This week, I had the honor and privilege of being a guest writer on the blog for Robbins Doula Services. Robbins Doula Services is owned and operated by the wonderful Kathleen Robbins. Kathleen is a highly-experienced doula who has been serving the St. Louis area for many years. Here’s an excerpt from my article:
First of all, if you have given birth to a baby: Excellent work! You’re basically an Olympic athlete! Creating another life is a remarkable journey, and bringing that life into the world—no matter how you delivered—is truly incredible. Part of my job as a pelvic floor physical therapist is to never let you forget what an amazing feat you’ve accomplished and to remind you that you deserve the same level of care and attention that your child receives. This is the truth, and yet, the healthcare system in the United States tells a different story. Once that baby has arrived, it seems that all of the attention shifts to the infant, while the person who birthed that little human is usually given no more than a 6 week follow up visit. This is in stark contrast to peer nations, such as France, where every new mother automatically receives twelve postpartum physical therapy sessions.
You read that right. Twelve PT sessions. Automatically.
Don’t get me wrong, the health and development of your newborn is critical. I’m not saying infants shouldn’t get all of those doctor’s appointments. I’m saying that you—the person who birthed the baby—should have all of that care also. Our medical system should be taking care of both of you, and yet, it is leaving moms behind.
While our system has a lot of catching up to do, you can take your postpartum recovery into your own hands by asking your provider for a pelvic health physical therapy referral (depending on where you live, you might not need a referral at all). You can seek PT anytime during pregnancy or after delivery. Whether you have pelvic floor problems or not, a postpartum physical therapy evaluation is essential to starting your healing process. You may think that leaking a little when you sneeze or having pain with intercourse is “just the way it is” now that you’ve had a baby, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. While those issues, and many more complaints of postpartum people, are common, they are not normal. It doesn’t have to be that way. Pelvic health PT can help.
https://www.robbinsdoula.com/postpartum-doula-blog/postpartum-physical-therapy
Head to Kathleen’s blog to read the full post and learn the six reasons why every birthing person needs postpartum pelvic floor physical therapy—other than the fact that they simply deserve it! And stay tuned for a guest post by Kathleen herself here on But First, Pelvic Health.
Thank you, Kathleen, for the opportunity!
Rhea Physical Therapy provides in-home pelvic floor physical therapy to women and children in the St. Louis, MO area and beyond. Rhea PT is owned and operated by Dr. Savannah Carlson, PT, DPT, RYT. Dr. Carlson is a pelvic health specialist who is dedicated to helping her clients overcome pelvic floor dysfunction so they can reach their full potential at home, work, and play. She earned her doctor of physical therapy degree at Washington University in St. Louis. The information provided on But First, Pelvic Health is for educational purposes only and should not be used as personalized medical advice.
But first, Pelvic Health. 