One-on-one postpartum pelvic floor physical therapy with Dr. Marissa Nemec, PT, DPT, for diastasis recti, leaking, C-section and perineal recovery, and getting back to the exercise you love.
Leaking when you laugh, pressure at the end of the day, a gap in your abdominal wall, and a scar that still pulls are all common after birth. They are not something you have to accept. Dr. Nemec helps new and not-so-new moms across Chicago rebuild pelvic floor and core strength, and most patients can book an evaluation without a physician referral.
What Postpartum Pelvic Floor PT Treats
Pregnancy and delivery change how the pelvic floor and core work together. Postpartum pelvic floor physical therapy addresses the problems that linger after birth, whether you had a vaginal delivery or a C-section.
Diastasis Recti
A separation of the abdominal muscles along the midline of the belly, often with doming or a gap you can feel.
Urinary Leaking
Leaking with a sneeze, laugh, jump, run, or lift, or while carrying your baby.
Pelvic Pressure or Prolapse
Heaviness or a feeling of something falling out, often worse at the end of the day.
C-Section Scar Restriction
A scar that feels tight or tender, or that pulls when you bend, twist, or stand tall.
Perineal Tearing
Lingering pain, tightness, or weakness after a tear during delivery.
Painful Sex After Birth
Pain with intercourse that started after delivery or has not improved with time.
Diastasis Recti Physical Therapy
Diastasis recti is common after pregnancy, as the abdominal wall stretches to make room for your baby. For some women, the gap narrows on its own. For others, it stays, along with a soft or domed belly, core weakness, and trouble trusting your body when you lift or exercise.
Pelvic floor physical therapy addresses diastasis recti as part of your overall core recovery. Dr. Nemec looks at how your abdominal wall, deep core, and pelvic floor work together, then builds a plan to restore strength for the things you do every day, like lifting a car seat, carrying a toddler, and getting back to workouts.
Getting Back to Running and Exercise
Feeling ready to exercise and having a pelvic floor that is ready for impact are not always the same thing. Postpartum pelvic floor PT assesses your return-to-exercise readiness and prepares your core and pelvic floor for running, jumping, and lifting, so you can return to training with confidence. Runners may also find our guide to spring running injuries in Chicago helpful.
Six Weeks or Six Years Postpartum
It is never too late to start. Every postpartum woman would benefit from at least one pelvic floor evaluation, regardless of how she is feeling, and pelvic floor PT can help whether your baby is six weeks old or six years old.
Meet Dr. Marissa Nemec, PT, DPT
Dr. Marissa Nemec, PT, DPT, CMTPT/DN, leads pelvic health services at Free Body Physical Therapy. She earned her Doctorate in Physical Therapy at Marquette University and completed pelvic floor training through the Herman & Wallace Pelvic Rehabilitation Institute.
Postpartum recovery is one part of her women’s pelvic floor physical therapy care, which also covers prolapse, chronic pelvic pain, and the pelvic changes of menopause. Every visit is a full 45 minutes, one-on-one with Dr. Nemec, never an aide or a technician.
Postpartum Pelvic Floor PT on Division Street
Appointments are at our Division Street clinic at 2618 W Division St Ste B, Chicago, on the border of Wicker Park and Humboldt Park. We see moms from Ukrainian Village, Logan Square, Bucktown, West Town, and across Chicago.
Phone: (773) 599-3393
Postpartum Pelvic Floor PT FAQs
When can I start postpartum pelvic floor PT?
Pelvic floor PT can help whether you are six weeks or six years postpartum. If you had a C-section or a complicated delivery, follow your doctor’s guidance on when to begin, and call us with any questions about timing.
Can physical therapy help diastasis recti years after giving birth?
Yes. Pelvic floor PT addresses diastasis recti as part of core recovery, and it is never too late to start. Your plan is built around how your core and pelvic floor work together today, not how long ago you gave birth.
Do I need a referral?
Most patients do not need a referral to book an evaluation. Illinois is a direct access state, which means patients with commercial insurance plans like Blue Cross Blue Shield and Aetna, as well as cash-pay patients, can schedule directly. Medicare has specific requirements for physician involvement in your care, so if you have Medicare, please call us at (773) 599-3393, and we will walk you through what is needed for your visits to be covered.
What does it cost?
We are in-network with Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, and Medicare. Call (773) 599-3393, and we will verify your benefits before your first visit. For patients paying cash or using out-of-network benefits, the evaluation is $175 and follow-ups are $150. Each visit is a full 45 minutes with Dr. Nemec.
Book Your Postpartum Pelvic Floor Evaluation
One-on-one, 45-minute care with Dr. Nemec. Most patients can schedule directly, and we will verify your insurance before your first visit.
