Pregnancy Pain Is Common. That Doesn't Make It Normal.
Leaking when you sneeze. Pelvic pressure that feels like everything's about to give way. Pain during sex you haven't told anyone about. Round ligament pain that catches your breath, or tailbone pain that makes sitting through dinner miserable.
You've probably been told this is just what pregnancy costs.
It's not. It's fixable, and we know the root why.
Already dealing with pain, pressure, or leaking? We'll find what's driving it. Feeling good so far? We can still help you optimize your pregnancy and birth, so you stay ahead of issues instead of catching up to them.
What you're living with right now
Here's what we hear, almost word for word, from moms who finally pick up the phone:
"I leak every time I sneeze, laugh, or run."
"I feel like my insides are going to fall out by the end of the day."
"Sex hurts and I don't know how to bring it up."
"My tailbone hurts so much I can't sit through a work meeting."
"My hips ache all night no matter how I position the pillows."
So you reroute your life around it. You skip the run. You avoid the long car ride. You quietly decide intimacy can wait until "after." You tell yourself it's temporary, because everyone keeps telling you it is.
Here's the pattern we see underneath all of it, three things keeping you stuck:
You've been told it's normal. Your OB, your friends, a corner of the internet. "That's just pregnancy." It's common. Common and normal are not the same thing.
You're getting symptom care, not root-cause care. A kegel handout is not a treatment plan. And when your pain shows up in your back, your hips, and your pelvic floor all at once, and every provider only looks at their one piece, nobody ever connects the dots between them.
You're waiting for "after the baby." So much of this can be addressed now, while you're still pregnant. And what doesn't get addressed now has a way of following you straight into postpartum recovery and your return to exercise.
THE TURNING POINT
The old way looks like this: bounce between providers, get handed generic pelvic floor exercises, get told to wait until after delivery, or get told to just live with it.
The new way starts with one question: what is causing this, in your body, right now?
That's the whole shift. Not managing your symptoms until delivery. Finding the root why behind them and treating that, in a body that is actively changing week to week.
We call it Root, Restore, Thrive: find the root why, restore what's actually going on, and build the capacity to thrive so it doesn't come back. It's the same process behind every client story below, and it's why one hour with the right clinician can move you further than months of "just breathe through it."
WHAT'S POSSIBLE FROM HERE
Picture the version of this pregnancy where you can laugh, sneeze, and run without bracing for a leak. Where you get through a full day on your feet without that pelvic-pressure feeling. Where sex isn't something you're dreading. Where you walk into labor and delivery with a body you've prepared, instead of one you've just endured.
We've seen a mom walk again almost without pain after one session, when she came in barely able to move from pelvic pressure and sciatica. We've seen a midwife stop mid-delivery to comment on how strong a client's pelvic floor was while she was pushing. We've seen tension held for years let go in two sessions.
Healthy, fit, active, and pain free isn't a slogan for us. It's the actual goal for every plan we build, whether we're fixing something or helping you stay ahead of it.
HOW WE GET YOU THERE: ROOT, RESTORE, THRIVE
Root: Full Evaluation & Root Cause Assessment
What it is: A full hour, one on one, with a doctorate-level pelvic therapist. We look at your whole body, not just the spot that hurts.
What it means for you: No more guessing. No more being handed a kegel handout and sent on your way.
The result: A clear, specific picture of what's driving your leaking, pressure, or pain, or, if nothing hurts yet, a baseline plan to optimize your pregnancy and birth and stay ahead of issues before they start.
Restore: Personalized, Hands-On Treatment
What it is: Manual therapy, dry needling when appropriate, ultrasound imaging when it's useful, and exercises built for you, not a generic printout.
What it means for you: Treatment aimed at the actual cause, adjusted every visit as your body changes.
The result: Real relief while you're still pregnant, not something shelved until "after."
Thrive: Building Resiliency & Birth Prep
What it is: Strengthening and movement retraining so the problem doesn't come back, plus our Body Balance for Birth session (55 or 120 minutes, from 32 weeks on) covering pelvic bone and muscle optimization, pushing mechanics, labor positions, and strategies if labor stalls.
What it means for you: You walk into labor and postpartum recovery prepared, not just hoping for the best.
The result: Clients like Kelly, whose midwife commented on how strong her pelvic floor was while she was pushing during delivery.
WHAT'S INCLUDED
-
A full 60-minute evaluation, one on one with your therapist
-
55-minute follow-up sessions, always one on one, no shared gym floor
-
Dry needling and ultrasound imaging when they're the right tool for your case
-
Optimization visits for clients who are pain-free right now and want to stay that way through pregnancy and birth
-
Body Balance for Birth prep session, in the 3rd trimester
-
Your choice of location: The Fan District (1917 W Cary St) or West End (3711 Westerre Pkwy, Unit C)
-
Cash pay, with HSA/FSA accepted. We don't bill insurance, and we don't believe in surprise bills. You'll know your pricing before you book.
-
Our guarantee: if you don't feel your first visit was worth it, we'll make it right, starting with a session on us.
Real outcomes. From real clients.
"She encouraged me to be empowered about my health and birth. I also loved how she took what I knew about my body and expanded it, while encouraging what I was already doing." - Stephanie, prenatal PT with Dr. Maria
"Dr. Hannah is truly amazing! I went into my appointment with a lot of pain and tension in my body and I left feeling more relaxed and at ease. She truly has helped me after only two sessions with her to release tension I have been holding onto within my body for many years." - Karina, first pregnancy, with Dr. Hannah
"I started having serious back and hip pain at the start of my third trimester. Working with Emily helped me immensely with pain reduction, targeted strengthening exercises, body balancing, and preparation for labor and delivery." - Natalie, third trimester, prenatal and postpartum PT
"I was very nervous for this session, but she was comforting, professional, caring, and gave me a lot of education to decrease my fears." - S.R., pregnancy evaluation with Dr. Alison
"I'm so thankful I finally gave pelvic floor therapy a chance. It's been such a necessity in my second pregnancy. Even after I could barely walk from pelvic bone pressure and sciatica, I could almost painlessly walk again after my hour with her." - Petie, second pregnancy, with Dr. Alison
"My midwife even made a comment about how strong my pelvic floor was while I was pushing during delivery." - Kelly, birth prep with Dr. Alison
"I learned so much and left feeling more confident in my body." - Mrs. H.M., birth prep session with Kelley Ryan
WHY THIS IS DIFFERENT
We connect what other providers separate. Your back, your hips, and your pelvic floor aren't unrelated problems. We treat them as the one connected body they are.
Our clinicians are trained at a level most PT clinics don't offer. Board certifications, specialty pelvic health and obstetric training, and ongoing internal mentoring, on staff, not outsourced.
You get a full hour, one on one, every time. No aides, no shared gym floor, no double-booked room. Just you and your therapist.
Advanced tools, never a menu of add-ons. Dry needling and ultrasound imaging are part of your plan when they're the right tool for your case, not an upsell.
We don't wait for pain to get involved. You don't have to be hurting to come in. We're just as glad to help you optimize your pregnancy and birth ahead of time as we are to treat something that's already gone wrong.
We build capacity, not dependency. Root, Restore, Thrive ends with resiliency work on purpose, so the goal is always fewer visits over time, not more.
WHAT THIS COSTS
We're cash pay, which means one thing: a full hour of 1:1 care with a doctorate-level clinician, and pricing you know before you book. No surprise bills, ever. HSA and FSA cards are accepted.
Reach out through the form below and our team will walk you through exact pricing for your evaluation, your follow-ups, and the Body Balance for Birth session, based on where you are in your pregnancy and what you need.
ONE HONEST NOTE ON TIMING
Our team is in high demand right now. It's not unusual for a first evaluation to be about four weeks out. Our waitlist moves, though, and the sooner you reach out, the sooner you're on it.
The real question isn't whether to wait a few more weeks. It's whether you want those weeks spent still bracing for the next leak or the next sharp pull in your hip, or spent already on the path to fixing it.
QUESTIONS BEFORE YOU REACH OUT
Does insurance cover this? We're cash pay and don't bill insurance directly, but HSA and FSA cards are accepted. What you're paying for is a full hour of 1:1 care with a specialty-trained clinician, not a rushed visit split between three people. All pricing is disclosed upfront, before you book.
Will this definitely fix my leaking or pain? We don't promise a cure or a set number of sessions, because every body and every pregnancy is different. What we can tell you is that we build every plan around your specific root cause, and we're seeing great results doing exactly that. Duration depends on how long you've been dealing with it and what's driving it.
I'm embarrassed to talk about this stuff. Is that normal? Completely. Almost every client tells us this before their first visit, and almost every client tells us afterward they wish they'd come in sooner. Our team's whole job is to make this feel like a normal, judgment-free conversation, because it is one.
How far along do I need to be to start? Any point in pregnancy is a good time to start, and you don't have to be in pain to come in. Plenty of clients start proactively, to optimize their pregnancy and birth and stay ahead of issues before they show up. The Body Balance for Birth session specifically is available from 32 weeks on, once you're closer to labor and delivery.
What if my OB already told me this is normal? Your OB isn't wrong that it's common. We're just the team that specializes in the "what do we do about it" part. We're glad to work alongside your existing care team, not instead of it.
LAST THING
You don't have to grit your teeth through this pregnancy, and you don't have to wait until "after the baby" to start feeling like yourself again.
We'd love to help you get there.
Call us at (804) 372-0291 or request an appointment by clicking the button below. Thank you for trusting us with your care. ♥
Start your Pregnancy Journey with Physical Therapy
Such a wonderful time, unless you are struggling with pain, pressure, or incontinence, which is incredibly common (but not normal).
We love helping birthing people feel better so they can ENJOY their pregnancy.
We help expectant mothers struggling with orthopedic pain like back pain, pelvic girdle pain, round ligament pain, hip pain, upper back/ neck pain and pregnancy specific conditions such as mommy's thumb. We also support pregnant moms with pelvic floor pain, leaking and incontinence.
Pregnancy: Body Balance for Birth and Birth Prep
We offer a 55-minute or 120-minute hands-on session to prepare your body for birth. These sessions optimize your pelvic bones and muscles for an easier and smoother delivery. Practice pushing effectively, yet gently, on your pelvic floor, learn about the best positions to labor and push in, and learn what positions to try if labor stalls or slows. Book this visit at 32+ weeks of gestation.
