The Motherlords
Why Do We Leak When We Laugh? Pelvic Floors, Painful Periods & Postpartum Bodies with Raina Gagrat
Remember when becoming a mum came with a surprising number of disclaimers nobody mentioned? How you may never sneeze the same way again or running for the loo becomes an extreme sport. This week, we’re joined by exercise physiologist and founder of The Fit Moms Project, Raina Gagrat, to talk about the body part most of us only learn about after having children: the pelvic floor. We get into: • Why leaking when you laugh, sneeze or run isn’t something you have to “just live with” • The connection between pelvic floor health and painful periods • Pregnancy, postpartum recovery and body alignment • Why Kegels aren’t the whole story • The surprising link between your pelvis, hormones, digestion and stress • Why by bouncing back is overrated but feeling good in your body isn’t • How movement can help you reconnect with a body that feels unfamiliar after motherhood Chapters: 00:00 What nobody told us about the pelvic floor 00:40 Welcome back to The Motherlords 01:00 What is an exercise physiologist? 02:00 How Raina reads a body before she designs a workout 04:00 Why most workouts start at level 5 (and postpartum needs level 0) 06:10 What body alignment actually means 07:26 The nervous system trick that makes low-impact hit harder 11:00 The many disconnects motherhood hands you 12:20 The pelvic floor 101 nobody taught us 13:36 Pelvic floor is not just a women's thing 14:04 The link nobody talks about: pelvic floor and period cramps 15:46 Prenatal body changes and why you tilt without realising 17:04 Bladder damage, leakage, and why it happens 18:16 Why Kegels are only half the job 19:09 The John Mayer concert bladder emergency 20:32 Is it too late? (Grandmums fixing it decades later) 22:47 The emotional muscle you didn't know you had: the psoas 24:47 The vagus nerve, the gut, and Kundalini 28:44 How misalignment shows up as pain everywhere 30:27 There is no bouncing back. There's a new body. 32:12 Why trendy HIIT can hurt if your pelvis isn't ready 34:14 What every pregnant woman should be doing 36:37 Why this should be taught in schools 40:11 The three signs your body is asking for help 41:39 Please stop duck-walking in your ninth month 43:52 How to actually make time as a new mum 45:00 When to start after birth 46:59 Raina's one piece of advice to every woman 48:53 The Fit Moms Project Raina’s approach isn’t about shrinking your body, punishing it, or fitting back into your pre-pregnancy jeans. It’s about understanding how your body works, moving without fear, and discovering that some of the things you’ve accepted as normal… maybe aren’t. Also, Heena confesses to wearing a panty liner on the treadmill, Alisha discovers her pelvic floor is apparently concert-ready, and all three of us leave wondering why nobody teaches this stuff in school. If you’ve ever crossed your legs before a sneeze, this episode is for you. Follow Raina and The Fit Moms Project: Website: www.rainagagrat.com Instagram: @thefitmomsproject The Motherlords is real Indian mum talk with real experts. No preaching. No perfect-mum content. Just three Mumbai mums (Heena, Riya, and Alisha) figuring it out with you. Follow us: Instagram: @the_motherlords YouTube: https://youtu.be/PGCWKY5hX7I #pelvicfloor #postpartumrecovery #themotherlords #thefitmomsproject #indianmums #mumbaimums #diastasisrecti #womenshealth
