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
How to Return to Movement After Baby: What Postpartum Research Really Shows — with Dr. Jenna Schulz
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!!!!)