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Teaser alert: It’s NOT just more Kegels!

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

Lucky for me, I have a breadcrumb 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 has birthed three...

The second you get the positive results, whether it’s a missed period, peeing on a stick, 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.  Back pain reduction, easing 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 many choices...

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.” Like too much candy isn’t good for your teeth, 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, who...

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...

If you’ve never introduced yourself to your clitoris, now is the time. 

If you are comrades for life, you still might appreciate some of the nuggets below. 

Learning about your body is a responsibility you owe to yourself, whether you are in a committed relationship, flying solo, or somewhere in between. 

So let’s dive right in ;) 

The clitoris’s only job is sensation (unlike the penis, which also lists penetration, ejaculation, and urination on its...

We’ve all heard of a bicep curl or shoulder press.  The benefits of strength training and weight lifting are undisputed.

You can flip tires or swing Kettlebells; you can squat in a studio or bench press in your basement.  

But what about lifting weights with your vagina?

Screeeeech!  Back the truck up.  

Did you read that right?  Yes, yes, you did.  

Vaginal weights go by many names, including Kegel Balls or Yoni eggs.  And while the intent is to...

“I want to get my body back.”  

This is probably the most common answer to: What are your goals for attending my postpartum exercise program?

As a Women’s Health Physical Therapist and Postnatal Pilates/Core Restore Specialist, I have worked with hundreds of postpartum women over the years.  Whether they had a vaginal delivery or a C-section or a VBAC, they are unified in their response.  They all think their body has gone somewhere, perhaps on a tropical...

I have been working with pregnant women for over 15 years and have heard HUNDREDS of birth stories that are on a continuum from Empowering to Traumatic and everything in between.

As a result, I have harnessed the ability to glean all sorts of information from my intake forms that are strategically created to help me help women have the most positive experiences possible.  

And there is always one sentiment that makes me cringe.  Not in the condescending “How could...

Do you remember the school-based puberty talk you received in elementary school? 

I do. 

I can still see the cover of the pamphlet we received called “Julie’s Story.” I remember the girls and boys were separated, and when we came back together (I vividly remember we made our reunion in Art Class), all the girls had to strategically hide our bag of sample pads and tampons from the boys. 

And we’ve been hiding ever since. 

There’s not a...