You may know Leah Van Dale as WWE superstar Carmella, but these days, she’s stepping into an even more powerful role as a wellness entrepreneur, mother, and founder of Snatch.
After facing heartbreak in her fertility journey, Leah stepped into motherhood with strength and openhearted honesty. But as she navigated the reality of postpartum life, she realized just how few resources truly spoke to women in those vulnerable moments. Not one to ever let the standard be enough, she stepped up to build the space she wished existed for others.
“I felt blindsided,” Leah told The Newsette about her time after a miscarriage and later a traumatic birth. “I had spent years preparing my body for performance as an athlete, but no one prepared me for the physical and emotional toll of pregnancy, loss, postpartum recovery, and the identity shifts that come with it.”
To cope, Leah explained that she was constantly Googling in the middle of the night to try to find answers, even going to strangers on Reddit. She quickly realized that if she felt so lost despite having all the resources, many women must be feeling the same way. Snatch, a platform reshaping postpartum support, was created out of that need as a place where women can go for real, unfiltered conversations, expert-backed guidance, and reassurance that they are not alone.
Having shared much of her own journey publicly, Leah explained that the decision to do so came from the experience being so isolating.
“After my miscarriages, I felt like I had done something wrong, like my body had failed me, and the shame was overwhelming,” said Leah. “Motherhood is often glamorized on social media as this picture-perfect experience, but no one talks about the messy, painful, or disappointing parts. When I started sharing openly about my losses, so many women came forward with their own stories. The same thing happened after my birth.”
Today, Leah has redefined what it means to be “strong.” For so long, being strong meant having physical strength and pushing through pain in the ring or at training to perform at a high level. Now, she says, “strong is figuring out how to keep going when your cup feels completely empty, when you’re running on no sleep, you don’t get time off, and there’s no nap or break to reset.”
“I’ve learned that ‘strong' isn’t about never getting tired or needing help,” said Leah. “It’s about showing up anyway, even when you feel like you have nothing left to give.”
Through Snatch, she shared that she has learned that she is more resilient than she had given herself credit for.
“Starting a business from scratch while raising a baby and carrying another has been one of the hardest but most fulfilling challenges of my life,” said Leah. “I’ve learned I don’t have to have all the answers. I just need to create space for real conversations and surround myself with the right people.”
To make women feel more supported after pregnancy, Leah has also launched her guide to the first month called The First 30. The idea was to provide women with the kind of support that she recalls desperately needing in those moments.
“It’s not another rigid checklist or a book that makes you feel like you’re falling behind,” said Leah. “It’s a survival guide for the newborn trenches. I brought in incredible experts in baby basics, sleep, feeding without pressure, postpartum mental health, and physical recovery. I wanted it to feel like having a best friend who’s been through it and a team of experts in your corner, reminding you that you’re not alone and you really are doing better than you think.”
Importantly, the guide is also judgment-free, acknowledging that everyone’s journey is different.
These days, Leah said that she loves to carve out time for herself with a guilt-free shower. She doesn’t rush and doesn’t worry about what she should be doing. “It resets me mentally and makes me feel human again in the middle of the chaos of motherhood,” said Leah.
The word she’s using to describe this chapter of her life is “expansive,” as she continues to grow as a mom, a woman, and an entrepreneur.
“This chapter is about growth in every direction,” said Leah. “In my family, in my career, and in how I see myself.”
