Empowering Postpartum Journeys: A Q&A with Liz Cuttica of Milly Grey Movement
In this Q&A, Liz Cuttica shares her journey of founding Milly Grey Movement, a community that supports new moms through postpartum recovery. Liz highlights the importance of tailored exercise and mental health resources to help women regain their strength and confidence.
Can you share the inspiration behind Milly Grey Movement? Tell us a bit about your business.
I created Milly Grey Movement after going through my own challenging postpartum experience. Before having my daughter, I had been a fitness professional for over a decade. My pregnancy went relatively smoothly—I was able to work out six days a week, and I continued teaching barre and cycle classes throughout. However, my labor, delivery, and postpartum recovery were far from easy. After a long, 36-hour labor that ended in a c-section, I was left physically and emotionally exhausted. I went through 14 hours of contractions without an epidural, pushed for four hours, and then underwent major abdominal surgery. I felt like I wasn’t an active participant in my birth. The physical pain was overwhelming, and emotionally, I was completely wrecked.
Before giving birth, I had assumed that being fit and strong would make my delivery and recovery easier, but it was quite the opposite. My body felt foreign, and I didn’t know how to safely rebuild my strength or how to exercise in a way that honored what I had been through. If I, as a fitness professional, felt this lost and unsure, I couldn’t imagine how other postpartum women must feel.
On top of that, I suffered from postpartum OCD and depression, which went undiagnosed for almost a year. On the outside, I seemed fine, but on the inside, I was struggling to keep it together. It became clear to me that what I needed was a place where I could access not just fitness support, but also therapists, pelvic floor physical therapists, lactation consultants, and more—a comprehensive support system to help me feel like myself again.
That’s why I created Milly Grey Movement. I wanted to empower women to move their bodies safely and stay strong at every stage of pregnancy and postpartum. But beyond that, I wanted to give them confidence in their workouts and access to a community of women’s health experts—maternal mental health therapists, doulas, couples’ therapists, lactation consultants, and pelvic floor physical therapists—so they have a network to turn to when they need it. Motherhood can feel isolating, but it doesn’t have to be. No one should go through it alone.
I work with clients one-on-one, both in person and virtually. I also offer The Prenatal Series, a comprehensive 6-week program designed to empower you with the confidence to move safely, stay strong in the workouts you love, and prepare for a smoother postpartum recovery. This holistic program not only provides access to me but also connects you with a team of experts, including a pelvic floor physical therapist, maternal mental health therapist, birth and postpartum doula, lactation expert, and the specialists at Partum Health
2.) Can you explain what a certified corrective exercise specialist is/does?
A Pregnancy and Postpartum Corrective Exercise Specialist focuses on addressing the physical changes and challenges that occur during and after pregnancy. My role is to help identify the structural changes caused by hormonal shifts and the growing belly, and then teach specific exercises that target these changes. This helps alleviate common issues like back pain, hip pain, pelvic floor dysfunction, and diastasis recti (the thinning of the connective tissue between the abdominal muscles).
Corrective exercises are designed to fix muscle imbalances that can lead to pain and dysfunction. For example, during pregnancy, the pelvis often tips forward due to the expanding belly. This is known as an anterior pelvic tilt, where the back muscles work overtime, compensating for the under-activated abdominal muscles. By doing a posterior pelvic tilt, where the pubic bone is higher than the hip bones, we can better engage the abdominals. This not only strengthens the core but also gives the back muscles a break from the additional strain, helping the body regain balance and function. *Note, you don’t want to create the posterior pelvic tilt from squeezing your glutes, it needs to come from the core activating.
By teaching women how to manage pressure in their abdomen and make these adjustments, we can reduce pain and prevent worsening of diastasis recti and other postpartum issues, supporting recovery and long-term strength.
3.) How do you tailor your services to meet the needs of different clients?
My approach to training is always client-specific, and it starts with understanding their goals. Depending on what they’re aiming to achieve, I tailor my plan to fit their unique needs. I begin by assessing how they’re breathing, evaluating their biomechanics in movements like squats, and observing how they contract and load their abdominals. Based on that assessment, I develop a personalized plan that addresses any imbalances or areas needing improvement.
Some clients work with me twice a week and have done so for years, while others may only see me during their pregnancy. Some come back every few months for refreshers to ensure they’re on the right track. For those clients, I provide updates on how to progress their exercises when they’re ready because gradually overloading the muscles is key to building strength. This customized approach allows me to meet each client where they are and help them reach their goals safely and effectively.
4.) What are some simple at home exercises you’d recommend to pregnant moms preparing for birth?
Learning to breathe is hands down the most important thing you can do to help keep your core strong and intact during pregnancy and to help heal the body postpartum. The diaphragm and the pelvic floor work together - they are best friends. If the diaphragm is not moving how it should then the pelvic floor can’t function optimally. If you aren’t breathing deeply, then there is no way you are engaging your core to its full potential.
Please note that working on your breathing is a lot harder than we realize. Unfortunately due to poor posture, and a growing baby pushing up on our diaphragm, breathing deeply becomes harder and harder as pregnancy progresses. Breathing will take a lot of practice, however, the more we practice the more it will become automatic for you.
Learning to breathe deeply will help your core function more optimally even during pregnancy, will help with back pain, hip pain, and urinary incontinence, etc, can help minimize the amount of time you’re laboring, and is the single most important thing you can do for your postpartum recovery. One of my favorite ways to start learning how to breathe deeply is Waterfall Breathing.
5.) What are some simple at home exercises you’d recommend to postpartum clients?
After giving birth, your body has been through significant changes, and understanding these changes is essential before jumping back into exercise. During pregnancy, your organs shifted and moved to make room for your growing baby, while your ribs expanded, often leaving you with a bigger bra size. Your hips also widened, which is why getting back into your pre-pregnancy jeans can feel impossible. The diaphragm, which helps control breathing, gets flattened and pushed up, making it harder to take deep breaths. Even if you had a C-section, your pelvic floor experienced tremendous pressure throughout pregnancy, and the abdominals stretched to about 115% of their resting length. The muscles in your lower back and hips, like the psoas and paraspinals, became tight as they worked to compensate for your shifting body. And, let’s not forget the hormonal changes that loosened your ligaments, leaving your joints feeling less stable even after pregnancy.
It’s important to understand that just because you’ve been cleared for exercise at six weeks doesn’t mean your body is fully healed. The six-week mark is often seen as a milestone, but recovery is unique to every individual. Pregnancy is similar to an injury in many ways, as it causes negative tissue adaptations that take time to heal. Throughout pregnancy, your baby created intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) that helped stabilize your spine, but after delivery, that pressure is gone. Combined with lengthened muscles, this makes it difficult for your body to generate enough IAP to support itself. It will take time for your muscles to return to their optimal length and function. Remember, just because you can do certain exercises doesn’t mean you should. Rushing back into intense workouts too soon can lead to setbacks or even injury.
So, where do you start? The answer is simple: breathing. While it may seem too basic, intentional breathing is one of the most powerful tools for postpartum recovery. Breathing helps massage your internal organs, gets your ribs moving again, activates your abdominal muscles, and even strengthens your pelvic floor. Improving your core function can also reduce tension in your lower back, which often becomes overworked during pregnancy. In the early postpartum weeks, your workouts will likely feel more mental than physical, as the focus is on reconnecting with your body rather than pushing it. Pay attention to your rib cage movement, how you’re managing pressure, and regaining control of your abdominals.
It’s also crucial to address the high hinge point that may have developed, which is right around the T12 / L1 junction of the spine. That is the area that needs lots of lengthening with positional breathing exercises. Lastly, you’ll need to release and lengthen muscles like the psoas and paraspinals, which have been tight and compensating throughout pregnancy. By starting with these foundational elements, you’re giving your body the time and care it needs to recover before moving on to more intense exercises.
Below are some of my favorite exercises from my Return to Postpartum Guide:
6.) What advice would you give to someone new to movement practices?
Remember, something is always better than nothing. Movement, no matter how small, is better than no movement at all. You don’t have to belong to a fancy gym or own a lot of equipment to get started. You don’t even need to exercise for an hour for it to count. Moving your body each day for short periods of time can add up and make a difference in your recovery.
For those new to movement, especially during pregnancy, starting can feel overwhelming, but it’s crucial to remember that exercise is beneficial for both you and your baby. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends aiming for 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week, exercising at 60-80% of your age-predicted maximum heart rate (calculated as 220 minus your age). However, this can be adjusted based on your individual fitness level and comfort.
If you were sedentary before pregnancy, it’s best to begin slowly. Start with low-intensity activities, such as walking, at around 50% of your max effort and keep your sessions short, around 10 minutes, taking breaks as needed. Over the course of 2-4 weeks, gradually work your way up to longer sessions (30-45 minutes) and higher intensities, up to 75% of your max effort.
Monitoring your safety during exercise is key. Be cautious of overheating during pregnancy, particularly in the first trimester. Ensure you’re staying hydrated, exercising in cooler environments, and listening to your body for any signs of discomfort or fatigue. And, as always, make sure to consult your healthcare provider before starting or continuing any exercise program during pregnancy, particularly if you have any pre-existing conditions or complications.
7.)What are some ways soon-to-be and new moms can stay motivated to take care of their health and wellness
Setting small, realistic goals can make staying active feel more manageable. For example, start with a goal of moving for 10-15 minutes a day or focusing on breathing exercises postpartum. These mini-goals add up over time and help build a habit, keeping you motivated to progress further.
For many of my clients, nausea, especially in the first trimester, can make exercising feel impossible. My advice is to set a timer for 10 minutes and do some light movements. At the end of that timer, if you don't feel better, you can stop. But 9 times out of 10, the movement will actually make you feel better. The hard part is often just getting started!
Focus on how you feel, not just how you look. Your body is going through a major transformation, and focusing on how movement makes you feel—energized, empowered, less stressed—can help keep you motivated. Rather than striving for a specific "post-baby body," shift the focus to regaining strength, mobility, and confidence in your body.
Look into building your support system as well. Talk to a birth and postpartum doula to see if that’s right for you. Go see a pelvic floor physical therapist to establish a relationship now, so when you're postpartum, you can get on their schedule without waiting months if something feels wrong. It’s also a great idea to talk to a maternal mental health therapist to support your emotional well-being throughout this journey.
9.)Is there anything else you’d like to share as part of this Q&A?
I’m so passionate about supporting women and moms on their journeys. I couldn’t imagine being in a more fulfilling role—it’s incredibly rewarding to help others feel stronger, more confident, and empowered in their bodies