Pregnancy Pelvic Floor Therapy in Atlanta
Get expert, holistic pelvic floor support to have a more comfortable pregnancy and smoother birth experience!
Pregnancy changes your body fast — and your pelvic floor is right in the middle of it. As your growing baby shifts your center of gravity, hormones loosen your joints, and your core works overtime, it's common to experience pain, leaking, or a general sense that something feels "off." But you don’t have to live with those symptoms - we can help!
At Renew Pelvic Health in Decatur, GA, our pelvic floor physical therapists work with you throughout pregnancy — from your first trimester through your due date and beyond — to ease pain, help you prepare for labor, and support a smoother recovery afterward.
Whether you're planning a hospital birth, a birth center delivery, or a home birth, we tailor your care to your body, your birth plan, and your goals. You don't have to just push through it — pelvic floor therapy can help you feel more comfortable and confident at every stage of pregnancy.
Wherever you plan to give birth, your pelvic floor affects your pregnancy, and your pregnancy affects your pelvic floor.
Preconception Support
Even before you conceive, your pelvic floor plays a role in your fertility and how your body handles pregnancy. Here's how we can help you prepare:
Receive pre-conception pelvic health support
Address mechanical or undiagnosed infertility
Prepare your body for a health pregnancy
Preparing for Labor & Birth
Getting your body ready for labor is just as important as getting ready for baby. Here's how we help you prepare:
Labor/childbirth preparation
Practice for pushing phase of labor
Improve strength and stamina
Help prepare your body for labor and childbirth
Prepare for pain management during labor
Learn how to have good ergonomics with baby
Pregnancy Pain & Discomfort
Aches and pains aren't just "part of pregnancy" you have to push through. Here's what we commonly help ease:
Pregnancy pain
Pelvic girdle pain
Mid-back pain
Sacral/low back pain
Tailbone pain
Pubic symphysis pain
Lightning crotch
Round ligament pain
Urinary incontinence/leaking pee
Improve issues like urinary frequency, and constipation
You don’t have to ‘wait until the baby arrives’ for your issues to go away.
We can help you!
Pelvic Floor 101: For Pregnancy
Your pelvic floor does more during pregnancy than you'd think — and understanding how it works now can make a real difference in how your body handles labor, birth, and recovery. In this video, expert pelvic floor physical therapist and homebirth mom Dr Amanda Shipley, PT, DPT, MTC breaks down the basics.
We cover what your pelvic floor actually does, why it matters during pregnancy, signs worth paying attention to, and 3 things you can start doing today to prepare your pelvic floor for birth.
We can help you after the baby comes too - it’s never too late to get help for your pelvic floor!
Postpartum Support
Whatever recovery looks like for you, we're here to help you feel like yourself again:
Support smoother postpartum recovery and healing
Decrease abdominal separation (diastasis recti)
Reduce c-section scar pain and restrictions
Support a safe return to activities
Improve issues like leaking pee and prolapse
Prevent future pelvic floor muscle dysfunction
Learn how to have good ergonomics with baby
What Our Postpartum Moms are Saying
Hi Amanda, just wanted to update you that our baby girl arrived Wednesday after a very smooth and fast induction (and only 1.5 pushes!). Everyone is happy and healthy so far! So appreciate all of your support with prepping for her.
-JG
I first went to pelvic floor PT at Renew during my second pregnancy. I can now say enthusiastically that every woman should go to at least one pelvic floor PT appointment - especially those having children. My second birthing experience was infinitely better than my first and a lot of that had to do with just understanding my body more. I am extremely thankful for what you all are doing - thank you!!
-HM
Pregnancy Pelvic Floor Therapy FAQs
See answers to some frequently asked questions about pregnancy and pregnancy pelvic floor therapy at Renew Pelvic Health. Feel free to contact us if you have any other questions or if we can be of help!
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No - while it may be common to have incontinence during pregnancy, it is not normal. As your baby grows, added pressure on your bladder and pelvic floor can cause leaking when you cough, sneeze, laugh, or exercise. But just because urinary leaking during pregnancy is common doesn't mean you have to just live with it. Pelvic floor physical therapy can help you stop leaking and support your pelvic health.
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There's no single "right" time to start pelvic floor therapy during pregnancy, but generally we say the earlier the better. That gives us more time to address any underlying issues, answer your questions, help you stay comfortable and strong throughout your pregnancy, and allow for plenty of time to prepare for birth!
Because your body changes throughout pregnancy, you can come in at any point and your care is tailored to where you are and what you're experiencing. We see some patients when they're thinking about conceiving, some start as soon as they find out they're pregnant, and others wait until the end of the first trimester.
Even if you’re very close to meeting your little one, it’s never too late to come in, and we’d love to help you.
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Yes! Pelvic girdle pain, pubic symphysis pain, and "lightning crotch" sensations are common pregnancy complaints, and pelvic floor physical therapy is often a helpful part of managing and alleviating them. Your pelvic floor physical therapist will assess your specific situation and build a plan around what your body needs.
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You don't need a referral to schedule with us — you can book directly through our website! If your OB or midwife has specific input on your care, we're always happy to coordinate with them. We will contact your provider to have additional visits approved, so a referral is not needed for your initial sessions.
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Absolutely! Pelvic floor therapy can help you learn and practice pushing techniques that are effective and help protect your pelvic floor. You'll also learn how to relax and coordinate your pelvic floor muscles for labor. It's not a guarantee of any particular birth experience, but for many patients it's a very meaningful part of feeling prepared and confident.
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Pelvic floor physical therapy is generally considered safe throughout pregnancy, and your treatment plan is adjusted trimester by trimester as your body changes. Even if you have been told to not have sex or penetration you can still come in for pelvic floor therapy - you just wouldn’t have any internal pelvic floor work. There is plenty of treatment that we can do externally!
Always loop in your OB or midwife about any new symptoms, and let your pelvic floor therapist know where you are in your pregnancy so your care reflects that.
The only exception is if you are on bed rest, then you would not come in for pelvic floor therapy.
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Renew Pelvic Health is a private-pay practice — which means we do not accept insurance as a form of payment, but depending on your out-of-network benefits you may be able to get partially or fully reimbursed or at least have some of your payment applied towards your out-of-network deductible. We provide all patients with a detailed receipt that includes the codes you need to file a claim with your insurance carrier.
The benefit to you is that your care isn't limited by what an insurance company will approve, you'll typically get in quickly, and every visit is a full hour of 1:1 time with your pelvic floor physical therapist.
Visit our full FAQs page for current rate information.