Pelvic Floor and Core Health After Baby: What This SouthPark Workshop Will Cover

If you've had a baby and quietly wondered whether the leaking, the heaviness, or the ache low in your pelvis is just "normal now," you're not alone — and you're also not stuck with it. On Sunday, September 13, from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m., Palestra is hosting "Perinatal Core and Pelvic Floor – All the Things You Wish You Would Have Known," a $35 workshop with Dr. Kerry McLaughlin, a Women's Health Physical Therapist, built specifically to fill in what most people never get told during or after pregnancy.

What is pelvic floor dysfunction, exactly?

Pelvic floor dysfunction is when the muscles that support your bladder, uterus, and rectum become too weak, too tight, or poorly coordinated to function normally, often as a result of pregnancy, childbirth, or chronic core-muscle compensation. It can show up as leaking with a cough or a jump, a feeling of heaviness or pressure, or pelvic discomfort. Related postpartum concerns can also include lower back pain or diastasis recti (abdominal separation).

These concerns are common after pregnancy, and yet most people are sent home from the hospital with almost no education on what's actually happening in their core and pelvic floor, or what to do about it.

Why doesn't this get talked about more?

Postpartum care in the U.S. has historically focused on the baby's health and a single six-week checkup for the parent, which leaves little room to address ongoing physical symptoms that don't resolve on their own. Many people are told symptoms like leaking or pelvic heaviness are "just part of having kids," when in reality these are treatable musculoskeletal issues with well-established physical therapy approaches.

This gap is exactly what Dr. McLaughlin's workshop is designed to close — not with vague reassurance, but with the specific anatomy, timelines, and warning signs that a Women's Health Physical Therapist is trained to assess.

What will the September 13 workshop actually cover?

The workshop is designed to walk through the perinatal core and pelvic floor comprehensively — from what's happening physically during pregnancy, to what recovery actually looks like postpartum, to the specific signs that indicate you should seek one-on-one physical therapy rather than waiting it out. Because it's led by a Women's Health Physical Therapist rather than a general wellness instructor, the content is grounded in clinical assessment, not general advice.

This is the kind of session that's useful whether you're currently pregnant, newly postpartum, years past delivery and still dealing with symptoms, or supporting a partner or friend through it — pelvic floor health doesn't have an expiration date on when it's worth addressing.

How does yoga fit into pelvic floor recovery?

Gentle, breath-centered yoga can support pelvic floor recovery by encouraging body awareness, intentional breathing, and gradual movement, rather than emphasizing high-intensity core work. This is why Palestra's Prenatal Yoga and Therapeutic Yoga classes are built around breath, alignment, and gradual rebuilding rather than "bouncing back" quickly — a phrase we intentionally avoid because it implies your body did something wrong by changing.

Massage and bodywork can complement this further: Prenatal and postpartum-focused massage helps address the compensatory tension that builds up in the hips, lower back, and abdomen during and after pregnancy.

How do I register for the workshop?

The Perinatal Core and Pelvic Floor workshop is $35, held Sunday, September 13, from 12:00–1:00 p.m. at Palestra in SouthPark. You can see full details and reserve your spot on our workshops page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is pelvic floor dysfunction only a concern right after birth? No — symptoms can persist for years without treatment, and it's common for people to seek help long after their postpartum period because they didn't know earlier treatment was an option.

Do I need to be pregnant or recently postpartum to attend this workshop? No — the workshop is useful at any stage, whether you're currently pregnant, postpartum at any point, or simply want to understand pelvic floor health before starting a family.

What makes this workshop different from general prenatal yoga content online? It's led by Dr. Kerry McLaughlin, a licensed Women's Health Physical Therapist, so the information reflects clinical assessment standards rather than general wellness advice.

What symptoms should prompt me to see a pelvic floor physical therapist? Leaking urine with coughing, sneezing, or jumping; a feeling of pelvic heaviness or pressure; ongoing lower back or hip pain; and visible abdominal separation are all reasons to seek an individual evaluation.

Does Palestra offer ongoing pelvic floor support beyond this workshop? Palestra's Prenatal Yoga, Therapeutic Yoga, and prenatal-focused massage services are designed to support core and pelvic floor health on an ongoing basis; see our wellness programs for details.