Episode 67: Running with Prolapse: What Actually Matters (and What Doesn’t)

Episode 67: Running with Prolapse: What Actually Matters (and What Doesn’t)

Returning to running after a prolapse diagnosis can feel overwhelming — especially when so many people are told they’ll never run, lift, or move the same way again. In this episode, Becky and Jessica break down the real factors that influence returning to running postpartum (or anytime after prolapse), including symptoms, strength, fitness history, healing timelines, and why the grade of your prolapse actually tells us way less than most people think. They talk through what pelvic floor PTs are actually looking at clinically, how to know if your body is ready for impact, why “just wait 6 weeks” is terrible blanket advice, and how things like pessaries can completely change someone’s experience with exercise. The conversation keeps in mind what real postpartum recovery looks like — sleep deprivation, limited time, fear of worsening symptoms, frustration when your cardio outpaces your pelvic floor, and the mental load of trying to trust your body again. In this episode: 🏃‍♀️ Why prolapse does not automatically mean “no more running” ⚖️ Why symptom severity matters more than the stage of prolapse 💪 What strength, balance, and impact tolerance have to do with return to running ⏳ How pregnancy fitness levels can affect postpartum recovery timelines 🧠 Fear, uncertainty, and rebuilding trust in your body after birth ⭕ How pessaries can help support running and exercise 👟 Why postpartum rehab is about way more than just your pelvic floor Your prolapse diagnosis is one piece of information — not a sentence about what your body will or won’t be capable of long term. Find the Birds:  📧 podcast@ladybirdpt.com [podcast@ladybirdpt.com] 📱 Instagram: @ladybirdpt 🌐 Book with us:www.ladybirdpt.com [http://www.ladybirdpt.com/] ⭐ Leave a review and share the episode with someone navigating postpartum recovery

Episode 66: Anorgasmia, Arousal Cycles, and the Stuff We Don’t Learn in Sex Ed

This episode takes a clinical but very real-world look at anorgasmia, what it is, why it happens, and why it’s almost never just a pelvic floor problem. Jessica and Becky unpack the research, the limitations of traditional sexual response models, and how factors like medication, stress, relationships, and pelvic floor function all intersect. They also walk through how pelvic floor PT fits into the bigger picture — when it helps, when it doesn’t, and why collaboration with mental health and medical providers is often essential. It’s an honest conversation about a complex issue, grounded in both evidence and clinical experience. In this episode: 🧠 The biopsychosocial reality of orgasm (it’s never just muscles) 💊 Medications and their major impact on sexual function 🔄 Old vs. modern sexual arousal cycle models 🧍‍♀️ Body image, stress, and distraction as real barriers 💪 Pelvic floor tension vs. weakness — and why it matters 🗣️ The role of communication, education, and relationships 🧘‍♀️ Nervous system regulation and downtraining ⚡ Why “just do Kegels” is not the answer Find the Lady Birds: 📧 podcast@ladybirdpt.com 📱 Follow along on Instagram: @ladybirdpt 🌐 Learn more or book with us: ladybirdpt.com ⭐ Leave a review to help more people find pelvic health support

Episode 65: What Your Prolapse Grade Actually Means

In this solo episode, Jessica breaks down one of the most common questions people don’t necessarily voice but want to know - what does my prolapse grade mean? This episode goes beyond the basic “grade 1 through 4” definitions and explains what’s physically happening in the body when prolapse occurs. Jessica walks through the difference between muscular weakness versus structural/fascial support changes, why symptoms don’t always match prolapse severity, and where pelvic floor PT, pessaries, and surgery each fit into treatment. It’s an honest, evidence-forward conversation designed to help people better understand prolapse without fear or oversimplification.  In this episode:🫠 Why prolapse grades don’t predict symptoms perfectly 🧠 Fascia vs muscles: what’s actually changing in the body 🏋️ Why a “strong pelvic floor” doesn’t always prevent prolapse 🩺 When PT helps symptoms vs structure 🔄 Early postpartum prolapse changes and recovery 📍What grade 1–4 prolapse actually means anatomically 🧻 “I can feel a bulge” — what that usually indicates 🐦 Bird prolapse facts because apparently this is who we are now A prolapse grade can tell you where tissue is sitting — but it doesn’t tell the whole story about your symptoms, your function, or your options moving forward. Find the Birds! 📧 podcast@ladybirdpt.com [podcast@ladybirdpt.com] 📱 Follow us on Instagram: @ladybirdpt 🌐 Book with us at www.ladybirdpt.com ⭐ Leave a review or subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts

Episode 64: Strength Training for Runners Postpartum (Who Also Have Symptoms)

This episode breaks down how strength training actually supports a return to running in the postpartum period—especially when symptoms like leakage, heaviness, or pain are present. Rather than isolating the pelvic floor, this conversation reframes recovery through the lens of load tolerance and whole-body strength. Jessica walks through common mistakes runners make, how to progress strength training effectively, and how to interpret symptoms as useful data, not stop signs. In this episode: 🏃‍♀️ Running = repeated single-leg load (not just cardio) 💪 Strength training builds load tolerance and therefor capacity to run 🦵 Calves are underrated but critical for propulsion + shock absorption ⚖️ Double-leg → single-leg → impact = necessary progression ⚠️ Symptoms are feedback, not failure 🌬️ Stop thinking about your pelvic floor while running - listen for why!  📉 Underdosing strength work is one of the biggest limiting factors If running keeps bringing up symptoms, it’s not your body failing—it’s your body asking for a different kind of support. Find the Birds! 📧 podcast@ladybirdpt.com 📱 Follow on Instagram: @ladybirdpt 🩺 Work with us: www.ladybirdpt.com ⭐ Leave a review to help more postpartum runners find this info

Episode 63: Our Unfiltered Opinion on Kegels in Pelvic Floor Rehab

This episode takes a clear, evidence-informed look at one of the most polarized topics in pelvic health: kegels. We break down what a kegel actually is (a pelvic floor muscle contraction), why the conversation around it has become so confusing, and how both the “always prescribe” and “never prescribe” camps miss the nuance. Drawing from clinical experience, we explain how pelvic floor rehab has evolved, why isolated muscle contractions still matter, and how they fit into a broader, functional, system-based approach to recovery.  In This Episode: 🧠 What a kegel actually is (and isn’t) ⚖️ The pendulum swing: from overprescribed to overcorrected 📱 How social media has distorted pelvic health messaging 🏋️‍♀️ Why isolated muscle training still has a (small, initial) role in rehab 🔗 The pelvic floor as part of a larger functional system 🤯 Why patients feel confused (and sometimes fearful) 🏃‍♀️ Progression: from awareness → strength → automatic function 💬 Using patient-centered language vs. clinical accuracy The problem isn’t Kegels—it’s pretending they’re either everything or nothing. Find The Birds: 📧 podcast@ladybirdpt.com 📱 Follow along on Instagram @ladybirdpt 🩺 Work with us at Lady Bird PT (in-person or virtual) ⭐ Leave a review if this episode helped you cut through the noise