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If you're from the DC Metro area, you'll definitely recognize our latest guest, former host of @greatdaywash!

In this week’s episode, I sit down with @ellenbryan—television talk show host turned wellness entrepreneur, health coach, and mom of 2 (with another on the way!). 

With 15+ years of experience on major networks in Washington, DC, Dallas, and Lexington, Ellen has built a career in broadcasting while navigating pregnancy, postpartum recovery, and motherhood.

Today, she’s following her passion for women’s health, lifestyle, and community wellness, bringing the same storytelling skills she honed on TV to help moms feel stronger and more supported. 

She’s the author of A Work in Progress, a @nutritionschool certified health coach and @fit4mom_dc instructor 

In this conversation, Ellen opens up about:
 🔹 Being pregnant on air during 2020
 🔹 Returning to TV after postpartum recovery
 🔹 Healing from birth trauma
 🔹 Sifting through misinformation as a journalist
 🔹 Building community and finding strength as a new mom

Ellen’s journey is a powerful reminder that you can honor your ambition while embracing motherhood, and that resilience, pivots, and self-care are essential at every stage. 

If you’re navigating pregnancy, postpartum challenges, or balancing career and motherhood, this episode is for you.

Time Stamps

1:00 Introduction

4:47 initial experience as a mom 

7:55 being pregnant on air

10:45 changes from first to third pregnancy

14:55 being active during pregnancy 

18:28 doing too much too soon

20:51 becoming a FIT4MOM coach

24:30 finding community as a new mom

28:18 being more active

31:45 adapting to change

38:00 talking about perimenopause

45:41 plan for baby 3

56:09 rapid fire questions

CONNECT WITH CARRIE

IG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/

Website: https://carriepagliano.com

CONNECT WITH ELLEN:

IG: https://www.instagram.com/ellenbryan/

Website: www.ellenbryan.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.

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In this episode, I sit down with Laura Fuentes-Aparicio, a physiotherapist who helps women with their pelvic health. She is the Director of the Master’s Program in Specialized Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy and teaches at the University of Valencia. Laura’s mission is simple: to raise awareness, share knowledge, and find the best ways to help women feel and live better.

We also dig into her recent research on abdominal and lumbar muscle recovery after pregnancy. Using ultrasound, her team compared women who had never given birth with those six months postpartum. They found the oblique muscles were thinner in postpartum women, but overall contractile function of the core remained intact—an important distinction for clinicians making decisions about exercise progressions and postpartum rehab

Whether you’re a clinician, a student, or just curious, this episode gives you a closer look at the challenges women face and how science, exercise, and better care can make a difference.

We talk about:

-The challenges of doing research

-How abdominal thickness can change in women

-Why exercise during pregnancy matters

-Diastasis recti (ab separation)

-Different approaches to treatment for pelvic health

Time Stamps

1:00 Introduction

2:10 conducting research in Spain

8:05 working with subject matter experts

11:47 discussing the 2024 Journal paper

16:50 recommendations in Spain

20:00 recluse abdominus exercises

25:20 when women see a physio in Spain

31:59 expanding on research

40:01 using more modalities

44:55 favorite part of research

CONNECT WITH CARRIE

IG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/

Website: https://carriepagliano.com

CONNECT WITH LAURA:

IG: https://www.instagram.com/laurafisiosuelopelvico/

Email: [email protected]

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.
  
 This show has been a long time in the making! 
  
 You can expect conversation with moms and professionals from all aspects of the industry. 
  
 If you're like me, you don't have a lot of free time (heck, you're probably listening at 1.5x speed), so theses interviews will be quick hits to get your the pertinent information FAST!
  
 If you love what you hear, share the podcast with a friend and leave us a 5 start rating and review. It helps us become more visible in the search algorithm! (Helps us get seen by more moms that need to hear these stories!!!!)

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 💌

Send us Fan Mail

 From the clinic to the barbell, Dr. Lamia Zafrani, OBGYN bridges medicine and performance for pregnant and postpartum athletes. 

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Lamia Zafrani, an OBGYN specializing in high-risk pregnancies and elite athlete health. She works closely with athletes and organizations to retain, support, and maximize female athlete performance during pregnancy, postpartum, and beyond.

As both a powerlifter and a recent pregnant athlete, Dr. Zafrani saw firsthand how little guidance exists for pregnant and postpartum lifters. She shares how she blends her medical expertise, athletic background, and personal experience to help athletes train safely while navigating one of the most demanding phases of life.

This is a powerful conversation about bridging medicine and athletics, advocating for pregnant athletes, and creating a better standard of care for women in sport.

We talk about:

-When to say no to an athlete

-Being evidence-informed without waiting forever for research

-Navigating pregnancy modifications in training

-Building a supportive perinatal team

-Blending lived experience with science

-Understanding and addressing pregnancy loss

Time Stamps

1:00 Introduction

5:39 experience as a new OBG/YN

8:30 waiting for the research

11:15 influencing other providers

12:46 powerlifting while pregnant 

17:00 SPD pain

22:50 dealing with modern social media

28:04 there perinatal team

31:29 guidelines from research

39:12 sharing her pregnancy and birth

46:59 getting back to “normal” workouts

52:20 relating to other moms

55:58 pearls of wisdom for postnatal

61:28 rapid fire questions

CONNECT WITH CARRIE

IG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/

Website: https://carriepagliano.com

CONNECT WITH LAMIA:

IG: https://www.instagram.com/drlamiazafrani/

Website: https://drlamiazafrani.com/

Linked In: http://linkedin.com/in/dr-lamia-zafrani-73441a352

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 💌

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode, I’m joined by Helene Moser, PhD, a researcher and physiotherapist specializing in pelvic floor muscle activity and displacement during impact. She brings a unique perspective as a senior teacher in the Franklin-Method®, a shiatsu practitioner, and someone who integrates jumping and impact work into pelvic floor rehabilitation.

We dive into how the pelvic floor responds during jumping, running, and impact training, the role of imagery and cueing, and why both relaxation and contraction are essential. Dr. Moser also shares insights on slow-twitch vs. fast-twitch fibers, power training for the pelvic floor, and what future research could mean for clinicians and active women.

We talk about:

-The pelvic floor during impact, jumping, and running

-Using imagery for effective cueing

-Relaxation and contraction strategies

-Power training and the pelvic floor

-Slow vs. fast-twitch muscle fibers

Time Stamps

1:00 Introduction

2:48 studying impact and the pelvic floor

7:29 displacement of the pelvic floor

13:43 the Franklin-Method®

21:23 incontinence and the pelvic floor

29:23 improving pelvic floor relaxation

32:58 introducing impact exercises

39:18 learning to relax the pelvic floor

44:18 reacting to 2019 UK guidelines

48:58 research for the future

CONNECT WITH CARRIE

IG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/

Website: https://carriepagliano.com

CONNECT WITH HELENE:

Website: www.helmos.ch

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 💌

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode, we dive into the world of information overload—especially when it comes to women’s health. With so much advice coming from social media, friends, and even well-meaning strangers, how do you know what’s accurate and what actually applies to you?

We explore how to cut through the noise, become better critical thinkers, and recognize when it’s time to change direction if something isn’t working. From handling unsolicited advice to understanding new information about diastasis recti, we talk about what it takes to stay grounded in a sea of health “tips.”

Whether you’re navigating perimenopause, trying to add more ab work to your routine, or simply curious about how to vet your sources, this conversation will help you feel more confident in your decisions and less overwhelmed by conflicting voices.

We talk about:

-Where we get our information

The good and bad of learning on social media

Understanding perimenopause and menopause

Knowing when to change course

Adding in ab work safely

Handling unwanted advice

Vetting your sources for credibility

Time Stamps

1:00 Introduction

2:22 cutting through the noise

5:43 simple is best

9:18 sharing generalized education

11:45 troubleshooting clinical issues

18:00 a place for online programs

21:50 dealing with misinformation

25:50 new information about diastasis recti

31:10 becoming better critical thinkers

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 💌

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode, I’m joined by Tina Tang—a former Wall Street trader turned jewelry designer and now strength coach. At age 40, unexpected life changes led her to the gym for the very first time, and by 42 she had completed an intensive personal training course. Since then, Tina has coached over 3,800 sessions, discovered her own love for strength, and created the Return to Strength Mentorship, designed to help women 45+ get stronger, leaner, and more confident.

We dive into the role of impact and plyometrics as we age, from where to begin and how to overcome fear, to making jumping feel playful again. Tina shares practical strategies for programming impact and helping women progress safely while navigating perimenopause and menopause.

If you’ve ever wondered how to reclaim agility, strength, and confidence later in life, this conversation is for you.

We talk about:

-Where to begin with impact training

Leakage and symptoms with jumping

Making plyometrics feel like play

How to program impact safely

Overcoming fear around jumping

Using weighted vests for progression

Developing speed and agility as you age

Breaking barriers in midlife strength training

Navigating perimenopause and menopause in fitness

Building sustainable exercise habits

Time Stamps

1:00 Introduction

6:06 importance of plyometrics

10:48 the fear of jumping

15:27 developing speed as you age

21:57 building up your agility

30:25 helping women progress

38:10 breaking barriers

41:10 the perimenopause and menopause conversation

48:45 adding in new exercise habits

56:40 rapid fire questions

CONNECT WITH CARRIE

IG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/

Website: https://carriepagliano.com

CONNECT WITH TINA:

IG: https://www.instagram.com/ironstrongfit/

Website: IronStrongFitness.net

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 💌

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Sabine Vesting, a pelvic health physiotherapist and researcher whose work explores how exercise impacts the pelvic floor and abdominal muscles postpartum. Her research dives into common symptoms like urinary incontinence, pelvic girdle pain, and vaginal heaviness, and how they affect daily life for new moms.

Now based in Ottawa, Dr. Vesting leads cutting-edge studies at the Motor Function Measurement (MFM) Lab, including research on running-induced urinary incontinence, pelvic floor responses after a single run, and the use of intravaginal devices to reduce leakage in female runners. She’s also writing a review on how to best measure intra-abdominal pressure during exercise.

We talk about:

-Does diastasis actually matter?

-Coning and doming explained

-Finding exercise you enjoy postpartum

-Urinary incontinence and new solutions

-Intravaginal devices to understand the pelvic floor in sport and running

Time Stamps

1:00 Introduction

6:05 work as a PhD

10:40 does diastasis even matter?

16:24 pelvic girdle pain after pregnancy 

21:00 changes over the last 15 years

28:58 being comfortable with activity postpartum

34:21 looking at pain and causes

40:18 getting better measurements 

51:42 intra-abdominal pressure

55:32 doing what works with patients

58:28 rapid fire questions

CONNECT WITH CARRIE

IG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/

Website: https://carriepagliano.com

CONNECT WITH SABINE:

Website: https://mfmlab.ca

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sabine-vesting-aa4317135/?originalSubdomain=se 

We are currently recruiting participants for our RCT, aimed at evaluating whether readily available intravaginal devices, such as off-the-shelf pessaries or tampons, can effectively reduce or eliminate urine leakage during running, enabling active women to remain physically engaged. The study offers a remote option and welcomes female runners from all of North America who experience urine leakage while running.

https://mfmlab.ca/portfolio-items/running-induced-urinary-incontinence-rct/

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 💌

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode of the Active Mom Podcast, I’m joined by Dr. Brooke Winder, physical therapist and Associate Professor at California State University Long Beach, where she leads the Dance Science program and mentors young dancers on optimizing their health, performance, and injury prevention.

Brooke specializes in supporting artistic athletes—including dancers, aerialists, and circus performers—through orthopedic rehabilitation, pelvic floor physical therapy, and hypermobility management.

We dive into her research on pelvic floor function in performing artists, explore the unique physical demands of dance, aerial work, and circus arts, and unpack how hypermobility, high-tone pelvic floors, and systemic conditions like POTS and MCAS intersect in this population.

Brooke also shares strategies for pregnancy and postpartum recovery in hypermobile bodies, plus how to stay strong, stable, and resilient across every stage of life—from peak performance years to parenting and beyond.

In this episode, we cover:
🔹 Systemic issues linked to hypermobility
🔹 Building support and stability at end ranges of motion
🔹 Pelvic floor challenges unique to dancers and circus artists
🔹 Strategies to manage a high-tone pelvic floor
🔹 Staying active and mobile through all stages of life

Whether you’re a performing artist, a former dancer or gymnast, or a mom navigating postpartum recovery, this conversation will give you the tools and insights to make your flexibility work for you—not against you.

Time Stamps

1:00 Introduction

6:04 hypermobility in the dance community

9:00 mobility after dance

13:10 the pelvic floor and dance

27:06 circus performers and aerialists

30:32 hypermobility explained

34:38 POTS and MCAS

42:06 neurodivergence and hypermobility

46:08 dancers in pregnancy and postpartum

50:48 looking at a survey study

60:28 rapid fire questions

CONNECT WITH CARRIE

IG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/

Website: https://carriepagliano.com

CONNECT WITH BROOKE:

Website: www.renewmotionpt.com

IG: https://www.instagram.com/drbrookewinderpt/

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 💌

Send us Fan Mail

No lie...one of my favorite episodes of all time.  Sit back and be prepared to learn A LOT  (no matter if you're a mom or pelvic floor professional!)

This week I’m joined by Dr. Hedwig Neels, pelvic floor physiotherapist at Antwerp University Hospital, professor at the University of Antwerp, and author of The Pelvic Floor Book. 

Hedwig specializes in pelvic floor and cyclists and real time ultrasound imaging integration into pelvic health.

A mom herself, Hedwig brings clarity, humor, and evidence-based insight to some of the most misunderstood topics in pelvic health.

We dive into the real stuff—leaks, prolapse fears, her papers on queefing (yep, vaginal wind), and how we can educate without shame. Whether you're a clinician, cyclist, or just someone trying to figure out what’s happening with your own pelvic floor, this one’s for you.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Saddle health & preventing saddle soreness
• Cystocele, urinary incontinence & prolapse expectations
• Cycling-specific pelvic floor considerations
• Real-time ultrasound in treatment
• Pelvic floor myths that still need busting
• And how to talk about queefing without cringing

Grab your headphones and let’s normalize these conversations. Because pelvic health is health—and it shouldn’t feel taboo.

🎧 Subscribe, rate, and share if this one hit home.

Time Stamps

1:00 Introduction

4:00 benefits of real-time ultrasound

11:52 fear surrounding prolapse

20:40 setting expectations

23:24 discussing the research

35:26 vaginal wind (queefing)

45:08 cycling and bike seats

52:40 the importance of bike fit

54:35 rapid fire questions

CONNECT WITH CARRIE

IG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/

Website: https://carriepagliano.com

CONNECT WITH HEDWIG:

Website: www.hedwigneels.com

instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hedwigneels/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thepelvicfloor/

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 💌

Send us Fan Mail

Nervous about a breech baby or C-section? Think again.
Planning a VBAC? It deserves more than a footnote in your chart.

In this episode, I’m joined (again!) by Dr. Elliot Berlin, DC — prenatal chiropractor, labor doula, and founder of the Informed Pregnancy Podcast & One Way or A Mother serial podcast. With over 50,000 pre- and postnatal patients treated, and more than 450 podcast episodes featuring celebrity moms, birth professionals, and real birth stories, Dr. Berlin is a leading voice in informed birth advocacy and evidence-based pregnancy care.

We dive into ACOG guidelines on breech presentation, explore how to support vaginal breech birth, and break down some of the most persistent pregnancy myths still circulating today. Dr. Berlin also shares personal insights from his own fertility journey, and what he’s learned from decades of working with families navigating everything from VBACs to cesarean births to home births and everything in between.

Whether you’re preparing for your first baby or your fifth, hoping for a VBAC, planning a home or hospital birth, or simply want to feel confident in your birth choices—this conversation will help you get clear, grounded, and informed.

We talk about:

• The evolving conversation around vaginal breech birth and what the research says now
• Why storytelling is one of the most underrated tools for birth prep
• How to stay informed and flexible—even when your birth plan shifts
• The expanding role of doulas in both hospital and out-of-hospital births
• Why cesarean birth can be a powerful, empowering choice when it’s supported with respect and intention

🎧 Tap play to hear how education, advocacy, and storytelling can transform birth—no matter how it unfolds.

Time Stamps

1:00 Introduction

3:50 sharing birth stories

9:15 journey towards VBAC

12:36 stories as education

19:20 helping moms navigate unpredictability of birth

24:45 benefits of cesarean birth

27:58 VBAC explained

37:32 generational differences in birth

42:15 talking about potential of birth outcomes 

46:25 the roll of doulas

48:58 what’s next

CONNECT WITH CARRIE

IG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/

Website: https://carriepagliano.com

CONNECT WITH ELLIOTT:

Streaming Site: https://www.informedpregnancy.tv/ 

Website: https://informedpregnancy.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doctorberlin/ 

Twitter: https://x.com/doctorberlin 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elliotberlin/ 

Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/informed-pregnancy-podcast/id909813658?mt=2

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 💌