Postpartum Physical Therapy
Let’s be honest- a 5lb lifting restriction is confusing postpartum when your baby likely weighs more than that!
I’m here to help guide you through the postpartum period and give realistic advice.
You were probably fully cleared for everything at your 6-week postpartum appointment. But that can feel overwhelming when you are still feeling symptoms from giving birth.
Seeing a pelvic floor PT can empower you with more guidance and direction on how to progress your activity back to what you were doing before pregnancy. Realistically you can’t just hop back into running or weight lifting without rebuilding your foundation.
After birth your pelvic floor has to re-learn how to coordinate movement. A pelvic floor PT is there to help you every step of the way!
Many women are told that pain and these symptoms are just part of the postpartum experience, so they think they just need to deal with it. That is just not true!
There are many ways that pelvic floor PT can help postpartum women reduce symptoms and learn self care management. I am here to listen to your full story and symptoms that you are struggling we to better understand the source. Your treatment plan will be 100% individualized to your needs. I always say that the goal is for you to be independent with your exercise prescription and self care techniques so you don’t have to keep coming to PT forever!
Common Diagnoses and Symptoms I Treat
After giving birth, a lot of women experience different symptoms depending on whether they delivered vaginally or by C-section, and some symptoms that are experienced postpartum can be caused by different diagnoses.
Regardless of the what or why, I can help.
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Heaviness in the pelvis
Urinary leakage
Incision pain
Pubic symphysis pain
Low back pain
Core weakness
Ab separation (DRA)
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Diastasis rectus abdominus
Urinary incontinence
Vaginismus
Pelvic organ prolapse
Pubic symphysis dysfunction (SPD)
Pudendal nerve injury
Sciatica
This is not your average PT clinic.
You get one-on-one individualized care focused around your goals. Because our sessions are an hour long we have plenty of time to work on treatment and give you tools to work on at home. In this model, I don’t see clients more than once a week because of the targeted treatment and prescribed exercises for home. I am not here to watch you do the same exercises over and over again. During sessions I review or answer any questions about the exercises and we spend time on new things. Honestly, the goal is for you to not need me anymore- and I take no offense to that! I will be here if anything pops up in the future or you just feel like you need a tune up!
The Process
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Schedule
If you’re ready to get started, you can book your first appointment online.
If you still have questions, feel free to book a discovery call or fill out the form on my contact page.
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Paperwork
You will receive online paperwork via email to fill out at least 24 hours prior to your evaluation. This will help me prep for your session.
The intake paperwork is extensive so that I have a complete picture and history before we meet.
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Evaluation
Your evaluation begins with a conversation about your health history and concerns.
From there, I may assess movement patterns, flexibility, strength, and range of motion. We'll discuss what an internal pelvic floor exam entails, and you'll decide if you'd like to include that during your first visit or wait until you're ready.
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Plan
After the physical exam, we will go over my findings and create an individualized plan of care for you.
This will include how often I think we should schedule follow up sessions, as well as treatment technique recommendations.
Frequently Asked Questions
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You don't have to wait until your 6-week clearance to reach out. Many women leave that appointment feeling fully cleared but still experiencing symptoms. Pelvic floor PT can help you bridge that gap with a realistic, individualized plan.
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That's one of the most common (and frustrating) pieces of postpartum advice out there. A pelvic floor PT can help you understand what's actually going on with your body and give you practical guidance that accounts for real life, including picking up your baby.
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Medical clearance and being truly ready to return to activity are two different things. If you want to get back to running, lifting, or exercise, your body needs to rebuild its foundation first. Pelvic floor PT helps you do that safely and progressively.
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No, you do not have to just live with it. A lot of women are told that postpartum symptoms are normal and expected. While some are common, common is not the same as something you have to accept forever. There are real, effective ways to address what you're experiencing.
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Symptoms vary depending on whether you had a vaginal delivery or a C-section, but pelvic floor PT can help with a wide range of issues including pelvic pain, leaking, pressure, scar sensitivity, core dysfunction, and difficulty returning to exercise.
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It starts with listening to your full story. Every treatment plan is individualized because every postpartum experience is different. The goal is to understand the source of your symptoms, not just treat them on the surface.
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The goal is for you to become independent with your exercises and self-care so you don't have to keep coming back indefinitely. You'll leave with tools and a program you can manage on your own.
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After birth, your pelvic floor has to relearn how to coordinate movement. Skipping the foundation work and going straight back to high-impact activity can make symptoms worse. Rebuilding properly means you get back to what you love and stay there.
Learn More About Pelvic PT
