Postpartum Pelvic Floor Healing

The pelvic floor is a group of muscles and nerves that supports your pelvic floor organs. When you carry a baby and then give birth, your body has to adapt in many ways. Your pelvic floor works hard during both pregnancy and delivery.

During vaginal childbirth, your pelvic floor relaxes and opens to let childbirth happen. If you have had a c-section, there is still some relaxing of the pelvic floor that happens, although not as much as with a vaginal delivery.

After delivery, the pelvic floor slowly changes to become more like what it was before childbirth. While it likely will never be exactly the same, most people will recover after pregnancy and delivery without problems.

However, some people can have problems with the pelvic floor.

Childbirth can stretch and tear the muscles and connective tissues that support the lower organs. Some people heal quickly, but others may need extra help healing and strengthening pelvic floor muscles.

UPMC has various pelvic floor services and treatments to help postpartum people heal.

What Is Pelvic Floor Healing?

Pelvic floor healing means working to restore pelvic floor health, which includes treating any pelvic floor disorders you have. Usually, this area is something people may have to focus on after pregnancy and childbirth.

Carrying a baby and giving birth can impact your pelvic floor. Straining and pushing can weaken, stretch, strain, and even tear pelvic floor muscles, tissues, and nerves.

Treating a pelvic floor disorder often starts with pelvic floor therapy, which helps strengthen pelvic floor muscles weakened from pregnancy and childbirth. It can also help stretch muscles that have become too tight.

Your pelvic floor can also weaken or change in other ways besides childbirth. This includes with aging and menopause, hormonal changes, and chronic constipation.

At UPMC, we treat people of all ages and genders for issues related to pelvic health. Postpartum pelvic floor healing is just one of our many offerings.

How long does it take for pelvic floor muscles to heal after childbirth?

It can take four weeks to a few months for your pelvic floor to heal after childbirth. But everyone is different, and many factors — the size of your baby, how difficult delivery was, if you had a tear — can impact healing.

If you’re having trouble healing and suspect you may have a pelvic floor disorder, we can help you make a complete recovery.

Pelvic floor physical therapy is one treatment that works well for people with a pelvic floor disorder. Some people might need more advanced treatment, including surgery.

What does it feel like to have a pelvic floor disorder?

Pelvic floor disorders feel different among people. Usually, you only realize something's wrong because you have symptoms that worsen in the months following childbirth.

Common pelvic floor disorder symptoms:

• Feeling pain or pressure in your vagina.
• Leaking urine and/or having accidents because you can’t make it to the bathroom in time.
• Pain during sex after you’ve been cleared for intercourse by your doctor.
• Pelvic pressure or a feeling of pelvic heaviness.
• Problems with peeing or pooping, including pain and accidents.
• Vaginal tears that continue to hurt, especially ones near the rectum.

Services and Treatments UPMC Offers for Pelvic Floor Healing

UPMC has many treatments and services for people dealing with pelvic floor disorders.

Postpartum pelvic floor healing

We have a special program dedicated to postpartum healing called the UPMC Magee Postpartum Pelvic Floor Healing Clinic. Here, you can get expert care for healing issues, pain, or pelvic floor problems within a year of giving birth.

We’ll talk to you about your symptoms and do a physical exam. We may also do a specialized ultrasound of your pelvic floor.

Our goal is to help you regain full function. We’ll create a custom treatment plan for you.

Our pelvic floor treatments include:

• Antibiotics — If we see signs of an infection.
• Procedures — Including surgery if needed.
• Referral to pelvic floor physical therapy for weakness, pain, and lack of muscle control.
• Vaginal creams or ointments.

We can also help with planning for a future pregnancy and birth.

Pelvic floor physical therapy

Pelvic floor physical therapy (PT) often is one of the first treatments for postpartum pelvic floor disorders.

Our specially trained physical therapists will work with you to create the right plan to heal your pelvic floor after childbirth. While each person is different, we usually suggest starting pelvic floor PT around four weeks after delivery.

Pelvic floor exercises and PT include techniques to:

• Strengthen weakened pelvic muscles.
• Relax or stretch tight pelvic floor muscles.

Our end goal is to help you return to normal pelvic floor health.

You need a referral for pelvic floor physical therapy, which your gynecologist, urogynecologist, or primary care doctor can give you. UPMC has pelvic floor PT available in multiple locations throughout Pennsylvania.

Urogynecology

Pelvic floor disorders involve both the reproductive organs and the bladder/urinary tract. Urogynecology, or "urogyn," is a specialty that combines urology and gynecology.

Urogynecologists have special training in diagnosing and treating people with pelvic floor disorders. If you’re having issues related to budging/pressure, leaking urine, bladder pain, urinary infections, or experiencing bowel problems, a urogyn can help.

In addition to diagnosing conditions, urogyns can perform surgeries to treat certain pelvic floor disorders.

Many people don’t need surgery. Conditions where surgery can help include severe incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse (POP), which is when the pelvic organs drop and bulge in the vagina.

Your gynecologist might refer you to a urogyn, but you don’t need a referral. UPMC has more than 10 urogynecologists who see people throughout Pennsylvania. Find a urogynecologist at UPMC.

What Conditions Does the Magee Postpartum Pelvic Floor Healing Clinic Treat?

• Childbirth injuries — Injuries to your vagina or rectum from childbirth, along with other postpartum healing issues.
• Chronic pain — Postpartum pain in any of the pelvic organs, including the vagina, bladder, and rectum. You might have pain during sex (after being cleared by your doctor for sex).
• Peeing problems — Different types of incontinence and bladder problems in addition to recurring UTIs or inflammation in the bladder or urinary tract.
• Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) — When childbirth weakens your pelvic floor so much so that it can’t support your bladder, uterus, or rectum. These organs can push against your vagina, creating a feeling of something falling out.
• Pooping problems — Constipation and painful bowel movements along with incontinence issues, like not being able to make it to the bathroom in time.

Why Choose UPMC for Postpartum Pelvic Floor Health?

The postpartum time can be an overwhelming one. When you seek care at UPMC, you can count on our:

• Expertise in pelvic floor healing — We have an entire center dedicated to helping people heal after childbirth. Because each person is different, we customize treatment based on what you need and your goals. Learn more about the Magee Postpartum Pelvic Floor Healing Clinic.
• Convenient access to physical therapy — Pelvic floor physical therapy can help you restore function and do the activities you enjoy again. UPMC offers this therapy in locations across Pa.
• Commitment to pelvic health care — At UPMC, we’re focused on caring for you, throughout your lifetime. It’s why we have so many programs and resources to help with pelvic health. We aim to serve people across Pa. and offer virtual care.

By UPMC Editorial Staff. Last reviewed on 2024-09-05.