The Barbell Mamas Podcast | Pregnancy, Postpartum, Pelvic Health

• Rethinking Pregnancy Fitness And Pelvic Health

  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!

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• Early Gains After C-Section

  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!

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• How Active Moms Can Return To Running, Lifting, And Sport Without Fear

  The first sprint after birth can feel like your body forgot the map. We get honest about that moment, then build a smarter route back to running, lifting, and sport with real tools you can use today.We start with the emotional shock of early returns: missing your old speed, feeling awkward under a bar, and wondering where your core strength went. From there, we lay down clear buoys—simple checkpoints that guide when to push, when to hold, and how to pivot without fear. For CrossFit athletes, we map a practical path from 2–3 weeks of breath, bracing, and light circuits to 4–6 week barbell reintros, low-impact metcons, and gradual intensity in just one or two domains. Expect specific weights, movement options, and what “normal” feels like when grip and shoulders wake back up.Strength timelines get real too. Many dedicated lifters hit 85–95% of pre-pregnancy numbers by nine to ten months, with sleep, fueling, and nursing shaping the curve. Then we tackle running head-on, cutting through scary anecdotes with what the evidence actually supports: a personalized, symptom-led return. You’ll get a time-based interval template (not mileage), how to check for leakage, heaviness, or rebound soreness, and the three strength staples every runner needs—staggered-stance deadlifts, loaded lunges, and resisted lateral work—to improve impact tolerance and reduce shin and knee issues.Throughout, we tie in pelvic floor nuance, delivery factors, and why stories of prolapse don’t prove running “too early” caused it. We talk fueling, community, and mindset, because performance after birth isn’t just physical—it’s logistical and emotional. If you’ve been waiting for permission to move on your terms, with data and compassion, this is your map.If this helped you build your plan, follow the show, share it with a friend who’s returning to sport, and leave a quick review so more moms find evidence without the fear.___________________________________________________________________________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!

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• From Diastasis To Deadlifts: Evidence, Not Myths

  Think you “caused” your diastasis by breathing wrong or lifting heavy? Let’s retire the blame. We dig into what the research actually says about diastasis recti, core tension, and the real impact of progressive strength training after birth. No magic fixes, no fear-mongering—just practical steps to feel stronger, lift smarter, and trust your body again.We also unpack the hormonal rollercoaster of early postpartum. Low estrogen can look like perimenopause: night sweats, dryness, joint aches, even a higher risk of frozen shoulder. Your period might return at six weeks or nine months and still be normal. And yes, surprise pregnancies can happen while nursing. We explain how cycles, prolactin, and training interact so you can make informed choices without anxiety driving the bus.For athletes eyeing a comeback—powerlifters, runners, hybrid competitors—we map a realistic path back to the platform. Skip the crash cuts and rigid weight classes while you’re fueling recovery. Build capacity with tempo work, bracing, and pelvic floor coordination, then add load with patience. We also tackle prolapse with clarity: how to read symptoms, where a pessary fits, what conservative care can achieve, and when surgery is a valid route. Stronger before surgery often means better after, and smarter mechanics beat blanket lifting restrictions every time.If you’re tired of conflicting advice and want evidence, empathy, and actionable plans, you’re in the right place. Subscribe, share with a friend who’s navigating postpartum training, and leave a review telling us the myth you most want debunked 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!

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• Why Early Hormone Headlines Mislead And How Pregnant Athletes Can Train Smarter

  A wave of excitement hit social media over a perimenopause hormone therapy “study” that hadn’t even cleared peer review. We pull back the curtain on how posters at medical conferences actually work, why methods and nuance matter, and how hype from massive accounts can eclipse the careful voices of the researchers themselves. It’s a candid look at women’s health misinformation, how it spreads, and why long-form conversations offer a better path to clarity.From there, we dive into real questions from active moms. What explains breathlessness and fatigue at just eight weeks when your body looks the same? How do you navigate the identity whiplash of being an athlete who suddenly feels slower, quieter, and less recovered? We share practical ways to stay consistent, lean on community, and reframe expectations without losing performance completely. You’ll learn how to assess lower abdominal soreness after toes-to-bar, when a hip flexor or lower abdominal strain is the likely culprit, and when anxiety or ectopic history means it’s time to see a clinician.We map out first-trimester strength work in clear terms: three focused full-body days, two to four sets per lift, rep ranges that respect energy, and simple progressions—add a rep, add a little load, or add a set as recovery allows. Instead of defaulting to scaling everything, we push for a progression mindset and modify only when your body asks. On pelvic girdle pain and sciatica, we compare slimmer pelvic belts like the Serola with fuller supports, explain who benefits most, and pair any device with targeted hip and trunk strengthening. We also spotlight a missing piece in the literature: how pre-pregnancy injury history shapes pain during pregnancy, and what that means for prevention.If you’re an active mom, coach, or clinician who values evidence with empathy, this conversation gives you tools you can use today—plus the context to spot hype before it takes root. Subscribe, share with a friend who trains, and leave a quick review to help more women find trustworthy guidance.___________________________________________________________________________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!

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