For generations, women have been told some version of the same message after childbirth: You had a baby. What do you expect?
Leak when you laugh. Accept back pain. Assume your core will never feel the same.
Alyssa Kievit, founder of Expecting Well PT, is working to change that narrative.
“Just because something is common doesn’t mean it’s normal,” Kievit says.
From Orthopedics to Obstetrics
A graduate of Quinnipiac University and Kean University’s doctoral physical therapy program, Kievit did not initially plan to specialize in pelvic floor therapy.
During one of her final clinical rotations, she was assigned a pregnant CrossFit athlete who wanted to safely complete a Memorial Day workout without compromising her pregnancy—or experiencing incontinence.
“There was nothing in grad school that really prepared me for that,” she shares.
Determined to help, Kievit immersed herself in independent research. The experience sparked an interest she could not ignore.
After graduation, she worked in generalized orthopedics and sports therapy, treating post-surgical patients, runners and youth athletes. But when another pregnant patient presented with significant low back pain, she realized there was more she could offer.
She pursued advanced obstetric coursework through the American Physical Therapy Association and completed pelvic floor training through the Herman & Wallace Pelvic Rehabilitation Institute.
In May 2021, she launched Expecting Well PT.
What Pelvic Floor Therapy Really Means
Pelvic floor therapy is often misunderstood. Kievit describes it as an umbrella capable of addressing a wide range of concerns—from pregnancy and postpartum recovery to menopause and beyond.
Her specialty lies in supporting women during pregnancy and after birth.
Two services define her practice: birth preparation and return-to-exercise rehabilitation.
Birth prep is something many women do not even realize exists.
“We talk about everything that happens in labor and delivery,” Kievit notes. “How to push properly. How to reduce tearing. Pain relief options. What to expect afterward.”
It is the “afterward” that often leaves women feeling unprepared.
From navigating those first postpartum bathroom trips to safely getting off the couch without straining healing tissues, Kievit walks her patients through the details few people openly discuss.
“The things no one tells us,” she explains.
For second- and third-time mothers, birth prep often becomes an opportunity to approach a new pregnancy with more confidence and control than they felt the first time.
Beyond the Six-Week Clearance
On the postpartum side, Kievit focuses on helping women safely return to exercise.
Too often, she says, women are told at their six-week OB appointment that they are “cleared” to resume normal activity.
“But it doesn’t really work like that,” she shares.
Drawing from her extensive fitness background—including weightlifting, Pilates and performance training—she guides women through a structured progression from early postpartum weeks to full athletic return.
She works with clients at three weeks postpartum, six weeks, 12 weeks and beyond, helping them rebuild core strength, restore pelvic floor function and reconnect to breathing mechanics.
“I’ve had clients tell me they feel stronger postpartum than they did pre-pregnancy,” she says.
That transformation, she explains, can be deeply empowering.
Collaboration and Community
Expecting Well operates within FORM in Ridgewood, where Kievit collaborates closely with orthopedic specialist Raffaele Lagonigro.. Their co-treatment approach blends orthopedic and pelvic floor expertise, offering patients comprehensive care under one roof.
As a Bergen County native and mother herself, Kievit values seeing her patients long after their sessions end—running into them downtown, welcoming them back during a second pregnancy or receiving messages celebrating personal milestones.
Many return. Others refer friends.
“It really does take a village,” she emphasizes.
Changing the Narrative
Perhaps the most important shift Kievit hopes to inspire is cultural.
For years, pelvic floor dysfunction was brushed aside as inevitable.
“You had a baby. What do you expect?” she notes, referencing the outdated mindset.
Her response is simple: Expect better.
Expect education.
Expect support.
Expect strength.
Looking ahead, Kievit plans to expand her team and grow Expecting Well’s educational offerings, including workshops and group birth prep classes that make this information more accessible to women across the community.
Because for her, this work is about more than rehabilitation.
It is about helping women feel informed, confident and strong—from the inside out.
For more information visit expectingwellpt.com or call 201-497-0117.
“I’ve had clients tell me they feel stronger postpartum than they did pre-pregnancy." - Dr. Alyssa Kievit