Morning trends: maternity deserts, virtual pelvic PT, postpartum posture

Maternity care access, virtual pelvic floor PT, and the posture question new parents keep asking—here’s what rose this Sunday morning.

1 in 3 U.S. counties are still maternity care deserts, according to March of Dimes’ fresh 2026 report: 34.6% of counties have no obstetric clinicians or birthing facilities, and at least 96 labor-and-delivery units closed from January 2024 through May 2026.1 Families in those counties travel about three times farther for delivery care.1

On the recovery side, August is Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Awareness Month2, and Origin’s 2026 research on 4,662 patients found virtual pelvic floor physical therapy matched in-person clinical outcomes in fewer than half the visits.3 Nearly a third of patients had lived with symptoms for three or more years before care.4 That lands next to APTA’s July finding that demand for pelvic health PT is already outpacing access.5

In parent communities this morning, the practical question was simpler: how do you not wreck your posture after a baby? Feeding, pumping, transfers, and lifting stack the same rounded upper-back load every day. One useful fix is boring and immediate—support your feet, keep baby close, drop your shoulders.

If something still feels off—leakage, heaviness, pain with lifts—ask about pelvic floor PT. In-person or virtual. Pregnancy or years postpartum. Waiting is still common. It does not have to be your plan.