Not all pain is created equal – especially in pregnancy and postpartum.

We’ve worked with thousands of moms over the years, and this is something we know to be true. In today’s episode, we want to help you have more discernment and criteria to evaluate your pain.

There are so many different kinds of pain you might feel during this time: muscle pain, spasms, joint pain, ligament pain, digestive pain, headaches, abdominal pain.

One thing they all have in common? They can naturally lead to a lot of fear – fear that might cause expecting and postpartum moms to avoid exercise altogether, which ultimately might not serve them well.

But we have found that once moms are able to describe their pain with more accuracy, the more confident they feel about proceeding forward.

In this episode you’ll hear about:

• How to know if pain is beneficial (i.e., in terms of muscle growth, a little inflammation is actually good) or harmful
• Warning signs associated with pain (headache, nausea, vomiting, intense abdominal pain, bleeding, pops, sharp poker pain)
• Our two-part approach to decide whether to push forward, back off, or stop 
• The nuances of the pain (does it get better or worse when you move?)
• Why, generally, the typical Rest/Ice/Compression/Elevation is okay advice, but really, the recommendation is to keep that joint in motion
• All about our starter session – a big picture view to start understanding what’s happening in your body, with a full assessment plus immediate action steps

Resources & Links

Learn more about Nicole and Kendra on their website, or follow @devotedmamas on Instagram for pregnancy and postpartum coaching and inspiration.

Interested in participating in one of our starter sessions? Email us with the subject “Starter Session,” and we’ll invite you to chat and learn about your pain and your goals.

Are you tired of being told your pregnancy and postpartum aches and pains are normal and will go away on their own? Yes, our bodies are amazing, but sometimes just waiting and trusting without any action can make imbalances and weaknesses worse. We work privately with moms who want to take an active role in creating strength, healing, confidence and independence.

If you’re postpartum and ready to start your core and pelvic floor recovery, check out our Postpartum Repair & Restore 8-week program with LIVE coaching. In this program, we guide you through the exact workouts you need to feel your muscles strengthening + the education and LIVE supervision you need to know you’re doing it right.  For more information, go to devotedmamas.com/repair

If you’re currently pregnant, check out our Expecting to Flourish membership, a mom-driven and expert-guided virtual community that we created to help you stay your strongest during pregnancy, physically practice for birth and move easily into early postpartum. Find out more at devotedmamas.com/flourish