4th Trimester Physical Therapy: All about YOU Mama!
The 4th Trimester is the time after childbirth. New moms are going through a lot of physical, emotional, hormonal, and lifestyle changes. Your baby is getting regular care from a pediatrician, but what about YOU mama? You just gave birth and you deserve care too! Pelvic health physical therapists are here to start shifting the paradigm and conversation around improving care for mom after having a baby.
Historically, women receive a 15 minute postpartum checkup with their OB at 6 weeks. At this visit, if all looks “well”, then women are cleared to return to sex and exercise. If you are lucky, some physicians will provide a physical therapy referral or referral for other resources, but unfortunately this is not often the case. Many women find themselves feeling unsure of how to safely return to exercise, they may have pain or discomfort with sex, urinary leaking with exercise, or symptoms of pelvic pain or heaviness.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) says that postpartum care is an “ongoing process” and requires a personalized, cross-disciplinary approach. This includes the use of physical therapy to help moms heal in the 4th trimester. Quality 4th Trimester care is so much more than a single visit with your OB at 6 weeks -- it should be ongoing care and follow-up from as early as 1-3 weeks postpartum until 12 weeks postpartum or as long as is needed. Women have often talked about postpartum issues, but their symptoms or issues have been dismissed and told: “that’s just what happens when you have a baby” or “oh, that’s just normal!” But we know that this is NOT true and there IS help. We know that pelvic pain, urinary leaking with coughing/sneezing/running lifting, pain with sex, etc is COMMON but NOT normal!
Pelvic health physical therapy can be a vital part of your postpartum journey. At Awake Pelvic Health & Wellness we offer comprehensive postpartum physical therapy visits as early as 3-6 weeks postpartum and beyond to screen for common issues and symptoms and help guide moms through their postpartum journey. Here are some things you can expect at your postpartum physical therapy visits:
Conversation regarding your medical and birth history, along with your individual goals
Discuss emotional and lifestyle wellbeing
Check core and pelvic floor (internal pelvic floor assessments, if recommended, are only performed at 6+ weeks postpartum)
Screen posture and movement patterns
Assess for musculoskeletal pain
Assess c-section scar if applicable
Establish safe and effective exercise routine
Bodywork (massage therapy, cupping, dry needling, joint mobilization)
Common conditions treated include: urinary leaking, abdominal muscle separation (diastasis recti), low back pain, scar pain, sexual pain/dysfunction, and generalized weakness. If you notice any of these symptoms in your body, don’t hesitate to email us or give us a call! If you are not having any of these symptoms but are interested in prevention, also reach out!
Let’s start to prioritize high quality 4th trimester care and make pelvic health physical therapy a routine aspect of postpartum! This is our opportunity to provide options for prevention, education, and treatment for moms following birth.
