The Pelvic Floor Fit Podcast

by Dr. Emily Brownlee, PT, DPT, CPPC

Season 1

034. How Do I Know When I’m Ready, Postpartum? - with Dr. Emily

Welcome, Mamas! My name is Dr. Emily and I am a: Bible-believing Christian Happy Wife Mama of 3 under 3 Pelvic Health Physical Therapist Certified Pre and Postnatal Fitness Coach I started @pelvic.floor.fit to inspire, educate, and empower mamas to achieve: a pain-free pregnancy the birth of their dreams a confident postpartum recover Join me as I discuss everything from preconception to menopause with your pelvic health and fitness needs. It is my passion to make these topics easy to understand and practical to apply to even the busiest of seasons. Today I want to address the challenging conversation of when we are ready for any particular exercise or activity, postpartum. This topic is not discussed in a realistic or helpful way in the vast majority of settings. From the short-form content limitations, to the challenges of discussing nuance in a busy doctor's office - most mamas don't feel clear on when their bodies are truly ready to start lifting weights, running, doing chores around the house, or any other specific activities. While even this podcast episode is somewhat limited, my goal is to give you some practical tips, symptoms to watch for, and guidance to follow. The truth is that every mama and every postpartum recovery is a truly unique experience and there is no one-size-fits all answer for this topic. Wondering when you should start lifting, running, or another activity you enjoy after having your little one? Listen now to find out! And snag the resource I mention: 5 Steps to Your Perfect Workout Plan Here - https://pelvicfloorfit.ck.page/a4253add2e Interested in the Restore Your Core Workshop? Check it out here: https://www.pelvicfloorfit.net/products/courses/view/1179222 Subscribe to my email newsletter for more tips, mom hacks, and exclusive offers! https://pelvicfloorfit.kit.com/0647a9cea1

S1 · E34

Sep 14, 2025

21:23

032. An Impactful Reason to Exercise During Pregnancy: the Benefits to Baby - with Dr. Emily

Welcome, Mamas! My name is Dr. Emily and I am a: Bible-believing Christian Happy Wife Mama of 3 under 3 Pelvic Health Physical Therapist Certified Pre and Postnatal Fitness Coach I started @pelvic.floor.fit to inspire, educate, and empower mamas to achieve: a pain-free pregnancy the birth of their dreams a confident postpartum recover Join me as I discuss everything from preconception to menopause with your pelvic health and fitness needs. It is my passion to make these topics easy to understand and practical to apply to even the busiest of seasons. Today I want to address an incredibly impactful reason to exercise during pregnancy: because it benefits baby's mental, physical, emotional, and habitual health! Did you know that exercise improves baby's heart and respiratory health? How about their brain development, motor skills, coordination, and their ability to manage the stress of labor? Exercise during pregnancy has also been shown to have a positive effect on baby's language development, memory, emotional regulation, stress management, anxiety levels, and orientation. As if that weren't all enough motivation, how incredible is it that as mamas we have this unique opportunity to gift our children with a positive relationship with exercise from day 1? Wondering how we can get started with exercise during pregnancy? Listen now to find out! And snag the resource I mention: 5 Exercises for a Pain-Free Pregnancy Here - https://pelvicfloorfit.kit.com/0a5c865544 Interested in the Birth Like a Boss Workshop? Check it out here: https://www.pelvicfloorfit.net/products/courses/view/1179231 Subscribe to my email newsletter for more tips, mom hacks, and exclusive offers! https://pelvicfloorfit.kit.com/0647a9cea1

S1 · E32

Aug 31, 2025

15:50

031. Why The Investment in a Robust Birth Team Saves us Pain, Money, and Heartache in the Long-run - with Dr. Emily and guest Emily Betancur

Welcome, Mamas! My name is Dr. Emily and I am a: Bible-believing Christian Happy Wife Mama of 3 under 3 Pelvic Health Physical Therapist Certified Pre and Postnatal Fitness Coach I started @pelvic.floor.fit to inspire, educate, and empower mamas to achieve: a pain-free pregnancy the birth of their dreams a confident postpartum recover Join me as I discuss everything from preconception to menopause with your pelvic health and fitness needs. It is my passion to make these topics easy to understand and practical to apply to even the busiest of seasons. Today I am honored for you to hear from my guest Emily Betancur of Magnolia Birth! She is a wealth of knowledge as a doula, mama, and birth educator. I am so grateful for her vulnerability in sharing her motherhood journey, lessons learned, and why she is so passionate about encouraging mamas to invest well in a robust birth team. Hear about how investing in a high-quality and robust birth team can actually SAVE us a ton of pain, heartache, and even money in the long-run. How do we support our pregnancy and birth process for the best motherhood experience and recovery possible? Listen now to find out! Go visit her website and check out her instagram @magnoliabirthlbk to learn more about how she can support the birth of your dreams! Interested in a MamaFit Workshop? Check those out here: https://www.pelvicfloorfit.net/workshops Subscribe to my email newsletter for more tips, mom hacks, and exclusive offers! https://pelvicfloorfit.kit.com/0647a9cea1

S1 · E31

Aug 24, 2025

31:51

030. Why You May Want to Consider Ditching HIIT, Crossfit, or Ultra Endurance Training if You’re Trying to Conceive - with Dr. Emily

Welcome, Mamas! My name is Dr. Emily and I am a: Bible-believing Christian Happy Wife Mama of 3 under 3 Pelvic Health Physical Therapist Certified Pre and Postnatal Fitness Coach I started @pelvic.floor.fit to inspire, educate, and empower mamas to achieve: a pain-free pregnancy the birth of their dreams a confident postpartum recover Join me as I discuss everything from preconception to menopause with your pelvic health and fitness needs. It is my passion to make these topics easy to understand and practical to apply to even the busiest of seasons. Today I want to discuss the idea that very strenuous exercise over long periods of time has the ability to negatively impact our metabolism, hormonal health, and fertility. Firstly, I love pushing my body and exercising with intentionality. And I am not claiming that participating in these types of exercise WILL cause infertility, simply that they CAN and if you are struggling to conceive - it may be worth examining your current workout routine. Secondly, I think analyzing our biomarkers such as sleep quality, digestive health, skin/hair/nail health, mood regulation, and more can be a fantastic way to gauge how our metabolism is functioning. Take it from a mama who over-exercised and under-nourished her body for YEARS - the depletion is not worth it. There are far more effective strategies to look and feel great without damaging our health. How? Listen now to find out! And snag the resource I mention: 5 Steps to Your Perfect Workout Plan Here: https://pelvicfloorfit.ck.page/a4253add2e Interested in a MamaFit Workshop? Check those out here: https://www.pelvicfloorfit.net/workshops Subscribe to my email newsletter for more tips, mom hacks, and exclusive offers! https://pelvicfloorfit.kit.com/0647a9cea1

S1 · E30

Aug 17, 2025

23:49

029. Recruiting Daddy to the Birth Team, Creating Cozy Hospital Births, and Confidence through Preparation - with Dr. Emily and guest Lo Mansfield

Welcome, Mamas! My name is Dr. Emily and I am a: Bible-believing Christian Happy Wife Mama of 3 under 3 Pelvic Health Physical Therapist Certified Pre and Postnatal Fitness Coach I started @pelvic.floor.fit to inspire, educate, and empower mamas to achieve: a pain-free pregnancy the birth of their dreams a confident postpartum recover Join me as I discuss everything from preconception to menopause with your pelvic health and fitness needs. It is my passion to make these topics easy to understand and practical to apply to even the busiest of seasons. Today I am honored for you to hear from my guest Lo Mansfield, RN, MSN, CLC of The Labor Mama! She is a wealth of knowledge as an L&D Nurse, mama of 4, and breastfeeding counselor. I am so grateful for her vulnerability in sharing her birth stories, lessons learned, and why she is so passionate about empowering mamas through preparation. Hear about how we can get our husbands on the birth team, creating a cozy birth experience in the hospital, and why preparation is the key to feeling confident during your birth adventure. Also learn her top tips for preparing for birth center or home births! How do we use preparation before birth to truly protect our peace during the process? Listen now to find out! Go visit her website and check out her instagram @thelabormama to learn more about how she can support the birth of your dreams! Snag her freebie third trimester guide here: http://thelabormama.com/third-trimester-prep-pack Interested in a MamaFit Workshop? Check those out here: https://www.pelvicfloorfit.net/workshops Subscribe to my email newsletter for more tips, mom hacks, and exclusive offers! https://pelvicfloorfit.kit.com/0647a9cea1

S1 · E29

Aug 10, 2025

26:39

028. Why You Should Stop Trying to Squeeze Your Workout Into Baby’s Naptime (And What to Do Instead) - with Dr. Emily

Welcome, Mamas! My name is Dr. Emily and I am a: Bible-believing Christian Happy Wife Mama of 3 under 3 Pelvic Health Physical Therapist Certified Pre and Postnatal Fitness Coach I started @pelvic.floor.fit to inspire, educate, and empower mamas to achieve: a pain-free pregnancy the birth of their dreams a confident postpartum recover Join me as I discuss everything from preconception to menopause with your pelvic health and fitness needs. It is my passion to make these topics easy to understand and practical to apply to even the busiest of seasons. Today I want to address how to become more resilient, consistent, and resourceful as a mama who wants to support themselves with fitness. Often we feel that we must have someone either watching our babies while we exercise or we need to fit our workout in during their nap. While this may work when the sun, moon, and stars align - this thought process is actually a recipe for disaster regarding our consistency. Babies and toddlers have constantly shifting sleep schedules, child care can be unreliable, and we don't really need more excuses to skip our workout do we? So then how the heck do we get our workouts done consistently? Listen now to find out! And snag the resource I mention: 5 Exercises to do with a Velcro Baby Here - https://pelvicfloorfit.kit.com/b19b22ae77 Interested in the MamaFit Core Method? Check it out here: https://www.pelvicfloorfit.net/membership Subscribe to my email newsletter for more tips, mom hacks, and exclusive offers! https://pelvicfloorfit.kit.com/0647a9cea1

S1 · E28

Aug 3, 2025

19:32

027. How to Support Our Bodies Through Pregnancy, Birth, and Recovery with Exercise - with Dr. Emily and guest Natalie Zapata

Welcome, Mamas! My name is Dr. Emily and I am a: Bible-believing Christian Happy Wife Mama of 3 under 3 Pelvic Health Physical Therapist Certified Pre and Postnatal Fitness Coach I started @pelvic.floor.fit to inspire, educate, and empower mamas to achieve: a pain-free pregnancy the birth of their dreams a confident postpartum recover Join me as I discuss everything from preconception to menopause with your pelvic health and fitness needs. It is my passion to make these topics easy to understand and practical to apply to even the busiest of seasons. Today I am honored for you to hear from my guest Natalie Zapata. She is an incredible doula who supports mamas to achieve the birth of their dreams. I am so grateful for her vulnerability in sharing her experiences navigating pregnancy with and without consistent fitness habits. Hear about how we can support our pregnancy and birth adventure better with simple workouts that only take 10 minutes a day! Also learn why we need to prioritize pelvic health throughout motherhood to avoid the common aches and pains that many experience. How do we get started with pelvic health and fitness during pregnancy? Listen now to find out! Go visit her website and check out her instagram @anointed.mother to learn more about how she can support the birth of your dreams! Interested in a MamaFit Workshop? Check those out here: https://www.pelvicfloorfit.net/workshops Subscribe to my email newsletter for more tips, mom hacks, and exclusive offers! https://pelvicfloorfit.kit.com/0647a9cea1

S1 · E27

Jul 27, 2025

17:40

026. How the Recommendation to Simply Rest for 6 Weeks and Then Be “Cleared” for Exercise is Failing Postpartum Mamas - with Dr. Emily

Welcome, Mamas! My name is Dr. Emily and I am a: Bible-believing Christian Happy Wife Mama of 3 under 3 Pelvic Health Physical Therapist Certified Pre and Postnatal Fitness Coach I started @pelvic.floor.fit to inspire, educate, and empower mamas to achieve: a pain-free pregnancy the birth of their dreams a confident postpartum recover Join me as I discuss everything from preconception to menopause with your pelvic health and fitness needs. It is my passion to make these topics easy to understand and practical to apply to even the busiest of seasons. Today I want to address how postpartum mamas are being failed by the current model of recommendations regarding exercise. Firstly, they are told to simply rest and not engage in any form of exercise except perhaps very light and gradual walking for 6 weeks after birth. Next, they've crossed that 6 week line and they're suddenly cleared for any and all exercise. Even when stated this way, it's clear why this is a bad idea but I'll elaborate on the extent of the risks this poses to our physical, mental, and emotional health as mothers. How should we actually support our postpartum bodies from day 1 through week 6? Listen now to find out! And snag the resource I mention: Encouragements for a New Mama Here - https://pelvicfloorfit.kit.com/49b0b476dd Interested in my Restore Your Core Workshop? Check it out here: https://www.pelvicfloorfit.net/products/courses/view/1179222 Subscribe to my email newsletter for more tips, mom hacks, and exclusive offers! https://pelvicfloorfit.kit.com/0647a9cea1

S1 · E26

Jul 20, 2025

22:07

025. How to Exercise in a Way That Supports Our Hormonal Health - with Dr. Emily and guest Aimee Shadrach

Welcome, Mamas! My name is Dr. Emily and I am a: Bible-believing Christian Happy Wife Mama of 3 under 3 Pelvic Health Physical Therapist Certified Pre and Postnatal Fitness Coach I started @pelvic.floor.fit to inspire, educate, and empower mamas to achieve: a pain-free pregnancy the birth of their dreams a confident postpartum recover Join me as I discuss everything from preconception to menopause with your pelvic health and fitness needs. It is my passion to make these topics easy to understand and practical to apply to even the busiest of seasons. Today I am honored for you to hear from my guest Aimee Shadrach, MSN, RN, IHP2. She is a wealth of knowledge in everything from nursing to integrative health and her passion is supporting fertility. I am so grateful for her vulnerability in sharing her story of trying to conceive as well as aches and pains she struggled with during her first pregnancy and birth experience. Tune in today to hear about how we can support our body's fertility with exercise to optimize our hormonal balance, improve pregnancy, and achieve the birth of our dreams. Also learn about how she empowers mamas to support their bodies throughout their motherhood journey using specialized testing to determine the simple diet and lifestyle hacks that could change everything for our health. How can exercise support your fertility journey, pregnancy, and birth? Listen now to find out! Go visit her website and check out her instagram @aimee.vbawellness to learn more about how she can transform your fertility journey! Take her fertility quiz here - https://quiz.tryinteract.com/#/67a523f4e659200015038062 Interested in a MamaFit Workshop? Check those out here: https://www.pelvicfloorfit.net/workshops Subscribe to my email newsletter for more tips, mom hacks, and exclusive offers! https://pelvicfloorfit.kit.com/0647a9cea1

S1 · E25

Jul 13, 2025

27:21

023. How to Prepare Our Bodies Well for Birth and Postpartum Recovery - with Dr. Emily and guest Sara Alayev

Welcome, Mamas! My name is Dr. Emily and I am a: Bible-believing Christian Happy Wife Mama of 3 under 3 Pelvic Health Physical Therapist Certified Pre and Postnatal Fitness Coach I started @pelvic.floor.fit to inspire, educate, and empower mamas to achieve: a pain-free pregnancy the birth of their dreams a confident postpartum recover Join me as I discuss everything from preconception to menopause with your pelvic health and fitness needs. It is my passion to make these topics easy to understand and practical to apply to even the busiest of seasons. Today I am honored for you to hear from my guest Sara Alayev, RN. She is an L&D Nurse who specializes in gestational diabetes. Her audience has been curious about how we can better prepare our bodies for birth and to recover better in the postpartum - so we talk all about it in this episode. Hear more about my birth stories and how I have shifted my own birth preparation as a result of my personal experiences as well as my professional expertise. If you thought the label of c-section mama would keep you from having beautiful, redemptive VBAC births - think again! Listen now to hear more! Go visit her on Instagram at @gestational.diabetes.nurse to learn more about how she can transform your pregnancy and birth experience, regardless of labels! Interested in a MamaFit Workshop? Check those out here: https://www.pelvicfloorfit.net/workshops Subscribe to my email newsletter for more tips, mom hacks, and exclusive offers! https://pelvicfloorfit.kit.com/0647a9cea1

S1 · E23

Jun 29, 2025

35:56

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