82: Every Mom Is An Athlete

Female Athlete Nutrition

In this episode of the Female Athlete Nutrition podcast, I talk with chiropractor, entrepreneur, competitive athlete and mother of 2, Dr. Karlie Causey. We take a deep dive into all things postpartum and new motherhood, the intersection of activity and athletics, and the importance of gaining strength and confidence in our changing bodies. Karlie discusses her slogan that ‘’every mom is an athlete’ and we highlight the incredible athleticism involved throughout pregnancy, birth and postpartum. As new moms, Karlie and I touch on some of the unexpected postpartum aches and pains not widely discussed, such as wrist and finger and foot pain, why they occur and what you can do about them.

Karlie shares her own journey as a lifelong athlete, from playing collegiate volleyball to competing in cross fit, and now continuing to embrace her athletic identity even as a mother of 2. We talk about exercising throughout pregnancy and returning to activity postpartum: women can do much more than they are led to believe!

We discuss the difference between chiropractors and physical therapists, and the role of manual adjustments and breathing practices for new moms. Dr Karlie recommends most mothers return to some activity long before the typical 6-8 week mark; even prior to medical clearance, Karlie suggests some exercises women could be doing almost immediately postpartum, in the case of an uncomplicated birth. This begins with targeting the pelvic floor, core stability and breathing exercises, before progressing exercise intensity back towards more recognisable workouts. Dr Karlie has developed her own online Postpartum Restoration Plan for exactly this purpose, helping new moms regain strength and confidence in their changing bodies, empowering them to reclaim their pre-pregnancy athletic identity. Listening to your body and respecting the healing process is most important, and, as Karlie’s experience highlights, every birth and recovery journey is unique.

Karlie shares the difficulty she had finding the right sports bra as a new and nursing mom with a changing body. With her business partner, this led Karlie to establishing her own Jen & Keri activewear line specifically for postpartum women, creating sports bras that don’t compromise function or support, allowing moms to feel comfortable working out and tending to their child at the same time.

Check out Dr Karlie’s website https://www.karliecausey.com/ and her activewear brand Jen & Keri https://jenandkeri.com/

Follow Dr Karlie on Instagram @drkarlie @jenandkeri

Dr Karlie’s Official Bio:

Dr. Karlie is a sports chiropractor, a certified strength and conditioning specialist, pregnancy and postpartum athleticism coach, and a level 2 Crossfit coach.

More importantly, she is a mom to two, who is ridiculously passionate about helping postpartum athletes and moms-to-be restore their bodies and move with confidence. This obsession led her to establish Jen & Keri, a postpartum activewear brand for athletes, and create her wildly successful Postpartum Restoration Plan.

Beyond being a mom and a competitive fitness lover, she has spent the last 17 years of her life studying the human body and learning how it moves. Earning her doctorate of chiropractic and a master's in human biology were just a start; she doesn't plan to stop learning any time soon! She is certified in the Webster technique and BirthFit, and has served as the team Chiropractor for the Seattle Seawolves and as the local medical director for AVP Seattle.

Learn more about Lindsey's Services and the Team at Rise Up Nutrition: www.riseupnutritionrun.com

Worried that you have RED-S? Curious to know how we could help or how you can recover fast?! Download the RED-S Recovery Race & see how you place for more support:www.riseupnutritionrun.com/reds