The MamasteFit Podcast

Gina (perinatal fitness trainer and birth doula) and Roxanne (certified nurse midwife) discuss Roxanne’s early postpartum recovery at five weeks after a home birth of her fourth baby, Harvey. Roxanne shares that this is her first postpartum without a hemorrhage, attributing differences to improved nutrient status (not being anemic, vitamin D, diet), the home birth flood of oxytocin & support, and active third-stage management with Pitocin. She explains monitoring pelvic floor/prolapse symptoms (heaviness/pressure and increased bleeding) as cues to rest, alongside challenges balancing feeling good with needing to slow down. Roxanne outlines using MamasteFit’s free early postpartum recovery program, strategies for workouts with a baby (breaks, splitting sessions, babywearing), goals to return to running for a runDisney event, and breastfeeding/tongue-tie treatment, plus postpartum product favorites and discount/affiliate links!✨ Shop Our Favorites:⚡️ Electrolytes we love → https://drinklmnt.com/mamaste🌿 Supplements we trust – 20% off with code MAMASTEFIT → https://thisisneeded.com/ginaandroxanne👖 Maternity clothing we actually wear – 10% off with code MAMASTEFIT → https://rstr.co/lovesteady/3500All of Roxanne’s Postpartum Faves: https://www.amazon.com/shop/mamastefit/list/3RPPT8UNHV3O7?ref_=cm_sw_r_apin_aip_sf_list_spv_ofs_mixed_m_lspvrd_DEF3VZNAHGNNTX1YBSMQ&language=en-US00:00 Welcome and Episode Setup01:34 Roxanne Four Weeks Postpartum02:22 Why No Hemorrhage This Time05:43 Supplements and Vitamin D07:34 Healing Without Hemorrhage10:44 Prolapse Symptoms and Overdoing It16:05 Signs You Need to Slow Down21:41 Early Postpartum Movement Plan24:36 Free Early Recovery Course25:48 Back in the Gym With Baby28:52 Workout Strategies and Splitting Sessions30:28 Their In Person Gym Update30:37 Quiet Gym Vibes30:54 Running Goals Return32:47 Treadmill Plans Strollers33:22 Consistency After Grad School35:00 RunDisney Challenge Charity36:08 Breastfeeding Tongue Tie Fix40:20 Sibling Dynamics Postpartum42:57 Home Birth Recovery Tips44:18 Postpartum Programs Support47:01 Favorite Postpartum Products50:22 Wrap Up Subscribe————🎉 Grab Your Copy of Training for Two → https://amzn.to/3VOTdwHYour go-to guide for prenatal fitness, birth prep, and postpartum recovery.👇 Start Preparing for Birth Today📥 Download our free Birth Prep Circuit Guide → https://mamastefit.com/freebies/prepare-for-birth-circuit📥 Grab our free Pelvic Floor Prep Guide → https://mamastefit.com/freebies/prepare-your-pelvic-floor-for-labor/Learn how to relax and lengthen your pelvic floor to support a smoother labor and pushing phase.💻 Explore Our Online Programs:Whether you're pregnant or postpartum—we’ve got you covered with expert-led fitness and education:🏋🏻‍♀️ Prenatal & Postpartum Fitness Programs🎓 Childbirth + Postpartum Education Courses→ https://mamastefit.com🤱 Just Had a Baby?📥 Grab our free Postpartum Core Workouts → https://mamastefit.kit.com/coreStart reconnecting with your core and feeling strong again—safely and confidently.———📲 Follow Us on Instagram for Daily Tips + BTShttps://instagram.com/mamastefit———✨ Shop Our Favorites:⚡️ Electrolytes we love → https://drinklmnt.com/mamaste🌿 Supplements we trust – 20% off with code MAMASTEFIT → https://thisisneeded.com/ginaandroxanne👖 Maternity clothing we actually wear – 10% off with code MAMASTEFIT → https://rstr.co/lovesteady/3500

Roxanne welcomes Sadie to share her first birth and postpartum experience. Sadie prepared for an unmedicated birth through extensive education (birth courses, daily podcasts/YouTube), movement/pelvic biomechanics work, breathing/hypnobirthing, and practicing counterpressure with her husband- inspiring her to later train as a doula! She chose a low-intervention hospital option in Utah called “Simply Birth,” which includes tubs and doesn’t admit until 5 cm. Sadie describes her birth in great detail, as well as postpartum recovery with a second-degree perineal tear and a minor periurethral tear. Postpartum, the hardest parts were tear healing (first two weeks), fear around bathroom trips, and breastfeeding challenges (shallow latch, supply dip after 4 weeks, stress about low weight percentile, some pumping/supplementing with donated milk). 

Her key advice: don’t let others’ opinions derail your birth goals, and use education to build confidence and reduce fear.

00:00 Podcast Welcome
00:53 Meet Sadie
01:06 Pregnancy Prep Research
03:54 Choosing Birth Setting
06:36 Confidence Through Education
08:41 Labor Story Begins
09:40 Membrane Sweep And Prep
11:18 Early Labor At Home
18:18 Heading To Hospital
19:02 Simply Birth Admission
20:27 Supportive Nurse And Tub
23:30 Water Break Decision
28:11 Transition Intensity
30:49 Ready To Push
33:42 Pushing And Nausea
34:32 Nurse Support Pushing
35:44 Positions And Coaching
39:20 Fast Crowning Delivery
42:26 Cord Placenta And Tears
45:32 Stitches And Golden Hour
54:33 Postpartum Breastfeeding Challenges
58:19 Healing Diastasis And Care Gaps
01:03:21 Next Birth Plans Advice
01:04:44 Final Takeaways Thanks

Gina (perinatal fitness trainer and birth doula) and Roxanne (certified nurse midwife) share the story of Roxanne’s fourth “bonus baby,” Harvey, and the end of her pregnancy leading into a planned home birth. Roxanne describes weeks of waiting, prodromal labor, and trying to start labor on her due date (January 7) before Gina left for a pre-planned Disney Marathon trip; a cervical check showed she was 1 cm and “super thick,” and labor stalled.

After midnight while Gina is away, Roxanne has a gush of fluid, then contractions quickly become consistent and stronger. She calls her midwife, her mom, and backup support, and uses comfort tools like a TENS unit, shower, a Pixie heating pad, and acupressure balls. She labors in the birth tub using different positions; the midwife tries calling Gina, but she doesn’t answer. Roxanne’s water breaks and Harvey is born quickly in the tub, with brief pushing and no long second stage.Postpartum, Roxanne reports no tearing, no hemorrhage, less bleeding than prior births, and an easier recovery; Harvey weighs 7 lb 13 oz. 

Check out our favorite products mentioned here:
https://www.hopeandplum.co/MamasteFit20

https://www.amazon.com/shop/mamastefit/list/3RPPT8UNHV3O7?ref_=aipsflist

https://amzn.to/3OLZcRg

Www.drinklmnt.com/mamaste

https://pixiecup.shop?aff=12: MAMASTEFIT (15% off plus free shipping)

Baby TENS: http://babycaretens.com?afmc=10MAMASTEFIT

TENS (use 10MAMASTEFIT): https://tensforlabor.com/?ref=2

Lovesteady
code: mamastefit for 10% off
https://rstr.co/lovesteady/3500

Acupressure balls: https://amzn.to/4apZIgk

00:00 Welcome to MamasteFit + Harvey’s Birth Story Teaser
00:26 Meet the Hosts & What This Podcast Covers
01:23 ‘Bonus Baby’ Harvey: Mindset in the Final Weeks
02:58 Social Media Updates, Opinions, and Staying Sane at 40 Weeks
04:44 Babywearing Break: Ring Sling Favorites (Hope & Plum, Sakura Bloom)
05:28 Physical Symptoms, Home Birth Prep & The Leaky Birth Pool Saga
07:33 Prodromal Labor Starts: TENS Unit, Birth Prep Circuit, and Waiting Game
09:16 Gina’s Disney Trip Pressure: Trying to Kickstart Labor on Due Date
16:09 Contractions Fizzle + Membrane Sweep Reality Check (1 cm, Thick Cervix)
22:13 Disney Marathon Weekend Updates + ChatGPT Due-Date Predictions
26:25 The Night It Turns Real: ‘Did I Pee or Did My Water Break?’
29:58 Early Labor Escalates: Missed Texts, Calling the Midwife, Waking the House
36:02 Support Arrives: Mom’s Massage, Vocalizing, and Calling the Birth Team
39:14 Early Labor Comfort Measures: Food, Shower & TENS
39:48 Heating Pad Fiasco: Figuring Out the Pixie Cup Heater
41:50 Joan Wakes Up: Sweet Toddler Support During Contractions
42:47 Midwife Arrives & Birth Space Setup (Tub, Candles, Bracelet)
45:33 Into the Birth Tub: Mermaid Pose & Finding the Rhythm
48:44 Things Get Real: Pressure, Calling Gina & Water Breaks
54:35 Pushing in the Pool: Fast Crowning and Harvey Is Born
58:41 First Moments: Kids Meet Baby + Placenta & Post-Birth Care
01:02:45 Gina Missed It: Disney Detour, Postpartum Support & Family Reactions
01:09:09 Wrap-Up + Favorite Pregnancy & Labor Products (Affiliate Links)

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Get Your Copy of Training for Two on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3VOTdwH

📧 Download our free birth prep circuit guide with six exercises to prepare your body for birth: https://mamastefit.com/freebies/prepare-for-birth-circuit/

Prepare for your birth with MamasteFit:

Explore our prep for birth courses: https://mamastefit.com/prenatal-support
3rd Trimester Specific Prep Courses: https://mamastefit.com/fitness-programs/third-trimester/

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Freebies to Support Your Postpartum:
📩 Join our free early postpartum recovery course: https://mamastefit.com/freebies/early-postpartum-recovery/

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Recover after birth and return to fitness with MamasteFit: https://mamastefit.com/fitness-programs/postpartum/

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Follow Us on IG at https://instagram.com/mamastefit

Feeling overwhelmed about vaginal tearing during childbirth? Join Roxanne, a certified nurse midwife, on the MamasteFit YouTube channel as she breaks down the nuances of lacerations and vaginal tearing. Learn about different types and degrees of tears, their prevalence, and which ones may require sutures. Roxanne offers tips on preventing tears and discusses healing techniques, including the benefits of pelvic floor physical therapy. Whether you're expecting your first baby or have had children before, this video provides valuable insights and practical advice to help you feel more prepared for childbirth.

Check out our videos with more tips on preventing tearing!:
https://youtu.be/dKcxbVUYiCg
https://youtu.be/loJjEDFBvnM

And these podcast episodes:
https://spotifycreators-web.app.link/e/vDJkSCo6E0b
https://spotifycreators-web.app.link/e/uJJU8Bo6E0b

————
🎉 Grab Your Copy of Training for Two → https://amzn.to/3VOTdwHYour go-to guide for prenatal fitness, birth prep, and postpartum recovery.👇 Start Preparing for Birth Today📥 Download our free Birth Prep Circuit Guide → https://mamastefit.com/freebies/prepare-for-birth-circuit📥 Grab our free Pelvic Floor Prep Guide → https://mamastefit.com/freebies/prepare-your-pelvic-floor-for-labor/Learn how to relax and lengthen your pelvic floor to support a smoother labor and pushing phase.💻 Explore Our Online Programs:Whether you're pregnant or postpartum—we’ve got you covered with expert-led fitness and education:🏋🏻‍♀️ Prenatal & Postpartum Fitness Programs🎓 Childbirth + Postpartum Education Courses→ https://mamastefit.com🤱 Just Had a Baby?📥 Grab our free Postpartum Core Workouts → https://mamastefit.kit.com/coreStart reconnecting with your core and feeling strong again—safely and confidently.———📲 Follow Us on Instagram for Daily Tips + BTShttps://instagram.com/mamastefit———✨ Shop Our Favorites:⚡️ Electrolytes we love → https://drinklmnt.com/mamaste🌿 Supplements we trust – 20% off with code MAMASTEFIT → https://thisisneeded.com/ginaandroxanne👖 Maternity clothing we actually wear – 10% off with code MAMASTEFIT → https://rstr.co/lovesteady/3500

In this episode of The MamasteFit Podcast, hosts Gina, a perinatal fitness trainer and birth doula, and Hayley Kava, our in-house pelvic floor PT, dive deep into the topic of diastasis recti. They explore the common fears and misconceptions associated with diastasis recti during and after pregnancy. The conversation covers the natural occurrence of abdominal muscle separation, the importance of breathing mechanics, and functional exercises for postpartum recovery. Hayley also emphasizes the collaborative care model and addresses questions about exercise safety with diastasis. This episode aims to empower listeners by debunking myths and providing practical advice for navigating diastasis recti confidently.

Coning Workout: https://youtu.be/Nz2craPkea8
Healing DRA Workout: https://youtu.be/DVzD6-kLUAA 
Check out Hayley’s pay-what-you-can pelvic balance series!: https://www.hayleykavapt.com/Pelvicbalanceseries

For more workouts, check out our collection of fitness programs: https://mamastefit.com/fitness-programs/

00:00 Introduction to The MamasteFit Podcast
00:14 Understanding Diastasis Recti
00:49 Meet the Hosts and Guest
01:44 Collaborative Care at Mama Safe Fit
02:03 Breaking Down Diastasis Recti
02:39 Normal vs. Abnormal Diastasis
03:04 Exercises and Approaches to Diastasis
03:19 What is Diastasis Recti?
05:04 Diastasis in Pregnancy and Postpartum
06:14 Coning and Its Implications
11:34 Postpartum Healing and Diastasis
12:28 Factors Affecting Diastasis Healing
14:07 Body Image and Diastasis
16:41 Diastasis and Prolapse
19:43 Approaches to Diastasis Rehab
26:26 Rib Flare and Exercise Misconceptions
26:58 Personal Experience with Rib Flare
28:33 Postpartum Breathing Techniques
29:50 Thoracic Mobility and Core Connection
31:02 Integrating Core Exercises Postpartum
32:28 Advancing Postpartum Exercises
34:43 Overcoming Fear in Postpartum Fitness
41:32 Understanding Diastasis Recti
44:46 Final Thoughts and Resources

————
Get Your Copy of Training for Two on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3VOTdwH

📧 Download our free birth prep circuit guide with six exercises to prepare your body for birth: https://mamastefit.com/freebies/prepare-for-birth-circuit/

Prepare for your birth with MamasteFit:

💻 Online Childbirth Education Courses
🏋🏻‍♀️ Online Prenatal Fitness Programming
🧘‍♀️ Prepare Your Pelvic Floor for Birth Course

Explore our prep for birth courses: https://mamastefit.com/prenatal-support
3rd Trimester Specific Prep Courses: https://mamastefit.com/fitness-programs/third-trimester/

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Freebies to Support Your Postpartum:
📩 Join our free early postpartum recovery course: https://mamastefit.com/freebies/early-postpartum-recovery/

—-
Recover after birth and return to fitness with MamasteFit: https://mamastefit.com/fitness-programs/postpartum/

💻 Postpartum Education Courses
🏋🏻‍♀️ Postpartum Fitness Programs

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Follow Us on IG at https://instagram.com/mamastefit