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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:

1. Bill As Entered into Federal Register: H.R.4074 - 119th Congress (2025-2026): Optimizing Postpartum Outcomes Act of 2025 | Congress.gov | Library of Congress
2. Academy Letter Template and Resources: https://www.aptapelvichealth.org/hr4074

Contact your legislators

1. House: https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative
2. Senate: https://www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm
3. APTA advocacy resources
4. Website: https://www.apta.org/advocacy
5. 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!!!!)