Women's pelvic health · Portland Metro
Postpartum pelvic floor physical therapy in Portland Metro
In France and much of Europe, pelvic floor rehab after birth is routine. In the United States, most women get a six-week check and nothing else. Video visits make a real postpartum rehab plan possible from home, newborn included.
- Private pay with superbills for out-of-network reimbursement
- No referral needed (unrestricted direct access)
- Video visits anywhere in Portland Metro
About the condition
Postpartum recovery: what is going on.
Pregnancy stretches the pelvic floor and abdominal wall for nine months, and birth, vaginal or cesarean, adds its own strain. Afterward, many women notice leaking with coughing or running, a feeling of heaviness or pressure, a gap down the middle of the abdomen, pain at a scar or the perineum, or simply that the core does not feel like it works. These are common, they are not something to simply live with, and most respond well to a structured program.
A postpartum pelvic floor evaluation looks at how the pelvic floor, diaphragm, and deep abdominal muscles are coordinating, how scars are moving, and how the body is managing the lifting, carrying, and feeding positions of new-parent life. The plan starts where the patient is, whether that is two weeks or two years after delivery.
Common experiences
What people with postpartum recovery often describe
These are the patterns Dr. Shalem hears most often. Any of them is a reason to book a discovery call.
Leaking urine with coughing, sneezing, laughing, or running
Heaviness or pressure in the pelvis, especially late in the day
A visible gap or doming along the midline of the abdomen
Pain at a perineal tear, episiotomy, or cesarean scar
Low back, hip, or tailbone pain with lifting and carrying
Not knowing how or when to return to running or lifting
Treatment
How physical therapy addresses it.
The program rebuilds coordination before strength: breathing that lets the pelvic floor move, then gentle activation, then loading. Scar mobility work, bowel and bladder habits, and body mechanics for feeding and carrying are part of the plan from the first week. Return-to-exercise is progressed in stages, with clear criteria for moving from walking to impact.
What a video visit looks like
Postpartum visits are built around the baby: short, from the floor of the nursery if needed, and paused when they need to be. Dr. Shalem guides a self-check of the abdominal wall and pelvic floor on camera, and progresses the program each visit.
Coverage in Oregon
Insurance and pricing
Bring your plan name to the discovery call and we confirm your physical therapy benefit before the first visit.
Private pay
Visits in Oregon are private pay. We provide a superbill you can submit to your insurer for out-of-network reimbursement. HSA and FSA cards accepted. Rates are quoted on the free discovery call.
Referrals
Oregon allows you to see a physical therapist for evaluation and treatment without a physician referral, with no visit limit. Some insurance plans still ask for one, and we check that for you.
Multnomah, Washington, Clackamas, and Columbia counties are seen by video.
Questions
Questions people ask about postpartum recovery
How it works
How a virtual visit works
Postpartum visits are built around the baby: short, from the floor of the nursery if needed, and paused when they need to be. Dr. Shalem guides a self-check of the abdominal wall and pelvic floor on camera, and progresses the program each visit.
Discovery call
15 minutes, free, by phoneA short call to hear what is going on, explain how visits work, and check insurance or pricing. No pressure to book.
Evaluation
60 minutes, by videoDr. Shalem takes a full history, watches how you move and breathe, and guides the self-assessments she needs to build a plan.
Your plan
Same visitYou leave the evaluation with a plain-language explanation and a short home program, usually a few minutes a day.
Follow-ups
45 minutes, every 1 to 2 weeksProgress checks, program updates, and techniques you can do yourself, for as long as they are useful.
For a video visit you will need
- A phone, tablet, or laptop with a camera
- A private room
- A mat or towel
- About an hour
Questions
Postpartum recovery questions in Portland Metro
How soon after birth can pelvic floor therapy start?
Education, breathing, and gentle activation can start in the first weeks. Most women begin a full program after the six-week check, but there is no cutoff. Women two or ten years postpartum benefit too.
Is it different after a cesarean?
The pelvic floor is still affected by pregnancy, and the abdominal scar needs its own attention. The program covers both.
Can I bring the baby to the visit?
Yes. That is one reason video works so well for postpartum care.
Do I need a referral for physical therapy in Oregon?
Oregon allows you to see a physical therapist for evaluation and treatment without a physician referral, with no visit limit. Some insurance plans still ask for one, and we check that for you.
What insurance do you take in Oregon?
Private pay: Visits in Oregon are private pay. We provide a superbill you can submit to your insurer for out-of-network reimbursement. HSA and FSA cards accepted. Rates are quoted on the free discovery call.
Your physical therapist
Dr. Elana Shalem, DPT
Doctor of Physical Therapy, University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences, Miami. Licensed in Oregon.
Dr. Shalem treats pelvic health for women and men, from pregnancy and postpartum recovery to bladder, bowel, and pelvic pain conditions and recovery after prostate or pelvic surgery, and general orthopedic conditions of the back, neck, hips, knees, shoulders, and feet. Visits are one-on-one and unhurried, and she explains what she is seeing in plain language.
More about Dr. ShalemPrefer to write? Send a message.
Questions about insurance, pricing, or whether physical therapy is the right next step? We reply within one business day.
Start with a free 15-minute call.
Tell us what is going on, hear how Dr. Shalem would approach it, and decide from there.