Ashton Kirks Physical Therapy Baby Making Bodies

Ashton Kirks on Transformative Prenatal and Postpartum Care

Today, we are thrilled to interview Ashton Kirks, a dedicated physical therapist and the founder of Baby Making Bodies. With a passion for helping women navigate the physical challenges of pregnancy, labor, and postpartum recovery, Ashton brings a unique perspective shaped by her professional expertise and personal experiences as a mother. Her journey from a Physical Therapist Assistant to creating a specialized prenatal and postpartum physical therapy practice is inspiring, and her commitment to holistic care sets her apart in the field. Join us as we delve into Ashton’s background, her motivations, and the impact of her innovative approach on the lives of many women. We hope you enjoy our interview!

Can you tell us a little about your background and how you got started in physical therapy?

I have always been interested in helping people and I also loved the way physical fitness can empower and improve not only health but quality of life. I can’t even remember what specifically inspired me to look into physical therapy, but my local community college back home in Kansas City offered the associates degree of Physical Therapist Assistant and from day one it just clicked. The combination of meeting an immediate need for someone and also educating them on how to prevent or avoid future dysfunction resonates with me. It’s not just about “fixing” what’s wrong, it’s improving their quality of life by giving them the tools they need to age well and do hard things without breaking.

What inspired you to create Baby Making Bodies?

After I had my first daughter, I was astonished at how unprepared women can be for the physicality of pregnancy, labor and delivery, and postpartum recovery. Fortunately for me I had enough education to know when to seek out help for correcting dysfunctions. But the majority of women don’t have that resource. Without someone teaching them how to best support their body through pregnancy and what dysfunctions can be overcome postpartum, so many mothers end up accepting a lessened quality of life simply because they don’t know they don’t have to. And that’s not good enough. The standard of care in our country is to pull back on physical activity and fitness during pregnancy and then do nothing postpartum for 6 weeks. And do you know how many physical dysfunctions our bodies can learn to live with in 6 weeks? I want to change that. 

How do your experiences as a mother influence your approach to prenatal and postpartum periods?

Being a mother myself has given me a realistic expectation of what a woman is capable of during their motherhood journey. I understand the insane fluctuation of energy and symptoms during pregnancy, and the complete exhaustion and mental fog postpartum. I endeavor to structure my patient’s care into manageable steps and achievable milestones knowing consistency, not aggression, is the key to enduring success. And I know first-hand how difficult it is to focus on yourself when so many are asking so much of you. BUT I also know just HOW IMPORTANT it is to invest in your own wellbeing for physical, emotional, and mental health.

What are some common physical challenges women face during the prenatal and postpartum periods?

I look at these as two completely different states of the body so I will answer them separately.

Prenatal: During pregnancy there is a litany of common symptoms that can take a toll on a woman both physically and mentally. Physical therapy focuses on the musculoskeletal things like back pain, round ligament pain, joint pain, generalized discomfort, pubic symphysis disorder, SI joint disorder, and pelvic floor pain. Not every woman will experience all of these things, and physical therapy itself cannot mitigate all of them. But the stronger a body is, the more it can take before complaining. And learning the correct mechanics and postures can reduce or eliminate many of these symptoms.  

Postpartum: The wide variety of symptoms and dysfunctions postpartum make it challenging for a mom to know if they need to seek help or not. A postpartum experience can largely depend on the delivery method and birth experience, and that is why it is so critical for every woman to be evaluated in PT within the first 1-2 weeks to help her navigate the changes and challenges in her body. We commonly treat diastasis recti, upper and lower back pain, ergonomics and mechanics of motherhood tasks, incontinence, mild to moderate pelvic floor dysfunction (more on this in a moment), and core reactivation/reintegration. 

How does your holistic approach differ from traditional physical therapy methods?

The physical strength of your body is only one piece to your well-being. We are careful to consider someone’s entire person to ensure they are getting the care they need, even if it’s not with us. Some clinics are only concerned with fulfilling their small checklist and considering it a job well done. But a physically fit mother who is struggling to breastfeed their baby, cannot sleep, is having a hard time balancing work and home life, or is riddled with anxiety is not a well woman. It is so important to us to work in conjunction with other health and wellness professionals to ensure every person who comes to our clinic gets what they need to pursue wholeness.

How can new mothers benefit from postpartum physical therapy?

Physical therapy can discern what dysfunctions are going on and help correct them. The most common thing I see is that our core muscles can sometimes struggle to regain good function in a timely manner. With early intervention and specific exercises and awareness, we can help reconnect those muscles and regain their proper use and function which in turn will correct or avoid many common dysfunctions. Childbearing also changes our body permanently. For some the changes are dramatic and devastating and for others the changes are so subtle they struggle to discern why they are experiencing challenges. Physical therapy will help you get to know your new body. We will help your nervous system reconnect and improve the mechanics of your day-to-day function. Through this process most will relearn their body image and self-identity, empowering a mother with the knowledge that even though her body is different, it has done magnificent things and is strong, powerful, and capable. 

What are some misconceptions about postpartum recovery that you encounter?

The biggest blind spot in antenatal care in our country is the initial postpartum window. So many women are told to take it easy for 6 weeks and then come in for a checkup to basically ensure resuming sex is permissible, and not much else. There is nothing magical about that 6-week mark. I encourage women to return to activity and even strength training long before that with the understanding they listen to their bodies and modify intensity and activity with my help to guide them. On the other side of the coin, just because you are 6 weeks postpartum doesn’t mean you are ready for everything. It’s okay to take it slowly.  And the more traumatic your birth was the more likely you are going to want to approach things cautiously. 

Another big misconception is that a woman should “bounce back” from pregnancy and birth. Not just the appearance of our bodies, but our mental and emotional state is altered far longer than 6 weeks. The societal expectation that a woman will return to who and how she was pre-baby is nonsense. 

What are the long-term benefits of maintaining physical fitness during and after pregnancy?

Strength training during pregnancy is beneficial for so many reasons.  The stronger your musculoskeletal systems are, the better they will be at stabilizing your body during all the pregnancy changes. Not all symptoms can be avoided but many can. And maintaining strength during pregnancy is a great way to prepare your body for the labor and delivery process and ensure a more timely recovery postpartum. You would never run a marathon without training for it, and labor is nothing if not a marathon. The stronger you are entering postpartum the better your body recovers from the physical trauma of giving birth. Those who maintain core activation and strength training during pregnancy experience an improved activation of those muscles immediately postpartum. This plays a big role in function from standing tolerance, moving around in bed, and standing up from a sitting position. 

Can you share any success stories from clients undergoing your prenatal or postpartum programs?

I have several client testimonials from women who have worked with me through their pregnancies and into their postpartum:

“When I first found out I was pregnant, I had been doing at-home workouts, and switched almost immediately to an online prenatal barre workout program. I quickly learned that, like any new mom, I had a thousand questions about what I was doing. Is this move safe? How high should my heart rate be? Am I holding this position correctly? At just the right moment I was introduced to Ashton, who invited me to be a part of her prenatal fitness program. She asked me about my pregnancy and birth goals and worked with me to learn where I was at physically so she could create the best, most proactive workouts for me. Through the wonders of modern technology, Ashton and I met weekly to discuss how things were going, what changes I was noticing in my body, and then we’d run through a workout together. I loved being able to ask her questions, and especially appreciated her gentle guidance, correction, and modifications – something I could never have received through the online workouts I was previously using! I’ll never forget when Ashton checked in with my emotional well-being, asking how I was handling the changes in my body. That was so meaningful to me as a first-time mom. Throughout early labor and delivery, I was able to implement techniques and breathing strategies that we had worked on all throughout my pregnancy. Although my labor ended up being long and strong, I was able to vaginally deliver my 10.5lb son, and my physical recovery has been an absolute dream. Within the first week postpartum, I was confident about when to get up and move my body, all while listening and responding to my recovery needs. I can wholeheartedly attribute this healthy postpartum body and recovery to the work that Ashton and I did together.” – Elena

“I joined Ashton’s program early in my pregnancy and it gave me confidence that I was doing workouts that were safe for me and baby and were actually helping my body get ready for birth.” – Lindsay

“Ashton is amazing! I am so grateful for the support she gave me during my 4th pregnancy! A few days after my son was born, I said to my husband ‘LOOK! Look at my abs – I can engage them!’ I, of course, did not need ‘abs’ right after birth and a woman’s body does not need to ‘bounce back,’ but I truly felt that my core was supported which helped me get up & down, carry my son and tolerate extended breastfeeding positions in those early days and weeks. It’s all thanks to Ashton. One of the best choices I made in pregnancy! I am now about 8 weeks postpartum and continuing to work out with Ashton, feeling great!” – Lindsey

I am currently working with a momma in her mid 20s who came to me 2 weeks postpartum with her first baby. She is a semi-pro soccer player and was anxious about getting back to competitive level play as soon as possible. She is now 7 weeks postpartum and has rejoined her team for workouts and practice and is poised to rejoin her league in the fall right on track. We started working with core reintegration and postural control in those early weeks and now she is doing full functional strength training and running at 7 weeks postpartum. 

What advice would you give to expecting mothers who are new to physical fitness?

Anything is better than nothing. Find what is doable but challenging and slowly build from there. The best form of exercise is the one that you will do. I strongly believe in tailored strength and stability training, but if that isn’t something that you will stick to, figure out what you will and do it. Consistency is the key to success. 

How do you incorporate mental and emotional well-being into your physical therapy sessions?

I cannot tell you the number of times a client has walked in for a workout session and we have spent the entire time behind closed doors just talking through things they need to discuss. The beauty of our non insurance-based model of practice is that we can give people what they need in that moment even if it’s not exercises. As a mom, I understand the importance of being aware of my client’s mental state and emotional health and when needed we pause the physical training and address these other concerns. We are here to make sure our clients achieve health and wholeness in all aspects of their life.

How do you work with other healthcare providers to ensure comprehensive care for your clients?

As I alluded to earlier, we are not certified pelvic floor therapists so we have networked with three local providers that we know and trust in order to refer our clients who need the higher-level pelvic floor treatment we cannot provide. We have a list of resources like massage therapists, chiropractors, acupuncturists, and nationally recognized support groups like La Leche League that we can give our clients to help them achieve what we may not be able to offer them. We are always on the lookout to expand our recommendations and are so glad to add Elite Postpartum Doulas to that list. It takes time to gather resources as we are very particular who we refer our clients to. We want to recommend only the very best of care no matter what it is.  

How has the partnership with Waterland Performance enhanced your practice?

I began working as Erik Waterland’s assistant in 2017 in a different clinic and we worked side by side for two years before I left to have my first baby. Later in 2019 Erik started his own practice and invited me to resume my roll as his assistant with a flexible schedule to afford me the opportunity to be fully present in raising my children but yet pursue clinical practice. This sense of freedom and having one foot in each world was the biggest catalyst to the founding of Baby Making Bodies. I rely on Erik’s experience and perspective and the other staff therapists to contribute to the care of our clients. The shared wealth of knowledge and experience makes us all better clinicians. I still see regular PT clients as well and this allows me to not get so “niched down” that I lose my skills outside of antenatal care. This in turn helps me bring a wider understanding of the body to my clientele.   

Is there anything else you’d like to share that we haven’t covered?

I am not as active as I used to be, but there are still a lot of posts and information (often humorous) on my social media pages: @babymakingbodies on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. 

How can prospective clients get started with Baby Making Bodies, and what should they expect in their first session?

Prospective clients can go to our website at waterlandperformance.com and fill out an appointment request, or they can email me directly at kirksashton@gmail.com to schedule an evaluation. 

On the very first session there is a lot of talking together. I try to get to know my client and the symptoms or situation that is driving them to pursue care with me.

If they are pre-pregnant, wanting to build their body for a planned pregnancy coming up, we discuss their overall health, present dysfunctions and how to improve their strength and mechanical function to best support a pregnancy. 

If they are pregnant, we discuss how the pregnancy has been going, if there was any drama or trauma involved in conception, or what symptoms they are experiencing that we can address and improve. We discuss the need for foundational strength building, postural corrections and awareness, and how to pursue these goals while being mindful of what their body may or may not be able to handle and when to modify activities. 

If they are postpartum, we discuss how long it has been since they gave birth (we encourage women to seek help NO MATTER HOW LONG IT HAS BEEN), what their birth experience was like, and how they have been feeling in the interim. We pinpoint specific symptoms, pain, dysfunctions, and low quality of life areas that we can improve. I educate on what we need to work on to achieve goals, relieve symptoms, and prevent future dysfunction. 

And without exception I will begin working on core activation and pelvic posture exercises. These are foundational for everyone and while they are not aggressive they can still feel like a great deal of work for a core that is not functioning properly.

We are so grateful for to Ashton for taking the time to speak with us today! Ashton’s passion for transforming prenatal and postpartum care through her innovative physical therapy practices is truly inspiring. Her dedication to supporting women’s health from pregnancy through recovery shines through in every aspect of her work. At Elite Postpartum Doulas, we deeply value building strong connections within our community and are thrilled to have Ashton as a trusted member of our network. Her holistic approach and commitment to empowering mothers align perfectly with our mission to provide exceptional care. We look forward to collaborating with Ashton to enhance the support and resources available to new families and are excited to see the positive impact her expertise will continue to have.

Thank you for reading this week’s post, “ Ashton Kirks on Transformative Prenatal and Postpartum Care .” For more tips on all things pregnancy, postpartum, and parenthood visit our weekly blog.

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