Postpartum Pelvic Floor Pain

Post-pregnancy pain, whether it be pelvic floor pain or joint
pain, is a shared experience among many postpartum people.
However, postpartum pain, especially in pelvic pain, can vary in
frequency, length, and intensity. Some people may only experience
short-term pain that lasts the first 4 – 8 weeks of their
recovery and others may suffer from pelvic pain for up to or over
a year after they’ve given birth.


Pelvic organ prolapse and other forms of pelvic floor
dysfunction are very common among postpartum people. Symptoms can
vary in duration and severity, but many women are likely to
experience a variety of symptoms during and after their
pregnancy. At Restore Your Core, we’ve noticed similarities in
many of our client’s stories. Some of the most common pelvic
floor complications our clients experience include:


Urinary incontinence

Fecal incontinence

Pain during intercourse

Vaginal pain

Rectal pain

Low back pain

Pelvic pain

Diastasis Recti – separation of the abdominal muscles

Pelvic organ prolapse

Pubic bone pain

Pelvic girdle pain









Pelvic floor pain can be treated and relieved in many ways.
Whether you visit a pelvic floor physical therapist or take part
in a program like Restore Your Core, movement specialist or your
physical therapists will utilize exercise methods designed to
strengthen and restore function to your core, pelvic floor
muscles, and relieve any painful symptoms you may be
experiencing.


In this article I will attempt to address the most commonly asked
questions regarding pelvic pain after giving birth.


How Long Does it Take for Your Pelvic Floor to Recover After
Childbirth?


After giving birth, your pelvic floor and core muscles will be in
the process of healing for at least a year. Although many women
may begin being active again after the first 8 weeks postpartum,
often pelvic pain and the symptoms of diastasis
recti may be experienced for months postpartum. Both your
core and your pelvic region have gone through significant changes
in order to accommodate your baby. Attempting to quickly get back
into an exercise or workout routine may be unhelpful in your
recovery – especially if you are already experiencing
complications or painful symptoms.


Every postpartum person is different and the recovery length can
change depending on many factors. Healing can take anywhere from
a few months to over a year, depending on whether or not there
are underlying conditions which may be increasing the pain. While
there are no overnight success stories, there are many many
success stories of people like you who have healed their pelvic
organ prolapse by taking these steps slowly and surely.


However, there are many things you can begin doing now to help
begin the healing process. Here is a video
summary covering some of the steps you can take to begin
healing your pelvic floor.


Is it Normal for Your Pelvis to Hurt After Pregnancy?


Yes! Postpartum pelvic pain is very common. During childbirth,
your ligaments and joints become loose as your body is adapting
to your child’s weight, abdominal separation, and increased
heaviness in your pelvic floor. It is common to experience pain
in your pelvic girdle, hips, and joints as a result. Light
recovery exercises and movement can also cause minimal pain as
you begin strengthening your pelvic floor muscles. Seeing a
pelvic floor physical therapist or enrolling in a yoga or
postpartum exercise program can help relieve urinary
incontinence, back pain, and other postpartum pelvic issues.