In episode 91 we talked all about SPD pain during pregnancy, but we’ve had a lot of women from our community ask about SPD pain during the postpartum period! Today, Krystle is going to close that loop and talk about things you can do to alleviate SPD pain during postpartum. Through proper full ribcage breathing, keeping movements symmetrical until inflammation has decreased, and modifying your workouts, less pain and a stronger pelvic floor is possible. A great feature about the Expecting and Empowered App is that there is a 5 minute test you can take if you’re experiencing SPD pain. When you complete the test, you’ll get immediate, individualized feedback with ways to rebalance the pelvis and reduce your SPD pain. This is like having a clinic appointment with Krystle right there in the app! Utilize our FREE 7 day trial to complete this test, or subscribe to the app with our coupon code below! 

If you enjoyed listening to this episode, we would love it if you could share it to your Instagram stories and tag us @expectingandempowered. As we like to say, knowledge is power, and we just really want to give more people the information that they may need on their motherhood journey!

Links & Resources

Expecting and Empowered App - Enter code 'PODCAST25' at checkout

Expecting and Empowered Website

Expecting and Empowered Instagram

This episode was brought to you by the Pivot Ball Change Network.

In today’s inspiring episode, we welcome a first: a military spouse, mother of two, content creator, and Expecting and Empowered App Affiliate - Corrie Lynn! Corrie joins us to share her unique experience navigating motherhood and military life, and how she’s rewriting the narrative with positivity, resilience, and intentionality. 

After moving to their first base only a few short months before their first child was born, they leaned heavily into their new community of the other military families to build their own “village”! Whether you are military or civilian, creating your village is so key to feeling supported when you’re parenting through a tough season of life. She also touches on the mindset shift required in both motherhood and military life, where it can often feel like decisions are out of your hands. Corrie reminds us that we do have the power to influence our daily lives and encourages women to embrace that power through the choices they make each day. Another big way to keep your “self” during hard times is to find time to do the things that make you happy. Corrie encourages us to use our gifts and talents in your current situation that not only brings you joy, but may be a contribution to your community. As always on this podcast, we discuss the importance of movement and exercise in motherhood. Corrie shares how she prioritizes fitness as a military spouse and busy mom, offering helpful strategies for making movement more accessible and consistent. She also opens up about why she loves the Expecting and Empowered App and how it has supported her wellness journey through pregnancy and postpartum! To wrap up the episode, Corrie gives us a peek into her practical and grounded approach to family finances within the military lifestyle. 

If you enjoyed listening to this episode, we would love it if you could share it to your Instagram stories and tag us, @ajoyfulmilspouse and @expectingandempowered. As we like to say, knowledge is power, and we just really want to give more people the information that they may need on their motherhood journey!

Follow Corrie on Instagram

Join Corrie’s Email list!

“The Money Military Manual”

Links & Resources

Expecting and Empowered App - Enter code 'PODCAST25' at checkout

Expecting and Empowered Website

Expecting and Empowered Instagram

This episode was brought to you by the Pivot Ball Change Network.

If you’ve ever felt immense, sharp, pain in your pelvis during pregnancy, you are not alone - we have too! That pain is called Symphysis Pubic Dysfunction, or SPD pain for short. SPD can be caused by a combination of things, but mostly because of imbalances in the pelvis and relaxin hormone that increases during pregnancy. Krystle is going to walk us through ways to eliminate asymmetrical movements and activities to decrease inflammation and reduce SPD pain. Then she will cover how to keep your SPD pain away for good with proper body mechanics and a few of her favorite products to support your pelvis. 

If you enjoyed listening to this episode, we would love it if you could share it to your Instagram stories and tag us, @expectingandempowered. As we like to say, knowledge is power, and we just really want to give more people the information that they may need on their pregnancy journey!

Links & Resources

Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction (SPD) During Pregnancy Blog Post

Love Steady Belly Support Band - Use code "EXPECTING" FOR 10% off your order

Knee Pillow

Serola Belt

Expecting and Empowered App - Enter code 'PODCAST25' at checkout 

Expecting and Empowered Website

Expecting and Empowered Instagram

This episode was brought to you by the Pivot Ball Change Network.

Krystle is hosting solo this week with Jen Wagner, board-certified obstetric anesthesiologist, and Bethany Scott, birth doula, and co-hosts of The C-Section Experience Podcast! Jen and Bethany provide education and support for c-section mamas with the goal of improving c-section experiences for all women. With Jen having had 1 c-section and 1 VBAC and Bethany having had 3 c-sections like Krystle, this episode is full of tips and stories to help you feel empowered and in charge of your c-section experience!

Going into birth knowing you will have a planned c-section can still come with feelings of anxiety. Jen and Bethany describe methods like the “3-3-3” and others that you and your partner can do while waiting for your procedure to help reduce those pre-surgery jitters. And if your vaginal birth ends in a c-section for reasons Jen describes, utilize the same coping skills you used successfully during your labor. Not knowing how labor may go, Jen and Bethany explain why they like expecting mamas to create a “contingency plan”... like your birth plan for your vaginal delivery, what types of things would you like for a c-section? Immediate skin-to-skin? Breastfeeding in the operating room? YOU have the power of choice with these types of things! 

We completely acknowledge that having a c-section, whether planned or unplanned, may cause a lot of grief - which is a normal feeling! If you plan on having more children, consider the types of things you would like to do differently with your next delivery and include it in your contingency plan. Talking through your birth with your safe people can really help process the events of your birth too. Recovering physically from a c-section can also be HARD! Jen, Bethany, and Krystle put their experiences and professional preparedness to work to bring you tips for staying on top of your pain, do’s and don’ts of abdominal binders, how to utilize a helper once you discharge home from the hospital, plus so many great breastfeeding tips!!

If you enjoyed listening to this episode, we would love it if you could share it to your Instagram stories and tag us, @thecsxpodcast and @expectingandempowered. As we like to say, knowledge is power, and we just really want to give more people the information that they may need on their childbirth journey!

Follow Jen and Bethany on Instagram and TikTok

Jen and Bethany’s Website

Links & Resources

Expecting and Empowered App - Enter code 'PODCAST25' at checkout 

Expecting and Empowered Website

Expecting and Empowered Instagram

This episode was brought to you by the Pivot Ball Change Network.

Birth can be a beautiful experience, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t without fear and concerns. After hearing from our community, it’s evident that some women feel ready to go! While others feel excited to meet their baby but anxious about the labor and delivery process. We want you to know that ALL of those feelings are valid and so normal! Today’s podcast is going to be all about mentally preparing for labor and delivery. We’ll be going over some tips to help you feel more confident when it comes time to meet your baby! Our first major tip is to run towards your fears instead of away. Educating yourself with as many resources about your fear can help you feel empowered and prepared. Whether your fear is pain during birth, fear of needing a c-section, or fear you may not receive enough support from your partner, we will go over ways to approach these fears head on. Our second tip is to decide on the person who will be your continuous support person through the labor, delivery, and recovery process. Sometimes this is your partner, but for others that can be a person like your mom, sister, close friend, or doula. This support is not only huge for creating a positive experience, but it is backed by science to have improved outcomes for mom and baby! The final tip is to write a letter to yourself, express how you feel with your upcoming birth, and tell yourself how much you believe in yourself! We believe in you too!

If you enjoyed listening to this episode, we would love it if you could share it to your Instagram stories and tag us @expectingandempowered. As we like to say, knowledge is power, and we just really want to give more people the information that they may need on their childbirth journey!

Links & Resources

Save on our Labor & Delivery Course with code PODCAST25 at checkout!

Amy’s book recommendation: “The Birth Partner 5th Edition: A Complete Guide…”

E + E Podcast Episode 16: Preparing Your Mind and Body For Labor + Delivery

Expecting and Empowered App - Enter code 'PODCAST25' at checkout 

Expecting and Empowered Website

Expecting and Empowered Instagram

This episode was brought to you by the Pivot Ball Change Network.

Our guest on today’s episode is mom of two, founder of Taylor Lee Yoga, and yoga trainer in the Expecting and Empowered app, Taylor Kaulius! So many mamas requested prenatal and postnatal yoga be included in our workout app, so we brought Taylor onto the team! We have loved her perspective on why including yoga during pregnancy and postpartum as not only a physical practice is so important, but that it’s also so great for feeling like yourself during your journey through motherhood. We also wanted to use this as an opportunity for you to get to know Taylor a little more and her motherhood journey; what she felt was the hardest, where she finds the most joy, and how the principles of her yoga practice spill outside the studio and into other aspects of her life for the better! We hope that this episode encourages you to incorporate yoga back into your daily moment routine or to try it out for the first time!

If you enjoyed listening to this episode, we would love it if you could share it to your Instagram stories and tag us, @taylorleekaulius and @expectingandempowered. As we like to say, knowledge is power, and we just really want to give more people the information that they may need on their childbirth journey!

Follow Taylor Kaulius and her virtual yoga studio on Instagram

Taylor’s Website

Links & Resources

Expecting and Empowered App - Enter code 'PODCAST25' at checkout 

Expecting and Empowered Website

Expecting and Empowered Instagram

This episode was brought to you by the Pivot Ball Change Network.

Urinary urgency and incontinence are topics that often don’t get enough attention in women’s health—which is exactly why we're diving into them in today’s episode. Join hosts Amy and Krystle as they share top tips for better bladder health! It’s common to be practicing unhealthy bladder habits without even knowing it, so we will cover what healthy habits should look like for you, your partner, and your kids!

Urinary urgency is when you get the feeling that you have to rush to the bathroom, which can lead to incontinence. This is mainly caused by poor bladder habits. The good news is that you can retrain your bladder! We’ll share some great tips and strategies to help retrain your brain and bladder for a more functional, healthy bladder. Whether you’ve had babies or not, these tips are for you!

If you enjoyed listening to this episode, we would love it if you could share it to your Instagram stories and tag us, @expectingandempowered. As we like to say, knowledge is power, and we just really want to give more people the information that they may need on their motherhood journey!

Expecting and Empowered Blog Post - Regaining Control: Tips for Dealing with Urge Urinary Incontinence

Bladder Diary FREEBIE!

Links & Resources

Expecting and Empowered App - Enter code 'PODCAST25' at checkout

Expecting and Empowered Website

Expecting and Empowered Instagram

This episode was brought to you by the Pivot Ball Change Network.

Today on the podcast, we are honored to have relationship expert Dr. Morgan Cutlip on to talk all about sharing the mental load as mothers and some tangible tips on how to do so. Transitioning from committed partners or a married couple to parents of young children can come with seemingly never ending to-do lists and a lot of emotions. Sharing the mental load of household tasks, schedules, expectations, and more by having open and honest conversations with our spouse can help prevent feelings of resentment and keep you feeling connected. Dr. Morgan shares with us that weekly family meetings foster closeness and can create positive shifts in your relationship, like increased intimacy and a more enjoyable time in the bedroom! We know that after having babies, some women feel uncomfortable in their new bodies. Dr. Morgan shares some encouraging words about how to shift the mindset to how powerful your body is after baby!

If you enjoyed listening to this episode, we would love it if you could share it to your Instagram stories and tag us, @drmorgancutlip and @expectingandempowered. As we like to say, knowledge is power, and we just really want to give more people the information that they may need on their motherhood journey!

Follow Dr. Morgan Cutlip on Instagram

Dr. Morgan’s Website

Order Dr. Morgan’s new book, “A Better Share”

Links & Resources

Expecting and Empowered App - Enter code 'PODCAST25' at checkout

Expecting and Empowered Website

Expecting and Empowered Instagram

This episode was brought to you by the Pivot Ball Change Network.

One-third of babies in the United States are delivered via c-section. In honor of C-Section Awareness Month, we thought it would be a great opportunity to revisit one of our earliest episodes about everything you need to know during the first two weeks after a c-section. Here at Expecting and Empowered we celebrate all births whether they are vaginal births like Amy’s, or c-sections like Krystle’s. We will link Krystle’s c-section birth story about her breech baby, Brooke, down below! Our hope from this episode is to revisit important information that still holds true today to empower you and give you the information you need to start your healing process off on the right foot!

If you enjoyed listening to this episode, we would love it if you could share it to your Instagram stories and tag us, @expectingandempowered. As we like to say, knowledge is power, and we just really want to give more people the information that they may need on their childbirth journey!

Links & Resources

Episode 10: Krystle Howald's First C-section With Breech Baby Brooke

Expecting and Empowered App - Enter code 'PODCAST25' at checkout 

Expecting and Empowered Website

Expecting and Empowered Instagram

This episode was brought to you by the Pivot Ball Change Network.

Transitioning from pregnancy to postpartum can sometimes leave new moms feeling confused, tired, and depleted. Here at Expecting and Empowered, we feel passionately that every mama should get the care, education, and support they deserve and love sharing the microphone with other women who feel the same. That's where Stacia Scott and her company Postpartum Care USA come in! Stacia is a mother of 3, CEO of Postpartum Care USA, and nurse practitioner. With her root-cause approach using in-depth lab testing, tailored nutrition, and natural treatments at her revolutionary postpartum and postnatal care company, she helps women with things like gut health, cortisol levels, and thyroid imbalances. We will be breaking down some of these common postpartum frustrations on today’s episode and hopefully leave you with an empowered mindset that there are people to help you through your 4th trimester and beyond, and that there is something you can do to improve your mind and body to start feeling better!

If you enjoyed listening to this episode, we would love it if you could share it to your Instagram stories and tag us, @PostpartumCare_USA and @expectingandempowered. As we like to say, knowledge is power, and we just really want to give more people the information that they may need on their childbirth journey!

Follow Stacia Scott on Instagram

Stacia’s Website

Links & Resources

Expecting and Empowered App - Enter code 'PODCAST25' at checkout 

Expecting and Empowered Website

Expecting and Empowered Instagram

This episode was brought to you by the Pivot Ball Change Network.