Your Hosts: Julia Di Paolo, Samantha Montpetit-Huynh and sometimes Kim Vopni (if she is in town)

Kim Vopni, Samantha Montpetit-Huynh and Julia Di Paolo are 3 moms on a mission! They joined forces in 2011 to form Bellies Inc – a company dedicated to helping women prepare for and recover from pregnancy and birth without the dreaded mummy tummy!

Kim Vopni, is a Personal Trainer and mother of 2 boys. After educating herself on proactive pelvic floor wellness during her pregnancies she became passionate about increasing the awareness on this ‘taboo’ subject. She also learned about diastasis recti abdominis (DRA) and the strong correlation it has to pelvic floor dysfunction. She diagnosed herself with diastasis after her second son was 2 years old and decided then to specialize in pre/postnatal fitness to help other women prevent and treat pelvic floor dysfunction and DRA. Through extensive product testing and specialized training Kim developed targeted exercise programs for new and expectant moms. In 2009 Kim met Samantha Montpetit-Huynh and the two began to share strategies and explore ways to reach more women.

Samantha Montpetit-Huynh is a certified pre and postnatal exercise specialist and the mother of 2 girls with a successful pre/postnatal personal training company. She has established herself as an expert in the field and created the successful ‘ab rehab’ program for the treatment of DRA which has helped hundreds of clients. Recognizing a void in the availability of good quality information and products related to DRA, Samantha and Kim began researching abdominal support garments and treatment strategies which eventually connected them to physiotherapist Julia Di Paolo.

Julia Di Paolo is a Pelvic Floor Physiotherapist with a special interest in women’s health, spine and sports injuries. She is the mother of 2 young boys and has been treating pre and postnatal clients with DRA for several years. During her own pregnancies she was determined not to lose her core function and successfully avoided getting a diastasis of her abdominal muscles using an exercise program she created based on learnings from multiple influences. By combining her extensive knowledge of spinal health, DRA and pelvic floor function, Julia is fast becoming one of the most sought after pelvic floor physiotherapists in Toronto. After meeting with Samantha and Kim and realizing shared passions, a plan was hatched and Bellies Inc was born.

Our Speakers

Nadine Woods

As the Founder and CEO of Mayana Genevière™, Nadine M. Woods is dedicated to aligning function, quality and recovery within a brand that is luxurious and socially conscious. Nadine was introduced to the world of nursing bras and shapewear out of necessity following the birth of her daughter. Because of this experience she envisioned intimate apparel that was post-maternity functional without the compromise of fashion.

Created to celebrate and support women during this transitional period, the Mayana Geneviere™ Essential Collections was the result of this unique insight. With extensive research and development, Nadine created targeted panties and shapewear as well as the patented ALUXTRA™ technology; an innovative feature that revolutionizes the bra industry.

Nadine manages and oversees all aspects of the business, including the design and development of each garment as well as branding and message as the creative visionary. She is also the executive director of Maternal Goddess®, an organization focused on enhancing the education and awareness of the post birth experience. Nadine is driven to improve and promote postpartum recovery by working with a broad stream of professionals and like-minded individuals to make the fourth trimester a common conversation in every household and a proactive preventative topic in prenatal education.

Erin Keaney

I have been in the business of show, professionally for 27 yrs. One of my first paying jobs was doing dance-o-grams run by my Mormon dance teacher. I shit you not. Ask my mom and Dad they were my chaperones…sometimes. Or it was my best friend Leanne.

I have two girls who I love. I love…but they talk too much and fight on occasion. Literally. Whenever we have a special occasion, they fight.

I like hearing other parents outrageous and offensives stories about their kids as well as sharing mine on things like my “Use Your Words” podcast. If you’re in the Toronto area drop by one of my “Time Out! A Stand Up Comedy Night For Parents” shows. They are a TON of fun in kid free zone.

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An honours graduate of the Sheridan College musical theater program, Erin’s hilarious quick wit made her an easy sell as she was snapped up for leading roles in such hit shows as “Crazy For You” at the Royal Alexandra theatre, “I Love You You’re Perfect Now Change” and the original U.S. tour of “Rent”. During her run with Rent Erin’s portrayal of “Maureen”, the quirky hilarious performance artist, resulted in International accolades and a huge fan base.

Changing gears slightly, Erin began writing stand-up comedy and her own one-woman shows. She was quickly booked and back on the road performing at huge fundraising galas in Philadelphia, San Francisco, Los-Angeles and right here at home in Toronto.

Transitioning to the screen, Erin co-wrote the play turned CBC special, TO DIE 4, which she garnered a Canadian Comedy Award Best Writing nomination. She was a regular on CTV’s Comedy Inc. and the animated series “Grossolgy”, and can now be seen in the Award Winning feature film STAG in wide distribution across North America.
You can also catch Erin’s hilarious live events and Internet brand “MotherLoadTV”, which was recently filmed as a live HBO style comedy special.

Munira Hudani

Munira Hudani received a Master of Science in Physical Therapy from the University of Toronto in 2009. She is part of a small group of physiotherapists in Toronto who are specialized in the area of Pelvic Health. Her extensive post-graduate training in pelvic floor muscle dysfunction allows her to treat urinary dysfunction, bowel dysfunction, sexual dysfunction and chronic pelvic pain. Munira is also highly passionate about pre-natal and post-partum care. She has helped countless women recover from pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain, perineal pain and post-partum core muscle weakness including abdominal muscle separation. In addition, she is a Certified Acupuncture Practitioner and a Certified Pfilates (Pelvic Floor Pilates) Instructor.

Munira uses a holistic approach to treat patients as she strives to empower them with the knowledge and tools they need to improve their condition. Her caring and compassionate demeanor ensures each patient is comfortable throughout the treatment process.

Our Sponsors

All The Deets

Where: ENERCARE CENTRE, HALL D, EXHIBITION PLACE

When: Saturday Oct 3, 2015

Time: 6:30pm – 9:30pm

Tickets: Early bird $35 before Sept 25th, $40 thereafter (includes 1 signature cocktail (or mocktail) and a swag bag filled with all sorts of goodies from our sponsors!) Attendees will also receive a free pass to The Baby Show