The Postpartum PT Evaluation You Deserve (and How It Gets You Back to Life)

By Dr. Allison Feldt, PT, DPT | Body Motion Physical Therapy

If you’re newly postpartum and wondering, “What should my pelvic floor PT visit actually look like?” you’re in the right place. A rushed check, a few generic exercises, and “you’re good to go” isn’t real postpartum care. Your body just did something extraordinary. It deserves a thoughtful, full-body plan to help you heal and get back to what you love, whether that’s walking with your kids, lifting, barre, Pilates, CrossFit, Orangetheory, sports, or anything else.

Below is how we structure a thorough, effective postpartum pelvic floor evaluation at Body Motion PT and why each step matters.

Step 1: Your Story Comes First

We begin with a deep dive into:

• Your birth history (the real details matter)
• How your body feels now including symptoms, energy, sleep, feeding posture
• Your goals for the next 6–12 months, whether pain-free walks, high-intensity training, or preparing for another pregnancy

This allows us to tailor everything, from hands-on work to home strategies, specifically to your body and life.

Step 2: Whole-Body Movement and Alignment Check

Before any internal assessment, we look at the “container” your pelvic floor lives in:

• Posture and ribcage mechanics
• Pelvis alignment including ilia and sacrum rotations
• Hip mobility and strength, especially hip extension for glute power
• Feet and gait including arches, bunions, and toe motion
• Spine mobility in the lumbar, thoracic, and cervical regions

Why this matters: balancing pulls across the pelvis and spine reduces pain, improves core activation, and sets you up for smoother, more efficient movement.

Step 3: Abdominal Wall and Diastasis Check

We assess your entire linea alba from pubic bone to sternum:

• Separation width and tissue quality
• Your ability to activate the transverse abdominis without over-recruiting the pelvic floor
• Diaphragm mobility and breath descent

Many new moms try to brace everything. We retrain gentle, coordinated activation so your core supports you without increasing downward pressure.

Step 4: Pelvic Floor Exam (Thoughtful and Trauma-Informed)

When appropriate, we perform an internal assessment, one side at a time, with full support:

• First layer: skin and fascia, checking for burning or “paper-cut” sensations that indicate tension or dehydration
• Second layer: urethral support and fascial mobility
• Third layer: muscles such as obturator internus, pubococcygeus, coccygeus and others, checking tone, trigger points, and adhesions while teaching tissue to lengthen
• Prolapse screen, including evaluating walls and cervix position, sometimes re-checking in standing
• Scar care for vaginal tears, episiotomy, or C-section

Most postpartum pelvic floors are overworking by 6–8 weeks, not weak or loose. The first step is restoring mobility and blood flow. Strength comes naturally once the tissue can move.

Step 5: The Plan — From Relief to Resilience

Your plan is individualized and progressive:

• Manual therapy to balance pulls across the pelvis and spine and restore pelvic floor mobility
• Breath and pressure strategy reminders like “blow before you go”
• Transverse abdominis and glute retraining without gripping the pelvic floor
• Rib and mid-back resets with lower trap and lat integration
• Scar remodeling and regenerative tools when helpful
• Return-to-movement guidance for walking, lifting, running, and classes without flare-ups

We don’t expect everything to resolve in one or two visits. True tissue change and a confident return to fitness take time, skill, and consistent progression. Whether you come weekly at first or space sessions out, this sequence is how we help you thrive.

When to Reach Out

• Heaviness, pressure, leaking, painful sex, or tailbone/pubic pain
• A persistent “mom pooch” that hasn’t responded to core work
• Discomfort around tear or C-section scars
• Uncertainty or fear about returning to activity

You deserve a comprehensive plan. Book your postpartum evaluation at Body Motion PT and let’s rebuild your core, confidence, and capacity so you can enjoy motherhood and the movement you love.

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