnancy, postpartum and perimenopause are at carriepagliano.com. Time Stamps 1:00 introduction 3:15 fear surrounding pelvic organ prolapse 10:00 conservative care before surgery 18:14 pelvic floor prolapse or decreased tone 26:45 recommendations for getting additional care 28:45 tissue healing and RED-S 30:10 PTs collaborating with surgeons CONNECT WITH CARRIE IG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/ Website: https://carriepagliano.com CONNECT WITH CHERYL IG: https://www.instagram.com/cbiglesia/ Website: https://www.medstarhealth.org/doctors/cheryl-bernadette-iglesia-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. 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 💌 | |||
| Pulmonary Embolism in Pregnancy: Symptoms You Shouldn’t Ignore — with RACHEL ROSOVSKY, MD | 31 Jul 2026 | 01:00:29 | |
"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 This 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 Stamps 0:00 introduction 3:10 from math teacher to hematologist 6:13 having a baby during med school 10:10 choosing hematology 12:31 explaining blog clots 17:11 addressing the guidelines for pregnancy 20: are you at higher risk if you’re pregnant? 24:41 potential problematic symptoms 31:47 seeing a rise in risk postpartum 35:53 where to seek care 40:23 what care can look like 47:12 looking ahead to perimenopause and menopause 52:50 follow your intuition CONNECT WITH CARRIE IG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/ Website: https://carriepagliano.com Course waitlist: https://course.carriepagliano.com/RSAWL R2R Screen: https://course.carriepagliano.com/R2Rreadyscreen CONNECT WITH RACHEL: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-rosovsky Website: https://www.massgeneral.org/doctors/17898/rachel-rosovsky Guidelines: 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. 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 💌 | |||
| REWIND // YOUR ESTROGEN TANKED AND NOBODY TOLD YOU WHY POSTPARTUM & PERIMENOPAUSE DR. RACHEL RUBIN | 29 Jul 2026 | 00:34:22 | |
You 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 Since 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 Stamps 1:00 introduction 4:01 hormone health and changes 11:10 advocating for yourself 17:30 hormones and the urinary tract 21:30 HRT misconceptions 27:45 testing and perimenopause 29:30 advice for moms CONNECT WITH CARRIE IG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/ Website: https://carriepagliano.com CONNECT WITH RACHEL IG: 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 💌 | |||
| The Thoughts You're Too Scared to Say Out Loud — Birth Trauma, Intrusive Thoughts & Postpartum Mental Health with DR. VANESSA KOMAREK (@heavy_lifting_psychologist) | 24 Jul 2026 | 00:47:29 | |
There'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) This 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: Find Vanessa on Instagram: @heavy_lifting_psychologist This podcast is for education and is not medical advice. Please loop in your own provider. Time Stamps 0:00 introduction 6:07 talking about mental load 9:48 what got Vanessa into psychology 12:55 helping moms deal with trauma and expectations 19:55 ignoring the bad advice 23:48 the athlete identity 28:17 balance is a myth 35:58 helping moms overcome perfectionism 37:41 what she has learned in her journey 45:19 being an active mom CONNECT WITH CARRIE IG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/ Website: https://carriepagliano.com Course waitlist: https://course.carriepagliano.com/RSAWL R2R Screen: https://course.carriepagliano.com/R2Rreadyscreen CONNECT WITH VANESSA: IG: https://www.instagram.com/heavy_lifting_psychologist/ Website: www.adaptpsych.org 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 💌 | |||
| REWIND // Will working out hurt your milk supply? — KELLY KENDALL, RN, IBCLC aka @thebalancedboob | 22 Jul 2026 | 00:18:42 | |
"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) If 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.com Time Stamps 1:00 introduction 4:19 common issues and struggles 9:15 where moms struggle when starting to add in workouts 11:50 nutrition advice for breastfeeding moms 14:15 additional advice for moms CONNECT WITH CARRIE IG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/ Website: https://carriepagliano.com CONNECT WITH KELLY IG: 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 💌 | |||
| Everyone's calling it a 'tight pelvic floor'… but can we actually feel it? — with Gosia Starzec-Proserpio, PhD | 17 Jul 2026 | 01:00:35 | |
You'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 postpartum This 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 Stamps 0:00 introduction 3:56 quick fire questions 9:43 troubles breastfeeding 18:55 muscle tone explained 21:54 explaining the research 25:35 communicating with patients 33:51 comparing different measurement modalities 45:53 addressing personal biases 49:11 changes in clinical practice CONNECT WITH CARRIE IG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/ Website: https://carriepagliano.com Course waitlist: https://course.carriepagliano.com/RSAWL CONNECT WITH GOSIA: IG: https://www.instagram.com/starzecproserpio_phd/ Linked In: www.linkedin.com/in/mstarzec Research: 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 💌 | |||
| REWIND // Why Moms Leak When They Run: What Urinary Incontinence Research Gets Right (and Wrong) with — DR. LINDA MCLEAN | 15 Jul 2026 | 00:59:51 | |
If 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 Stamps 1:00 Introduction 3:58 bio feedback in pelvic PT 6:46 morphology paper 16:41 the roll strength plays 21:15 connecting clinical findings to research 32:10 intra-abdominal pressure 34:50 different causes of urinary incontinence 40:20 supportive devices 44:29 elongation of the pelvic floor CONNECT WITH CARRIE IG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/ Website: https://carriepagliano.com CONNECT WITH LINDA IG: https://www.instagram.com/mfm_lab/ Website: www.mfmlab.ca X: @mfmlab Facebook: @mfmlabuottawa 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 💌 | |||
| You don't have to look like a runner to be one — with Melanie Cote (@the.curvy.runner) | 10 Jul 2026 | 00:55:26 | |
Melanie 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 Stamps 0:00 introduction 5:08 how our relationship with running has changed 8:43 separating running from weight loss 11:29 becoming more active as kids get older 14:56 being flexible to be consistent 19:55 being creative with winter running 25:32 finding community in running 29:30 deciding to do a Disney half marathon 34:02 running as a curvy woman 43:13 dealing with hormonal changes 48:40 quick hit questions CONNECT WITH CARRIE IG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/ Website: https://carriepagliano.com Course waitlist: https://course.carriepagliano.com/RSAWL CONNECT WITH MELANIE: IG: https://www.instagram.com/the.curvy.runner/ Website: www.thecurvyrunners.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 💌 | |||
| REWIND The strength work that actually returns you to running — and what's just wasting your time — CHRIS JOHNSON, PT | 08 Jul 2026 | 00:54:42 | |
Bringing 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 postpartum Time Stamps 1:00 introduction 3:55 mistakes everyday runners make 7:40 providing exercises to runners 13:30 moving past the fear of old injuries 17:34 demystifying injury recovery 20:30 figuring out the right weight 27:40 top exercise recommendations 37:00 differences between working with men and women 44:35 Run Well Program CONNECT WITH CARRIE IG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/ Website: https://carriepagliano.com CONNECT WITH CHRIS IG: 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 💌 | |||
| Can I Run with Prolapse? Solo Episode — with Dr. Carrie Pagliano, PT | 03 Jul 2026 | 00:39:03 | |
Can 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 Stamps 0:00 introduction 3:33 mythbuster rapid fire 8:06 no on-size-fits-all prolapse 14:25 how symptoms change with activity 18:03 pressure management and breathing 20:54 importance of early activity 25:01 doing too much too soon 27:05 support devices 30:22 returning to run with prolapse CONNECT WITH CARRIE IG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/ Website: https://carriepagliano.com Course waitlist: https://course.carriepagliano.com/RSAWL 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 💌 | |||
| REWIND // Doing all the pelvic floor work & still symptomatic? Your hips might be the missing piece — DR. ALISON GRIMALDI | 01 Jul 2026 | 00:42:19 | |
This 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 introduction 5:19 collaborative care 9:30 dead butt syndrome 11:42 certainties of relationship between hip and pelvic floor 19:40 clinical use of real time ultrasound 23:09 biggest misses by physios 29:34 “ban the clam” 38:30 future research CONNECT WITH CARRIE IG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/ Website: https://carriepagliano.com CONNECT WITH ALISON IG: 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 💌 | |||
| What Load Actually Reaches Your Pelvis When You Run? The Data & a Guide Built for Postpartum Moms — with DR. MEGAN JAMES | 26 Jun 2026 | 01:01:38 | |
What 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 floor Note: 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 Stamps 1:00 introduction 6:23 setting up the research 12:28 what they measured through the research 16:45 surprises in the study 21:20 slow running and grounded running 26:42 rate of the perceived impact 32:29 explaining the guide paper 40:23 changing perception with feedback from moms 45:32 the one-size-fits-all trap 52:05 looking at the mom as a whole 54:46 advice to former self 58:12 potential future research CONNECT WITH CARRIE IG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/ Website: https://carriepagliano.com Course waitlist: https://course.carriepagliano.com/RSAWL CONNECT WITH MEGAN: LinkedIn: @meganljames16 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 💌 | |||
| REWIND // Turns out Atomic Habits is a parenting book — Routines, mindset & making change stick in parenthood— JAMES CLEAR | 24 Jun 2026 | 00:47:22 | |
Becoming 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 Stamps 1:00 introduction 1:35 setting habits for parents 7:20 life as a series of seasons 10:00 comparison on social media 15:22 navigating your identity as a parent 22:20 taking the first step to building the habit 27:25 scaling to build momentum 37:00 mental toughness as flexibility versus rigidity 40:15 James’ experience as a parent CONNECT WITH CARRIE IG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/ Website: https://carriepagliano.com CONNECT WITH JAMES IG: https://www.instagram.com/jamesclear/ Website: jamesclear.com Atomic Habits: atomichabits.com Newsletter: https://jamesclear.com/3-2-1 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 💌 | |||
| High-Altitude Climbing in Pregnancy… Thin Evidence, Loud Opinions, and Trusting Her Own Risk Tolerance — with LOTTA HINTSA | 19 Jun 2026 | 00:56:27 | |
Thin 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 Stamps 1:00 introduction 6:34 thinking about starting a family as an extreme athlete 9:35 deciding where to go to for advice 13:54 concerns with oxygen availability 18:20 reactions of the climbing community and sponsors 27:28 last weeks of pregnancy 32:29 climbing a mountain versus having a baby 36:00 exercise and activity postpartum 43:22 expectations for competing as a new mom 48:59 surprises in motherhood CONNECT WITH CARRIE IG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/ Website: https://carriepagliano.com Course waitlist: https://course.carriepagliano.com/RSAWL CONNECT WITH LOTTA: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lottahintsa/ Website: https://youtube.com/@highaltitudexperience?si=WS0EbOlKWiDb1bHx Substack: lottahintsa 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. 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 💌 | |||
| REWIND // How Swim Moms Make Time to Work Out: Real-Life Strategies from Busy Moms from Postpartum to Perimenopause | 17 Jun 2026 | 00:50:58 | |
This 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 memories Time Stamps 1:00 introduction 5:59 we we stay fit 9:45 changing fitness after each kid 14:10 shifting to get up early 19:05 shifts with older kids 24:50 adapting to different seasons 30:10 advice to your former self 34:45 looking ahead to the next stage 44:00 rapid fire questions CONNECT WITH CARRIE IG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/ Website: https://carriepagliano.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 💌 | |||
| Sports Medicine & the Pelvic Floor: We Don't Know Everything — But Here's Where the Science Actually Is — with GRÁINNE DONNELLY | 12 Jun 2026 | 00:56:50 | |
Gráinne 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 Stamps 1:00 introduction 5:46 updates on the research 11:40 external support garments 20:24 clinical implications 23:24 Sports Medicine and the Pelvic Floor - Science to Practice book 33:13 planning for what is next 41:50 storytelling as a form of health communication 49:30 reexamining advice you give patients as you learn more CONNECT WITH CARRIE IG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/ Website: https://carriepagliano.com Course waitlist: https://course.carriepagliano.com/RSAWL CONNECT WITH GRÁINNE: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grainnedonnelly_absolutephysio/ Website: www.absolute.physio 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 💌 | |||
| Is It Ever Too Late to Start Running? From Couch Potato to Grandma Athlete at 57 — with author HILDEE WEISS | 05 Jun 2026 | 00:58:12 | |
Hildee 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 Stamps 1:00 introduction 7:10 having 5 children in 8 years 10:05 Gen X weight loss culture 15:29 changing mindset around diet and exercise 19:11 chasing number goals 23:16 difference in generations and how they view exercise 26:15 remembering the first starting line 35:58 redefining success and failure 41:35 coming back from injury and hysterectomy 49:01 it’s never too late to start 51:41 rapid fire questions CONNECT WITH CARRIE IG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/ Website: https://carriepagliano.com Course waitlist: https://course.carriepagliano.com/RSAWL CONNECT WITH HILDE: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/momoffive68/ Website: http://sites.google.com/view/Hildee-Weiss-author 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 💌 | |||
| Running Injuries in Perimenopause: Recovery, Hormones & Real Mom Life — with WHITNEY HEINS | 29 May 2026 | 00:53:49 | |
What 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:
Time Stamps 1:00 introduction 6:39 speaking “teenage boy” 10:04 training your daughter 14:30 navigating years of injury 17:55 deciding to find a new coach 23:55 talking more about perimenopause and menopause 29:45 hormone therapy in perimenopause and menopause 33:23 having guests on podcasts 39:43 being open to trying something different 43:50 rapid fire questions CONNECT WITH CARRIE IG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/ Website: https://carriepagliano.com Course waitlist: https://course.carriepagliano.com/RSAWL CONNECT WITH WHITNEY: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themotherrunners/ Website: www.themotherrunners.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 💌 | |||
| Hormones, Bone Loss & Injury Risk: What Every Active Woman Needs to Know — with DR. JOCELYN WITTSTEIN | 22 May 2026 | 01:11:26 | |
Your 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:
Not medical advice. Always consult your own provider. Time Stamps 1:00 introduction 6:12 starting the perimenopause journey 12:12 why do we wait until 65 for DEXA scan? 18:23 the importance of HRT 27:33 inflammation and joint pain 37:04 putting together all of the symptoms 41:45 changing reception of HRT 43:40 advice to former self 53:20 practical advice with nuance 57:32 worst health traits 62:41 rapid fire questions CONNECT WITH CARRIE IG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/ Website: https://carriepagliano.com Course waitlist: https://course.carriepagliano.com/RSAWL CONNECT 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. 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 💌 | |||
| Is Childbirth Harder Than an Ultra? Running Myths, Postpartum Comebacks & the Honest Logistics of Racing as a Mom — with DR. ERIN DALISAY, PT | 15 May 2026 | 00:58:27 | |
She'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:
📌 Since this interview was recorded, Erin has announced she's expecting baby #2 — and she's sharing the whole journey on Instagram Time Stamps 1:00 introduction 4:19 running her first marathon at 16 6:45 navigating running and pregnancy 14:04 returning to running postpartum 18:06 surprises with birth and postpartum 21:33 deciding to run an ultra 28:58 a new understanding of running postpartum 35:00 training postpartum 41:45 comparing ultras and childbirth 47:57 recovering from the ultra 50:20 balancing everything 54:07 rapid fire questions CONNECT WITH CARRIE IG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/ Website: https://carriepagliano.com Course waitlist: https://course.carriepagliano.com/RSAWL CONNECT WITH ERIN: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runwellclinic/ Website: runwellclinic.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 💌 | |||
| I Tried Everything… and Still Leaked. One Athlete's Road to Pelvic Floor Surgery — with AIMEE OLIVER (@bodyfitmums) | 08 May 2026 | 00:58:26 | |
She 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:
Time Stamps 1:00 introduction 4:42 speaking about her pelvic floor issues 11:10 emotional struggles of feeling restricted 15:43 investigating the cause of her symptoms 23:50 overcoming the DIY hurdle 27:35 deciding to have surgery and the experience 39:04 doing all of the things 42:23 life post-surgery 50:00 rapid fire questions CONNECT WITH CARRIE IG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/ Website: https://carriepagliano.com Course waitlist: https://course.carriepagliano.com/RSAWL CONNECT WITH AIMEE: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bodyfitmums/ Website: www.bodyfitmums.co.uk This 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 💌 | |||
| Wait… so which device is actually right for me? Inside Pelvic Floor Support: Devices, Fit & What You Should Know with Dr. Christina Prevett | 01 May 2026 | 00:49:57 | |
After 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:
Time Stamps 1:00 introduction 3:15 PTs fitting pessaries and other devices 9:21 prolapse management involving anatomy and symptoms 14:44 physical comfort with pessaries 17:58 cutting through the marketing 20:45 FDA approval versus “wellness” 26:10 studies versus real world use 30:01 reality of external devices 39:44 big takeaways from the series CONNECT WITH CARRIE IG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/ Website: https://carriepagliano.com CONNECT 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 💌 | |||
| The Truth About Internal Support Devices: Uresta Explained | 24 Apr 2026 | 00:28:31 | |
In this episode of the Active Mom Podcast mini-series 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: Time Stamps: 1:00 introduction 2:34 how Uresta started 6:37 how to use Uresta 10:46 who this is for 12:52 explaining the studies 16:38 real world use 21:23 common misconceptions 22:18 rapid fire questions Uresta 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 Discount Code: https://uresta.com/ACTIVEMOM (10% off) ⚠️ Disclaimer: 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 💌 | |||
| A Modern Pessary for Prolapse? Reia Explained | 24 Apr 2026 | 00:31:07 | |
In this episode of the Active Mom Podcast mini-series 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: Time Stamps: 1:00 introduction 5:27 how Reia works 10:04 who is this for? 15:48 real world use 21:55 common misconceptions 25:27 rapid fire questions Reia 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) ⚠️ Disclaimer: 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 💌 | |||
| Internal Pelvic Floor Support for Leaks? Revive Explained | 24 Apr 2026 | 00:29:07 | |
In 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: Time Stamps: 1:00 introduction 2:52 how Revive started 5:08 how Revive works 9:01 who is this for? 14:34 real world use 19:18 common misconceptions 23:44 rapid fire questions Revive 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: 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 💌 | |||
| Custom Pelvic Floor Support? COSM Gynethotics Explained | 22 Apr 2026 | 00:31:34 | |
In this episode of the Active Mom Podcast mini-series 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: Time stamps: 1:00 introduction 3:41 how COSM started 7:43 how COSM works 12:06 who it’s for 15:59 dealing with avulsions 17:20 real world use 24:09 common misconceptions 27:19 rapid fire questions These 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 ⚠️ Disclaimer: 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 💌 | |||
| Internal Resistance Training for Your Pelvic Floor? Pippa Explained | 22 Apr 2026 | 00:29:40 | |
In this episode of the Active Mom Podcast mini-series 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: Time Stamps: 1:00 introduction 2:30 how Pippa got started 5:59 how Pippa works 8:55 who is this for? 12:34 research and development 15:24 real world use 19:30 common misconceptions 24:26 quick fire questions Pippa is available direct-to-consumer in the U.S. and is designed for reusable, independent use. 💲 Starter Kit: $99 Discount Code: ACTIVE-MOMS-FOR-THE-WIN (10% off + free shipping) ⚠️ Disclaimer: 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 💌 | |||
| Flexible Internal Pelvic Floor Support? SomaFlex Explained | 22 Apr 2026 | 00:28:52 | |
In this episode of the Active Mom Podcast mini-series 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: Time Stamps: 1:00 introduction 2:45 how SOMA started 8:48 who this is for 10:34 real life application 16:07 common misunderstandings 20:36 dealing with birth injuries 22:51 quick fire questions SomaFlex is available as a starter kit and single units, designed for independent use and flexible wear depending on activity level. 💲 Starter Kit: ~£80 Discount Code: CP10 (10% off purchase) ⚠️ Disclaimer: 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 💌 | |||
| Pelvic Floor Support Underwear for Prolapse HEM Support Wear Explained | 17 Apr 2026 | 00:22:09 | |
In this episode of the Active Mom Podcast mini-series 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: Time Stamps: 1:00 Introduction 2:30 the founding of HEM 4:21 how HEM works 6:30 who this is for 9:31 real world use 12:332 common misconceptions 15:37 rapid fire questions HEM’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 ⚠️ Disclaimer: 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 💌 | |||
| Pelvic Floor Support Device for Prolapse? My Pelvic Bra Explained | 17 Apr 2026 | 00:28:39 | |
In this episode of the Active Mom Podcast mini-series 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: Time Stamps: 1:00 introduction 3:15 how My Pelvic Bra was founded 7:00 how it works 12:31 who is this for 16:17 real world use 20:55 common misconceptions 25:19 rapid fire questions Their 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) ⚠️ Disclaimer: 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 💌 | |||
| Pelvic Floor Support: Devices, Fit & What You Should Know -SRC Health | 15 Apr 2026 | 00:29:07 | |
In this episode of the Active Mom Podcast mini-series 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: Time Stamps: 1:00 introduction 3:30 founding SRC 6:49 explaining different support garments 12:05 who these are for 15:45 testing and research 17:46 real-world use 23:19 answering common concerns SRC 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) ⚠️ Disclaimer: 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 💌 | |||
| Inside Pelvic Floor Support: Devices, Fit & What You Should Know -Everform Therapywear | 15 Apr 2026 | 00:32:59 | |
In this episode of the Active Mom Podcast mini-series 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: Time Stamps: 1:00 Introduction 2:47 how Everform started 6:20 how it works 10:27 who it’s for 15:53 how to get it 19:59 research involved in design 23:37 quick fire questions Everform 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) ⚠️ Disclaimer: 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 💌 | |||
| Prolapse, Levator Avulsions & Pessaries: What’s Actually Happening (Part 2) — with MELISSA DAVIDSON, PT | 10 Apr 2026 | 00:46:15 | |
In 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:
Time Stamps 1:00 avulsions explained 7:05 proper diagnoses of pelvic floor issues 14:00 over-the-counter pessaries 20:55 cutting through the marketing 29:33 expanding access while preserving quality care 33:33 what we don’t know 40:26 how the research changes clinical practice CONNECT WITH CARRIE IG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/ Website: https://carriepagliano.com CONNECT 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 💌 | |||
| Prolapse, Levator Avulsions & Pessaries: What’s Actually Happening (Part 1) — with MELISSA DAVIDSON, PT | 03 Apr 2026 | 00:42:58 | |
In 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 menopause Time Stamps 1:00 Introduction 6:58 the reality of prolapse 17:04 the anatomy of a prolapse 21:53 understanding what “normal” means 27:45 empowering women before birth 31:15 tearing and avulsions 38:18 the perineum CONNECT WITH CARRIE IG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/ Website: https://carriepagliano.com CONNECT 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 💌 | |||
| Postpartum Care Bill (H.R. 4074): What It Means for Moms and How You Can Help — with GAIL ZITTERKOPF, PT | 27 Mar 2026 | 00:24:11 | |
What 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:
Time Stamps 1:00 Introduction 3:30 origins of the bill 8:15 explaining the bill 11:50 actions you can take 19:00 increasing awareness CONNECT WITH CARRIE IG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/ Website: https://carriepagliano.com CONNECT WITH GAIL: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aptapelvic/ Resource links:
Contact your legislators
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 💌 | |||
| Pregnancy & Postpartum Research, Moms in Contact Sports & Football — with EMMA BROCKWELL, PT | 20 Mar 2026 | 01:15:10 | |
What 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:
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:
Research We Discuss:
These 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 Stamps 1:00 Introduction 8:25 the rise of the professional female athlete 15:29 investigations risks of contact 20:40 making individual decisions 27:43 taking the comparison out of pregnancy 35:13 breastfeeding and injuries 43:40 the importance of sleep 47:30 RED-s and low energy availability 57:17 rapid fire questions CONNECT WITH CARRIE IG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/ Website: https://carriepagliano.com CONNECT WITH EMMA: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/physiomumuk/ Website: www.physiomum.co.uk 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 💌 | |||
| Running Postpartum & Motherhood: What It Actually Looks Like in Real Life — with run coach LAURA NORRIS | 13 Mar 2026 | 00:56:31 | |
What 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:
If 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 Stamps 1:00 Introduction 2:18 distilling studies in a concise way 5:09 navigating running and motherhood 12:33 having a breech baby 16:17 recovering from a c-section 22:28 handling different stages of childhood 29:15 finding yourself in motherhood 34:20 being a running coach 38:43 collaborations on the podcast 43:50 exposure and normalization 48:03 rapid fir questions CONNECT WITH CARRIE IG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/ Website: https://carriepagliano.com CONNECT 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 💌 | |||
| 100,000 Downloads & 200 Episodes: What I’ve Learned About Running, Rehab & Motherhood — SOLO EPISODE | 06 Mar 2026 | 00:45:52 | |
The 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 If 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: Time Stamps 1:00 Introduction 2:57 quick fire questions 7:20 why I started the podcast 11:31 how the show has evolved 15:39 shifts in clinical practice 19:44 new things we’ve learned 22:17 difficult episodes to record 27:14 looking back at the start 30:55 most overused phrases in women’s health 36:27 changing your mind over time CONNECT WITH CARRIE If 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.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 💌 | |||