March 20, 2017

Meet Martina Fogt of Bebe PT in West LA

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Martina Fogt.

Martina, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I started Bebe PT 10 years ago as I saw a rising demand in care for the pregnant and postpartum client. As a physical therapist I felt this service was much needed in a well undeserved demographic. Not many physical therapy clinics offered care and support of the pregnant or post-partum women at the time. Specializing in women’s health and pelvic physical therapy has made it possible for us to operate a wonderful private women’s clinic in West LA catering to the needs of the peri-natal and pelvic floor patient. We offer support for women during pregnancy and help alleviate aches and pains that often accompany the changing body during this journey. We also address post-partum concerns such as core rehabilitation. Diastasis recti assessment, C-Section rehabilitation, pelvic floor assessment/restoration and much more. We believe in a multi-disciplinary approach of care and offer many adjunct services such as child care during your appointment, massage therapy, Pilates, acupuncture, birth preparation classes, post-partum depression classes and nutritional seminars to name a few.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The road has not always been smooth and it was challenging to convince the OBGYN community of the benefits of physical therapy care for the pregnant and post-partum patient at first. We were lucky to have found some wonderful physicians that supported our mission from the beginning and made it possible for us to open our location in West LA eight years ago, add a location in Culver City and plan to expand to other neighborhoods in the near future. Due to the amazing results our patients have, our network grew and we are now working with many OBGYN clinics throughout LA.
It was astounding to me how few of my clients knew about the services we provide or that physical therapy was even an option during or after their pregnancy. Luckily, this has changed significantly over the past 10 years, as women’s health and pelvic floor physical therapy became more available and publicly discussed. Our mission is continued promotion of women’s health through public outreach, seminars, word-of-mouth and other promotions, like this interview.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Bebe PT – what should we know?
Bebe Pt is a women’s health center dedicated to the care of pregnant and post-partum women, as well as pelvic pain clients. We support the ever-changing body during pregnancy, help restore the core and pelvic floor after delivery, retrain muscles and prepare for motherhood. Ergonomic assessment and evaluation of baby care ergonomics are part of the evaluation. We help mothers prepare for labor and delivery by strengthening their bodies and building endurance. Our mission is to allow the pregnant mother to become pain free so she can be active during and after pregnancy, as this has shown so many health benefits for both the fetus and mother herself. We offer massage therapy, Pilates, acupuncture and birth preparation classes, in addition to monthly seminars such as lactation consultation, nutrition, pain management etc.

Our highly skilled team of therapists are experienced in working with women in various stages of life including a variety of pregnancy related pain syndromes, post-partum recovery, C Section recovery and care, pelvic pain syndromes, incontinence, painful intercourse, as well as neurological and common orthopedic conditions.

Our physical therapists are experts in prescribing movement during and after pregnancy, a service that is often underutilized. Movement advice is often inconsistent and confusing for the pregnant patient or new mommy. The physical therapist is an ideal health care professional for evaluating and prescribing movement to women during and after pregnancy because their knowledge of biomechanics, pathophysiology, exercise physiology, and pharmacology will result in safe and effective exercise prescriptions.

What I am most proud of is my team here at Bebe PT, as we strive to be a warm and welcoming environment that is caring and allows the patient to heal and recover. Our team embraces this philosophy and cares for patients with the best care and empathy possible.

What sets us apart from other clinics is the level of care the patient receives at Bebe PT.
We continue to strive to change the standard of care for the pregnant client by making physical therapy available to ALL women in need, and continue to educate women about their options and help available to them.

Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
Bebe Pt would not be successful without the loving care of all staff members and incredible therapists.

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