Pelvic Health and Fitness Podcast

In this episode, Dayna shares her top 5 tips to prepare for birth. There's a lot that is out of our control during birth. But there are also a lot of things we can do to mentally and physically to prepare for this challenging event! If you are pregnant, or hoping to become pregnant one day, this episode is for you!===============================If you liked this episode of Pelvic Health and Fitness, share it with a friend, leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, or subscribe anywhere you listen to your podcasts!LINKS & RESOURCES MENTIONED IN EPISODE:

In today's episode, Rhonda responds to a question she received about staying consistent with exercise over the holidays. It's a busy time of year and there's only so much we can have on our plates right now. If exercise isn't your top priority this time of year, that's ok! But if you'd like it to still be a part of your week because you know it will help you feel better, have a listen to this episode. You might find these tips helpful!===============================If you liked this episode of Pelvic Health and Fitness, share it with a friend, leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, or subscribe anywhere you listen to your podcasts!LINKS & RESOURCES MENTIONED IN EPISODE:

In this episode, Dayna and Rhonda have a great discussion about burnout. And offer 6 soft suggestions for strategies to minimize burnout this time of year.Here are our 6 tips for minimizing burnout:1️⃣ Scale back your workout routine/ adjust your mindset about what “counts” as exercise this time of year2️⃣ Make meal planning/ cooking easier3️⃣ Get better at asking for help4️⃣ Block off intentional breaks in your work schedule5️⃣ Minimize financial stress if you can6️⃣ It's ok to say no to things➡️ We would LOVE if you would share this episode with a friend who might resonate with this message!Mentioned in this episode:

In this episode, Dayna and Rhonda each share the 3 things that surprised us most during the postpartum phase:Dayna's 3 things were: 1️⃣ How overwhelmed she was with having visitors 2️⃣ How challenging breastfeeding was for her mentally 3️⃣ How lonely mat leave can beRhonda's 3 things were: 1️⃣ How challenging her second postpartum recovery was after an “easier” recovery after her first 2️⃣ How challenging naps with babies would be 3️⃣ That both of her daughters refused to sleep in the car This was a fun episode to record to reminisce about our challenging postpartum experiences! ➡️ We would LOVE if you would share this episode with a friend who might appreciate relate to 1 or more these!Mentioned in this episode:

In this episode, Rhonda and Dayna have the pleasure of chatting with their friend and colleague, Jordana Edelstein.Jordana is a nutrition and body image coach and work is to help women finally build the self-trust to eat and exercise in a way that feels amazing, instead of white knuckling through the latest diet and working out to burn off last night's pizza.She lived more than 20 years of her life trapped by food, starting a new diet every other week and endlessly chasing a body that she thought was the key to happiness. Jordana helps her clients break up with dieting, find their best weight and live at ease in their own skin. For life.We're so grateful to Jordana for sharing her story and passion with us. We touch on a lot of topics in this episode including:

In this episode, Rhonda shares 5 tips to stop peeing your pants when you jumpThe 5 tips are:1️⃣ Slight lean forward of your torsoThis helps to put your pelvic floor in a more optimal position to support the pressure of jumping. Think "tits over toes" as my mentor Brianna Battles would say!2️⃣ Soft landingTry to land "quietly" to absorb the force and decrease the impact to the pelvic floor.3️⃣ Exhale on the landingSometimes this can be the easiest way for the pelvic floor to contract to absorb the force of landing. This isn't the only way however! When in doubt, just keep breathing when you're jumping!4️⃣ Keep pelvic floor muscles RELAXEDThis may seem counterintuitive, but trying to hold a contraction/ kegel as you jump may actually tire out the pelvic floor and lead to more symptoms!5️⃣ Start with low reps, and gradually work up to more over days/ weeksSlowly build your body's tolerance to the impact of jumping by easing into it vs. trying to start with high volume.Plus two bonus tips:

In this episode, Rhonda and Dayna have the pleasure of chatting with their friend and colleague, Wanjira Njenga.Wanjira is a menopause and pelvic floor coach. She helps women navigate menopause with strength training, mobility, nutrition and mindset! She has completed a great number of trainings and upgrades in the fields of yoga, yoga therapy, movement and fitness. This also includes massage therapy, reflexology and more recently became a Holistic Core Restore Coach (Pelvic and Core Health), and Peri/Post Menopause Women's health coach. She is also trained as a Functional Range Conditioning movement specialist.Wanjira is passionate about helping women reclaim their best physical, mental and emotional selves and enjoy good, functional health for life. She has combined all her training in yoga, women's health and peri/post menopause training to offer services that keep women 45 years and over strong, fit, and injury-free as they journey through all stages of their lives.We're so grateful to Wanjira for sharing her wisdom and passion with us. We touch on a lot of topics in this episode including:

In this episode, Rhonda has the pleasure of chatting with her friend and colleague, Bree Nacarrato.Bree is the owner of Loved Momma Fitness. She is also a CrossFit coach and also has a Bachelor's degree in Psychology. She has worked with the pre and postnatal population for almost three years before she gave birth to her second daughter who sadly was stillborn. Since the death of her daughter in April 2021 she has begun working with loss mothers who have experienced tragic pregnancy or infant loss. Bree recently launched her first return to exercise program, the Recovery After Loss Program, which is a completely trigger free, 6-month program that walks with mothers through both their physical and emotional healing. We're so grateful to Bree for sharing her story with us. We touch on a lot of topics in this episode including:

In this episode, Rhonda shares all about her signature program: the Strong at Home Membership

In this episode, Dayna shares 5 common pelvic floor myths she comes across in clinic often.The 5 MYTHS are:MYTH #1️⃣ That everybody should be doing kegelsMYTH #2️⃣ You should pee as soon as you feel the urge to goMYTH #3️⃣ Your vagina will be looser following a vaginal deliveryMYTH #4️⃣ If you are having a bowel movement everyday, you are not constipated MYTH #5️⃣ Heaviness means you have a prolapseWe hope that busting these myths helps ease some of your concerns about your pelvic floor!Enjoy! ☕️

In this episode, Rhonda shares about her ups and downs of breastfeeding with her first daughter Sadie.This was an emotional story for Rhonda to share.We hope this conversation helps you feel less alone if you also struggled with breastfeeding. ❤️

In this episode, Dayna and Rhonda have the pleasure of chatting with one of our colleagues and fellow Canadian physiotherapists, Anita Lambert!Anita is the owner of Holistic Health Physiotherapy, creator of the Bump to Birth Method and co-host of the To Birth & Beyond podcast.She's a mom of two and a perinatal pelvic health physiotherapist with a focus on prenatal and postpartum care. She is also one of the select few physiotherapists in Canada to complete physiodoula training (which she also assists in teaching to other physiotherapists).She's passionate about helping clients connect with their body and pelvic floor, plus teach strategies to keep clients active and comfortable during pregnancy. She also loves to help clients navigate postpartum recovery and return to exercise (including sports and dance) without pain or pelvic floor symptoms.We're so grateful for Anita for sharing her passion and wisdom with us. We touch on a lot of topics in this episode including:

In this episode, Rhonda has the pleasure of chatting with one of our colleagues Cat Gieser (@catgieser).Cat is a pre and postpartum movement specialist and founder of Mama Flow Studio - a virtual yoga and sculpt studio for postpartum moms. The studio is also known as the anti-bounce back studio, encouraging moms to move with strength and nourishment instead of the pressure to bounce back. Cat's also a mother of two based in the San Francisco Bay Area.We're so grateful for Cat for sharing her passion and wisdom with us. We touch on a lot of topics in this episode including:

In this episode, Rhonda and Dayna answer your questions as a way to celebrate one year of the podcast!We answer your questions such as:

In this episode, Rhonda shares a 5-minute body scan meditation from her recent Pelvic Floor Relaxation workshop.This was a 1-hour workshop full of practical ways to relax your pelvic floor. This is a great skill to learn to help with symptoms like leaking, heaviness or pain, or just as a way to remember that learning to relax our pelvic floor is just as important as learning to strengthen it.Very often stress and anxiety can be tied to tightness in our pelvic floor. So a great way to tune into our body and learn to let go of tension is through meditation.We thought that sharing this 5-minute body scan meditation with you all would be a great resource to begin learning to relax your pelvic floor.Enjoy! ☕️

In this episode, Rhonda and Dayna discuss a commonly asked question “do I need to contract my pelvic floor to 100% with exercise?”The short answer is NO. Creating too much tension in our body may actually contribute to worsening symptoms like heaviness, leaking, pelvis pain or back pain. ⁣⁣Some tips to keep in mind: ⁣⁣⁣⁣1️⃣ Focus on tension to task (@physiodetective). Only contract your pelvic floor muscles (or any muscle) enough for the task at hand. 2️⃣ Stop thinking about what your body is doing and just do the exercise. It's important to get to a point where consciously thinking about what the pelvic floor is doing is no longer necessary. 3️⃣ The relaxation component is just as important as the contraction component. We hope you find this discussion helpful!Find Dayna here:InstagramWebsiteFind Rhonda here:InstagramWebsite

In this episode, Rhonda and Dayna each share the 3 things that they were not expecting during pregnancy.Rhonda's 3 things were:1️⃣ Morning sickness that lasted all day

In this episode, Rhonda and Dayna share our top tips when you're feeling the itch to return to running postpartum, such as:1️⃣ The research shows that it might be beneficial to wait until the 3-month mark to return to impact movements like running, jumping and skipping.2️⃣ Check in with a pelvic floor physiotherapist and/ or postpartum fitness coach if you have the means to assess your pelvic floor strength, tone and coordination.3️⃣ It might be a good idea to start with strength training (especially single leg exercises) to build the stability and capacity of your tissues.4️⃣ It might be a good idea to start with a run/walk combo and gradually increase your time and distance spent running to give your body time to adapt.5️⃣ It might be helpful to slowly ease back into impact movements (i.e. hopping, jump squats, jumping lunges) to prepare your body for running.

In this episode, we chat with one of our colleagues and fellow Canadian physiotherapists, Aliya Dhalla.Aliya is a pelvic health physiotherapist with over 12 years of experience. She focuses on women's health, including prenatal and postpartum pelvic health, preparing people for labour and delivery, and addressing common issues such as leaks, pelvic pain, painful sex, and diastasis recti. She has extensive training in pelvic floor dysfunction, the treatment and management of incontinence, prenatal and postnatal pelvic health considerations, cesarean section recovery, and diastasis recti rehab.Aliya's mission is to educate and empower women about the changes that occur in their bodies throughout their lifetimes.We're so thankful for Aliya for sharing her passion and wisdom with us. We touch on a lot of topics in this episode including:

In this episode, Rhonda and Dayna discuss:

In this episode, we get the exciting opportunity to chat with one of our mentors Antony Lo (aka The Physio Detective).Antony Lo is a physiotherapist from Australia and runs The Physio Detective service and My PT Education. He has been working at the junction of Musculoskeletal, Sports Rehab and Performance, and Women's Health for his whole career. He has experience participating and coaching a range of sports and has been a consultant for a number of different types of elite sports athletes of all ages. He is privileged to teach health and fitness professionals around the world in person and online, in addition to his clinical work. Antony has a wife and 3 beautiful children in (what he says) the best city in the world – Sydney, Australia!We're so thankful for Antony for sharing his passion and wisdom with us. We touch on a lot of topics in this episode including:

In this episode, we get the exciting opportunity to chat with one of our colleagues (and fellow Canadian

In this episode, we get the exciting opportunity to chat with one of our mentors, Brianna Battles! Bri specializes in coaching pregnant and postpartum athletes, as well as educating coaching professionals on how to help athletes navigate the physical and mental considerations of training during these chapters in a woman's life. She is a relentless advocate and relatable resource for women who want training during pregnancy and make a sustainable return to performance, lifestyle, function, career, and activity postpartum (and postpartum is forever)! This effort is what led to her creating a curriculum for coaches and practitioners who also want to support athletes through this process.Brianna has well established, successful online education, programs, and resources for both fitness professionals, practitioners, and athletes. She has built an international team of P&PA Coaches who are equipped to work with pregnant and postpartum athletes in their communities and online.Bri has so much wisdom to share from her years working with pregnant and postpartum athletes. We touch on many important topics including:

In this episode, Rhonda and Dayna talk about all things SPD (symphysis pubis dysfunction, aka pelvis pain or lightning crotch)!We discuss:

In this episode, Dayna and Rhonda talk about all things peezing!We discuss:

In this episode, Dayna and Rhonda welcome Inemesit Graham. Inemesit is a personal trainer and nutrition coach specializing in pre and postnatal fitness with a focus on diastasis recti, hernia, and prolapse management. Inemesit believes that your aesthetics don't determine your athletics and takes a decolonized approach to fitness based on body liberty and free of body oppression.Inemesit is a wealth of knowledge and wisdom. And we touch on many important topics including:

In this episode, Dayna and Rhonda discuss some strategies you can try to minimize back pain postpartum. We go into detail with each of these tips below:1️⃣ Make sure you're resting enough2️⃣ Change up your repetitive postures/ activities3️⃣ Use pain-relieving positions to offset repetitive postures/ positions4️⃣ Movement is good for pain5️⃣ Manage your expectations of what your body is ready/able to do in a dayWe're excited for you to listen to this episode and hope you find some of these tips helpful.Find Dayna here:InstagramWebsiteFind Rhonda here:InstagramWebsite

In this episode, Dayna and Rhonda discuss some reasons you current exercise routine might not be sticking:1️⃣ You're not consistent enough. 2️⃣ It's boring/ too repetitive. 3️⃣ It's too hard or too easy. 4️⃣ It's making your pain/symptoms worse. 5️⃣ Your sole focus is on weight loss.We dive deeper into each point and give some helpful takeaways! We're excited for you to listen to this episode and hope you find some of these tips helpful!Find Dayna here:InstagramWebsiteFind Rhonda here:InstagramWebsite

In this episode, Rhonda and Dayna welcome mental health professional Jessica Barnes to talk about postpartum mental health. Jessica is a passionate Maternal Mental Health Therapist and proud momma of two, soon to be three kiddos. A self-identified "birth nut" Jess is incredibly passionate about supporting moms (and dads!) with anything that could present challenges along our parenting path; fertility challenges, pregnancy loss, anxiety and depression, relationship challenges, birth trauma, and adjusting to life as a new parent in a society that doesn't always support us. Strengthening self-compassion and self-care, while challenging the systems that often lead to our burnout are the cornerstones of her work.This was a very informative and validating chat. In this episode we talk about…

In this episode, Rhonda and Dayna welcome pelvic health physiotherapist, Laura Holland to talk about returning to intimacy postpartum. Laura Holland is a pelvic health physiotherapist practicing in Kitchener Waterloo. After experiencing her own pelvic health concerns and feeling lost about how to navigate them, she discovered pelvic health physiotherapy as a patient and it changed her life. Now Laura is passionate about normalizing conversations about pelvic health and encouraging people to feel more comfortable talking about pelvic health and seeking care when they need it.This was a very informative and thought-provoking chat. In this episode we talk about…

In this episode, Dayna and Rhonda talk about all things prolapse such as…- What is it?- What do the grades of prolapse mean?- Do symptoms match up with severity/grade?- Things to be mindful of when managing prolapse- Will exercise make it worse?- Can I have sex with a prolapse?…Plus so much more!We're excited for you to hear this episode as Dayna and I both manage prolapse, so this was an important one for us to do for you all!We hope you find this helpful!Find Dayna here:InstagramWebsiteFind Rhonda here:InstagramWebsite

In this episode, Dayna and Rhonda talk about what listening to your body means. This is often advice given to pregnant/ postpartum people with good intent, but it often lacks context.Symptoms to listen for that we discuss in this episode include:- Bleeding- Pressure/ heaviness in the vagina- Leaking-Doming/coning in the abdomen- Pain/ pressure anywhere in the bodyThis is also a helpful episode if you're feeling lost about how to modify exercise if you're dealing with any symptoms/ pain during pregnancy/ postpartum.We hope you find this helpful!Find Dayna here:InstagramWebsiteFind Rhonda here:InstagramWebsite

In this episode, Dayna and Rhonda are honoured to chat with one of our most influential mentors Jessie Mundell!Jessie (she/her) has over 15 years experience in exercise coaching and personal training for people who are pregnant, newly postpartum, and parents. 
She is a registered Professional Kinesiologist and holds a Master's Degree in Kinesiology, with studies focused in prenatal and postnatal exercise.
Jessie is the creator of Core + Floor Restore, To Pregnancy and Beyond, the Postnatal Fitness Specialist Academy, and co-host of the To Birth and Beyond podcast where she coaches pregnant and postpartum people, moms, parents, and fitness and health professionals on strength training and fitness during and after pregnancy.
She currently works with hundreds of clients and coaches around the world, guiding them through exercise in their pregnancies, postpartum recoveries, C-section healing, and their return to more intense fitness training.
In this episode Jessie shares with us…-How she initially became interested in pre/postnatal health-How her motherhood journey shaped her approach as a fitness coach-Why it is so important for her mental health to NOT coach weight loss/ fat loss with her clients-Details of her Postnatal Fitness Specialist Academy (This course is currently open for enrolment until October 28, 2021)-Helpful advice on running a business as a momWe hope you enjoy this episode as much as we did!Learn more about Jessie here:WebsiteInstagramTo Birth and Beyond PodcastPostnatal Fitness Specialist Academy**Disclaimer: This is an affiliate link. I receive a small profit upon purchase at no additional cost to you.

In this episode, Dayna and Rhonda talk about all things incontinence…-What is it?-Types of incontinence-Is a little bit of leaking ok?-Ways to treat it-Habits to be mindful of to help with leaking-Peezing (peeing when you sneeze)…Plus so much more!Find Dayna here:InstagramWebsiteFind Rhonda here:InstagramWebsite

In this episode, Dayna and Rhonda provide 5 helpful tips to fit exercise into your life!1. Workout with your kids around2. You don't need to change into workout clothes or running shoes3. All movement “counts”4. Have your workout station set-up in plain sight5. A 10-minute workout you DID do is better than the 1-hour workout you DIDN'T do. Ditch the all-or-nothing mindset when it comes to exercise!Find Dayna here:InstagramWebsiteFind Rhonda here:InstagramWebsite

In this episode, Dayna and Rhonda talk about all things diastasis recti…-What is it?-Can it be prevented?-Does the size of the gap matter?-Do I need to modify exercise during pregnancy to minimize strain on the abdomen?-What is coning/ doming?-What is a “healed” diastasis?…Plus so much more!Find Dayna here:InstagramWebsiteFind Rhonda here:InstagramWebsite

In this episode, Dayna and Rhonda welcome pelvic floor physiotherapist Kathleen White to discuss all things returning to running postpartum. Kathleen is an orthopaedic and women's health physiotherapist who supports women on the run. She has a passion for helping women return to fitness after injury and pregnancy especially returning to running without pain, leaking or injury. As a mom of two active boys, she understands the demands of motherhood and being a working professional as well as the realities of trying to maintain an active lifestyle with kids.In this episode we talk about what inspired Kathleen to become a pelvic floor physiotherapist with a focus on running, the timeline with getting back to running postpartum, “runner's brain”, different strategies to help manage symptoms with running postpartum (such as leaking), and so much more!Find Kathleen here:InstagramWebsite

In this episode, Dayna and Rhonda discuss all things Kegels! Many people are led to believe that Kegels are the answer to all their pelvic floor issues. We're here to discuss why that may not necessarily be true and some tips to try other than non-stop Kegels! This is a great discussion that you will learn a lot from!Find Dayna here:InstagramWebsiteFind Rhonda here:InstagramWebsite

In this episode, Dayna and Rhonda welcome their first guest, Jaclyn Seebach! Jaclyn is a Pelvic and Orthopaedic Physiotherapist in London and St. Mary's, Ontario. She also teaches a course educating Health Professionals about Cesarean Sections through Pelvic Health Solutions. On top of all of that she is a mom of 4! Jaclyn shares with us her story of having 4 Cesarean births, and how these experiences led to her developing a passion for helping other moms prepare for and recover from Cesarean births.Find Jaclyn here:InstagramWebsite

In this episode, Rhonda talks about what it looks like to have an assessment and online program designed by a pre/postnatal fitness coach. She talks about how she works in collaboration with internal pelvic floor physiotherapists to help her clients reach their goals of minimizing symptoms, increasing strength, improving overall wellness, and getting them back to the activities they love to do.Find Dayna here:InstagramWebsiteFind Rhonda here:InstagramWebsite

In this episode, Dayna talks about what it looks like to come and see a pelvic floor physiotherapist. She talks about what conditions pelvic floor PTs help with and who they help (a.k.a. it's NOT just for birthing people!) She also discusses how she helps pregnant and postpartum women prepare for and recover from birth.Find Dayna here:InstagramWebsiteFind Rhonda here:InstagramWebsite

In this episode, Rhonda shares her story about why she became a pre/postnatal fitness coach.Find Dayna here:InstagramWebsiteFind Rhonda here:InstagramWebsite

In this episode, Dayna shares her story about why she became a women's health physiotherapist.Find Dayna here:InstagramWebsiteFind Rhonda here:InstagramWebsite

In this trailer episode, Dayna and Rhonda chat about why they decided to start this podcast.Find Dayna here:InstagramWebsiteFind Rhonda here:InstagramWebsite