The strongest evidence for hospital rehab after birth
2024-09-10 19:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York)
Dr. Katherine Sylvester, Founder of Operation M.I.S.T.
Background: In 2022, we found an acute care physical therapist who started a remote vital sign monitoring company that monitors:

perinatal blood pressure
heart rate
SPO2
temperature
heart rate variability
glucose
sleep quality

Dr. Katherine Sylvester, PT, DPT is the Founder of Operation M.I.S.T. and is presenting her annual lecture on the strongest evidence that OTs and PTs can use to determine when to offer a rehab evaluation in the hospital and home after birth.
Therapists will learn how to consults directly with families on:

healthcare providers and community partners to add to their team based on their data and social determinants of health
work/maternity leave requests
lifestyle modifications to keep their vital signs in optimal range during pregnancy and throughout the first 12 months postpartum

Join us on Tuesday, September 10th at 7 PM ET!
REGISTER HERE

Building professional relationships in maternal health
2024-09-18 20:00 - 20:30
Jena Roeber, OTR/L, PHS
This course covers how to collaborate with maternal health professionals in your hospital and community to expand access to rehab services for families who benefit the most during high-risk pregnancy and immediately after birth prior to returning home.
Wednesday, September 18, 2024 at 8:00 PM ET
REGISTER HERE!

Why Pelvic Health is about Skin Color
2024-11-06 18:00 - 19:00
Pelvic health is not about OT vs PT qualifications, insurance reimbursement, or physician preference. It’s about Race.
As the largest recipients of c-section and hysterectomy worldwide, Black women are becoming more aware that their surgical recovery is considered Low Priority by surgeons and rehab professionals alike.
On Wednesday, November 6th, join acute care therapists who publicly discuss how they challenged the status quo in order to expand access to rehab after birth across 12 hospitals in their health system to include the largest recipients of cesarean section surgery: Black women.
Special guests: Jasmine Dockett, OTR/L and Rachel Lewis, OTR/L, Acute Care Occupational Therapists from Sentara Health, Virginia.
VIEW HERE

What the [women's] health? How to include women in rehab protocols
2024-11-19 19:00 - 20:00
World Health Organization: Women account for 67% of the global health and social care workforce. Deloitte: Women pay $15.4 billion more than men for annual out-of-pocket expenses. U.S. Department of Labor and Statistics: Women make up 75% of total employment in hospitals. The New England Journal of Medicine: Female primary care physicians spend 15.7% more time with their patients yet earn 8 to 29% less than male counterparts. BMC Primary Care: Women are more likely to visit their primary care physician for physical and mental health concerns than men.
Is rehab education staying current with academic medicine and including the largest healthcare consumers in the world: Women? If so, where are the rehab and early recovery protocols after the most commonly performed major surgeries in the world including cesarean section, hysterectomy, and mastectomy? In this 1-hour workshop with Rebeca Segraves, you will learn how to develop early recovery care plans called rehab protocols, that prioritize the mental and physical function of patients who currently lack early access to occupational and physical therapy to enhance their recovery after major procedures.
Open to women’s health advocates, occupational therapy practitioners, physical therapy practitioners, nurse practitioners, physicians, midwives, doulas, fitness/wellness professionals, and more!
ACCESS HERE

Raising Your Value as a Pelvic Health Provider
2024-12-11 20:00 - 21:00
Were you ever frustrated with how many people struggled with pelvic floor symptoms before they received help?
Have you ever heard someone say, “Why didn’t anyone tell me about pelvic floor therapy sooner?” OR “I had to wait several months to get an appointment with you?!”
How did it make you feel?
After years of practice, Dr. Janelle Howell, PT, DPT, WCS, a pelvic health therapist, discovered how to help more people than she ever could in her 1:1 visits with one of the most intimate conditions that people deal with for years before receiving proper care.
As a women’s health clinical specialist in physical therapy and expert on vaginismus, she grew her social media following to an audience of more than 300K across Instagram and Tik Tok in less than 2 years. Her channel, @vaginarehabdoctor is one of the most sought-after resources on relieving pain with intimacy.
In her annual workshop, Raising Your Value as a Pelvic Health Provider, she teaches professionals how to use their most valuable asset to reach the people who benefit the most from their services sooner rather than later.
REGISTER HERE to join her workshop live or to access the recording!
See you soon!

When should OT and PT be offered in the hospital after birth?
2025-02-05 19:00 - 20:00
In this talk, we explore the factors that support the evidence-based decisions to offer rehab in the hospital after birth. We discuss optimal timing for postpartum occupational and physical therapy and showcase their benefits in supporting 4th trimester recovery and perinatal health. Whether you’re a healthcare professional or maternal health advocate, you will gain valuable tools and knowledge to enhance family-centered care and grow sustainable acute care OB rehab programs.
Watch HERE

Breastfeeding strategies for birth professionals Q/A
2025-02-26 14:00 - 14:30
Join our discussion with Dr. Ann Croghan about early intervention strategies that will help breastfeeding function and goals in the first 0 – 6 weeks of postpartum recovery.
WATCH HERE

Vital Signs on the Maternity Unit
2025-04-02 19:30 - 20:30
April 2, 2025 In hospitals across the country, rehab therapists routinely monitor vital signs with patients during the activity they are expected to perform at home. Dr. Jennifer Bonia, PT, DPT is an acute care therapist treating patients in the hospital after c-section who inspired this month’s inaugural Women’s Health Research Club on the use of the Adult Vital Sign Interpretation in Acute Care Guide to expand evidence-based rehab practice on the maternity unit. Join us HERE for a discussion on using this guide for immediate postpartum recovery care on Wednesday, April 2nd at 7:30 PM ET.

Physical therapy after c-section
2025-05-12 20:00 - 20:30
🏥 Postpartum pain has been closely linked with maternal mental health and studies have examined the impact of maternal pain on newborn bonding.
🩺 Dr. Addy Javes, PT, DPT shares her recent case report on the impact that physical therapy has in the hospital after birth on postpartum pain and function to improve maternal outcomes after cesarean section.
🗓️ Join us for an exclusive interview with her on why she wrote about this area of recovery care that’s rarely offered to new moms: Monday, May 12, 2025 at 8 PM ET.
Watch the livestream HERE

OT and PT Capstones in Maternal and Pelvic Health: Acute Care to Home Health
2025-05-14 20:00 - 20:45
As interest in maternal and pelvic health continues to rise in both acute care and home health settings, an increasing number of programs and businesses are introducing OT and PT services earlier than traditional standards of care. Join us for a dynamic roundtable discussion featuring occupational and physical therapy students, capstone advisors, and practicing clinicians. Together, they’ll explore how maternal and pelvic health are being redefined across hospital, home, and virtual care environments.
REGISTER HERE

Enhanced Recovery After Delivery Training Q/A
2025-06-24 19:00 - 20:00
This special Q/A will be open to the public and to Pelvic Health Network members who have specific questions on starting a new service line, business, or hospital-based program that provides acute care, virtual, and home-health services during:

pregnancy (including high-risk conditions) and
within 0-6 days following any birth experience and pelvic surgery (e.g. hysterectomy, high-degree perineal tear, sterilization, hemorrhage management, and more).

We will discuss the upcoming Enhanced Recovery After Delivery training that prepares licensed health providers and birth professionals to expedite maternal health support faster than the current standard of care. This training will be offered via livestream and in-person, providing breakfast, lunch, and a beautiful hike with iconic views of the Pikes Peak region.
The training will be professionally recorded for future, self-paced participants while our livestream and in-person participants will master the hands-on techniques that can be started in the hospital and home. Every trainee will have access to a 1:1 meeting with an ERAD instructor that they can request within the 12 months from the start of their training: live or self-paced.
This Q/A will answer your questions on whether or not you should continue observing perinatal health practice across all settings OR if you are ready to advance your career and join us at our beautiful headquarters in Colorado Springs on July 19-20, 2025. After this training, you can choose to pursue the Perinatal Health Specialist Certification that is 100% unique to this specialized area of practice.
We can’t wait to meet you, learn about your mission, and help you succeed! This Q/A will be recorded for members of Pelvic Health Network where memberships directly support program and professional development to advance early interventions in acute care, home health, virtual practice, and community-based support for maternal health, women’s health, and pelvic health care.
REGISTER HERE

From the ERAD® Acute Care OB Rehab Manual to the Medbridge Birth Recovery Pathway
2025-08-06 19:00 - 20:00
Live Q/A for clinicians establishing rehab services as a standard of care during high-risk pregnancy and within the first 7 days postpartum to enhance recovery after any birth experience. Join us for a review of the Acute Care OB Rehab Manual with Spanish translation updates and resources for acute perinatal rehab program development + an introduction to the simple solution that’s filling the gap between hospital and home: the Medbridge Birth Recovery Pathway. Coming September 2025.
Register HERE

Maternal Rehab: Difference Between Occupational and Physical Therapy
2025-08-19 19:00 - 20:00
What is the difference between occupational therapy and physical therapy in maternal care? This is one of the most common questions we hear from providers, students, and hospital teams every year.
The answer matters as maternal rehab becomes a greater priority in hospitals, clinics, telehealth, and home-based care. In this live panel discussion, experienced OTs and PTs will share how their roles overlap and where they are distinct in supporting recovery during pregnancy and after birth, including postpartum complications and Cesarean recovery.
We will explore case examples from acute care, home health, and outpatient settings, and discuss how both professions can collaborate to improve function, safety, and quality of life for mothers.
What you will learn:

The scope of OT vs PT practice in maternal health
Key similarities and differences in evaluation and treatment approaches
How interprofessional collaboration improves recovery outcomes
Real-world examples from hospital to home

Bring your questions for a lively Q&A. Whether you are a provider, student, or administrator, this session will give you clarity on the unique and complementary roles of OT and PT in maternal care.
REGISTER HERE

Maternal Rehab Practice Development Across Settings
2025-08-26 19:00 - 20:00
Some clinicians believe that any rehab setting outside of an outpatient women’s health clinic provides subpar care to mothers during pregnancy and after birth.
But what happens when hospitalists, OB/GYNs, nurses, and other maternal health providers recognize the value of having a rehab professional on their care team during a high-risk pregnancy admission, or when a new mother is experiencing functional impairments before hospital discharge?
What do you do when local providers want to start offering rehab services in the home within the first weeks of postpartum recovery, while mothers are still healing and bonding with their newborn?
How do you respond when your hospital system wants to extend perinatal triage services through telehealth rehab to reduce postpartum readmissions and connect patients to earlier guidance on mobility and recovery?
Would you say, “No. Refer your patients to me when they’re ready for outpatient women’s health rehab.”
Of course not.
In our monthly meeting, designed for Perinatal Health Specialist Certification members, we will answer live questions on how to build maternal rehab services across diverse settings to meet patients across the continuum of care and improve maternal health outcomes earlier than the current standard.
Topics will include how to identify the right setting for the care a patient is seeking, strategies for building referral networks across disciplines, billing considerations, collaboration with other providers, and practical approaches to improving maternal function and recovery with earlier access to rehab.
PHS-C Members: Bring your questions about clinical practice, program assignments, and connect certification objectives with real-life applications.
REGISTER HERE

The myths about diastasis recti with Antony Lo
2025-09-16 17:30 - 18:30
Diastasis Rectus Abdominis training is everywhere. Courses, books, and programs are being sold to both providers and the public. But if that information was enough, why are so many women still confused and stuck in slow recovery?
In this episode I talk with Antony Lo, a physiotherapist from Australia who is known for challenging the way we think about abdominal muscle separation. He explains why memorizing anatomy, isolating muscles, changing breathing patterns, and prescribing low-level exercises may not be the best place to start.
“By reframing what having DRA means, we have a chance of changing the experience for millions of women.” Antony teaches what that looks like in practice and why simple shifts in how we assess and guide movement can make a huge difference.
If you think you already know everything about DRA, this conversation will push you to look again. And when his training is offered in your region, you will not want to miss it.
Host, Rebeca Segraves, Pelvic Health Network
WATCH HERE

From Data to Delivery: Launching Your Virtual Rehab Practice Before and After Birth
2025-11-04 19:00 - 20:00
💡 What if you could provide your patients with more options for recovery earlier than the standard of care?
Across the country, patients recovering from cesarean delivery are sent home without early rehab or movement guidance. For some, even the surgery itself is painful: 11% to 14.6% experience pain during a C-section when anesthesia doesn’t work effectively.
Many more struggle with preventable pain, fatigue, and loss of function after birth.
As surgery recovery professionals, we see how early rehab can change these outcomes.
Yet, too often, clinicians are led to believe that “there isn’t enough evidence” to support recovery care during the first six weeks after surgical birth.
This webinar is an opportunity to change that.
Join us to learn how to use evidence-informed tools and strategies that expand the movement choices patients have during pregnancy and early recovery so that every patient can participate in their healing and not just endure it.
📅 From Data to Delivery: Launching Your Virtual Rehab Practice Before and After Birth
🕖 Tuesday, November 4, 2025 at 7 PM ET
🎁 Bonus for Attendees: All registrants will receive an evidence-informed movement guide that includes sample birth preparation and early recovery movements with explanations of their purpose and benefits.
The guide helps clinicians expand patient options for movement, autonomy, and participation in recovery.
🩺Purpose with impact: Thirty percent of proceeds will fund research on early rehabilitation after surgical births, including perineal repairs and cesarean deliveries.
Research on early rehab after birth will help every clinician who has been told there isn’t enough evidence to start sooner.
If you’re ready to lead the change in how early recovery care after birth begins, join the movement.
REGISTER HERE

Occupational and Physical Therapy Early After Birth: ERAD® Info Session
2026-03-03 19:00 - 20:00
Who are the leaders advancing early postpartum rehab in U.S. hospitals?
On Tuesday, March 3rd, we will meet the clinical leaders behind hospitals that provide occupational and physical therapy services on the maternity unit prior to discharge.
This live event will feature representatives from facilities listed in the Postpartum Recovery Hospital Directory, a growing national database of institutions offering inpatient rehabilitation after birth.
Each leader will briefly introduce:
• Their facility and setting• The structure of their postpartum rehab services• How referrals are generated on the maternity unit• The role of OT and PT in early recovery• Their purpose for building or sustaining these services
This event is designed for:
• Hospital administrators• Rehabilitation directors• Acute care therapists• OB service line leaders• Home health and outpatient clinicians seeking hospital collaboration
We will highlight the 120+ U.S. facilities currently offering OT and PT services after birth and open the door for future panel opportunities as maternity rehab services continue to expand.
Thank you for leading early recovery where it begins.
REGISTER HERE

We Can't Wait 6 Weeks: Early Rehab After 3rd & 4th Degree Tears
2026-03-17 19:00 - 20:30
Third and fourth degree perineal tears, also known as obstetric anal sphincter injuries (OASIS), can significantly affect bowel function, pain, mobility, and participation in daily activities during the early postpartum period. Despite the functional impact of these injuries, rehabilitation is frequently delayed until the traditional six-week medical clearance, leaving a critical gap in early management. This course examines the clinical rationale for initiating rehabilitation within the first six weeks and outlines evidence-informed assessment and intervention strategies appropriate for acute and early postpartum care.
Participants will analyze tissue healing timelines, bowel protection principles, red flag screening, and early mobility considerations specific to severe perineal trauma. Instruction will emphasize functional assessment, symptom-guided progression, and interdisciplinary communication. The course also explores how to adapt early rehabilitation principles across acute care, home health, outpatient, and telehealth settings to support safe recovery and restore participation in meaningful activities while reducing risk of long-term dysfunction.
REGISTER HERE

They Started Rehab After C-Section in the Hospital. Here’s What Happened.
2026-04-07 19:00 - 20:00
What happens when moms get help recovering after a C-section…before they leave the hospital?
At Intermountain Medical Center, physical therapists started seeing patients during their hospital stay, not weeks later, and the difference was clear.
Patients shared:
• Less pain• More confidence getting up and moving• Feeling more prepared to go home• “Why wasn’t this a thing before?”
Nurses saw it too:
• Patients moving better• Smoother recovery on the unit• Strong support for making this standard care
The results were so strong, the team presented their work at a national conference in 2026.
In this session, you’ll hear directly from the team who built the program:
• How they made it part of everyday hospital care• What they’re actually doing with patients• What patients and nurses experienced
If you’ve been asking why this kind of support isn’t standard after C-section, Dr. Geanna Granger and Dr. Ginger Leibfritz are going to show you what it looks like when it is.
Free to attend. Register HERE to join live.

Cesarean Birth Prep & Postpartum Rehab Workshop
2026-04-08 19:00 - 20:30
The most important window for recovery after Cesarean birth is the first few weeks after surgery.
That’s when patients are getting out of bed, lifting their baby, and trying to move through pain and fatigue while still managing the demands of daily life.
They’re getting in and out of a car for the first time after surgery.They’re going to a pediatrician visit within the first week.Some are traveling back and forth to the NICU.They’re navigating stairs, standing long enough to shower, and caring for other children at home.
In some cases, they’re recovering from surgery without consistent help or managing newborn care as a single parent.
And most of them are doing it without a clear plan.
They’re told to “take it easy,” but the guidance is vague and not tailored to the actual demands of their day, so patients are left to figure out on their own how to move, lift, and function in a way that supports healing.
This is where recovery starts to break down.
Rehabilitation is often delayed or not introduced at all during this early window, even though this is when guidance has the greatest impact on mobility, pain, and return to daily activities.
This workshop is designed to help clinicians step into that window with more clarity and confidence.
In this 90-minute workshop, you will learn how to support patients before and after Cesarean birth using a structured, timeline-based approach to recovery. We will review how cesarean delivery impacts the abdominal wall and overall function, and how these changes influence movement, activity tolerance, and return to daily tasks.
You will leave with practical strategies to guide early mobility, positioning, breathing, and activity progression in the first days and weeks postpartum, along with a clear way to communicate expectations, identify when to refer, and provide education patients can use immediately at home.
Expand Your Practice

Become the clinician patients and providers trust for early recovery after Cesarean birth

Step into a gap in care that is currently underserved in most hospitals and communities

Offer guidance during the most critical window of recovery instead of waiting until weeks later

Build confidence addressing early postpartum needs, even without a specialty certification

Strengthen your role within your team by providing clear, actionable recovery plans

Improve patient outcomes by addressing mobility and function when it matters most

Differentiate your services by offering structured, timeline-based recovery support

Position yourself as a leader in early maternal surgery care within your setting

ENROLL HERE

C-Section Rehab: My Experience with Home Health Occupational Therapy
2026-05-05 19:00 - 20:00
Dr. Jenna Segraves, PT, DPT, NCS shares her experience with home-based OT services after C-section complications

Four days after a C-section, Jenna couldn’t lie flat.
She was short of breath. She felt pressure in her chest. Her blood pressure had climbed far from her normal.
She went to OB triage. Her concerns weren’t taken seriously. She was told to go home and rest. With ongoing chest pressure, she was sent to the main emergency department.
While in the ED, her systolic blood pressure rose over 180 and her BNP registered at 1650. She was treated for postpartum fluid overload and acute heart failure.
Jenna is an ultra-endurance athlete who knew her baseline well. That didn’t stop this from being missed early. In this session, you’ll see exactly how this unfolded and what was missed, including the role of home health OT in the first few days after Jenna’s postpartum readmission.
Patients are discharged. Symptoms start. They go back in. They’re told it’s part of recovery. They come back again when things get worse.
We’ll talk about what therapists should be paying attention to right away after C-section, what patients are dealing with at home, and where rehab fits in before complications escalate.
If you work in acute care, home health, or outpatient, this will give you a clearer picture of what happens after discharge and what early intervention can look like in practice.
REGISTER HERE

Build it by 2027: Physician-Led Postpartum Recovery Program
2026-05-19 19:30 - 21:00
Duke University Health System saved over $815,000 in 24 months by adding physical therapy to their maternity unit and via telehealth. The program could not have launched without a physician order.
127 maternity units in the United States currently offer occupational and physical therapy during postpartum admission. The hospitals reducing postpartum readmissions fastest have one thing in common: a physician who decided to build a recovery team.
This session is designed for OBGYNs, MFMs, and OB hospitalists who want to understand how a postpartum recovery program works, what it requires of the physician, and how to build one inside their own health system before 2027.
You will leave this session with:
1. A clinical algorithm and outcome measures for identifying postpartum patients who would benefit from rehabilitation during hospital admission or through telehealth and home health follow-up after discharge.
2. Rehab practice guidelines that include assessing physiological response to activity after hemorrhage, Cesarean hysterectomy, preeclampsia, and other major birth events.
3. Program outcomes that address the metrics that payors and health systems measure including length of stay, patient satisfaction scores, preventable complications, and avoidable readmissions.
Presented by: Rebeca Segraves, PT, DPT, PWCS | Founder, Enhanced Recovery After Delivery®. Developer of the only global directory that tracks inpatient postpartum recovery programs across maternity hospitals.
Dr. Katherine Sylvester, PT, DPT | Founder, MommyMonitor. Acute care women’s health physical therapist and remote postpartum monitoring specialist.
This session is free. It is built for the physician who already suspects something is missing in the recovery window between discharge and the six week visit and wants to do something about it.
Register to attend live or receive the recording.
REGISTER HERE

Learn How They Pitched It: Your Maternal Rehab Presentation Template
2026-06-16 19:00 - 20:00
I was in a Zoom meeting with the lead OT and PT of the acute care maternal rehab program at one of the leading academic medical centers in the U.S.
They were explaining how they started a service line that offers rehab to mothers during hospital admission after birth when they noticed another need: OB nurses wanted to learn what they were teaching patients in the hospital room with their anatomical pelvic model.
During a treatment session, a nurse had observed the therapist use the pelvic model with a new mom after a perineal tear and discuss the pelvic health treatment plan she created for her. The nurse left the room and when the therapist ended her session, she was met with a team of OB nurses at the nurse’s station on the mother baby unit. They wanted to see the pelvic model and learn the pelvic floor education that the therapists were providing to women after vaginal delivery before discharge. What started as an acute care maternal rehab program expanded into an interdisciplinary postpartum recovery model led by occupational therapists, physical therapists, OB nurses, and OB/GYNs.
The Pelvic Health Network’s Postpartum Recovery Hospital Directory tracks 128 facilities that offer rehab services on the maternity unit. These programs have quickly grown into a movement that is expanding access to early recovery care after birth in hospitals, home health, outpatient clinics, and virtual care. In every setting where a therapist was willing to build the referral pathway, clinicians have learned the fundamental skill that gets buy-in from the maternal care team: how to communicate the value to mothers earlier after birth.
In our workshop on Tuesday, June 16 at 7 PM ET, therapists will receive the presentation template to communicate their role, and learn what to include, who to invite, and how to build the case for early maternal rehab in every setting for moms who want access to postpartum recovery care.
See you then,
Rebeca Segraves, Pelvic Health Network
REGISTER HERE
