Vitality Therapy And Performance

Pregnancy and Postpartum

Everyone has their own pregnancy or postpartum journey…You may not feel as strong as you did before the baby, or maybe you’re experiencing discomfort you never have before. Perhaps you’re not experiencing any obvious symptoms during your pregnancy, but would like to optimize your health during pregnancy by adding a pelvic floor specialist to your healthcare team…At Vitality Pelvic Health, we can help address your needs across a broad spectrum of musculoskeletal diagnoses.

Vitality

Can We Help?

Approach

We take a whole body evidence based approach to prenatal and postpartum care. Our goal is to help you achieve your goals during and after pregnancy.

Work 1:1 With A Physical Therapist

At Vitality Pelvic Health you’ll work 1:1 with your physical therapist to develop a plan of care. Your plan of care may include, but is not limited to:

  • Prepare for and optimize delivery
  • Address pregnancy related pain
  • Provide education on positioning and delivery
  • Recovery of pelvic floor strength and function postpartum
  • Healing perineal tears
  • C-section recovery
  • Addressing leakage
  • Heal diastasis recti
  • Relieve and prevent hip or low back pain
  • Prevent injury
  • Address postural deficits related to pregnancy
  • Safely return to exercise

Common complaints

“I’m intimidated to get back into my workout routine”
“Since having baby, I’m struggling to feel as physically capable as I used to”
“I thought my back pain would go away after delivery, but it is still lingering”
“I know I need to address my pelvic floor dysfunction before delivery but I don’t know where to start”
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Frequently Asked Questions

To return to exercise postpartum, it’s important to have two things – your OBGYN’s clearance and the feeling of readiness. Caring for a newborn is exhausting and you may not be ready to jump back in at 6 weeks.
Intensity of exercise should start low and gradually increase over time. Your physical therapist can help you determine a timeline and guide you safely through exercise progression based on your goals, regardless of vaginal or c-section delivery.

C-section recovery varies from person to person, but most people begin to feel more “normal” around weeks 6-8. Your physical therapist can help guide your recovery and monitor your healing.

Pelvic floor pressure is common during the first couple of months postpartum. This pressure can be the result of pelvic floor weakness and can be associated with incontinence or prolapse. Being properly evaluated by a physical therapist can help determine if there are any other contributing factors and help restore pelvic floor strength.

100% of pregnant women will experience diastasis with pregnancy, but not all of them will experience resolution of their separation postpartum without intervention. Your physical therapist can determine the extent of your separation postpartum.

Yes! Pelvic floor therapy is safe during pregnancy, and does not always entail internal examination or direct pelvic floor training. We can address pregnancy related pain such as low back pain, pubic symphysis pain, or sciatic. We can help you stay active throughout your pregnancy safely. Reach out to us with concerns and we will be glad to address them.

Can pelvic floor physical therapy help your situation?
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Get To Know Our Pelvic Health Team...

Tristen Swengle

PT, DPT, Director of Pelvic Health

Nikki Randolph

PT, DPT, Pelvic Health Specialist
Testimonials

What Clients Are Saying

Stacy B

I have been coming to Vitality Pelvic Health for several weeks. I was looking for options to help strengthen my pelvic floor following an injury during childbirth and just aging in general. I am 44 years old, and my youngest child is 13, but Tristan explained that we are always in that postpartum phase. Tristan is extremely knowledgeable and so incredibly thorough! I’ve never met anyone who knows so much about pelvic dysfunction and ways to combat it. She’s created a strengthening program for me that I can continue to use long after my sessions are completed. I highly recommend her to any woman seeking help in this area. You will not regret it!

Shannon F

Dr. Nikki is truly amazing. I came to her a year and half after having my baby because I felt like something was off and that I was still not fully recovered. She gave me a whole toolbox of movements and practices to get myself back together and feel confident that my body could safely pick up my growing daughter. She figured out exactly what I needed to do, and gave me a realistic plan all while being so kind and patient. I could not recommend her more to any new moms or moms to be (or really anyone struggling with functional movement).

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Tristen Swengle

PT, DPT, DIRECTOR OF PELVIC HEALTH

Tristen, a Doctor of Physical Therapy, is passionate about treating active women and men who are dealing with various types of pelvic floor dysfunction so that they are able to return to their preferred exercise routine and lifestyle. She received her doctorate from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Fayetteville, AR. Since graduating, Tristen has continued to pursue further education through the Herman and Wallace Pelvic Rehabilitation Institute.

Nikki Randolph

PT, DPT, PELVIC HEALTH SPECIALIST

Nikki is a Doctor of Physical Therapy who graduated with a bachelor’s degree from the University of Tulsa in 2015. She then received her doctorate from Washington University in St Louis in 2022. During her time there she became passionate about pelvic floor rehabilitation, specifically in both the active population and post-oncologic. Nikki is continuing to pursue her education through Herman and Wallace Pelvic Rehabilitation Institute. The opportunity to help patients achieve their goals, live free from pelvic pain, and feel empowered with the tools and knowledge to live a healthy life is incredibly meaningful to her.