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In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Jenny LaCross, PhD and Dr. Laurel Proulx, PT, DPT to unpack the evolving conversation around hip–pelvic floor connections and what clinicians are getting right, getting wrong, and still trying to understand. Jenny is a certified athletic trainer and board-certified women’s health physical therapist with nearly a decade of experience treating pelvic health, hip, and low back conditions. Laurel focuses on modernizing pelvic health through research and education while bridging the gap between rehab and fitness. Together, they walk us through their recent clinical commentary and challenge oversimplified narratives around pelvic floor care.

This conversation dives into how we think about impairment, variability in anatomy, and why a more nuanced, individualized approach matters. If you’re a clinician working in pelvic health, orthopedics, or performance, this episode offers practical insight into assessment, communication, and evidence-informed decision making.

We talk about:

-The relationship between the hip and pelvic floor

-What we still don’t know

-Using an impairment-based framework

-Urethral failure and the role of genetics

-Tone, pain, and palpation findings

Time Stamps

1:00 Introduction

7:15 debunking common pelvic floor myths

15:23 focusing on the wrong things with patient care

18:15 the elevator ani and incontinence

23:27 pelvic floor strength

27:05 pelvic floor high tone

35:35 common morphologic variations

45:36 the big take home advice

CONNECT WITH CARRIE

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

Website: https://carriepagliano.com

CONNECT WITH LAUREL & JENNY:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenn.lacross/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.laurelproulx/

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 a text

What starts as a quick run to get out of the house… can end up changing your entire life.

In this episode of the Active Mom Podcast, I sit down with running creator Erica Kennedy aka @inmyrunningerica to talk about how running helped her survive an abusive marriage — and slowly rebuild her confidence, independence, and sense of self one mile at a time.

Now she’s the voice behind the hilarious IG posts that we runners can’t stop sharing — from what to wear in Bald Headed Scallywags winter-storm running weather to her spot-on anatomy jokes and injury stories that make every runner say, “wait… that’s literally me.”

But behind the humor is real Life.

We talk about:

🔷 finding time to run while raising three kids in completely different life stages

🔷 navigating running injuries without losing your sanity

🔷finding the right running shoe (& then losing it)

🔷 the reality (and challenges) of home gym life

🔷 what it actually means to be a “running influencer” (and whether your neighbors even know)

🔷 the wild story of how she almost got scammed by “Asics.”

Plus: a run-stalking murder mystery that proves runner stories are never boring, with both of us unanimously deciding that mutual friend @lauramcgreen will singlehandedly lead the investigation and the GoFundMe. (You're going to have to listen to get this one! It's worth it!)

Because running isn’t just pace and mileage.

Sometimes it’s survival. Sometimes it’s therapy. Sometimes it’s the only 30 minutes that’s yours. And sometimes it's a great time to share a laugh.

If you’ve ever needed a run to keep your sanity — you’ll feel very seen in this one.

Time Stamps

1:00 Introduction

4:30 creating funny skits

10:22 finding the right time to run

17:05 struggling with injury

21:32 sponsorships and scams

27:41 home gyms and strength training

34:42 mom life and kid personalities

41:39 what her parents think

47:09 rapid fire question

CONNECT WITH CARRIE

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

Website: https://carriepagliano.com

CONNECT WITH ERICA:

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

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

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 a text

What happens when pregnancy, postpartum recovery, and military fitness standards collide?

Because “light duty” doesn’t exactly exist when you’re a soldier… or a mom.

In this episode of the Active Mom Podcast, I sit down with Dr. Megan Jones, a civilian physical therapist who has spent nearly her entire career embedded inside the military system, helping pregnant and postpartum service members stay strong, capable, and mission-ready.

She works at the intersection of tactical athletes, pelvic health, strength training, and postpartum performance — supporting women who are expected to carry heavy loads, pass fitness tests, deploy, and return to high-level activity… often while navigating pregnancy, birth recovery, and pelvic floor symptoms that rarely get talked about out loud.

And honestly?
So much of this mirrors what our everyday runners and lifters face too.

We talk about what actually prepares women for the long game — not just “clearing” a 6-week checkup or surviving a fitness test.

Because strength isn’t optional.
Recovery isn’t weakness.
And asking better questions changes everything.

Inside this episode, we cover:

• Military fitness test standards and expectations for women
• Postpartum return-to-fitness for tactical athletes
• Why lifting during and after pregnancy matters more than ever
• Pelvic floor + psychosocial components of recovery
• Asking smarter clinical questions (not just chasing symptoms)
• Running and coaching through pregnancy and postpartum
• How to help women stay active for decades — not just months

Whether you’re a clinician, coach, military service member, or an active mom trying to get back to running and lifting without leaks, pain, or fear… this conversation will expand how you think about pregnancy and postpartum performance.

Because women don’t need to shrink their lives to fit their bodies.

We need better support systems.

Time Stamps

1:00 Introduction

3:39 expectations for female service members

9:17 standardizing the Army’s pregnancy/postpartum fitness

14:14 culture and accountability

20:09 combating outdated information

22:53 advice for working with tactical athletes

29:39 process of seeing a PT in the military

34:13 running and finding ultras

41:30 lifting early in postpartum

45:09 finding the right resources

50:18 rapid fire questions

CONNECT WITH CARRIE

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

Website: https://carriepagliano.com

CONNECT WITH MEGAN:

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

Website: www.reclaimfxn.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 a text

In this episode, we welcome back Carter Norbo—home health physical therapist, lifelong runner, and mom to two-year-old twins and a five-month-old baby.

After narrowly missing qualification for the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in 2024 following the birth of her twins, Carter returned to racing postpartum and is now officially qualified for the 2028 Olympic Marathon Trials—just months after welcoming her third baby.

Balancing full-time work, elite-level marathon training, and life with three kids under three, Carter shares what returning to high-level competition after pregnancy actually looks like. This is an honest conversation about postpartum recovery, training through pregnancy, fueling, strength work, and learning when less is more.

We talk about:

• How her mindset around training during pregnancy has evolved
• Qualifying for the 2028 Olympic Marathon Trials postpartum
• The realities and logistics of training as a twin mom
• The role of strength training during pregnancy and after birth
• Learning to be flexible when life (and recovery) demand it
• Fueling appropriately for long runs while breastfeeding and postpartum
• Why more training is not always better—especially after pregnancy

This episode is a must-listen for runners navigating pregnancy, postpartum return to running, or anyone curious about what it really takes to train at a high level while raising a family—without burning out or breaking down.

Time Stamps

1:00 Introduction

2:29 going for another Olympic Trials qualification

9:23 race day experience

15:25 lessons from being a mom

18:12 differences between pregnancies

21:10 advice for her previous self

27:03 plans for the future

30:19 the Rabbit Chase Team

37:35 Lever system for treadmill

42:45 fueling and hydrating for running

47:18 rapid fire questions

CONNECT WITH CARRIE

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

Website: https://carriepagliano.com

CONNECT WITH CARTER:

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

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 a text

In this episode, I sit down with Shannon Rowbury—Olympic bronze medalist, one of the most accomplished middle-distance runners in U.S. history, and Emmy Award winner for her work with NBC’s 2024 Olympic coverage—and Jessica Dorrington, a pelvic floor physical therapist, runner, and all-around grounded voice in pregnancy and postpartum fitness.

Together, they co-authored Strong as a Mother and founded 4Two, a platform built to give moms what so many of us were searching for: clear, practical, evidence-informed guidance during pregnancy and postpartum—without fear-based messaging or one-size-fits-all rules.

This is an honest conversation about strength, running, identity, and motherhood. We talk about what it’s like to search for return-to-sport guidance even when you’re an elite athlete, why “just listen to your body” isn’t always enough, and how small, actionable information can make a huge difference when your nervous system, hormones, and life are already maxed out.

We also get into the bigger picture: how pregnancy and postpartum experiences can look completely different—between people and between pregnancies—and why letting go of rigid ideas of “right” and “wrong” movement is often where real confidence starts.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why Strong as a Mother was written—and the real gaps it aims to fill in pregnancy and postpartum care
• What elite athletes struggle with when returning to running after baby
• Why bite-sized, practical education matters more than perfect plans
• How to improve systems and conversations for the next generation of moms
• Why every pregnancy and postpartum season deserves its own reset
• Learning to trust your body again without forcing it
• Letting go of fear, rules, and comparison in pregnancy and postpartum movement

If you’re pregnant, postpartum, a runner, a clinician, or someone who just wants better information without the noise—this episode is for you.

Get Strong as a Mother: Your Complete Pregnancy-to-Postpartum Health Program

on preorder NOW on Amazon.com with release on February 17 2026.

PT's, Meet Jess at APTA CSM in Anaheim in the exhibit hall Booth #1725 Feb 12-14th!

Time Stamps

1:00 Introduction

5:24 Strong as a Mother book

13:50 comparison and the algorithm

19:04 busting common myths

27:40 pregnancy as a professional athlete

33:53 domino effect of progress

41:54 overcoming fear in pregnancy

46:25 filling in the gaps

52:46 getting support

56:16 favorite parts of the book

61:35 rapid fire questions

CONNECT WITH CARRIE

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

Website: https://carriepagliano.com

CONNECT WITH JESSICA AND SHANNON:

Instagram:

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 a text

In this episode, I’m joined by Jenna Schulz, MPT, PhD, a physiotherapist and postdoctoral fellow at the University of British Columbia whose work lives right at the intersection of research and real life. Jenna studies things like inflammation in knee osteoarthritis, female athlete health, and longevity in sport—and more recently, how evidence can actually guide movement during pregnancy and postpartum (not just live in a paper somewhere).

Jenna is also a former varsity cross-country and track athlete, which makes this conversation especially grounded. We talk honestly about what returning to movement after baby really looks like, why progress is almost never linear, and how so many moms end up stuck because of unnecessary rules, expectations, or “shoulds.”

This is a practical, evidence-informed conversation for both clinicians and moms—focused on removing barriers, using research wisely, and starting where you are right now, not where you think you should be.

We talk about:

• How to think about prescribing exercise during pregnancy and postpartum
• Why “movement snacks” and small bouts of activity actually matter
• Starting where you are (and why that’s not settling)
• Common barriers that stop new moms from moving—and how to lower them
• Why non-linear progress is normal, not a failure
• Translating research into real-world clinical and everyday practice

If you’re a mom trying to get back into movement—or a clinician supporting women through pregnancy and postpartum—this episode will help you rethink what progress really means and how to make movement feel more doable again.

Time Stamps

1:00 Introduction

4:56 cardio-respiratory fitness in pregnancy & postpartum

9:15 starting exercise during pregnancy

16:50 nuance around what postpartum can look like

20:00 general guidelines rooted in evidence

24:50 return to activity graphic

30:13 return to sport guidelines in postpartum

35:00 FAIR consensus

42:10 navigating the research as a clinician

54:17 rapid fire questions

CONNECT WITH CARRIE

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

Website: https://carriepagliano.com

CONNECT WITH JENNA:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.rungry.researcher/

Email: jenna.schulz@ubc.ca

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 a text

Is Pilates enough? How much is "enough" protein? What does "lifting heavy" ACTUALLY mean?

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Alyssa Olenick, PhD, founder of Doc Lyss Fitness and creator of The Lyss Method, to break down what the research actually shows about strength training and protein in perimenopause.

As a strength athlete, ultramarathon runner, and certified sports nutritionist, Alyssa bridges the gap between science and real-world training. Together, we cut through fear-based messaging, social-media misinformation, and one-size-fits-all advice to talk honestly about what matters most for women navigating perimenopause, menopause, and midlife fitness.

This is a grounded, evidence-informed conversation for women who want to train smarter, feel stronger, and move with confidence—without overcomplicating it or chasing extremes.

In this episode, we cover:

• The massive knowledge gap around strength training for women
• Is Pilates enough—and how to know when it’s time to add load
• Training to failure: what it means and whether you’re actually training hard enough
• Why quality matters more than quantity in midlife training
• How to start with what feels accessible and build from there
• Building confidence in the gym (especially if you feel behind)
• Fueling to support training and recovery
• Protein needs, fiber, and common nutrition misconceptions
• Is it menopause, aging, or both—and how to think about that question

If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re doing too little, too much, or just the wrong thing when it comes to training in perimenopause—this episode will bring clarity, perspective, and relief.

Time Stamps

1:00 Introduction

2:37 approaching the perimenopause space

5:28 questions women are asking

10:20 hesitancy with women and strength training

14:49 is something better than nothing?

19:54 training to failure

23:54 intensity brings interest

27:20 a place for group fitness

31:49 setting expectations & building confidence

42:26 the protein obsession

54:25 don’t forget fiber!

58:27 the ones question we need to ask

70:00 rapid fire questions

CONNECT WITH CARRIE

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

Website: https://carriepagliano.com

CONNECT WITH ALYSSA:

Instagram: www.instagram.com/doclyssfitness

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCW4CCAMyceAtaGVKhpUqcfQ

Podcast: https://doclyssfitness.com/podcast/

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 a text

In this episode of the Active Mom Podcast, I’m joined again by Dr. Rita Deering, PT, DPT, PhD — Associate Professor of Physical Therapy and Director of the Movement Sciences Laboratory at Carroll University. With 18+ years of clinical experience and 15 years specializing in pelvic health, Dr. Deering is a leading researcher in perinatal musculoskeletal health, pregnancy and postpartum exercise, pelvic floor function, and female athlete performance.

This conversation is a must-listen for anyone navigating the overwhelm of women’s health information — clinicians, coaches, athletes, and moms trying to get real answers outside the noise. We dig into how to actually interpret research (not just quote it), what different study types really mean, and how to confidently separate evidence-based guidance from trending misinformation on social media.

Whether you’re dealing with pelvic floor symptoms, postpartum return to running or lifting, perimenopause changes, or pregnancy athletic performance, this episode brings clarity to the research so you can make informed decisions with confidence.

We break down:

• What “evidence-based” actually means in pelvic health & pregnancy fitness
• Different types of research (RCTs, systematic reviews, case studies) and how to interpret them
• Why outliers in research don’t invalidate lived experience
• Making research relatable and useful for everyday moms & athletes
• How AI, algorithms, and social media fuel misinformation
• Translating research to clinical practice without fear-based messaging
• Why respectful, nuanced conversation in women’s health actually helps patients

Time Stamps

1:00 Introduction

3:15 making research accessible

7:58 what is PubMed

13:50 different types of research

18:20 transferring research to the clinic

22:44 looking at the studies

33:19 different levels of evidence

37:04 systematic reviews and meta analysis

43:10 changing approach to implementing research

48:55 where the funding goes

51:20 rapid fire questions

CONNECT WITH CARRIE

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

Website: https://carriepagliano.com

CONNECT WITH RITA:

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

Website: https://www.carrollu.edu/faculty/deering-rita-phd

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!!!!)