The Barbell Mamas Podcast | Pregnancy, Postpartum, Pelvic Health

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

What if the six-week postpartum rule is more tradition than science? We take you inside a smarter, kinder approach to early recovery—one that blends evidence with real life so you can move your body sooner, safely, and with confidence. Christina shares the research on moderate activity at two to three weeks postpartum, explains why vigorous intensity may be too much for healing tissues, and lays out clear “navigational buoys” that turn the vague advice to “listen to your body” into specific, actionable signals.You’ll learn why strict bed rest doesn’t align with modern rehab principles and how early, tolerable movement can reduce complications and lift your mood. We walk through low-strain exercises that fit busy days—supine core work, side-lying strength, seated upper-body moves—and show how to scale modified planks and gentle isometrics to rebuild pressure control without flare-ups. For lifters, Christina explains when an empty bar might be appropriate, how to progress with tiny plates, and which pelvic floor sensations are normal versus signs to slow down. We also talk about cesarean considerations, scar feedback, and how to set expectations during the fourth trimester.This conversation acknowledges the realities of limited parental leave and the mental load of new motherhood. Instead of fear, we offer a framework that respects your timeline, your delivery, and your goals—whether that’s walking with ease, returning to CrossFit, or carrying a toddler without symptoms. If you’re ready to replace one-size-fits-all rules with practical steps rooted in pelvic floor health, strength training, and gradual exposure, you’ll leave with a plan and renewed trust in your body.If this helped, subscribe, share with a friend who lifts, and leave a review to support more evidence-based guidance for active moms.___________________________________________________________________________Don't miss out on any of the TEA coming out of the Barbell Mamas by subscribing to our newsletter You can also follow us on Instagram and YouTube for all the up-to-date information you need about pelvic health and female athletes. Interested in our programs? Check us out here!

Most advice about training through pregnancy and postpartum gets boiled down to catchy lines that spark more fear than clarity. We take those mantras head-on and replace them with something better: a body readiness approach that respects training age, context, and real signals your body sends while it adapts.We start by unpacking “just because you can doesn’t mean you should,” a phrase that often implies harm without data. Instead of blanket restrictions on running, lifting, or core work, we walk through how exposure, technique, and smart progression drive safe adaptation as your body changes. You’ll hear how fitness history matters—the seasoned runner and the veteran weightlifter typically tolerate their sports differently than beginners—and why that matters for volume, range, and intensity choices during each trimester.From there, we tackle “if you were doing it before pregnancy, you can keep doing it” and add the nuance most advice forgets. We outline what to watch for—bleeding, persistent heaviness, leaking at new thresholds—and how to respond by adjusting load, bracing strategy, tempo, or movement selection rather than quitting what you love. In the postpartum chapter, we contrast contraindications with screening cues, share practical examples of titrating impact and strength, and explain why “listen to your body” works only when you know which signals deserve a deload and which improve with progressive training.If you’re an active parent, coach, or clinician seeking clear, compassionate guidance that preserves performance and confidence, this conversation is your roadmap. Subscribe, share with a friend who lifts or runs, and leave a review to tell us the biggest myth you want us to debunk next.___________________________________________________________________________Don't miss out on any of the TEA coming out of the Barbell Mamas by subscribing to our newsletter You can also follow us on Instagram and YouTube for all the up-to-date information you need about pelvic health and female athletes. Interested in our programs? Check us out here!

Stop earning your workout. We make the case that exercise is the tool for healing during pregnancy and postpartum, not a prize you unlock after perfect recovery. From lifting to running, we unpack how smart, scaled training can reduce pelvic symptoms, rebuild capacity, and restore confidence without waiting on arbitrary timelines.We dig into the cultural and clinical biases that shape advice for mothers. Many pelvic health providers and coaches arrive in the field through their own birth stories—powerful experiences that can quietly nudge recommendations toward unnecessary restriction or rushed progression. We ask the hard question: is a “no” grounded in evidence, or in someone else’s fear? Along the way, we outline simple, criteria-based ways to progress load, manage impact, and modify before you stop, so movement remains a bridge instead of a barrier.Education is the missing piece. Early postpartum physiology often includes shifting support of the vaginal walls, a lower cervix, and changes in abdominal tension—surprising, but frequently normal. We explain why labels like diastasis recti or pelvic organ prolapse may be overapplied in the earliest weeks and how moving diagnostic buoys toward clinical relevance protects mothers from stigma while still honoring symptoms. Rather than clinging to unproven rules like a universal 12-week return-to-run, we champion readiness markers, symptom-guided programming, and five to ten minute sessions that actually fit a new parent’s life.If you’re ready to replace fear with capacity and confusion with clarity, this conversation will give you tools to train through change. Subscribe, share with a friend who needs encouragement, and leave a review to help more moms find evidence-informed, empowering care.___________________________________________________________________________Don't miss out on any of the TEA coming out of the Barbell Mamas by subscribing to our newsletter You can also follow us on Instagram and YouTube for all the up-to-date information you need about pelvic health and female athletes. Interested in our programs? Check us out here!

What if the “wait six weeks” rule after a C-section is holding you back more than it’s keeping you safe? We unpack a smarter, kinder approach to recovery that treats movement like medicine—careful, progressive, and tailored to your body and your birth story.We start by confronting a hard truth: post-cesarean recovery is wildly variable. Some moms coast, others struggle, and most get blanket restrictions that ignore physiology and context. Drawing on clinical experience and current research, we explain how early, appropriate movement can reduce complications, calm inflammation, and help scar tissue remodel with purpose. You’ll hear why gentle walking on the ward lowers DVT risk, how stacked posture protects the incision, and which core drills build stability without tugging on healing tissue.Then we map a practical framework you can adapt with your care team. Around week two, focus on breath-led bracing, diaphragmatic control, dead bug and bird dog progressions, light pallof presses, and short EMOMs or Tabatas that fit newborn life. By weeks four to five, many can reintroduce neutral-position strength—kettlebell deadlifts, goblet squats, and light barbell work—while watching for pain, swelling, or bleeding changes. At six weeks, we test careful spinal motion: gentle hanging, small beat swings, yoga Sphinx and controlled extensions, advancing only if symptoms stay quiet. Throughout, we emphasize changing one variable at a time and honoring fatigue from blood loss and sleep.This is a call to replace fear with informed freedom. We center emotional recovery, validate traumatic birth experiences, and offer clear red flags and green lights so you can move with confidence. Whether you’re a barbell lover or a brisk walker, you’ll leave with a step-by-step path to rebuild strength safely and reclaim your routine. If this resonates, subscribe, share with a friend who needs it, and leave a review with the one restriction you’d love to see rewritten.___________________________________________________________________________Don't miss out on any of the TEA coming out of the Barbell Mamas by subscribing to our newsletter You can also follow us on Instagram and YouTube for all the up-to-date information you need about pelvic health and female athletes. Interested in our programs? Check us out here!