Vibrantly You® Podcast | Fitness, Nutrition, and Wellness for Pregnancy & Postpartum

Megan Martineau and Caitlin Cipriano
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Alternative Health
  • Updated Weekly

Welcome to The Vibrantly You® Podcast, where we bring you evidence-based conversations on pregnancy workouts, postpartum recovery, perinatal nutrition, pelvic floor health, and real-life motherhood. Whether you’re trying to conceive, pregnant, newly postpartum, or navigating life with littles — this podcast is here to help you feel strong, nourished, and vibrantly you. Meet your hosts: Megan Martineau is a Certified Personal Trainer & Pre/Postnatal Fitness Specialist who helps women train for birth, reduce pelvic pain, and rebuild strength postpartum.Caitlin Cipriano is a Certified Perinatal Nutritionist with a Master’s in Nutrition. She helps moms support hormones, energy, and healing through food that actually works in real life. Together, we bring personal experience (we're both moms of two!) and professional expertise to support you through every season of motherhood. No bounce-back culture here — just functional movement, mindful nourishment, and compassionate support. 🎧 New episodes every Wednesday. Subscribe for tips on: Strength training in pregnancyDiastasis recti & pelvic floor recoveryPostpartum mental health & hormone shiftsNutrition for breastfeeding and healingReal talk about mom life, identity, and self-care So grab your coffee (hot or reheated!) and join us for expert-backed guidance and honest mom-to-mom conversations.

  1. 4d ago

    96. Do These Exercises REALLY Prevent Tearing? What Social Media Leaves Out

    “Do these 5 exercises and your baby will practically slip right out!” “Do this every day to prevent tearing!” “Try these moves at 37 weeks for an easier labor!” If you've spent any time on pregnancy social media, you've probably seen videos making promises like these. And while many of the exercises being demonstrated may actually be useful for birth preparation, there's a LOT of nuance missing from a 30-second Reel. In this solo episode of The Vibrantly You® Podcast, Megan — pregnancy personal trainer, prenatal fitness coach, and birth doula — is talking about social media literacy when it comes to pregnancy fitness and birth prep and why we need to be careful about confusing helpful tools with guaranteed outcomes. Because you can do all the “right” exercises and still tear. You can prepare your pelvic floor and still have an unexpected birth. And if that happens, it does not mean you didn't prepare well enough or that you did something wrong. In this episode, Megan talks about: Why no exercise can guarantee that you won't experience perineal tearing during birthThe problem with “do these 5 exercises for an easier birth” messagingWhy many popular birth prep exercises are actually valuable—even when the claims surrounding them aren'tWhy waiting until 37 weeks to start working on mobility may not give your body much time to adaptThe benefit of incorporating intentional prenatal mobility and strength training earlier in pregnancyWhy understanding when to use different movements and positions during early labor, active labor, and pushing mattersHow different positions may be used to support the body and baby's movement through the pelvisWhy a social media post can rarely capture the nuance of pregnancy, pelvic floor function, labor, and birthHow to consume pregnancy and birth content without turning every recommendation into another item on your “do everything perfectly” checklistUltimately, birth preparation isn't a formula. There isn't a magical combination of stretches, pelvic floor exercises, breathing techniques, supplements, or labor positions that can guarantee you'll have the exact birth you envisioned. That's not the point of preparing. The goal is to spend pregnancy building strength, mobility, body awareness, pelvic floor coordination, and an understanding of your options so that you walk into labor with more tools in your toolbox. We can't control birth. But we can prepare for it. And if your birth doesn't unfold the way you hoped—even after doing “all the right things”—that is not evidence that you failed. Tune in weekly for conversations about birth preparation, pregnancy workout plans, prenatal fitness, pelvic floor exercises during pregnancy, preparing for labor, postpartum recovery, and pregnancy fitness from a pregnancy personal trainer, prenatal fitness coach, birth doula, and perinatal nutritionist helping you feel Vibrantly You® through pregnancy, birth, and motherhood. Episode 57: Strength vs Stretching During Pregnancy: What Your Body Actually Needs Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for educational purposes only and not to diagnose or treat any conditions. Before beginning any type of fitness or nutrition program, it is your responsibility to consult with a medical professional. Connect with us!  Instagram @vibrantlyyoupodcastMeg's Instagram @vibrantmamawellnessCaitlin's Instagram @wholesomehuntressnutrition

  2. Sep 23

    95. How to Advocate for Yourself During Pregnancy: When “Common” Doesn’t Mean Normal

    Have you ever brought up a pregnancy symptom to your provider only to hear, “Yep, that's normal!”…even though it's significantly impacting your everyday life? Here's the thing: common doesn't always mean something you simply have to live with. In this Coffee Chat episode of The Vibrantly You® Podcast, Meg and Caitlin are talking about how to advocate for yourself during pregnancy—and why becoming an informed participant in your own care is a skill that can serve you through pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and well beyond the childbearing years. We're not talking about walking into your doctor's office assuming you know more than your medical provider. We're talking about educating yourself enough to ask thoughtful questions, understand your options, recognize when something deserves more attention, and know when it's time to seek additional support. In this episode, we talk about: Why “common in pregnancy” doesn't necessarily mean you have to accept a symptom that's interfering with your daily lifeEducating yourself so you can ask your prenatal provider more specific, informed questionsWhat to do when something doesn't feel right—even if you've initially been told it's “normal”Feeling comfortable asking for additional resources, referrals, or a second opinionWhy it's okay to switch prenatal providers if you don't feel safe, heard, or supportedHow a birth doula can help you prepare for prenatal appointments, understand your options, and formulate questions for your care teamPracticing self-advocacy during pregnancy and how those skills can continue serving you as your health needs change throughout motherhood and eventually perimenopause and menopauseHow birth education, informed decision-making, and understanding your options can help you feel more prepared for birth and may reduce experiences of birth-related traumaThe goal isn't to become your own doctor or spend your entire pregnancy Googling every symptom. It's to feel like an active participant in your own care. Because pregnancy and birth can come with a lot of unknowns, and we can't control every outcome. But understanding your body, knowing your options, asking questions, and surrounding yourself with providers who make you feel heard can help you navigate those unknowns with more confidence. Grab your coffee and join us for an honest conversation about trusting yourself, asking better questions, and learning how to speak up for what you need. Tune in weekly for conversations about pregnancy education, birth preparation, prenatal fitness, pregnancy nutrition, postpartum recovery, birth doula support, and free resources for new moms from a pregnancy personal trainer, birth doula, and perinatal nutritionist helping you feel Vibrantly You® through every season of motherhood. Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for educational purposes only and not to diagnose or treat any conditions. Before beginning any type of fitness or nutrition program, it is your responsibility to consult with a medical professional. Connect with us!  Instagram @vibrantlyyoupodcastMeg's Instagram @vibrantmamawellnessCaitlin's Instagram @wholesomehuntressnutrition

  3. Sep 17

    94. Finding Ourselves Again: Prioritizing Fitness, Nutrition & Sleep as Our Kids Get Older

    As your kids get older and become a little more independent, something interesting starts to happen: you may finally have a tiny bit more capacity to think about yourself again. In this Coffee Chat episode of The Vibrantly You® Podcast, Meg and Caitlin are talking about how they're showing up for themselves in this season of motherhood—and how their approach to fitness, nutrition, sleep, and self-care has evolved as the kids have gotten older. Because taking care of yourself as a mom doesn't always mean finding hours of uninterrupted “me time.” Sometimes it's letting your kids play beside you while you work out. Sometimes it's choosing a fitness class because childcare is included. Sometimes it's getting the whole family outside together instead of trying to squeeze in a separate workout. And sometimes it's recognizing that you finally have more capacity to prioritize things that felt nearly impossible during the baby years. In this episode, Megan and Caitlin talk about: How they're making exercise as busy moms work in this stage of lifeWorking out at home with kids around instead of waiting for perfect conditionsBringing kids to workouts and taking advantage of gyms and fitness classes with built-in childcareIncorporating more walks, outdoor adventures, and active family timeWhy sleep has become a bigger priority as kids' sleep has become more predictableThe routines and sleep hygiene habits they're working on to improve their own sleep qualityHaving more capacity to think about nutrition beyond simply getting food on the tableMaking sure they're actually eating enough to support their energy, workouts, hormones, and everyday livesPrioritizing variety and getting enough macro and micronutrientsHow their definition of “taking care of yourself” continues to change throughout motherhoodThis isn't a conversation about suddenly having endless free time or perfectly optimized routines. Moms with kids still have work, households, schedules, and approximately 700 things competing for their attention. It's about recognizing that motherhood changes—and our needs and capacity can change with it. If you've spent the baby and toddler years in survival mode and are starting to wonder how to prioritize your health again, grab your coffee and listen in for an honest conversation about finding sustainable ways to take care of you, too. Tune in weekly for conversations about fitness for moms, postpartum fitness, nutrition for busy moms, healthy habits for moms, pregnancy and postpartum recovery, and motherhood wellness from a postpartum fitness coach, pregnancy personal trainer, birth doula, and perinatal nutritionist helping you feel Vibrantly You® through every season of motherhood. Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for educational purposes only and not to diagnose or treat any conditions. Before beginning any type of fitness or nutrition program, it is your responsibility to consult with a medical professional. Connect with us!  Instagram @vibrantlyyoupodcastMeg's Instagram @vibrantmamawellnessCaitlin's Instagram @wholesomehuntressnutrition

  4. Sep 9

    93. Can You Practice for Contractions? How to Train Your Body & Mind for Labor

    What if you could practice how you'll respond to the intensity of a contraction…before you're actually in labor? No, we can't recreate contractions during a pregnancy workout (and we don't want to!). But we can intentionally practice experiencing physical intensity, using our labor coping strategies, and then fully releasing tension when the intensity is over. In this solo episode of The Vibrantly You® Podcast, Megan is breaking down one of her favorite birth preparation exercises: Labor Intensity Interval Training. The idea is simple: we use short intervals of strength exercises to create physical intensity and, instead of focusing on how much your muscles are burning, practice the tools you may eventually use to cope with contractions during labor. Then comes an equally important skill: learning how to actually rest. Because preparing for labor isn't only about building strength and endurance. It's also about learning how your body responds to intensity, recognizing where you hold tension, staying present when something feels hard, and practicing how to soften and recover when you get a break. In this episode, Megan talks about: What Labor Intensity Interval Training (LIIT) is and how she uses it for birth preparationWhy physical preparation for labor goes beyond simply staying active during pregnancyHow exercises like squats, deadlifts, or wall sits can be used to practice coping with short periods of physical intensityUsing breathing, movement, sound, visualization, and other labor coping techniques during your intervalsWhy relaxing your jaw, slowing your breathing, and releasing unnecessary tension mattersThe importance of practicing true rest and recovery between periods of intensityHow this type of prenatal strength training can build strength, stamina, and endurance for laborWhy practicing these skills throughout pregnancy can help them feel more familiar when labor actually beginsBirth is unpredictable, and no pregnancy workout can guarantee how your labor will unfold. The goal isn't to train yourself to tolerate the most pain or prove how “tough” you are. It's to give yourself opportunities during pregnancy to practice working with your body through intensity rather than waiting until your first contraction to figure out how. Because we can't control birth—but we can intentionally prepare for it. Tune in weekly for conversations about birth preparation, preparing for labor, pregnancy workouts, prenatal strength training, pelvic floor health, postpartum recovery, and pregnancy fitness from a pregnancy personal trainer, prenatal fitness coach, birth doula, and perinatal nutritionist helping you feel Vibrantly You® through pregnancy, birth, and motherhood. To get on the interest list for Vibrantly You®: The Birth Prep Experience, click HERE.  Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for educational purposes only and not to diagnose or treat any conditions. Before beginning any type of fitness or nutrition program, it is your responsibility to consult with a medical professional. Connect with us!  Instagram @vibrantlyyoupodcastMeg's Instagram @vibrantmamawellnessCaitlin's Instagram @wholesomehuntressnutrition

  5. Sep 3

    92. Are You Eating Enough Postpartum? The Hidden Undernourishment of Motherhood

    You fed the baby. You packed your toddler's lunch. You remembered everyone's snacks. And then suddenly it's 2 PM and you realize... you haven't actually eaten a meal yourself. Sound familiar? In this solo episode of The Vibrantly You® Podcast, Caitlin, perinatal nutritionist and mom of two, is talking about something that is incredibly common in postpartum and motherhood but rarely gets the attention it deserves: unintentional undernourishment. Postpartum nutrition is so often talked about through the lens of losing weight or “getting your body back.” But before we worry about calories, macros, weight loss, or creating the perfect diet, we need to ask a much simpler question: Are you actually eating enough? Skipping breakfast because the baby needs you, surviving on coffee and snacks, forgetting lunch, or finally sitting down to your first substantial meal at dinner can start to feel like a normal part of motherhood. But your body is still recovering from pregnancy and birth—and if you're breastfeeding, caring for a newborn, and functioning on interrupted sleep, you're asking a LOT of it. And adequate nourishment matters. In this episode, Caitlin talks about: The surprisingly common ways moms become unintentionally undernourished postpartumWhy skipping meals and forgetting to eat can become so normalized in motherhoodWhy adequate energy should come before worrying about weight loss, perfect macros, or “optimizing” your dietWhy you might feel ravenous at night after barely feeling hungry during the dayWhat to do when you're too busy to eat, don't feel hungry, or genuinely forgetSimple, realistic postpartum meal and breakfast ideasHow to build balanced meals around protein, healthy fats, fiber, and carbohydratesCreating default breakfasts and lunches to make feeding yourself require less thoughtWhy “I don't have time to eat” may actually be a systems and support problem—not a willpower problemMaking postpartum nutrition easier without adding yet another thing to your mental loadBut this conversation goes beyond food. Because when you're constantly taking care of everyone else, it can become incredibly easy to stop noticing your own needs altogether. Postpartum isn't a season where your body needs you to eat less, shrink yourself, or immediately start working toward your pre-baby body. It's a season of recovery, healing, nourishment, and enormous physical and emotional demand. You deserve to be fed, too. Tune in weekly for realistic conversations about postpartum nutrition, pregnancy nutrition, postpartum recovery, pregnancy fitness, birth preparation, and motherhood from a perinatal nutritionist, pregnancy and postpartum fitness coach, and birth doula helping you feel Vibrantly You® through every season of motherhood. Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for educational purposes only and not to diagnose or treat any conditions. Before beginning any type of fitness or nutrition program, it is your responsibility to consult with a medical professional. Connect with us!  Instagram @vibrantlyyoupodcastMeg's Instagram @vibrantmamawellnessCaitlin's Instagram @wholesomehuntressnutrition

  6. Aug 26

    91. How to Survive a Summer Pregnancy: Hydration, Staying Cool & Our Best Tips

    Being pregnant in the summer is not for the faint of heart. Between the heat, the sweating, and trying to stay hydrated while already feeling uncomfortable in your changing body, sometimes the goal is simply to make it through the day without melting. In this Coffee Chat episode of The Vibrantly You® Podcast, Meg and Caitlin are talking about how to survive a summer pregnancy with simple, realistic ways to stay cool, hydrated, nourished, and as comfortable as possible. As a pregnancy personal trainer and perinatal nutritionist, we're combining practical pregnancy fitness and nutrition tips with the things that helped us survive our own pregnancies during the warmer months. In this episode, we talk about: Why hydration during pregnancy becomes even more important in hot weatherWhen and how to incorporate electrolytes during pregnancyHydrating foods and fruits and vegetables with a high water contentAdjusting your expectations around movement and exercise when it's HOTTaking advantage of pools and other bodies of water to cool down and move comfortablyOur favorite ways to beat the heat with air conditioning, fans, misters, and moreGiving yourself permission to slow down when your pregnant body is asking for itWhether you're navigating your first trimester in August or spending your third trimester wondering how it's humanly possible to feel this hot, consider this your casual summer pregnancy survival guide. Pregnancy fitness and nutrition don't have to look perfect—especially when you're dealing with heat, fatigue, and an ever-growing belly. Sometimes supporting your body means staying hydrated, modifying your pregnancy workout plans, finding movement that feels good, and parking yourself directly in front of the air conditioner. 😉 Grab a cold drink, find the nearest fan, and join us for this summer Coffee Chat! Tune in weekly for conversations about pregnancy nutrition, prenatal fitness, pregnancy workout plans, birth preparation, postpartum recovery, and free resources for new moms from a pregnancy personal trainer, birth doula, and perinatal nutritionist helping you feel Vibrantly You® throughout motherhood. Check out Ultima Electrolytes HERE.  Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for educational purposes only and not to diagnose or treat any conditions. Before beginning any type of fitness or nutrition program, it is your responsibility to consult with a medical professional. Connect with us!  Instagram @vibrantlyyoupodcastMeg's Instagram @vibrantmamawellnessCaitlin's Instagram @wholesomehuntressnutrition

  7. Aug 19

    90. Postpartum Recovery: 5 Things No One Warned Me About

    In this solo episode of The Vibrantly You® Podcast, Megan — postpartum fitness coach, pregnancy personal trainer, birth doula, and mom of two — is sharing five things she wishes someone had told her about postpartum recovery before having her first baby. We spend so much time preparing for pregnancy, labor, and taking care of a newborn, but the realities of recovering from birth can catch a lot of new moms completely off guard. So we're talking about some of the weird, uncomfortable, and surprisingly normal parts of those first weeks and months postpartum. In this episode, Megan talks about: What postpartum bleeding can actually look like in the weeks after birthThe surprising pain of breast engorgement — and why doing more isn't always the answerPostpartum night sweats, body odor, and some of the less glamorous hormonal changes after pregnancyWhy your 6-week postpartum clearance is not the same thing as being ready to return to your pre-pregnancy workoutsHow pregnancy itself impacts your core and pelvic floor, even if you didn't have a vaginal birthWe also talk about why postpartum fitness needs to be approached as a gradual rebuilding process rather than a race to “bounce back.” Whether you're preparing for your first baby, newly postpartum, or wondering how to safely return to exercise after birth, this episode will help you better understand what's happening in your body and what postpartum recovery can actually look like. Because getting cleared for exercise isn't the finish line — it's often just the beginning of rebuilding. Tune in for more conversations about postpartum recovery, postpartum fitness, online postpartum workouts, pelvic floor recovery, pregnancy fitness, and free resources for new moms from a postpartum fitness coach, pregnancy personal trainer, birth doula, and perinatal nutritionist helping you feel Vibrantly You® through every season of motherhood. Episodes referenced in this episode: 5. Do I have to wait for my 6 week postpartum clearance to workout? 9. Megan's Birth Story with baby #1 (planned c-section) 72. Rebuilding Your Relationship with Food Postpartum: Healing Beyond Bounce-Back CultureDisclaimer: This podcast is intended for educational purposes only and not to diagnose or treat any conditions. Before beginning any type of fitness or nutrition program, it is your responsibility to consult with a medical professional. Connect with us!  Instagram @vibrantlyyoupodcastMeg's Instagram @vibrantmamawellnessCaitlin's Instagram @wholesomehuntressnutrition

  8. Aug 13

    89. [Replay] Postpartum Constipation: Simple Ways to Support Digestion After Birth

    Replay Episode: We’re bringing back an early episode of The Vibrantly You® Podcast about a postpartum recovery topic that doesn’t get talked about nearly enough: constipation after birth. Postpartum constipation is incredibly common, but when you’re newly postpartum and already navigating soreness, pelvic floor recovery, hormonal changes, and healing from birth, having a bowel movement can feel surprisingly intimidating. In this solo episode, Caitlin breaks down practical postpartum nutrition strategies that can support digestion, promote more comfortable bowel movements, and help you feel better during those early weeks after baby. You’ll learn about Caitlin’s 3 F’s for postpartum constipation: fluids, fiber, and fats, including why each one matters and simple ways to incorporate them into your day when caring for a newborn already takes most of your time and energy. Caitlin also discusses: Why constipation is so common after giving birthHow hydration supports digestion and postpartum recoveryWays to gradually incorporate more fiber into your meals and snacksWhy dietary fats matter for digestion and overall nourishmentAbdominal massage and other strategies that may support bowel regularityWhen supplementation may be worth discussing with your healthcare providerWhether you had a vaginal birth or C-section, this episode offers realistic strategies to help you nourish and support your body through early postpartum recovery—without adding another overwhelming task to your list. Because postpartum care shouldn’t only be about caring for your new baby. Your recovery, nourishment, and comfort matter, too. Tune in for more conversations on postpartum nutrition, postpartum recovery, postpartum fitness, pregnancy nutrition, and free resources for new moms from a perinatal nutritionist and postpartum fitness coach helping you feel Vibrantly You® throughout motherhood. Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for educational purposes only and not to diagnose or treat any conditions. Before beginning any type of fitness or nutrition program, it is your responsibility to consult with a medical professional. Connect with us!  Instagram @vibrantlyyoupodcastMeg's Instagram @vibrantmamawellnessCaitlin's Instagram @wholesomehuntressnutrition

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Welcome to The Vibrantly You® Podcast, where we bring you evidence-based conversations on pregnancy workouts, postpartum recovery, perinatal nutrition, pelvic floor health, and real-life motherhood. Whether you’re trying to conceive, pregnant, newly postpartum, or navigating life with littles — this podcast is here to help you feel strong, nourished, and vibrantly you. Meet your hosts: Megan Martineau is a Certified Personal Trainer & Pre/Postnatal Fitness Specialist who helps women train for birth, reduce pelvic pain, and rebuild strength postpartum.Caitlin Cipriano is a Certified Perinatal Nutritionist with a Master’s in Nutrition. She helps moms support hormones, energy, and healing through food that actually works in real life. Together, we bring personal experience (we're both moms of two!) and professional expertise to support you through every season of motherhood. No bounce-back culture here — just functional movement, mindful nourishment, and compassionate support. 🎧 New episodes every Wednesday. Subscribe for tips on: Strength training in pregnancyDiastasis recti & pelvic floor recoveryPostpartum mental health & hormone shiftsNutrition for breastfeeding and healingReal talk about mom life, identity, and self-care So grab your coffee (hot or reheated!) and join us for expert-backed guidance and honest mom-to-mom conversations.

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