From Pregnancy to Midlife and Beyond
Pelvic Floor–Aware Yoga, Perinatal Core Training, and Lifelong Functional Health
TL;DR
Pelvic floor symptoms and diastasis recti are not isolated problems — they are often two expressions of the same underlying issue: core dysfunction. Pelvic floor physical therapy and strength training each address important pieces of recovery. Pelvic floor–aware yoga with perinatal core training helps integrate those pieces into real-life movement, supporting women from pregnancy through postpartum, midlife, and into older age.
The core is not just abs — it’s a system
When people hear “core,” they often think only of abdominal muscles. In reality, the core is a coordinated system, including:
the diaphragm
the abdominal wall
the pelvic floor
deep spinal stabilizers
posture, gait, and breath
This system manages intra-abdominal pressure — how force moves through the body when we breathe, walk, lift, carry, cough, laugh, or react to a loss of balance.
When this system is not coordinating well, symptoms appear.
Diastasis recti and pelvic floor dysfunction: two sides of the same coin
Diastasis recti and pelvic floor dysfunction often “hold hands.”
They frequently appear together because they share a common root cause:
impaired core coordination and pressure management.
This can look like:
abdominal separation and leaking
pelvic heaviness and back pain
a strong-looking core that doesn’t function well under load
Treating one without considering the other often leads to incomplete or short-lived results.
This is why perinatal core training matters — not just postpartum, but across a lifetime.
During pregnancy: perinatal core training as preparation for life
Pregnancy is a time of rapid change in:
posture and center of gravity
abdominal wall length and tension
pelvic floor loading
breathing mechanics
Perinatal core training during pregnancy is not about “protecting abs” or avoiding movement. It’s about:
learning how the core system adapts
coordinating breath and movement
distributing load through the body efficiently
reducing unnecessary bracing or strain
Pelvic floor–aware yoga during pregnancy helps build functional capacity, not fear — supporting daily life and birth preparation together.
Early postpartum: why symptoms persist even after rehab
Early postpartum is often when people seek:
pelvic floor physical therapy
personal training
online “diastasis repair” or “core restore” programs
Each may help — but many focus on pieces, not the whole.
Pelvic floor PT
Pelvic floor PT is essential for:
assessment
manual treatment
neuromuscular re-education
But clinical care alone cannot provide:
frequent, varied movement practice
integration into walking, carrying, lifting, and transitions
long-term habit formation
Personal training
Strength training can be beneficial for bone health and general conditioning. However, without perinatal and pelvic floor education, it may:
reinforce breath-holding or bracing
prioritize load over coordination
miss pressure management issues
The integration gap: where yoga and functional movement belong
Pelvic floor–aware yoga with perinatal core training addresses what often gets missed:
Interoception: learning to feel pressure, tension, and support
Coordination: timing breath, pelvic floor, and abdominal response
Gait and alignment: how force moves through the body when walking
Daily life translation: not just exercises, but habits
Yoga becomes the bridge between:
clinical knowledge
strength capacity
and lived experience
This is where people regain confidence, not just function.
Years after birth: when old patterns resurface
Many women experience a return of symptoms years or decades after childbirth — often during:
perimenopause or menopause
new exercise routines
caregiving demands
after a fall or near-fall
These symptoms are rarely “new.”
They are often old compensation patterns resurfacing under new stress.
Without addressing the core system as a whole, these patterns repeat.
Midlife and elder years: core function is fall prevention
As women age, core dysfunction can contribute to:
impaired balance
slower reaction time
altered gait
fear of falling
Perinatal-informed, pelvic floor–aware yoga supports:
upright posture
dynamic balance
coordinated reactions
confidence in movement
This matters because falls are not just accidents — they reflect how well the body organizes itself under real-world demand.
How this work complements pelvic floor PT (without replacing it)
Pelvic floor PT treats symptoms and restores capacity.
Perinatal core–informed yoga teaches people how to use that capacity.
Together, they support:
pelvic floor health
abdominal wall function
functional movement
long-term resilience
I do not diagnose or replace pelvic floor physical therapy.
I teach people how to move, breathe, and live in ways that support their pelvic and core health every day.
A lifelong practice, not a phase of recovery
Pelvic and core health are not just postpartum concerns.
They are lifelong considerations.
Yoga offers a regular, adaptable, and accessible way to:
maintain coordination
refine movement habits
stay connected to the body across changing life stages
Whether you are pregnant, newly postpartum, years out from birth, or focused on aging well — this work meets you where you are.
A gentle invitation
If you’ve been told:
to “just strengthen your core”
to focus only on the pelvic floor
or that your symptoms are inevitable
There is another way.
Perinatal core training and pelvic floor–aware yoga support whole-body function, not isolated fixes — helping you feel capable, confident, and at home in your body again.
Work with me 1:1
Read More in my Learnig Library: Here’s one to get you started Diastasis Recti & Pelvic Floor Healing . Learn more about me HERE.
How Pelvic Floor–Aware Yoga Complements Clinical Pelvic Health Care
Pelvic floor physical therapy is the gold standard for assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of pelvic floor dysfunction. My work does not replace that care. Instead, it extends and integrates it into real-life movement, supporting long-term outcomes for shared clients.
Where pelvic floor PT excels
Pelvic floor PT provides:
Internal and external assessment
Manual therapy (soft tissue, joint alignment, neuromuscular re-education)
Symptom-specific intervention for incontinence, prolapse, pain, and postpartum recovery
Individualized clinical decision-making
These components are essential and irreplaceable.
Where integration is often needed
Many clients struggle not with understanding their pelvic floor, but with:
translating clinic-based gains into daily life
coordinating breath, posture, and load during walking, lifting, and transitions
maintaining progress once visits taper off
building confidence moving in the real world
Research shows that pelvic floor dysfunction often coexists with impaired balance, altered gait, and reduced functional performance—factors that are not fully addressed through isolated exercises alone.
How pelvic floor–aware yoga supports PT outcomes
My classes emphasize:
Interoception and body awareness (feeling pressure, support, and coordination)
Functional movement and gait (how force travels through feet, pelvis, spine, and breath)
Perinatal core integration (diaphragm–abdominal wall–pelvic floor coordination)
Balance, reaction time, and confidence, which are critical for fall prevention
Yoga provides a regular, accessible environment for clients to practice the movement habits and coordination skills introduced in PT—supporting carryover and long-term adherence.
Why this matters for shared clients
Evidence shows:
Urinary urgency and nocturia are associated with increased fall risk in women
Pelvic floor interventions can reduce fall risk in women with urgency urinary incontinence
Balance, strength, and reaction time are key modifiable risk factors for fall-related injury
Diastasis recti and pelvic floor dysfunction frequently co-occur as expressions of core system dysfunction
An integrated approach helps clients not only recover, but age with resilience, confidence, and independence.
Referral clarity
I do not diagnose, internally assess, or provide manual pelvic floor treatment
I refer to pelvic floor PT when symptoms warrant clinical care
I welcome collaboration and shared language to support continuity of care
My role is to help clients live inside the function restored in therapy, through embodied, whole-body movement practice.
Important Disclaimer & Scope Clarification
The information shared in this article is intended for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. It does not replace evaluation, diagnosis, or treatment by a licensed healthcare provider, including pelvic floor physical therapists, physicians, or other medical professionals.
Throughout this article, I speak generally about pelvic floor physical therapy, personal training, and yoga in order to help readers understand common differences in approach and scope. I fully recognize that:
Some pelvic floor physical therapists offer highly integrative, holistic, and movement-based care that extends well beyond a purely clinical model.
Some personal trainers have done the important work of understanding pregnancy, postpartum bodies, pelvic floor coordination, and pressure management, and practice with great skill and care.
Not all yoga is pelvic floor–aware, trauma-informed, or appropriate for pregnant, postpartum, or aging bodies.
My work reflects my own training, experience, and professional scope. I have intentionally developed my yoga teaching to be integrative, holistic, and functionally informed, with a focus on pelvic floor awareness, perinatal core coordination, gait and alignment, and real-world movement that supports women’s health across the lifespan—from pregnancy and postpartum through midlife and elder years.
I do not diagnose conditions or replace medical or rehabilitative care. Instead, I offer an educational movement practice designed to help individuals develop body awareness, confidence, and sustainable movement habits that complement clinical care and support long-term well-being.
You can learn more about my background, approach, and educational philosophy in my Learning Library and on my website at annecatherineyoga.com.
Key Research Citations
Pelvic floor PT & urinary incontinence
Dumoulin C, et al. Pelvic floor muscle training versus no treatment for urinary incontinence in women. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2018.
International Continence Society. Conservative management of urinary incontinence.
Pelvic floor symptoms & falls
Brown JS, et al. Urinary incontinence: does it increase risk for falls and fractures? Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 2000.
(Urgency UI associated with increased falls and fractures.)Stewart F, et al. Systematic review: urinary symptoms and falls in older women. BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine, 2016.
Huang AJ, et al. Urinary urgency and nocturia are associated with falls in older women. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 2012.
Pelvic floor intervention & fall risk reduction
Virtuoso JF, et al. Pelvic floor muscle training reduces fall risk in older women with urgency urinary incontinence. Neurourology and Urodynamics, 2015.
Diastasis recti & core system dysfunction
Benjamin DR, et al. Relationship between diastasis recti abdominis and pelvic floor dysfunction. Physiotherapy, 2019.
Spitznagle TM, et al. Prevalence of diastasis recti abdominis in women with pelvic floor dysfunction. Urology, 2007.
Yoga, balance, and functional outcomes
Youkhana S, et al. Yoga-based exercise improves balance and mobility in people aged 60 and over: a systematic review. Age and Ageing, 2016.
Ni M, et al. Balance Flow Yoga improves fall risk factors in postmenopausal women. International Journal of Yoga Therapy, 2025.
