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“You’re All Clear!” Said No Pelvic Floor Therapist Ever at 6 Weeks Postpartum

  • Writer: Carly Gossard
    Carly Gossard
  • 4 hours ago
  • 4 min read

Ah, the magical six-week postpartum check-up. You’ve been sleep-deprived, leaking from every orifice, navigating the chaos of newborn life, and now you finally make it to your OB/GYN, hoping for some insight, validation, and some guidance on your next steps. 


And then it happens. The OB takes a quick peek, asks if you're still bleeding, gives a nod of approval, and drops the classic line:

“You're all clear to resume normal activities.”


Cue the confusion. Normal?  What even is normal now? And also did they just green light sex, running, and picking up a car seat with one arm like your pelvic floor wasn’t just a human exit ramp?


Let’s Talk About What’s Actually Going On

Your body has just done the most incredible thing it will probably ever do. You grew a human, then delivered said human through either a vaginal canal (with possible tearing or trauma) or major abdominal surgery. And in six weeks, you’re expected to be cleared for all the things?


Let’s break it down:

  • Your abdominal muscles? Likely stretched and separated (hello, diastasis).

  • Your pelvic floor? Might be weak, tight, confused, or all three.

  • Your bladder and bowels? Possibly throwing tantrums like your newborn.

  • Your core strength and coordination? Still on vacation and needing some assistance getting back to work.

  • Your mental health? Also deserves a moment in the spotlight.


But because the six-week visit is often brief and medically focused, meaning, “you’re not bleeding, infected, or at risk of prolapse falling out today”, it’s easy to mistake it for a full-body green light.


What the Six-Week Check Doesn’t Tell You

  • How your pelvic floor is functioning under load (coughing, lifting, laughing, exercising)

  • Whether your core is recruiting properly after being on sabbatical for 9+ months

  • If pain with sex is lingering (or if your libido ghosted you completely)

  • How you're really doing emotionally with all these changes

  • If your body feels connected again (spoiler: a lot of people say no)


This Is Where Pelvic Health Comes In

We’re the team you didn’t know you needed. At 6 weeks postpartum, we say: Congrats! You made it.


Now, let’s actually start healing.

A pelvic health specialist (that’s us!) can help you:

  • Assess your pelvic floor and core for function, strength, and coordination

  • Help with leakage, prolapse, scar mobility (C-section or perineal), and pain

  • Rebuild foundational movement so you’re not peeing yourself when you sneeze or rushing back into workouts too soon

  • Talk about sex (hello lubricant and vaginal moisturizers, ESPECIALLY for our breastfeeding mommas!)

  • Support your mental and emotional wellness as part of your physical recovery


The Real “All Clear” Looks More Like This:

  • You can walk, lift, exercise, squat, carry, and get through your day without leaking or pain.

  • You can sneeze with confidence.

  • You know how to connect to your core and pelvic floor intentionally.

  • You feel safe, supported, and strong, physically and emotionally.


Let’s Normalize Real Recovery

We wouldn’t tell someone who just ran a marathon (or got hit by a truck, depending on your birth experience) to “get back to normal” after six weeks without rehab. So why do we expect that from postpartum bodies?


The truth is: six weeks is not the end. It’s the beginning of your journey.


So yes, take that “all clear” from your OB with a smile…Then call a pelvic floor therapist and let’s actually get you feeling good in your body again.


You deserve more than a six-minute checkup. You deserve full-circle support.


Let’s make real postpartum recovery the new normal. 💪


Got questions? Leaks? Weird twinges or pains that your OB dismisses? Call us to schedule an evaluation, we’ve got you (and your pelvic floor) covered.


 

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