When Should I Do a Postpartum Pelvic Health Check Up?

We’ll give the answer up front, but keep reading.

When do we recommend you do a postpartum pelvic health check-up?
👉 Within the first two weeks of delivery.
We’ll give you our reasons why, but we recommend: once you are able to leave your house, come and see us.

A new parent faces a lot of challenges beyond just adapting to parenthood.
Their body must adjust to no longer being pregnant.

After delivery:

• The uterus will return toward prenatal size

• Fluid volumes in the body will drastically reduce, affecting cardiovascular responses

• The remarkable machinery of the endocrine system will shift again to meet new hormonal demands

📊 Research shows that pelvic girdle pain (PGP) in pregnancy may be as high as 50%, and that 1 in 4 pregnant people who develop PGP go on to experience chronic postpartum pain.

Although the postpartum period is typically defined as the time immediately following birth until 6 weeks later, problems from childbirth may linger for years—or even decades—if left unaddressed.

After delivery, a person may experience:

• Postural dysfunction

• Pelvic girdle dysfunction

• Diastasis recti abdominis (separation of the abdominal muscles)

• Foot size and arch changes

These changes can lead to:

• Muscle imbalances

• Headaches

• Altered breathing patterns

• Lumbopelvic dysfunction

Additionally, a postpartum person may also need help with:

• Breast health or breastfeeding support

• Scar massage and healing from episiotomies

• Return-to-fitness guidance

• Pelvic floor dysfunction (incontinence, pelvic pain, bowel issues)

• And resuming sexual activity after any kind of delivery—vaginal or cesarean

These are all areas where a Pelvic Health Therapist can offer meaningful, expert support.

🩺 Most people believe they need clearance from a medical doctor at the six-week mark before seeing a pelvic floor therapist. This appointment is often when someone is told they can “resume normal activity” like sex or exercise—unless a major complication exists.

But what does the six-week benchmark really mean?

✅ It means you are at a lowered risk for hemorrhage, stitch tearing, or infection because your cervix has closed.
❌ It does not mean your core or pelvic floor have recovered.
❌ It does not mean it’s safe to resume all activities without guidance.

At Practically Perfect Physical Therapy, we believe that even a few postpartum visits are a genius idea—no matter how easy or difficult your pregnancy or delivery was.

Why?

Because this allows a therapist to:

🧾 Make an individualized plan of care for you
💪 Help your body adapt to daily life with a newborn
🏡 Support your return to basic tasks like feeding, lifting, carrying, or household chores
🏃‍♀️ And get you safely back to activities you love

This isn’t about “bouncing back.”
This is about moving forward with strength, confidence, and support.

✨ Your body has done something incredible—and it deserves care as it recovers.

You don’t need to wait until six weeks.
You don’t need to wait until something feels wrong.
A proactive postpartum check-in with a pelvic health therapist is one of the best gifts you can give yourself and your growing family.

Whether you delivered vaginally or by cesarean, whether this is your first baby or your fifth—you are worthy of:

💖 Care
💖 Attention
💖 Expert guidance

📞 Call our office at Practically Perfect Physical Therapy to schedule your postpartum pelvic health check-up—covered by most insurance plans.
We’re here to help you heal, thrive, and feel strong again.
Let’s take care of you, too.