What to Expect During Your First Pelvic Floor PT Appointment
If you’ve been referred to pelvic floor physical therapy and you’re feeling nervous, you’re not alone. This specialized area of care is still new to many, but it’s steadily growing because it offers a safe, supportive way to address intimate pelvic health concerns through every stage of life. Whether you’re navigating postpartum recovery, managing pelvic pain, or dealing with leaking or pressure, pelvic floor PT offers real solutions rooted in education, empowerment, and movement.
At Lady Bird PT in Austin, TX, we understand that your first appointment might feel a little uncertain — especially if you’re not sure what to expect. But at our practice, we strive to ensure you feel in control, every step of the way. Our expert pelvic floor physical therapists provide compassionate, personalized care that is tailored to your goals and comfort in order to get you the results you deserve.
Knowing what to expect during your first pelvic floor PT appointment can remove some of the stress. Let’s walk through what that first visit will look like — and why it’s the first step toward lasting relief and confidence.
READ: How Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy Supports Postpartum Recovery
Starting Pelvic Floor PT: Why It’s Normal to Feel Nervous
It’s completely normal to feel a bit nervous before your first pelvic floor physical therapy appointment. For many women, this type of care is brand new — and it involves discussing symptoms that are often private or deeply personal.
You might wonder:
Will it be uncomfortable?
Will I have to undress?
What if I don’t want an internal exam?
At Lady Bird PT, we take your comfort seriously. Your first appointment is all about building trust, understanding your story, and creating a safe space for healing. You’ll never be pressured into any assessment or treatment you’re not comfortable with. Every step is explained, and your consent and comfort come first.
Pelvic floor PT isn’t just about your body — it’s about giving you the tools and knowledge to feel stronger, more informed, and more in control.
What Makes Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy Different
Pelvic floor physical therapy is not like traditional rehab. While most people associate physical therapy with sprained ankles or shoulder pain, pelvic floor PT focuses on the deep muscles that support your bladder, bowel, uterus, and core. These muscles play a major role in stability, continence, sexual health, and pregnancy recovery — yet they’re often misunderstood or overlooked.
At Lady Bird PT, we address a wide range of symptoms, including:
Urinary leakage with exercise, coughing, or sneezing
Pelvic pressure or heaviness
Pain during sex or with pelvic exams
Core weakness or diastasis recti after childbirth
Difficulty returning to exercise postpartum
Chronic constipation or tension in the pelvic region
Pelvic floor therapy doesn’t just treat symptoms — it gets to the root of them. Through movement analysis, breathwork, manual therapy, muscle retraining and strengthening, we help restore function where it matters most.
This approach is gentle, intentional, and centered around your goals — so you can move, feel, and live better.
READ: Do I Need Pelvic Floor Therapy? How to Know When It’s Time
What Happens at the First Appointment
Your first pelvic floor PT visit at Lady Bird PT is all about gaining an understanding of you and your priorities. We want to hear your story, learn what you’ve been experiencing, and begin our detailed evaluation process in order to identify how we can help you feel your best.
Here’s what you can expect:
A Comfortable, Private Environment
We begin with a conversation — no rush, no pressure. You’ll talk with your therapist about your medical history, symptoms, goals, and any concerns or questions you have. Your physical therapist will likely follow up with questions about your symptoms so they can begin to understand what may be causing you symptoms.
Full-Body Movement Assessment
Next, we’ll assess your posture, breathing patterns, and how your core, hips, and pelvic floor are working together. This gives us a picture of your overall movement and where imbalances may exist. This assessment can include physical therapy basics like checking your balance and how you squat, your lower body strength and the way you stand or sit. But it can also include more specialize assessment like seeing how your diaphragm moves, checking for visceral restrictions in the abdomen and assessing the soft tissue around your pelvis.
Pelvic Floor Assessment (If Appropriate)
If you’re comfortable and it’s relevant to your care, your therapist may suggest an internal pelvic floor exam to assess muscle tone, strength, and coordination. This is always done with your full consent, and you can opt out at any time — no pressure, ever.
Unlike at the OBGYN, we do not use a speculum. A pelvic exam with our PTs is done with a gloved finger, allowing your therapist to assess muscle tone and function with the least discomfort. If anything feels painful at any point, we pause and adjust our pressure or stop the exam if you prefer.
If the idea of a pelvic exam is what’s keeping you away from PT, know that it’s never a requirement.
Education and Plan Overview
You’ll leave with a better understanding of what’s going on with your body and why you’re experiencing the symptoms you are. You’ll also leave with a plan. This may include breathwork, at-home strength or mobility exercises, or hands on manual therapy at future visits, depending on your needs.
Our goal is for you to feel informed, empowered and a true collaborator in your care. Pelvic floor symptoms can be
Setting Expectations for Your Care Plan
Pelvic floor therapy isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution — and that’s a good thing. At Lady Bird PT, your treatment plan is designed specifically for you: your body, your lifestyle, your schedule and your goals.
After your initial assessment, your therapist will walk you through a personalized plan that may include:
READ: The Complete Guide to Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy in Austin: What It Is and Who It’s For
Manual Therapy
Hands-on techniques help release tension, improve circulation, and restore tissue mobility. These techniques can include tools like cupping and dry needling or can focus more on soft tissue and joint mobilization. Depending on your needs, manual therapy can be performed both externally as well as internally.
Breathwork and Core Coordination
Many pelvic floor issues stem from poor intra-abdominal pressure management and coordination of the diaphragm, pelvic floor and abdominal muscles. We’ll teach you how to sync your breath with your pelvic floor and core to reduce strain and improve function. This is often the foundation to pelvic floor PT treatment.
Targeted Strength and Mobility Exercises
Once we’ve ensured better pressure management and coordination, you can expect gradual progression from gentle activation exercises to full-body strength work — especially if you’re preparing to return to activity, sport, or postpartum movement. Learning to use your new coordination skills in the context of the activities you do in your day to day life and workouts is key for long term symptomatic relief.
Education and Empowerment
Throughout the entire process, which often last a few months, we explain what’s happening and why — so you can understand your symptoms, track progress, and feel confident navigating your recovery.
The frequency and length of care varies based on your goals and presentation, but you’ll always be part of the conversation. We’re here to guide — not dictate — your path forward. Our goal is give you symptomatic relief now and give you the tools to continue managing your pelvic health into the future.
Why Lady Bird PT Is a Trusted Provider for Pelvic Health in Austin
At Lady Bird PT, pelvic health isn’t a side service — it’s our specialty. We’ve built our practice around providing compassionate, evidence-based care that supports women through every stage of life, from puberty to postpartum recovery and into long-lasting pelvic health.
Here’s what sets us apart:
Specialized Expertise
Our therapists are highly trained in pelvic floor physical therapy and women’s health, with a deep understanding of how these systems affect your daily life, movement, and confidence.Whole-Person Approach
We don’t just treat symptoms or your pelvic floor. We assess how your breath, posture, habits, and stress levels interact with your pelvic floor and your entire body — and create plans that support your whole self.Comfort First
You are always in control. We prioritize informed consent, patient education, and open communication at every step of the process. Folks often tell us they’re surprised how comfortable their experience with our office turns out to be. That’s our goal.Personalized, One-on-One Sessions
We don’t follow any generic protocols. We partner with you to create thoughtful, customized care that meets you where you are — and moves at your pace.
If you're considering pelvic floor physical therapy in Austin, Lady Bird PT is here to help you feel stronger, more connected, and more empowered in your body.
Contact us to schedule your first appointment and start your journey toward pelvic health with a team that truly cares.
This post was written by Dr. Rebecca Maidansky, PT, DPT, owner and founder of Lady Bird Physical Therapy. Rebecca is a pelvic floor physical therapist in Austin, TX and founded Lady Bird Physical Therapy in 2019. She is the creator of Birth Preparation and Postpartum Planning, Baby Steps Fitness and the head writer and editor of The Pelvic Press.
Rebecca is a passionate writer and vocal advocate for pelvic health and the importance of improving access to perinatal care. She believes strongly that many common pregnancy pains and postpartum symptoms can be eased or even prevented with basic education and care.