Pregnancy & Postpartum PT

Let us support you through this season of life.

Did you know that you can do a lot more during pregnancy than you may think? Or that peeing your pants and painful sex don’t need to be part of your life postpartum?

Here at Upward, we are all about empowering you to feel your best through every stage of life. Going through pregnancy and the postpartum period can be one of the most amazing AND challenging times in a woman’s life, and it’s a time when everyone is throwing advice at you (hello stack of books and endless podcasts!), and it’s tough to navigate who to actually listen to and what applies specifically to YOU. This is where we come in!

In many countries, several sessions with a PT specializing in perinatal care are automatically part of your pre and postnatal plan of care. Unfortunately, here in the US we are still catching up. Here in the US, you are discharged without a clear path to recovery, which can be quite daunting.

Here are some examples of how we work to provide you with direction and support you through this period of your life:

  • planning for pregnancy: we can work together to help optimize your health and movement routine to best prepare your body for all of the changes that occur during pregnancy.

  • running and exercise during pregnancy: we look at your specific medical and fitness history, combined with the details of your pregnancy to create a personalized, evidence-based prenatal program that is modified as your pregnancy progresses.

  • pregnancy-related pain: let’s be honest; aches and pains come with the territory. Count on us to provide hands-on manual therapy and give you specific stretches and strengthening exercises to help make any symptoms more manageable.

  • labor prep: several weeks before baby is due, we teach you strategies including breathing techniques, ways to help you relax your muscles and pelvic floor, and birthing positions that feel good for you that you can take with you into the delivery room when the big day comes.

  • postpartum care: we provide support as early as 4 weeks to years out postpartum to answer any questions, talk about what is considered “normal” as you recover, and begin activating key muscles in your core and pelvic floor. We also provide both internal and external pelvic muscle exams if appropriate for your specific case.

  • pelvic pain and painful sex: whether you’ve recently given birth or have been dealing with chronic pain during sex, we’ll work with you to find the source of pain, and work through techniques and strategies that you can take home to help you feel comfortable and confident in the bedroom.

  • bladder leakage: whether you’ve recently given birth or pregnancy exacerbated an existing problem, we’re here to help.

  • postpartum return to fitness: similar to the plan we create during pregnancy, we can now create a similar plan to help you return to all of your fave activities, whether it’s getting back to running, weight lifting, or hiking with baby cinched to your back.

Whatever your goals, we’re here for it and excited to support you on your journey every step of the way!