The Importance of Postpartum Pelvic Floor Rehab

By: Mallory Risner

You’ve likely heard a lot about the pelvic floor—and for good reason! Your pelvic floor is a group of muscles located at the base of your pelvis that supports key organs, like your bladder, uterus, and bowels. These muscles are also closely connected to your core and glutes. In fact, we like to think of them as a ‘mighty trio’ when they’re working together in sync.

During pregnancy, your pelvic floor plays a crucial role in supporting your growing baby and, ultimately, helping you during childbirth. After delivery, it's common for these muscles to become overworked, weakened, or in need of extra care.

This is where postpartum pelvic floor and core rehabilitation becomes essential. By dedicating time to intentionally heal and reconnect with these muscles, you’re supporting your long-term health and recovery.

Around 6-8 weeks postpartum (sometimes earlier or later), you can visit a pelvic floor physical therapist (PT) for an internal assessment. They’ll provide you with guidance and insight to your pelvic floor and we can take that and customize your recovery journey. 

Once you're cleared by your healthcare provider, you can begin gentle exercises to rebuild your pelvic floor and core strength. That said, there are breathing exercises you can safely start earlier to aid in this reconnection process.

It's important to remember that every woman's postpartum healing journey is unique. Each person’s experience varies depending on their pregnancy, birth, and life circumstances.

The goal of gentle movements, like those in my Postpartum Pelvic Floor and Core Rehab Series, is to restore not just pelvic floor strength, but also glute and core stability. We’re setting the foundation for lifelong health, ensuring that you can move confidently and stay strong for years to come. What you do in these healing months will influence your health 10, 20, even 50 years from now! Taking this time intentionally can help prevent or manage pelvic floor dysfunction, such as pelvic organ prolapse, urinary incontinence, pelvic pain, and painful intercourse.

From my own personal experience and from working with postpartum clients, I firmly believe that postpartum healing should never be rushed. Not only have you brought a new life into the world, but you’ve also emerged anew! Your body has transformed, and instead of aiming to return to a pre-pregnancy version of yourself, embrace this new phase with care and compassion.

I hope you find my series helpful, but as always, every mama’s journey is different. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or concerns along the way. We're here to support you!