The Postpartum Truth Nobody Tells Toddler Moms: A Pelvic Floor PT Gets Honest

You survived pregnancy. You survived labor. You’re surviving toddlerhood — which, honestly, deserves its own medal.

But somewhere between the sleepless nights and the snack requests, you started noticing things about your body that nobody really prepared you for. A little leaking when you sneeze. A heavy, uncomfortable feeling in your pelvis. Sex that doesn’t feel the way it used to. A core that still doesn’t feel connected, even though your baby is two years old now.

And what did most people tell you?

“That’s just what happens after you have a baby.”

I am here — alongside pelvic floor physical therapist Dr. Youstina Gerges of A Rise Above Physical Therapy in Wyckoff, New Jersey — to tell you that is not the whole truth.

What Is a Pelvic Floor PT and Why Does It Matter?

Most moms don’t even know pelvic floor physical therapy exists until something goes wrong. And even then, they’re not sure if it’s “serious enough” to seek help.

A pelvic floor physical therapist specializes in the muscles, ligaments, and connective tissue that make up the base of your pelvis. These structures support your bladder, bowel, and uterus — and they go through an enormous amount of stress during pregnancy and childbirth. A pelvic floor PT helps you understand what’s happening in your body and actually rehabilitate those structures, rather than just learning to live around the dysfunction.

Dr. Youstina Gerges works with postpartum moms every single day, and one of the things she’s most passionate about is helping women understand that their symptoms are not something they have to accept as permanent.

Why Are Toddler Moms Still Dealing With Postpartum Symptoms?

Here’s the thing that surprised even me when I was researching for this episode: postpartum doesn’t end at six weeks. It doesn’t end at six months. For many women — especially those who never received proper pelvic floor support after birth — symptoms can linger for years.

You get your six-week clearance, your OB says everything looks good, and you’re sent on your way. But “cleared” doesn’t mean “fully recovered.” It means the basic healing is done. What it doesn’t address is how your pelvic floor is functioning, whether your core has properly reconnected, or whether you have any structural changes that need rehabilitation.

By the time you’re in the thick of toddlerhood — lifting, running, bending, carrying — your body is being asked to perform at a high level. And if your foundation was never fully rebuilt after birth, that’s when symptoms show up or get worse.

Let’s Talk About the Stuff Nobody Says Out Loud

Leaking When You Sneeze, Jump, or Laugh

This is probably the most common postpartum symptom that moms accept as just part of life now. You laugh a little too hard at a meme and — yep. Or you’re doing a workout and you have to stop because of it.

Here’s what Dr. Gerges wants every mom to know: leaking is common, but it is not normal. Meaning, yes, it happens to a lot of women — but that doesn’t mean it’s supposed to, and it doesn’t mean there’s nothing you can do about it. Stress urinary incontinence (which is what this is called) is one of the most treatable pelvic floor conditions. You don’t have to just buy the period underwear and move on.

That Heavy, Dragging Pelvic Feeling

A lot of moms describe this as a feeling of pressure or heaviness in their pelvis — almost like something is falling out, especially at the end of a long day or after a lot of physical activity. Many women are told this is “just how it is” postpartum.

That feeling often has a name: pelvic organ prolapse. And while that phrase might sound alarming, it’s far more common than most people realize — and in many cases, it’s very treatable with pelvic floor PT. Prolapse happens when one or more of the pelvic organs (bladder, uterus, or rectum) shifts from its normal position due to weakness or damage in the surrounding support structures. A pelvic floor PT can assess the severity and work with you on a treatment plan that doesn’t necessarily involve surgery.

What Is Diastasis Recti — And Why Does It Matter Beyond the “Mom Belly”?

You may have heard of diastasis recti as the thing that causes the “mommy pooch.” And while that’s part of it, the implications go deeper than aesthetics.

Diastasis recti is a separation of the rectus abdominis muscles (your “six-pack” muscles) along the midline of your abdomen. It happens during pregnancy as your belly expands, and for many women, that separation doesn’t fully close on its own after birth.

Here’s why it matters: your deep core and pelvic floor work as a system. When diastasis recti is present and unaddressed, it affects pressure management in your entire trunk — which means it can contribute to back pain, leaking, prolapse symptoms, and core instability. The fix isn’t just “do more crunches.” In fact, certain exercises can make it worse. A pelvic floor PT can assess your diastasis and build a rehab plan that actually helps.

Why Sex Feels Different — And What You Can Do

This is the one that almost no one talks about, and it’s one of the most emotionally loaded postpartum symptoms there is. Sex that feels painful, uncomfortable, or just completely different than it did before can take a real toll on your relationship with yourself and with your partner.

There are several reasons this happens. Hormonal changes — especially in breastfeeding moms — affect vaginal tissue and lubrication. Scar tissue from tearing or episiotomies can create pain or altered sensation. Pelvic floor muscles that are either too tight or too weak affect the experience entirely. And none of this gets addressed at the six-week appointment.

A pelvic floor PT can assess all of these factors and provide treatment that actually addresses the root cause, rather than leaving you to assume this is just your life now.

It Is Never Too Late to Get Help

One of the most important things Sina said in our conversation was this: it is never too late to see a pelvic floor PT.

Whether you’re three months postpartum or your youngest is starting kindergarten — if you are dealing with these symptoms, your body can still heal and improve. The window for recovery doesn’t close just because time has passed.

If you’re in the New Jersey area, Youstina and her team at A Rise Above Physical Therapy in Wyckoff, NJ are accepting new patients. I’ll have all of her links below so you can connect with her directly.

The Conversation We Need to Be Having

So much of what toddler moms carry — physically and emotionally — goes unspoken because we’ve been conditioned to think that struggling silently is part of the deal. It’s not. Your body did something extraordinary, and it deserves real care and real answers.

Listen to the full episode with Dr. Youstina Gerges wherever you get your podcasts, and if it hits close to home, share it with a mama friend. This is the kind of conversation that needs to keep spreading.

Connect with Youstina Gerges: A Rise Above Physical Therapy — Wyckoff, New Jersey