Postpartum recovery is rarely one person’s job. A postpartum doula carries a lot of it: she is in your home, watching how you heal, how feeding is going, how much you are sleeping. But some parts of recovery need a specialist, and knowing who to call, and when, saves weeks of guessing. Here is how we think about it, and the South Florida specialists our families keep going back to.
What a postpartum doula covers
In the first weeks, a postpartum doula is the person who notices. She sees that you have not eaten since morning, that the latch hurts more than it should, that you are running on three hours of sleep for the fourth night in a row. She takes the baby so you can shower, walks you through a feeding position, sets up the night so someone experienced is awake while you rest. That is the daily and overnight support we provide across Miami and South Florida, and you can read more on our postpartum doula page.
What she does not do is treat your body. When something is a medical or physical problem, a doula’s job is to say so early and point you to the right person.
When to see a pelvic floor physical therapist
Leaking when you laugh or sneeze. Pressure or heaviness low in the pelvis. Pain with sitting, walking or intimacy months after birth. A gap you can feel down the middle of your belly. Many mothers are told this is simply what a body is like after a baby. It is not, and it is treatable.
Pelvic floor physical therapy is the specialty for exactly these problems. A good therapist assesses the muscles that were stretched or cut during birth and gives you specific work, not generic advice to “do your Kegels.” In France every mother is referred for this as a matter of course; here you usually have to ask.
For our families north of Miami we recommend Wellsprings Health in Hollywood, FL. They specialize in pelvic floor physical therapy after birth, and they were also kind enough to feature our founder in their Spotlight Series. Ask your OB or midwife for a referral, or contact them directly.
When a chiropractor helps, during pregnancy and after
Chiropractic care during pregnancy is not about cracking anything. The Webster technique is a specific, gentle assessment and adjustment of the pelvis, used by chiropractors trained in prenatal care to reduce tension in the pelvic muscles and ligaments. Many of our birth clients see a Webster-certified chiropractor in the third trimester, especially when the baby is breech or labor is expected to be long.
After birth the same practitioners help with the back, hip and neck pain that comes from feeding in one position for hours and carrying a baby on one side. Some also see newborns for feeding-related tension.
Two practices our families use:
- Well Adjusted Chiropractic in Miami practices the Webster technique and sees both pregnant mothers and children. Their page on Webster’s technique and pregnancy explains the approach in their own words.
- Express Life Chiropractic in Fort Lauderdale is a family and pediatric practice; their article on postpartum back pain relief is a useful read if you are already hurting.
How these specialists fit together
Think of it as three layers. Your OB or midwife handles the medical side: healing of stitches or a cesarean incision, bleeding, blood pressure, mood. Pelvic floor therapy and chiropractic care handle the structural side: the muscles and joints that birth changed. Your postpartum doula handles daily life around all of it, and she is usually the one who says, on day nine, “this pain is not normal, let’s get you seen.”
None of it is a luxury. Recovery that is supported early tends to be shorter and less lonely than recovery that is endured. If nights are the hardest part, our overnight newborn care is built for exactly that.
If you are planning your first weeks at home in South Florida, start with a conversation. Schedule a consultation and we will talk through what your recovery could look like, and who else should be on your team.
Frequently asked questions
Should I see a pelvic floor physical therapist after every birth?
Not everyone needs it, but leaking, pelvic pressure, pain months after birth or a gap down the middle of the belly are reasons to book an assessment rather than wait. Ask your OB or midwife for a referral.
Is chiropractic care safe during pregnancy?
Webster-certified chiropractors are trained specifically for pregnancy; the technique is a gentle assessment and adjustment of the pelvis. As with any care in pregnancy, keep your OB or midwife informed.
Does a postpartum doula replace these specialists?
No. A doula handles daily and overnight support and notices early when something needs a specialist. Medical and structural problems go to your provider, a pelvic floor therapist or a chiropractor.
Text us at +1 786-646-9461