Active Mom Podcast: Pregnancy, Postpartum, Perimenopause, Menopause & Beyond
Welcome to the Active Mom Podcast — where real motherhood stories meet real science.
Hosted by Dr. Carrie Pagliano, double board-certified physical therapist, runner, mom of two, and internationally recognized expert in pregnancy, postpartum, pelvic floor, and perimenopause performance.
Whether you’re a mom navigating running with prolapse or leakage, a clinician supporting active women, or a lifelong athlete trying to stay strong through every hormonal season — this show gives you evidence-based guidance and real life mom stories without the fear, confusion, or shame.
Each week, Dr. Carrie brings candid conversations with researchers, clinicians, elite athletes, and everyday moms to explore what it actually takes to run, lift, jump, and live confidently through pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause, and beyond.
We talk about:
• Postpartum return to running & lifting
• Pelvic floor symptoms (leakage, prolapse, pain)
• Pregnancy exercise myths & safety
• Strength training at every age
• Perimenopause performance & hormone changes
• Mental health, identity shifts & motherhood
• The realities of being an active mom in a busy life
Real talk. Real science. Real moms.
Because you deserve to feel strong and supported — at every stage of your active life.
Active Mom Podcast: Pregnancy, Postpartum, Perimenopause, Menopause & Beyond
Let’s Get Physical: How Women Discovered Exercise and Reshaped the World — with author, DANIELLE FRIEDMAN
Today I speak with Danielle Friedman, an award-winning journalist and a regular contributor to The New York Times’ Well section, where she has written about everything from the joys of being a slow runner to the importance of pelvic floor conditioning. She is also the author of Let’s Get Physical: How Women Discovered Exercise and Reshaped the World, which was selected as a New Yorker and Amazon Best Book of 2022. She lives in New York City with her husband and their two young sons.
She is a passionate believer in the ways that movement can benefit mental health and instill a sense of strength that extends beyond muscles and into other areas of our lives — and an advocate for making movement inclusive of and accessible to every body. Danielle is also a fierce advocate for speaking openly about women’s bodies and lived experiences, and de-stigmatizing areas of women’s health that have historically been considered too taboo for polite conversation.
We talk about:
-history of women’s fitness
-leaders of the different fitness movements
-exercising for joy
-loosing control
-the value of community
-“back of the pack” athletes
-exercise for mental health
Time Stamps
1:00 introduction
2:02 beginning the research for her book
7:40 the idea of a “good body”
11:25 fitness going into pregnancy
16:51 pregnancy loss and subsequent pregnancies
21:21 transitioning to two kids
24:20 the value of community
33:40 biggest impacts and what’s next
38:50 raising boys in a modern world
43:35 rapid fire questions
CONNECT WITH CARRIE
IG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/
Website: https://carriepagliano.com
CONNECT WITH DANIELLE
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/daniellefriedmanwrites/
Website: https://danielle-friedman.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!!!!)