Meet Hannah Poe | Pregnant, Postpartum and Pelvic Health Physical Therapist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Hannah Poe and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Hannah, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I have worked as a physical therapist for more than 10 years, initially in the hospital setting before training in pregnancy, postpartum and pelvic floor physical therapy. While working with patients immediately after birth in the hospital, I identified a major gap in postpartum care. After birth,100% of the focus is on the baby, but mothers are expected to immediately care for the newborn without any information about how to care for their own bodies. Our system fails to provide sufficient – or really ANY – education about postpartum recovery.

Within the hospital, I started an evidence-based program to treat patients after birth and before discharge to support recovery and decrease the risk of long-term complications including incontinence, prolapse, back and pelvic pain, pain with sex, and more. This postpartum appointment became my passion, and I have a goal to bring this education to as many new parents as possible so they don’t go home with unanswered questions. I always dreamed of taking this visit into patients’ homes to reach more mothers and to meet them in their own environment.

My three kids are six years old, four years old, and 22 months old. My youngest was born in February 2020, so I was home on maternity leave when COVID started. Being home with my three kids last year gave me the flexibility I needed to launch Exhale Pelvic Health!

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I completed my training in pregnancy and postpartum (Obstetric Physical Therapy) and pelvic health physical therapy while working in the hospital setting. Physical therapists typically work in the outpatient setting while completing this advanced training, so my experience was unique. I spent my days working with moms on bedrest, right after birth, and sometimes during labor. This experience included managing patients with pregnancy related pain and weakness that was more severe than physical therapists typically see in the outpatient setting, as well as helping patients work through labor with pelvic pain. I was the first contact for patients with complications after birth. I helped patients with complications after birth learn how to get out of bed for the first time, how to take care of their babies and physically care for themselves.

My experience with the final days of pregnancy and first days after birth proved to be invaluable in helping my patients prepare for birth and postpartum recovery when I began working as an outpatient physical therapist.

Exhale Pelvic Health is unique in that we offer telehealth appointments. Starting a business during COVID, while also serving as the primary caregiver for my three young children, meant that we had to be creative. I asked myself how I could reach moms who otherwise would not have access to physical therapy because of COVID, childcare or transportation needs, or scheduling conflicts. The answer was clear: telehealth! It works especially well in pelvic floor therapy because our care is so heavily education-based. I typically work with clients for 4 – 5 sessions, then refer them to in-person physical therapy when appropriate. I am so excited to announce that we will also begin offering home visits in early 2022!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
This is fun! I live in Decatur, so most of my favorites are around here. I spend most of my time lately outside and at parks with my kids, but I love dreaming about hanging out indoors with adults! We would definitely eat at Raging Burrito, and grab drinks at Brick Store or ice cream from Butter & Cream. The next day we might go for a walk around Lullwater Park and grab takeout from Soul Vegetarian 2. Of course, we would walk or run on the Beltline and make stops at Ponce City Market for shopping and Krog Street Market for Gu’s Dumplings. Even if kids weren’t involved, we would spend a day at Fernbank Museum.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Anyone who has given birth deserves credit and recognition. I am inspired by every birth and the resilience of mothers who recover under all circumstances. My drive and passion come from the amazing strength I regularly see from moms during this time – even in the absence of support. New moms should not have to go it alone and should always have someone to answer their questions. I am honored to be there for my patients and to give them the support they need to recover and thrive in this new phase. My patients constantly inspire me and I learn from them every day.

Website: https://www.exhalepelvichealth.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/exhalepelvichealth/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ExhalePelvicHealth/

Image Credits
Monica Conlin Photography