If you’re pregnant or recently had a baby, you’ve probably heard about prenatal vitamins, childbirth classes, lactation consultants, and postpartum recovery.
But pelvic floor therapy in Atlanta?
That may be something you’ve never heard anyone mention.
I certainly hadn’t.
Before having children, I knew absolutely nothing about pelvic floor physical therapy. After pregnancy, I mostly thought about my pelvic floor in the context of the occasional embarrassing pee when I sneezed, coughed, or laughed.
I assumed that was just one of those things that happened after having a baby.
Then I had twins.
And my entire body felt like it had been through a demolition project.
Looking back, I wish someone had explained pelvic floor health to me before I needed it.
Pelvic floor physical therapy can help women during pregnancy, prepare for birth, and support recovery after delivery. It can address much more than urinary leakage, including pelvic pain, pressure, core weakness, diastasis recti, bowel issues, painful intimacy, and difficulties returning to exercise.
And yet, it still isn’t something we talk about nearly enough.
What exactly is pelvic floor therapy?
Your pelvic floor is a group of muscles and connective tissues at the bottom of your pelvis.
These muscles help support your bladder, bowel, and reproductive organs. They also play a role in bladder and bowel control, sexual function, core stability, and childbirth.
During pregnancy, these muscles are dealing with an entirely different set of demands.
Your growing baby adds pressure. Your posture changes. Your abdominal muscles stretch. Your hormones change how your joints and tissues behave. And eventually, those muscles are involved in labor and delivery.
Then you bring home a newborn.
Suddenly you’re lifting a car seat, carrying a baby, getting up from the floor, feeding around the clock, recovering from delivery, and trying to remember when you last went to the bathroom.
Your body has a lot going on.
Pelvic floor physical therapy is essentially specialized physical therapy focused on this part of the body and the way it works with your core, hips, spine, and entire body.
Why would a pregnant woman need pelvic floor therapy?
This is one of the things I wish I had known.
You don’t necessarily have to wait until something is wrong.
Pelvic floor physical therapists can work with women during pregnancy to address things like:
- Pelvic or pubic bone pain
- Lower back and hip pain
- SI joint pain
- Pressure or heaviness
- Urinary leakage
- Constipation
- Core weakness
- Diastasis recti
- Difficulty staying active
- Preparing for labor and delivery
- Learning pushing mechanics
- Birth positions
- Perineal preparation
Some Atlanta pelvic health practices specifically offer pregnancy programs designed around trimester-specific changes and birth preparation.
And you don’t have to be experiencing a major problem to benefit from learning how your body works.
What about after the baby arrives?
This is where I think postpartum pelvic floor therapy deserves much more attention.
We tend to treat the six-week postpartum appointment as if it’s the finish line.
You show up at the OB’s office. They ask how you’re doing. Maybe they check your healing. You get cleared for exercise and sex.
And then you’re sent home with a newborn.
But being medically cleared doesn’t necessarily mean your body has completely recovered.
Pelvic floor physical therapy can be part of postpartum rehabilitation, particularly if you’re experiencing:
- Leaking urine when sneezing, coughing, laughing, or exercising
- A frequent or urgent need to urinate
- Pelvic pressure or heaviness
- Pelvic pain
- Pain with intimacy
- Constipation or bowel difficulties
- Diastasis recti
- Core weakness
- Back or hip pain
- Difficulty returning to exercise
- Pain or discomfort related to a C-section scar
- A feeling that your body simply doesn’t work the way it used to
Pelvic health physical therapists can evaluate how your pelvic floor, breathing, abdominal muscles, hips, and overall movement are working together rather than simply telling you to “do your Kegels.”
And no, pelvic floor therapy isn’t just Kegels
This was another thing I didn’t understand.
When I first encountered pelvic floor therapy, the treatment I remember involved electrical stimulation and exercises, including Kegels.
That’s probably why I mentally filed pelvic floor therapy under:
“Okay… apparently I need to do some exercises down there.”
But pelvic floor therapy in Atlanta can be much more comprehensive than that.
Depending on your symptoms and goals, treatment may include:
- Pelvic floor muscle exercises
- Breathing and coordination work
- Core strengthening
- Mobility exercises
- Manual therapy
- Movement retraining
- Neuromuscular re-education
- Scar treatment
- Birth preparation
- Education about bladder and bowel habits
- Return-to-exercise planning
- Internal pelvic floor assessment when appropriate
And importantly, Kegels aren’t automatically the answer for everyone.
Some people have weak pelvic floor muscles. Others have muscles that are overly tight or aren’t relaxing properly. The appropriate treatment depends on what’s actually happening in your body.
Some providers may use biofeedback or electrical stimulation as part of treatment, but the approach should be individualized.
Do you have to have an internal exam?
This is probably one of the questions women are too embarrassed to ask.
A pelvic floor therapist may recommend an internal assessment depending on your symptoms and treatment goals, but it isn’t necessarily part of every appointment.
For example, Atlanta pelvic health practices explain that internal assessments may be used when appropriate and should be performed with your consent.
If this is something you’re nervous about, ask before your appointment what the evaluation involves.
You are allowed to ask questions.
How long does pelvic floor therapy take?
There isn’t one standard answer.
Some women may need only a handful of visits. Others may benefit from several months of treatment, particularly when they’re recovering from significant symptoms or a complicated pregnancy or delivery.
The number of visits depends on what you’re experiencing, your goals, how your body responds to treatment, and how much you are able to work on your exercises between appointments.
A good pelvic floor therapist should evaluate you first and then give you a treatment plan rather than promising that everyone needs a specific number of sessions.
For example, ATL Pelvic Health notes that the number of sessions varies from person to person and is determined after an initial assessment.
How much does pelvic floor therapy cost in Atlanta?
This can vary significantly depending on the practice, whether the provider is in-network with your insurance, your insurance benefits, and the type of appointment.
Some pelvic floor physical therapists accept insurance, while others operate as out-of-network providers and provide a superbill that you can submit to your insurance company.
For example, Revelle Physical Therapy currently lists its Atlanta locations as out-of-network, with a $250 initial evaluation and $225 follow-up visits. The practice provides superbills for patients seeking potential reimbursement and accepts HSA/FSA payments.
Other practices may bill insurance directly.
Before scheduling, ask:
- Do you accept my insurance?
- Are you in-network?
- Do I need a referral?
- What is my estimated out-of-pocket cost?
- Is the initial evaluation more expensive?
- How long is each appointment?
- Will there be an internal examination?
- How many appointments do you typically recommend?
- Do you offer virtual follow-up appointments?
And don’t assume you can’t afford pelvic floor therapy simply because one practice is out-of-network. Check your insurance benefits and compare providers.
Do you need a doctor’s referral for pelvic floor therapy in Atlanta?
Georgia allows direct access to physical therapy, and some Atlanta pelvic floor practices allow patients to schedule directly without a physician referral.
However, insurance requirements can be different from state requirements.
If you’re planning to use insurance, call your insurance company or the physical therapy practice before your first appointment to find out whether your plan requires a referral or authorization.
Pelvic floor therapy providers in Atlanta
If you’re looking for pelvic floor therapy in Atlanta, there are several practices specializing in women’s pelvic health.
ATL Pelvic Health
ATL Pelvic Health is an Atlanta practice focused specifically on pelvic health, including pregnancy and postpartum care. They work with concerns including urinary and bowel dysfunction, pelvic pain, diastasis recti, prolapse, and pregnancy-related discomfort.
They are located in the Atlanta area at Zonolite Road and offer pregnancy-specific care as well as postpartum therapy.
Revelle Physical Therapy
Revelle offers pelvic floor, pregnancy, and postpartum physical therapy with Atlanta locations in Chamblee and Alpharetta.
Their care includes urinary leakage, pelvic pain, prolapse symptoms, diastasis recti, pregnancy-related pain, postpartum recovery, C-section scar healing, and return to exercise.
Southern Pelvic Health Physical Therapy
Southern Pelvic Health has locations in East Cobb and Midtown Atlanta and specializes in pelvic health, including bladder dysfunction, pelvic pain, postpartum recovery, constipation, and other pelvic health concerns.
Renew Pelvic Health
If you’re in Decatur, Renew Pelvic Health is another local option. Founder Amanda Shipley, PT, DPT, MTC, specializes in pelvic health and works with women through pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause, and other stages of life.
Provider information, locations, pricing, and insurance participation can change, so verify current details directly with the practice before scheduling.
So when should you see a pelvic floor therapist?
There isn’t necessarily one magic postpartum day when you’re suddenly “supposed” to go.
You can see a pelvic floor physical therapist during pregnancy if you’re experiencing pain, leakage, pressure, or other symptoms—or simply want to prepare your body for birth.
And postpartum, you don’t have to wait until a problem becomes severe.
If something doesn’t feel right, it’s worth bringing it up.
And please don’t assume that urinary leakage is simply the price of having children.
It’s common.
That doesn’t mean you have to live with it.
The American Physical Therapy Association specifically notes that lack of awareness of pelvic health physical therapy can contribute to delays or absence of appropriate postpartum care.
What I wish someone had told me
After my first pregnancy, I didn’t know enough to know what questions to ask.
I had some urinary leakage. I knew my body felt different. But I didn’t understand what the pelvic floor actually was or what pelvic floor rehabilitation could do.
My doctor’s office offered pelvic floor therapy through my insurance, so I went.
It wasn’t what I expected.
There were exercises. There was electrical stimulation. There was a lot of learning about muscles I had never thought about before.
And then life happened.
After I had twins, my body was completely wrecked.
And ironically, that’s probably when I needed pelvic floor rehabilitation the most.
But my doctor’s office no longer offered the service, and because I had never been taught that pelvic floor therapy was something I could actively seek out elsewhere, I didn’t pursue it.
It was never really discussed with me by my OB.
And that’s the part that bothers me.
I don’t think women should have to discover pelvic floor therapy because they happen to Google “why do I pee when I sneeze?”
We should know about this before the baby arrives.
We should know that postpartum recovery isn’t just about the baby.
Your body deserves care, too.
Expecting a baby in Atlanta?
If you’re building your list of Atlanta resources for pregnancy and postpartum, save this one—and don’t be afraid to ask your OB or midwife about pelvic floor physical therapy.
And while you’re preparing for everything your baby needs, don’t forget about documenting you.
Because somewhere between prenatal appointments, hospital bags, nursery preparation, and figuring out which tiny clothes you’ll actually use, the pregnancy you’re living through is becoming part of your family’s history.
Continue reading
Wondering when to book newborn photos?
Read [When to Book Your Atlanta Newborn Photographer] to understand when to schedule your session and what to expect.
Planning your Atlanta newborn photos?
Read [What to Wear for Newborn Photos] for ideas that feel polished without looking overly styled.
Having a Fresh 48 session?
Read [Fresh 48 vs. Newborn Photography: What’s the Difference?] to see how the two experiences compare.
Atlanta Maternity, Fresh 48 & Newborn Photography
I’m a mom of three, so I know how quickly pregnancy turns into appointments, preparation, delivery, and suddenly having a baby in your arms.
My photography is designed to document the parts you’ll actually want to remember—the connection, the chaos, the tiny details, and the people who were there.
I offer maternity, Fresh 48, and in-home newborn photography throughout Atlanta and the surrounding areas, creating a mix of natural lifestyle images and timeless portraits without turning your family into a production.
Because your postpartum story isn’t only about how quickly your baby grows.
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And you deserve to be in those photographs, too.
