Send us Fan Mail
💥“Wait…you’re STILL lifting?” “Won’t you hurt the baby?”
If you’ve ever picked up a barbell during pregnancy & felt the judgment—or second-guessed yourself thanks to outdated advice—you’re not alone.
On this episode of the #ActiveMomPodcast, I’m joined by @amymoolyk—certified strength coach, clinical exercise physiologist, & former Canadian National Olympic weightlifter—who lifts the lid on what it REALLY looks like to train heavy during pregnancy & return to sport postpartum.
Amy’s not just talking from experience—she’s also a grad student in the Program for Pregnancy & Postpartum Health at @ualberta & lead author on the 2025 @bjsm_bmj study:
🔍 “Maternal & fetal responses to acute high-intensity resistance exercise during pregnancy.”
This is the FIRST study to directly measure fetal AND maternal responses to heavy lifting (yep, including the Valsalva), & guess what?
It found high-intensity resistance training is safe and well-tolerated by both mom AND baby.
We cover:
🔹 Competing at the national level navigating pregnancy
🔹 What research actually says about lifting during pregnancy
🔹 How to filter smart modifications from straight-up fear-mongering
🔹 Climbing out of the anxiety spiral around exercise
🔹 Why we all deserve better than “just walk and do kegels”
🔹 How strength sports CAN be safe and empowering for pregnant/postpartum moms
Amy also co-authored a 2025 BJSM "Impact of postpartum physical activity on cardiometabolic health, breastfeeding, injury & infant growth and development: a systematic review & meta-analysis"
This episode is science + real talk + zero guilt. Whether you’re a coach, a curious mom, or a barbell-lover navigating pregnancy—this one’s for you.
🎧 Hit play. Learn. Lift.
💬 Ever felt judged or unsure about lifting while pregnant? Drop your story in the comments—we’re listening.
#PregnancyStrength #PostpartumAthlete #StrongMomsLift #OlympicLiftingMoms #PrePostnatalTraining #PregnancyFitness #ActiveMomPodcast #EvidenceBasedPregnancy #PelvicHealthMatters #WomenInStrength #FitnessWithoutFear #paglianopregnancy
Time Stamps
1:00 Introduction
3:55 how weightlifting changes in pregnancy
7:12 systematic review on postpartum injury
11:12 researching how how heavy lifting affects pregnancy
22:50 choosing exercises for the study
27:26 considerations during a training session
36:33 advice for first time moms
38:30 rapid fire questions
CONNECT WITH CARRIE
IG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/
Website: https://carriepagliano.com
CONNECT WITH AMY
IG: https://www.instagram.com/amymoolyk/
IG: https://www.instagram.com/connectptex/
Website: ksr.ualberta.ca/exerciseandpregnancy/
Website: connectpt.ca
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 💌