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I’ve heard hundreds of stories of people recounting their parents giving them “the talk.” Some involved hushed conversations in bedrooms after a child asked a question during family movie night.  One that sticks out in my mind is the gentleman who vividly remembers his dad making a dirty martini and swirling it around and awkwardly sipping from it as he attempted to talk about sex.  Many don’t recall the talk because it just never happened! 

As a...

There are so many misconceptions when it comes to comprehensive sex education.  And what people don’t understand, they fear.  What they fear, they judge as evil.  What they judge as evil, they attempt to control.  And what they cannot control, they attack or argue against.  It’s a vicious and unproductive cycle.  

Let’s start with some facts. 

In February of 2021, the Illinois General Assembly introduced a bill (0818) reforming sex...

Have you heard the phrase, “Be careful not to plan for the wedding and forget about the marriage”?  Well, we often treat postpartum recovery much the same way. 

So many women pour all their attention into the birth process, but the 4^th trimester (or first 40 days after delivery) is sometimes an afterthought. 

Planning ahead is essential to a healthy postpartum recovery.

Maybe in years past you could have gotten away with just taking it day-by-day and figuring it...

As a Women’s Health Physical Therapist and Movement Specialist, I have access to hundreds of exercise programs from Yoga to Cross Fit and Barre to Tabata.  When women ask me what is the best form of exercise to participate in during pregnancy, my answer is the same each and every time. 

Prenatal Pilates, hands down. 

If you’re not already a believer, or if you’re not really sure what Pilates even is, or if you’ve stumbled upon this blog and are just...

When most women find out they are pregnant, they start thinking twice about what they are feeding their body and baby, striving for high nutritional value.  Sometimes they crave nutrient-dense food and other times it’s mashed potatoes and ice cream.  Just like everything in life, there’s room for both, and it’s best to find a good balance.  The same is true for movement. 

What is your appetite for movement? 

If you’re someone who craves...

Teaser alert: It’s NOT just more Kegels!

I’m sorry, you caught me hot under the collar because in the process of researching for this post I got lost in a rabbit hole of well-intentioned blogs steering women in the completely opposite way. 

Lucky for me, I have a bread crumb trail to find my way back that includes a Master of Science degree in physical therapy, 15+ years of treating pregnant women, and countless exercise specialist certifications. Oh, and I own a vagina that...

The second you get the positive results, whether it’s a missed period, or peeing on a stick, or a urine test from your doctor’s office, or bloodwork, or an ultrasound….you become acutely aware that the decisions you make affect more than just you.  From what you eat and drink (to what you can no longer eat and drink) to how much sleep you get or how much weight you lift, you don’t want to do anything to hurt the baby.  And if you’ve ever experienced a...

The benefits of exercising during pregnancy are indisputable.  Reduction of back pain, easing of constipation, decreasing your risk of gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and Cesarian delivery are only a few benefits.  But there’s also the promotion of healthy weight gain in pregnancy and help with losing the baby weight afterward. 

I always advise women to pick exercise programs that bring them happiness and joy instead of dreading the movement.  You have lots of...

We pass out Kegels to women like candy on Halloween.  And pregnant women can feel like they’re on the set of Oprah, “You get some Kegels, and You get some Kegels, Everyone gets Kegels.” Just like too much candy isn’t good for your teeth, well too many Kegels aren’t good for your pelvic floor.  Let’s back up a bit.

History of the Kegel Exercise

The Kegel exercise is named after a gynecologist from the early to mid 20th century, Dr. Arnold Kegel,...

Giving birth was anxiety-provoking enough for most women prior to 2020, but adding on a global pandemic is like tossing a brick out to women who are already treading water, barely able to keep their noses above the changing tides and crashing waves. 

While I’ve bobbed up and down with women throughout their pregnancy journeys for the last 15 years, I’ve actually only attended three births.  And they were my own!  So I thought I needed to bring in the “big...