Trish: [00:00:00] Welcome back, mamas. Today we're diving into one of the most important yet often overlooked topics for mamas, which is your pelvic floor health and your fitness journey. So whether you're pregnant, postpartum, or just trying to reclaim your strength, this episode is for you. I am joined by Dr. Emily, who is an expert in pelvic floor health.

floor health and the creator of the 10 minute mama fit core method that is changing the game for busy moms 10 minutes y'all get ready for practical tips and empowering advice. Let's get started.

Hello everyone and welcome to the birth experience. I am so excited today's guest is Dr. Emily Brownlee and she is all things pelvic floor mom, postpartum, all the things. So I'm going to let Emily introduce [00:01:00] herself. Emily, can you just say hello and tell everyone a little bit about you?

Emily: Hi, I'm Dr. Emily. I am a doctor of physical therapy.

I specialize in pelvic health, physical therapy, and I am also a certified pre and postnatal fitness coach. And I really got passionate about this field because I was an orthopedic pelvic an orthopedic physical therapist in a clinic. And started noticing some massive gaps in my knowledge from PT school when it came to back pain or mothers or even like what do you do once you release a patient, you just go, okay, now you're fixed, go on your way without any sort of fitness plan to keep them healthy.

And so that really encouraged me to learn more about pelvic health and find that missing link in the back pain. Issue and to empower them with a fitness plan that was specific to them in their stage of motherhood [00:02:00] To stay active to feel supported to know what was safe To do and what was the most effective for them during those time periods.

So that's kind of how I got into all of this

Trish: I love that so much. So I have a question already. So tell me, when you say the pelvic floor and then back pain, is that something you see and is that related?

Emily: Oh my gosh. Okay, so there are a ton of studies out now that show that over 95 percent of back pain is linked to pelvic floor dysfunction.

And I'm not even just talking about women, I'm talking about people in general. But a lot of people think of pelvic health as your pelvic floor, and it's really so much more involved than that. It's the collaboration of your diaphragm, your abdominals, your multifidi along your spine, and your pelvic floor.

And if All of those muscles aren't functioning really well, and they aren't collaborating properly, then you're going to see issues like [00:03:00] back pain. You know, we think of like incontinence or things like that, but back pain is a massive one. And if all of those muscles aren't doing their jobs. Then a lot of the time, that's why we see back pain.

Trish: Wow, that is huge. That is really huge. So one of my first questions for you, and that is definitely followed in line with this, but one of my first questions was, what do you feel is like one of the biggest misconceptions about pelvic floor health during pregnancy and postpartum? But I feel like that was like a golden nugget right from the start, you guys.

So what, what else would you say is a big misconception?

Emily: I would say another one is just that pregnancy and birth cause pelvic floor dysfunction because it's absolutely not true. While pelvic floor dysfunction is common, it's never normal. And I've spoken to a lot of mamas who prepared themselves really well [00:04:00] for pregnancy and for birth and they never experienced those symptoms.

So just. Pregnancy and birth itself don't cause the problems.

Trish: Okay, so I love that you say that because I think a lot of women feel like the problems are normal and then their families telling them that, the doctors are telling them that, and you're here to say, no, it's not normal.

You should not be in pain like that. And there are things that you can do.

Emily: Yeah, absolutely. And I mean, just speaking from my own personal experience, this is my third pregnancy I'm currently in and it's my most enjoyable one yet. So a lot of mamas also think like the more pregnancies you have, the more problems you're going to have.

And that's simply not true. It's about understanding your body, understanding how it was designed, understanding how we can support it and make that process. Really, really enjoyable. And even if you've had a really rough pregnancy before, [00:05:00] that does not mean at all that that's just how it's going to be.

Trish: Oh my gosh. I love that you said that, Emily, because I tell that to my students all the time. This pregnancy is not that pregnancy, just like this child is not that child. Like, they come with their own set and their own personality. And I love that you said that. Even for pelvic floor or for fitness or comfort or pain or what have you?

Because I think a lot of women, especially if they have a really painful first pregnancy, they are so filled with fear.

Emily: Yeah. Oh yeah. And even like, I mean, this is what I do for a living. This is what I went to school for. This is what I did additional education for. And like my first pregnancy, I'll be real was not enjoyable.

I hated it. I was so over it. I even wound up with a medically unnecessary cesarean. My son wound up with a NICU stay. Like, it was Textbook what you don't want to happen. But yet my second [00:06:00] pregnancy was far better. My third has been even better than my second was. So honestly, I almost find that mommas who had a bad experience are more motivated to actually do the work, to feel better and enjoy it more and have a better experience the next time around.

But I get so like, I'm getting goosebumps about to say this. Like I have some women reaching out before they've even gotten pregnant. Because they want, they, they understand this stuff and how important it is. And they're making the investment before they even start. Which is like, ah,

Trish: that's I love that's huge.

I love that and I I mean I see the same thing in Childbirth education is that you really have to convince first time moms like do not wing your birth Do not go in without education but the moms who have experienced like you and coercion and bullying and like choices forced on them because they didn't know which choice to make because they weren't [00:07:00] educated.

They are so motivated to be educated this go around. So I love that you said that. So I want to talk about your like how you work with moms because I know that you have like some really incredible 10 minute workouts for busy mamas. And I'm just curious, like, are your workouts just for pelvic floor? Are they all around?

Like, tell me, tell me more about that.

Emily: Yeah. So I do still also practice. So I do virtual pelvic health physical therapy all over the state of Texas, but I wanted to reach more mamas. And so I do have virtual programs that I've created that any mama can purchase, wherever you live. And I have several different ones, depending on what you're needing.

And there's some restructuring in the works in the next couple of weeks, where mamas can just access that entire library. So whatever they're needing, they can just, pick that [00:08:00] program. But I do have some that are pelvic health specific, so like they can go in, they can learn how to heal their core, they can work on abdominal separation, or they can work on connecting to their pelvic floor, the different types of functions that our pelvic floor needs to have, because it's not just about key goals, it's about so much more than that.

And then I also have some that are fitness, So, I mean, I'm not going to give someone a program that doesn't touch the pelvic floor or the breath or anything like that because I just think it's so important. But it's more focused on building strength and fitness. And then those are specific to what chapter of motherhood you're in.

So, whether you're in preconception, you're in pregnancy, you're in the very first six weeks of postpartum, you're in the latter stages of postpartum. And those really take you through. The specific exercises that I think will benefit you the most in your daily life to just feel like a boss and just feel like things are easy for you.

[00:09:00] Because that seems to be what really helps mamas. We don't, I mean, there are definitely like bodybuilder mamas and that's awesome, but let's be real. Most of us don't have time for that. We just need like quick, effective stuff that's going to make our lives easier, make us feel more confident and happy in our clothes and like our old selves.

So that's really what those are geared towards.

Trish: I love that. And I love that you're like your videos on your Instagram, have you and your babies, because when you're in the throes of that of pregnancy and you've got toddlers, you don't have time like my husband, hint, who goes to the gym two hours every day.

We don't have that time. Mm hmm.

Emily: Yeah, I know. And I used to be one of those people,

like, that's one of the biggest objections that I hear from moms, is like, But I don't have anybody to watch my kids so I can go to the gym, so like, I, I can't be fit right now, and I'm like, girl, I don't either, like, I, I bring them with [00:10:00] me, I get it done during nap times, I, you know, I get it done before they wake up, you know, you gotta be creative, and that's a lot of what I try to teach moms is like, We've got to be creative and be able to pivot and like make fitness fit into our lives, not the other way around.

Trish: I, yeah, I love that. And it's so important because your future health, like when you're getting older and you're not having babies anymore, all the investments that you're making into your fitness and your health right now will pay off. in the long run as well.

Emily: Oh, yeah, absolutely. I mean, if you look at the research.

Research is really showing us that the strength that we build in our twenties, thirties and forties is what prevents us from developing osteoporosis later in life.

It protects us against muscle wasting, and it just gives us the highest quality of life that we can. And so no matter where you are in your journey, it's never too late to get [00:11:00] started. But the investments that you put in now are going to just give you tremendous benefits in the aging process for sure.

Trish: Oh, I love that. So let me ask you, let me ask about, like, as far as when most women reach out to see you for their pelvic floor. Would you say it's because they're having a problem? And if so, what are the most common problems? that they reach out to you for?

Emily: Yeah, I would say it's honestly kind of two camps is what I see, is like mamas who think there's a problem and I'm almost like trying to like give them a big virtual hug.

Like, That's not a problem, like, you're, you're doing great, you know. Or the ones where there really is something serious going on, and a lot of the time, unfortunately, their healthcare provider is just, like, sweeping those concerns aside and telling them that's just how it is. So I have some mamas who will call, and they're like, [00:12:00] Oh my God, I have a one finger abdominal separation, like, I'm broken, like, am I gonna need surgery?

And I'm like, Oh my gosh, no, like, are you having symptoms? Are you feeling, unstable when you do things? Are you noticing doming or coning in your abdomen that you can't modify to resolve? And they're like, no, I feel great. I'm like, okay, how does it feel when you lift your kids? Great. I'm like, okay, then you might've had that separation pre pregnancy.

Like in and of itself, that's not a problem. So I almost have those moms that I'm like. You're doing great. Like, it's okay. You know, everyone's body's a little different. And then I have the ones who call me in tears because they're like, I'm in so much pain. My pelvic floor is so tight. Like, I cannot connect with my husband the way I want to.

And my OB GYN is just telling me, like, that's just how it is postpartum. Like, just drink some wine. Like, You don't need pelvic floor PT, even though I'm begging her to [00:13:00] let me come see you. So those are kind of the two camps of mamas that I'll hear from, but I think diastasis recti or abdominal separation is probably one of the very top concerns that I hear about.

Pelvic floor overactivity or tightness. is another one. Incontinence would be kind of the flip side of that. So if somebody's peeing their pants when they're not wanting to, that's, Probably the third, highest concern that I hear.

Trish: Well, I'm hoping no one ever wants to pee their pants. Yes, exactly.

Okay. You said when they're not wanting to. I don't ever want to pee my pants. Ever. So let me ask you about the hyperactivity. Like, For the hyperactivity, what are some signs that these moms, what are some of the things they're experiencing?

Emily: Yeah, and, and this is, so it's interesting because some women even have this if they've never been a mother.

But I [00:14:00] do feel like a lot of the time this can happen postpartum if it wasn't an issue previously. And a lot of it has to do with how our brain is connecting to these muscles. And if there's been a bunch of stress. If there's been a bunch of anxiety that can exacerbate this situation, but they'll say, you know, they definitely have a lot of pain with vaginal exams.

If they're having to have those on, you know, a regular basis, inserting tampons, intimacy with their spouse, things like that. But then they'll also often have back pain, hip pain, other things like that. Because again, If all of these muscles aren't functioning really well together, then we're going to have breakdown somewhere and have pain somewhere else because somebody isn't doing their job in that chain.

They will often also, this is kind of random or it sounds kind of random, but they'll have jaw pain sometimes with this too. That's so not random to me. Or they'll have really high tension in their shoulders. [00:15:00] Yeah, and like, really type A, go getter, people who tend to be really stressed out tend to get this condition more easily.

Trish: Yeah.

Emily: Yeah. It's, it's very, very common, but again, common is not normal and there are simple solutions and a lot of the time these mamas feel significant relief a lot easier and a lot quicker than they think they will.

Trish: I love this. So if you guys are listening right now, I'm just going to shout out, Emily, tell them where they can find you on Instagram because I know there's a lot of people. people that are listening, that are going to want to, and we're going to talk about this at the end as well, but you address a lot of these things on your Instagram account, right?

Emily: Yeah, absolutely. And, and I also, you know, if anybody has questions, feel free to reach out, I'm all about spreading, spreading the love, spreading the knowledge. But you can find me at pelvic. floor. fit on Instagram. Yeah. [00:16:00] And yeah, feel free to shoot me any questions or anything that comes up.

Trish: Yeah, because I'm just thinking, like, this is such a private and intimate issue that a lot of women are probably scared to maybe even talk to their provider, especially if he's male.

And maybe they are just thinking well, I just had a baby, of course sex is gonna hurt, of course I'm gonna have back pain, of course I'm gonna have all these things. And so I just want you guys to have the option of reaching out to Emily and like she said you can send her a DM and she'll answer that.

Okay, so you said urinary incontinence and, and I also know, I've had a couple friends that have also had urinary incontinence. The other type of incontinence and having some pooing problems, which, I mean, a lot of people don't realize that can happen after having a baby, but again, it's not normal, but everybody makes you feel, [00:17:00] I really think me giving birth six times, everybody thinks that I can't sneeze without peeing my pants, but that's not true.

I've never had a problem. And. I, I know that when I tell people that, they're like, oh my gosh, I'm so shocked, I can't believe you've had six kids. And I'm like, it's not normal, like I shouldn't, this is normal for me not to be peeing in my pants. Like, not the opposite. Yes. So with these moms, what is the core problem that's happening?

Emily: So with urinary incontinence that the number one thing that we know for sure is happening is their neck reflex is not working correctly. And what that is, is just our brain's automatic connection to our pelvic floor. So that when we have a massive quick increase in our abdominal pressure, like a sneeze, a cough, jumping, something like that, where it's a rapid increase all of a sudden.

Our [00:18:00] pelvic floor is supposed to kind of, whoop, and it's just supposed to, like, prevent the urine from leaking. And so there is some sort of disruption. disruption there. It may not actually even be weakness. It might just be an incoordination. Obviously birth is pretty taxing on the nervous system and we can have some kind of blocks that occur.

And so sometimes I literally just walk a woman through how to do that correctly and we just practice that and then her brain and muscle go, Oh yeah. I know how to do that. Sometimes there actually is some weakness behind it as well. And maybe we have to work on some strengthening. But a lot of the time it's just in coordination is all it is.

Trish: Oh, I love that because I think that women think, Oh my gosh, this is going to be the rest of my life that I'm peeing in my pants. Like this is done deal. It's ruined. So you're saying that sometimes it can be a really quick fix.

Emily: Yeah, I would say like, The vast majority of the cases that I encounter, now again, I'm [00:19:00] doing virtual, I'm not in the clinic taking like the most extreme cases that, you know, happen in pelvic health, but I would say like 99 percent of the mamas I talk to, I see results in them the very first encounter.

It's like, I'll explain something a way that they've never heard it before. And it's just light bulb and they go, Oh my God, Emily, I feel my lower abs. I've never felt those or like, Oh, I was, you know, squeezing my butt. And I thought I was doing a Kegel, you know, just little things like that. And they just have that tiny little.

Tiny little shift, and that makes all the difference in the world, and they feel better like that.

Trish: I love that. And that's the power of speaking to someone who is educated. This is their expertise that a lot of times we feel like to have big gains and big wins. It has to be this big complicated [00:20:00] experience, but it doesn't always have to be that.

So I love that so much. Okay, so what would you say? When it comes to fitness and moms, because I already know this answer, but as far as them taking care of themselves, would you say like these 10 minute workouts and these workouts that they can do, how does that benefit their like mental health?

Emily: Oh my gosh.

Yeah. And this is something even in my own life, but I've definitely seen it in my clients lives. It's As moms, sometimes we get kind of lost, and I think some of that, in a way, is a beautiful thing of, surrendering ourselves to something bigger than us, and putting our children first, and things like that, but sometimes you just kind of get lost, and you kind of go, I don't even recognize myself anymore, I can't fit into my clothes anymore, like, I don't, feel, you know, strong and confident anymore.

I'm like [00:21:00] 100 percent just a milk machine and everybody can find 10 minutes. Everybody like seriously, if you just don't scroll social media for 10 minutes a day and just get this done, it's incredible what that will do to your confidence, to how you show up for your family. Like that's something I always teach these.

mom's because we are so conditioned to think if I take even five minutes for myself, I'm being selfish. And it's like, no you're making yourself a better version of yourself so that you'll show up better for your family the whole rest of the day. And that's been like, The coolest thing we hear from moms doing this is like my kids watched me doing this, and they were so inspired.

Now they're doing it with me because they want what I have, you know, it's just contagious. That confidence.

Trish: I, I love that. And I think it's so important to set that time aside. for [00:22:00] yourself, like as a mom of older kids and realizing like eventually your kids are getting older and they don't need you the same way.

And if you have these things, these practices of self care, gosh, it just, it's so much. Better. Okay, Emily, so we are going to wrap up, but I would love for you to tell everyone you've hinted around a little bit about your programs, but can you just give everyone a quick little overview of what you have to offer that can help them as far as pelvic floor and fitness and pregnancy and postpartum and all the things.

Emily: Yeah, absolutely. So I am putting all of it under one umbrella so that, cause a lot of moms are like, I just don't even know what to pick. I've got all these issues. I've got all the, you know, I don't even know where to start. So it's going to be under one umbrella to just keep everything super simple.

So you know where to find everything and you'll just have access to the whole library. So the umbrella is called [00:23:00] mama fit core method. So that encompasses. everything that I do. So there are pelvic health programs in there that are specific for abdominal exercises, that are specific for pelvic floor. There are currently the first six weeks of postpartum fitness and later on postpartum fitness, when you're really trying to build strength.

In the very near future, there will be pregnancy guided first, second, third trimester fitness exercises. And then there will be preconception. So if you're wanting to really use your fitness in a way to support your fertility and not hinder it. And then seasoned mama. So those who don't necessarily consider themselves like postpartum, but they have had babies and they've had those changes to their bodies, keeping that in mind and having fitness specific to that.

So the mama fit core method encompasses all of [00:24:00] those programs in one hub so you can access it all.

Trish: I love that so much. So you guys make sure you guys check that out. And if you check the show notes, we'll have a code for you guys to use for my listeners. Emily, thank you again. And you guys can find her at pelvic.

floor. fit. Thank you again for coming today.

Speaker 2: Oh, thank you so much. It was my honor.

Speaker: Thank you so much for tuning in today. I hope this conversation empowered you to take charge of your pelvic floor health and make time for yourself. Make sure you check out Emily because every one of you deserves to feel strong and confident and ready to conquer motherhood until next Friday. Bye for [00:25:00] now.