Active Mom Podcast: Pregnancy, Postpartum, Perimenopause, Menopause & Beyond

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In Part 2 of this conversation, I’m joined again by Melissa Davidson, specialist pelvic health physiotherapist, clinical educator, and PhD, to go deeper into the clinical realities of pelvic organ prolapse, levator ani avulsions, and pessary use.
This episode moves beyond definitions and into what actually matters in practice: clinical decision-making, patient education, and navigating an evolving pelvic health landscape where access is expanding—but not always with the training to support it.
We talk about how to explain complex diagnoses in a way patients can actually understand, why accurate assessment matters, and how clinicians can balance symptom management with long-term capacity building.
We also unpack the growing conversation around pessaries—including types, fitting considerations, complications, and the rise of over-the-counter options—and what that means for both patients and providers.
This is a nuanced conversation about where pelvic health care is right now… and where it still needs to go.
In this episode, we discuss:
 Different types of pessaries and how they’re used 
 What levator avulsions are (and why they matter) 
 Clinical decision-making in prolapse care 
 Potential complications and limitations of pessary use 
 The importance of provider training and ongoing education 
 What “high tone” actually means (and why it’s often misunderstood) 
 The role of mental health and psychological support in pelvic floor conditions

Time Stamps
1:00 avulsions explained
7:05 proper diagnoses of pelvic floor issues
14:00 over-the-counter pessaries
20:55 cutting through the marketing
29:33 expanding access while preserving quality care
33:33 what we don’t know
40:26 how the research changes clinical practice

CONNECT WITH CARRIE
IG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/
Website: https://carriepagliano.com

CONNECT WITH MELISSA:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drmelissapelvicphysio/
Website: https://www.drmelissadavidson.com/
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 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 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!!!!)

Send us Fan Mail
In this episode, I sit down with Melissa Davidson, specialist physiotherapist in pelvic health, clinical educator, and PhD, to break down some of the most misunderstood topics in pelvic health. From prolapse to levator avulsions to the role of pessaries, this conversation focuses on what’s actually happening in the body and how we can move away from fear-based messaging toward informed, empowering care.

We discuss the reality of anatomical changes, what “normal” really means, and why modification is often more helpful than restriction. Melissa shares clinical insight on assessing and managing prolapse, understanding tissue changes, and helping women feel more confident in their bodies across different life stages, including menopause.

We talk about:
-Modification over restriction
-The role and use of pessaries
-Normal anatomical changes
-The importance of proper measurements
-Tearing and levator avulsions
-HRT considerations in menopause

Time Stamps
1:00 Introduction
6:58 the reality of prolapse
17:04 the anatomy of a prolapse
21:53 understanding what “normal” means
27:45 empowering women before birth
31:15 tearing and avulsions
38:18 the perineum

CONNECT WITH CARRIE
IG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/
Website: https://carriepagliano.com

CONNECT WITH MELISSA:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drmelissapelvicphysio/
Website: https://www.drmelissadavidson.com/

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 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 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!!!!)

Send us Fan Mail
What if improving postpartum care in the U.S. didn’t cost anything—but still hasn’t happened?
In this episode, I sit down with pelvic floor physical therapist and advocate Gail Zitterkopf, PT, DPT to break down the Optimizing Postpartum Outcomes Act (H.R. 4074)—and why it matters more than most people realize.
We get into what this bill actually does, how systems like Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP shape access to care, and why pelvic floor therapy is still missing from standard pregnancy and postpartum support. The surprising part? This bill has been scored at zero cost—and still hasn’t passed. 
This conversation is about more than policy—it’s about access, awareness, and what it will take to move women’s health forward.
In this episode, we cover:
 What the Postpartum Care Bill (H.R. 4074) actually means 
 The role of Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP in postpartum care 
 Why gaps in care still exist—and what needs to change 
 How to contact your representatives and support the bill 
 Why your story matters in advocacy
Time Stamps
1:00 Introduction
3:30 origins of the bill
8:15 explaining the bill
11:50 actions you can take
19:00 increasing awareness 

CONNECT WITH CARRIE
IG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/
Website: https://carriepagliano.com

CONNECT WITH GAIL:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aptapelvic/
Resource links:
Bill As Entered into Federal Register: H.R.4074 - 119th Congress (2025-2026): Optimizing Postpartum Outcomes Act of 2025 | Congress.gov | Library of Congress
Academy Letter Template and Resources: https://www.aptapelvichealth.org/hr4074  
Contact your legislators
House: https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative
Senate: https://www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm
APTA advocacy resources
Website: https://www.apta.org/advocacy
App:  APTA Advocacy App
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 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 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!!!!)

Send us Fan Mail
What does pregnancy and postpartum really look like for female athletes—especially at the elite level?
And more importantly… are we still treating it like a problem to manage instead of a phase to train through?
In this episode of the Active Mom Podcast, I sit down with Emma Brockwell, pelvic health physiotherapist working at the highest levels of women’s sport—including Women’s Super League football, FIFA, and the Netball Super League.
Emma has been at the forefront of shifting the conversation around pregnancy, postpartum recovery, and return to sport—not just in clinical settings, but on the field with professional athletes.
She’s also:
Co-founder of The Athletic Female
Co-author of the 2019 UK Postpartum Return to Running Guideline
Author of Why Did No One Tell Me?
This conversation goes beyond rehab timelines and checklists.
We get into the evolution of care—from fear-based, overly cautious approaches to a more modern, performance-informed model that respects both physiology and athletic identity.
We talk about:
The old model vs the new model of pregnancy & postpartum care in athletes
What’s actually happening with female pro athletes during pregnancy and postpartum
Why fear-based messaging is still showing up—and how to move beyond it
How to maintain play and training during pregnancy (not just “stay active”)
Navigating hyperemesis and exercise
Why avoiding deconditioning matters more than we think
The ongoing debate around relaxin and injury risk
What clinicians and coaches often miss when supporting postpartum athletes
Research We Discuss:
“Kicking Off Motherhood: Considering Return to Play Postpartum in the Footballer”
Sports Medicine, August 25, 2025
“Pregnant Pitches: Navigating Football Before and During Pregnancy”
Sports Medicine, August 25, 2025
“Stepping into Play: a FIFA decision aid for football participation after childbirth”
British Journal of Sports Medicine, March 2026
These papers are helping reshape how we think about return to play—not as a fixed timeline, but as a decision-making process grounded in context, capacity, and the individual athlete.
🎧 Listen, Subscribe & Share:
If this episode changed how you think about pregnancy, postpartum, or return to sport—share it with a coach, clinician, or athlete who needs to hear it.

Time Stamps
1:00 Introduction
8:25 the rise of the professional female athlete
15:29 investigations risks of contact 
20:40 making individual decisions
27:43 taking the comparison out of pregnancy
35:13 breastfeeding and injuries
43:40 the importance of sleep
47:30 RED-s and low energy availability
57:17 rapid fire questions

CONNECT WIT
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 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 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!!!!)

Send us Fan Mail
What does it actually look like to keep running when life shifts in a big way — like pregnancy, postpartum recovery, and becoming a parent?
In this episode of the Active Mom Podcast, I’m joined by Laura Norris — certified running coach, science writer, and co-host of the Tread Lightly Podcast. Laura has coached more than 500 runners, from brand-new runners to podium finishers, and is known for bringing a thoughtful, evidence-informed approach to training. You may also recognize her work from Runner’s World, NPR Life Kit, Outside, GQ, Self, and Shape, or from her long-running website and Substack.
But this conversation isn’t just about coaching theory.
Laura shares what it was like to move through pregnancy, postpartum recovery, and the transition into motherhood while continuing to run, coach athletes, and rethink what training and performance look like in a new season of life.
We talk about the messy middle — the recalibration that happens when your body, priorities, sleep, and identity are all shifting at once.
This is a thoughtful, honest conversation about running, motherhood, mental health, and the evolving relationship many women have with sport over time.
We talk about:
Running through pregnancy and postpartum
Learning to listen to your body when expectations and reality don’t match
The identity shift that can come with transitioning into motherhood
Recognizing and talking openly about postpartum depression
Getting your kids outside and building a family culture around movement
How Laura’s coaching philosophy has evolved after becoming a mom
If you’re navigating pregnancy, postpartum, or the early years of motherhood while trying to stay connected to running, this conversation will likely feel very familiar.
And if you coach runners? Laura shares some great perspective on how lived experience changes the way we guide others.

Time Stamps
1:00 Introduction
2:18 distilling studies in a concise way
5:09 navigating running and motherhood
12:33 having a breech baby
16:17 recovering from a c-section
22:28 handling different stages of childhood
29:15 finding yourself in motherhood
34:20 being a running coach
38:43 collaborations on the podcast
43:50 exposure and normalization
48:03 rapid fir questions

CONNECT WITH CARRIE
IG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/
Website: https://carriepagliano.com

CONNECT WITH LAURA:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauranorrisrunning/
Website: https://lauranorrisrunning.substack.com/

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 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 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!!!!)