Postpartum Pelvic Floor Therapy
Discover
The Importance of
Postpartum Pelvic Floor Therapy
Your body went through a lot to bring your baby into the world. It’s okay if things don’t feel quite the same after it. Many women experience pelvic floor issues after birth, like feeling of heaviness, bladder leaks, or issues when moving. These are more common than you think, and they can be easily treated.
Postpartum pelvic floor therapy helps your body recover by restoring strength and function to muscles that support your bladder and uterus. These muscles often become overstretched or weakened during pregnancy and delivery, which can affect how you feel day to day.
Discover
Common Postpartum Pelvic Floor Issues
Urinary Incontinence
Leaking urine when you cough, sneeze, laugh, or exercise is common after childbirth. It usually happens because the pelvic floor muscles have been stretched or weakened.
Pelvic Organ Prolapse
This happens when pelvic organs like the bladder, uterus, or rectum go downward because of a lack of muscular support. You may feel pressure or heaviness in the pelvic area.
Pain During Intercourse
Postpartum changes can make sex uncomfortable or even painful, especially if there’s excessive tension, scar tissue, or muscle tightness in the pelvic floor.
Low Back or Hip Pain
Sometimes pelvic floor muscles can disrupt body mechanics and put extra strain on the hips or lower back, causing unpleasant sensations or even pain.
Diastasis Recti
This is the separation of abdominal muscles during pregnancy. It often leads to a weaker core, a bulging belly, and poor posture or back pain.
C-Section Scar Pain or Mobility Issues
C-section recovery can come with tightness or pain around the scar, which may affect how you move or feel during the day.
Constipation and Bowel Dysfunction
Changes in the muscles around the rectum and pelvic floor can make bowel movements difficult or uncomfortable.
Pelvic Floor Weakness
A general lack of strength in the pelvic floor can affect bladder and bowel. It usually manifests as leaking or a “heavy” feeling.
Overactive Bladder
Frequent, urgent trips to the bathroom (even without much urine) may be a sign that the pelvic floor muscles and nerves aren’t coordinating the way they should.
Pelvic Pain
This can feel like anything from dull aches to strong sharp pain and may be caused by muscle tension, nerve irritation, or scar tissue after delivery.
Hip or Pelvic Instability
Loose joints and weak muscles can make it feel like your pelvis or hips are unstable, especially when walking or standing on one leg.
Breathing Difficulties
The pelvic floor and diaphragm work together when you breathe. When something is wrong with either, it can affect how you breathe.
Discover
Benefits of Pelvic Floor Therapy Postpartum
- Improved Bladder and Bowel Control. Postpartum pelvic floor therapy helps you better control urination and bowel movements. This is especially helpful if you’ve experienced leaking or urgency after childbirth, which is common.
- Pain Relief. Therapy can ease pelvic, lower back, or hip pain that may have started during pregnancy or after delivery.
- Improved Core Strength. Many new moms feel like their core is weak after delivery. Pelvic floor therapy strengthens not just the pelvic muscles but also your deep abdominal muscles.
- Diastasis Recti Management. A physical therapist can assess and treat abdominal separation, often seen postpartum.
- Enhanced Sexual Function. Postpartum pelvic floor pain or less sensation during intercourse is common after childbirth. Therapy can treat muscle tightness, weakness, or scar tissue.
- Scar Tissue Management. Scar tissue can develop after a C-section or perineal tear, among others, and pelvic floor therapists work on mobility and reducing sensitivity around scars through hands-on techniques.
- Increased Sense of Control. Gaining strength and coordination helps you feel like you're more in control of your body.
- Emotional Support. Postpartum recovery can feel exhausting, both physically and emotionally. Working with a therapist who understands your problems and challenges you experience provides not just physical care, but emotional support too.
- Safe Return to Exercise. A pelvic floor therapist can help you understand when and how to safely return to physical activity.
Discover
When to Start Pelvic Floor Therapy Postpartum
You can begin postpartum pelvic floor dysfunction therapy as soon as six weeks after giving birth, once your OB-GYN gives the green light. Early intervention can help your body recover more efficiently by addressing symptoms before they become worse. Also note that starting sooner often leads to faster recovery, there’s no expiration date – many people benefit from therapy even months or years later.
The important thing is to start when you’re ready. The pelvic floor postpartum program can still support your recovery and help you feel more comfortable about your body again.
Discover
What Happens in Postpartum Pelvic Floor Therapy
During your postpartum pelvic floor therapy at our integrative health center, your first visit usually begins with a discussion where we listen to your concerns, birth experience, and daily activities. This helps your therapist understand your issues and create a treatment plan that is right just for you, not someone else.
Each session is about your body’s needs and may include techniques like gentle pelvic floor retraining to reconnect with muscles that may feel tight or weak. If there’s any pain or tension, your therapist may use hands-on manual pelvic floor postpartum therapy to help your body move more freely and comfortably. We also focus on core work via special exercises that strengthen your deep abdominal muscles and support your back and bladder.
Posture and breathing are often part of the process as well, to reduce pressure on sensitive areas. You’ll also receive education on some simple things you can do at home to keep progressing when not at our clinic. We do our best to make every session feel respectful and supportive. We always check in to make sure you’re comfortable about your recovery.
Have more questions or not sure where to start?
Founder and owner Dr Stephanie Madden provides complimentary consultations
to help get every patient started on the right treatment plan.
She can help answer questions about all services
to help get every patient started on the right treatment plan.
She can help answer questions about all services
Discover
Why Choose Copper Wellness for Postpartum Pelvic Floor Therapy in Chicago, IL
Recovering after childbirth is different for every woman. And at Copper Wellness, we’re here to support your recovery in a way that is personal and about real care. As an integrative health and wellness clinic in Chicago, we don’t treat symptoms in isolation. Instead, we look at the bigger picture of your body’s recovery and create care plans that reflect your unique personal needs, timeline, and goals.
Our team includes experienced specialists in postpartum pelvic floor physical therapy, Postpartum Chiropractor services, and Postpartum Massage, all working together to create a plan that supports both physical and emotional health. Are you dealing with leakage, pain, weakness, or discomfort you can’t quite name? Our treatments are gentle, respectful, and help you feel stronger and more comfortable.
We also understand that pelvic care can feel deeply personal, which is why we work with your comfort in mind and ask for consent when necessary. You’ll never be rushed or pushed into unnecessary visits. Instead, we focus on measurable progress and self-care strategies you can use at home, too.
Book your postpartum pelvic floor recovery treatment session at Copper Wellness today to feel the difference professional care can provide.
About results
Reviews About
Postpartum Pelvic Floor Therapy
I have been going to Copper Wellness for nearly 4 years and cannot say enough good things about the clinic and all of their providers. Dr. Madden is a truly exceptional acupuncturist. I worked with her almost weekly during my first pregnancy and postpartum, and now for my second pregnancy, and she has been such a blessing with hormone health, stress and anxiety management, digestion, and sleep. She has the most amazing presence and all of her guidance has always been spot on. I also saw Dr Mohr during my first pregnancy to help with pregnancy aches and pains and pelvic positioning - he is also wonderful, so knowledgeable and kind and helped relieve a lot of my physical symptoms during that time. I’ve gone to Benicia for massage too and she is one of the best! (and I’ve seen a lot of massage therapists in my life)
I am moving from Chicago soon and truly going to miss this amazing clinic.
I am moving from Chicago soon and truly going to miss this amazing clinic.
Response from the owner 11:44 03 Jun 25
Dear Marianna,Thank you so much for your kind words and for being with us all these years. We're honored to have supported you through both pregnancies. Dr. Madden, Dr. Mohr, and Benicia will be touched by your feedback. Wishing you all the best in your move — you'll always be part of the Copper Wellness family! 
Dr. Mohr helped me tremendously with lower back pain and SI joint pain years ago and I still use the exercises he provided me to sustain feeling better. He used multiple techniques and movement based therapies to improve my ability to bend and lie down without pain.
Response from the owner 07:57 26 May 25
Thank you so much, Jack! We're truly glad to hear you're still feeling better — your kind words mean a lot to us! 
I have received services and initially had good intentions for a relationship with this clinic, but the billing issues and poor customer service significantly affected my experience and I feel compelled to share.
From the beginning, I was clear that billing transparency was important to me. Despite that, I ran into repeated issues with billing. The clinic charged me estimated amounts that didn’t ultimately match my Explanation of Benefits (EOB) from UnitedHealthcare, and when I brought up the discrepancies—with actual documentation to back it up—I was met with defensiveness rather than a willingness to resolve things collaboratively.
One particularly strange policy I encountered was that this clinic might charge a “clinic fee” if UnitedHealthcare doesn’t accommodate their cash rates. This seems to blur the lines between in-network and out-of-network billing.
Meanwhile, claims weren’t submitted to insurance promptly, which delayed payments and caused unnecessary confusion—none of which was my fault as the patient.
Bottom line: I paid what I was invoiced on time, asked reasonable questions when things didn’t add up, and was made to feel like I was the problem for doing so. I’ve since paused services until this can be sorted out—and I feel compelled to share my experience here.
From the beginning, I was clear that billing transparency was important to me. Despite that, I ran into repeated issues with billing. The clinic charged me estimated amounts that didn’t ultimately match my Explanation of Benefits (EOB) from UnitedHealthcare, and when I brought up the discrepancies—with actual documentation to back it up—I was met with defensiveness rather than a willingness to resolve things collaboratively.
One particularly strange policy I encountered was that this clinic might charge a “clinic fee” if UnitedHealthcare doesn’t accommodate their cash rates. This seems to blur the lines between in-network and out-of-network billing.
Meanwhile, claims weren’t submitted to insurance promptly, which delayed payments and caused unnecessary confusion—none of which was my fault as the patient.
Bottom line: I paid what I was invoiced on time, asked reasonable questions when things didn’t add up, and was made to feel like I was the problem for doing so. I’ve since paused services until this can be sorted out—and I feel compelled to share my experience here.
Response from the owner 18:14 28 May 25
Hi Tina, I am sorry that your experience was not as you had hoped at Copper Wellness. Before starting treatment all patients using insurance are given a breakdown of what their benefits cover at the clinic. Because of your shared concern about billing transparency, we also provided a breakdown of all potential charges for every type of appointment covered by insurance after your first treatment and before continuing care. We are happy to do this with any patient. Insurance billing is not an automated process, we submit the claims based on our insurance contracts with these companies and are paid as such. If there is a discrepancy in an overpayment it is issued back to the patient.We understand insurance can be frustrating and confusing which is why we contract a certified outside billing team to ensure the efficiency and accuracy of our billing practices. After reviewing all the communication I thought it was best to refer you to another practice which is local to you and within your network. As the owner and a practitioner I believe it is best that your healthcare environment be in a place that makes you feel relaxed and supported. I am sorry that cannot be us however we all wish you the best of luck with your journey. 
Copper Wellness has been a pivotal part of my wellness routine since moving to Chicago - can’t the imagine the city without them!
Response from the owner 14:31 21 Feb 25
Thank you so much for your kind words! We’re grateful to be part of your integrative health and wellness journey and truly appreciate your support. Looking forward to seeing you again! 
I've been seeing Dr Stephanie Madden since last year, and the experience has been truly transformative. Overall, Copper Wellness is both calming and welcoming. Stephanie is always attentive to my needs, whether they are physical, mental or emotional. I always leave feeling more balanced than when I came. It's obvious that she truly cares about the well-being of her patients. If you are considering acupuncture, this is the place to go!
Response from the owner 08:17 10 Feb 25
Thank you for your wonderful review! We're so glad to hear that your experience at Copper Wellness has been transformative. We appreciate your trust and look forward to continuing to support you on your wellness journey! 
I can't say enough great things about my experience at Copper Wellness! Dr. Madden is truly incredible. She has been instrumental in helping me manage my weight and find relief from stress, something I've struggled with for a long time. Her personalized approach, calm demeanor, and deep knowledge made me feel completely comfortable and cared for during each session!
Response from the owner 08:17 10 Feb 25
Thank you for your kind words! We're so happy to hear you’ve had a great experience at Copper Wellness. Dr. Madden is dedicated to personalized care, and we’re grateful to be part of your health journey! 
Copper Wellness has been a blessing in my life, I cant stop talking about the progress that Dr. Madden's treatment plan has made in my mental and physical health. The environment is calm, welcoming, and always filled with positive energy. I discovered Dr. Madden during a period of self reflection, I felt an imbalance in my life. When we met, she explained the practice and how it can impact the symptoms I was feeling. Acupuncture as a whole can change your life - it has mine, and Dr. Madden is the perfect provider to guide you to your ultimate wellness. Thank You Copper!
Response from the owner 18:17 27 Jan 25
You're a true testament to you get out what you put in. You've been so dedicated to your care and it's a gift to see you thriving in the happiness you've created for yourself. We love to be along for the ride and see how feeling your best helps you tackle your dreams. 
I've been seeing Dr. Mohr for a number of years now and the results have been amazing! From the first visit, I felt welcomed and listened to. My back pain has significantly improved, and I feel more energized and aligned (pun intended). Highly recommend if you're looking for top-notch care!
Response from the owner 18:18 27 Jan 25
Thanks Joe! We love the dad jokes, keep 'em coming 🙂 
Copper Wellness has been my point of care for everything related to my body and immune system consistently for 3 years now. I started my journey when my low back and glute were bothering me. Between Adam for muscle and movement work in addition to adjustments and Stephanie for my first round of acupuncture continued through to two of the hardest athletic years of my life running 7 marathons and competing in 6 IM events I owe my body to this group. They always keep my races top of mind when treating me but more importantly work on exercise and life habit changes to improve any issues I’m experiencing rather than just putting a “bandaid” on something that hurts. Also note that the massage therapy is unbelievable, Blu as a MT is life changing and all of the practitioners communicate across practices so that all care is tailored to areas I need focused on. I HIGHLY recommend this group.
Response from the owner 18:40 27 Jan 25
Whitney! Literally always keeping us on our toes keeping up with your impressive and successful yearly race schedule. It's been awesome to see you achieve your goals while enjoying the process. Can't wait to see what you have scheduled for this year. 
Absolutely love this place. I go to Dr. Madden for Acupuncture and she not only will take time to sit and listen to what is going on with my body, but she'll also curate a plan of attack that is personalized to my needs. I absolutely love coming here and appreciate everything that they do.
Response from the owner 18:38 27 Jan 25
Thank you Lauren 
I. Love. This. Place! I see both Dr. Mimosa for chiropractic and Dr. Madden for acupuncture, and they are two of the best practitioners of *any* type of medicine I've EVER worked with. They listen. They care. They genuinely want to help you feel your best. I can't recommend them and Copper Wellness enough.
Best Chiropractors in the city yall!! Dr.Mimosa is sweet and easy to talk to. Dr. Adam is very easy to talk to as well. Highly recommend!!!
Can't say enough good things about Anais. Very professional, very knowledgably, and just an amazing caring person! You are in the best of hands with her, would highly recommend!
I have been seeing Dr. Madden for acupuncture for almost a year now and I don't know where I'd be without her. She's incredible at what she does and the entire staff is awesome.
Anais is simply the best! Had a great review, consultation of problem areas and left feeling like I was on a cloud! Can't wait to go back, highly recommend the electrode therapy, it was amazing.
Dr Madden is a miracle worker. For over a year I had issues with my feet. She was the 1st to say my calf’s were right! Her acupuncture was spot on and helped right away. The stress caused issues in my neck as well that she helped not only with acupuncture but cupping as well. Her care and compassion is amazing. I will continue on maintenance because she is so amazing. ‼️
Copper Wellness has been a pivotal part of my health journey! The integrative services that are offered are tailored to my needs/situation. Specifically, when I needed to start doing massage therapy for upper and lower back pain, Cameron Sand did a great job from the start making me feel comfortable. Whenever I have a question, they answer it readily and explain how and what they are doing during our session. I’ve seen a huge improvement since working with them and couldn’t recommend them enough!
I sincerely wish that I could give Dr. Stephanie Madden 1 million stars. From the time that I met her for consultation through my entire acupuncture journey with her, she was incredibly attentive, genuine, personable, professional, precise, safe, knowledgeable, skilled, and wise with her work. I saw Dr. Madden for about 1 a little over a year to help resolve physical issues from emotional traumas and sufferings in my life. I cannot stress how different my life is from when I first saw her. She helped me get to core issues in my physical health that other doctors never came close to articulating, let alone being aware. Working those physical issues directly helped me so much with my emotional health. My quality of life now is so much better because of her contributions to my healing journey. After working with Dr. Madden, she is a practitioner that I trust and deeply respect. If anyone ever asks me to recommend an acupuncturist, I would never hesitate to recommend anyone to her. I even recommended her to one of my friends on his journey to receive a heart transplant, and she made a positive impact on his quality of life. He had nothing but positive things to say about her (and now he is thriving with a new heart!). Dr. Stephanie Madden has made a wonderful impact on my life, and I can only imagine the impact she is making on the lives of others whom encounter her. She is someone that has answered her call in life, and is absolutely brilliant at it. Brilliant!
Look to
Our Insurance Partners
We accept most major insurance plans depending on your type of service.
Got a question?
FAQs About Postpartum Pelvic Floor Therapy
Can You Strengthen Your Pelvic Floor After Birth?
Yes, pelvic floor muscles can be strengthened after birth through targeted exercises and therapy. Copper Wellness offers specialized postpartum pelvic floor therapy to help regain strength, improve function, and support recovery during the transition to motherhood.
How Long Does It Take for Pelvic Floor Muscles to Heal After Childbirth?
The healing time for pelvic floor muscles after childbirth varies, but it typically takes several weeks to a few months. Copper Wellness provides personalized therapy to support optimal healing, ensuring your pelvic floor recovers effectively and comfortably.
How Do I Know if I Have Postpartum Pelvic Floor Problems?
Common signs of postpartum pelvic floor problems include urinary incontinence, pelvic pressure, and discomfort during sex. Copper Wellness offers expert assessments to identify any issues and create a personalized treatment plan to restore pelvic health.
Contact us
Contact Information
Learn more about our clinic and doctors and why they are trusted by so many families in our community.
Phone Number:
Email:
Address:
Opening Hours:
Mon: 11AM - 8PM
Tue - Thu: 9AM - 8PM
Fri: 9AM - 6PM
Sat: 9AM - 4PM
Tue - Thu: 9AM - 8PM
Fri: 9AM - 6PM
Sat: 9AM - 4PM
Contact us
Find us