Postpartum recovery & your pelvic floor
Postpartum Recovery
Your baby is here, but your body may not feel like your own yet. Maybe you leak when you laugh or run. Maybe sex hurts, your core feels unfamiliar, or there's a heaviness that wasn't there before. Maybe you had a six-week checkup that gave you the all clear, and were left to figure out the rest on your own. What you're experiencing is common, and there are ways to support your recovery.
Why it happens. Pregnancy and birth place real demands on your abdominal and pelvic floor muscles, and recovery doesn't always happen on its own, no matter how long it's been. Leaking, pain, and feeling unlike yourself are common experiences, not something you're stuck with.
What we'll do together. We start by understanding how your body is actually moving and where things aren't cooperating yet. From there, you get hands-on treatment and a home plan built around your real life, whether that's running again, lifting your toddler without a second thought, or just feeling at home in your own skin. It's me, the same face, every visit.
How soon after birth can I start?
For internal pelvic floor assessment and treatment, we wait until you're six weeks postpartum and cleared by your OBGYN, which usually lines up with the checkup you already have. Everything orthopedic can start anytime — if you're two weeks postpartum with neck and back pain from feeding your baby, come on in.
“Like many women, childbirth did not go as smoothy as I had expected. While my son’s birth was the most joyous day of my life, little consideration was given to appropriate healing for me. I was left with untreated urinary incontinence, painful scarring and over time, subsequent spine, hip and pelvic pain. Chronic discomfort and embarrassment were constant companions which I didn’t even know could be treated until I was referred to Jill. With an educated and studied nonchalance surrounding these difficult to discuss issues, she carefully and consistently treated me with hands-on expertise, an exercise program and best of all, sensitivity and understanding. Jill combines a doctorate level education and dedication to her life’s work with a matter-of-fact approach erasing issues that once seemed intractable. She has truly changed my life. Presenting Jill with a complicated physical therapy agenda, she was undaunted and eager to try to find the root of my chronic pain and treat it. She was willing to explore many therapeutic modalities with creativity and insight while also applying knowledge gained from continuing education. Following her advice, she has made it possible to again enjoy physical activities like Pilates and gardening without pain."
— DM