Physical Therapist or Personal Trainer?
There's no question that women deserve better care postpartum. There should be an automatic referral to physical therapy after having baby and it should be free.
Unfortunately that's not the norm yet here in America. Until then there are two great options for rehabilitative care postpartum: physical therapy or personal training. Here are 3 things to consider when you decide to rehab before or after baby.
Insurance
Do you need a referral? Does your insurance cover physical therapy? How much is your copay? Depending on your answer physical therapy might actually be more expensive than personal training. When I had to go to pelvic floor physical therapy (yes I have gone to pelvic floor physical therapy 😉) after insurance I was paying $80/session. That was hard to afford for my family and I know many others don't go because of the cost. I want to help make rehabbing postpartum attainable for more women that may not be able to afford physical therapy or might not have insurance. This is why I currently charge $40/session.
Seriousness
The next thing that comes into play is how serious are your problems? Do you have Diastasis? Do you have a hernia? Are you just wanting a basic "tune up?" If you have a hernia or another serious issue, it's always better to see someone who is trained in that area, which would be a physical therapist. I am definitely not afraid to draw the line at where my knowledge falls short! Rather be safe than sorry is my motto. But as a certified prenatal/postpartum trainer I am able to help with basic postpartum rehab, Diastasis less than 4 fingers wide, and leaking/incontinence issues.
Qualifications
Is the person helping you trained in postpartum/pelvic floor? It is so important to make sure you are seeing someone who specializes in pelvic floor therapy or postpartum issues. Seeing a physical therapist that isn't trained in pelvic floor is most likely not going to be the most successful. Likewise having a personal trainer that is not certified or have any training about postpartum women is not going to bring the best results. Do not be afraid to ask for qualifications and specialties when reaching out to therapists and trainers!
If you are local to the Kenosha area and feel like you need a physical therapist, I have a great recommendation! But if you want to try personal training I am a certified prenatal and postpartum trainer wanting to help!
If you are wanting more information you can send a message or schedule a free personal training consultation.