Postnatal Physio: Why it can be Useful After Giving Birth

Your body can experience significant physical changes after giving birth, including hormonal shifts, a weakened pelvic floor, stretched muscles, and even abdominal separation.

Introducing postnatal physiotherapy to your routine will help improve mobility, rebuild strength and aid your recovery. Mothers often prioritise their baby’s health over their own, so they tend to overlook postnatal physio. But it can make a massive difference to their long-term health.

What is postnatal physiotherapy?

Postnatal physiotherapy is designed to support your full recovery after childbirth. It focuses on:

• Strengthening your pelvic floor.
• Helping your abdominals recover.
• Improving posture and spinal alignment.
• Ensuring a safe return to exercise and movement.

The sessions and exercise plan can also be adjusted to your needs, catering to your mode of delivery and any postnatal symptoms.

The key benefits of postnatal physio

Here are some of the key reasons why postnatal physiotherapy can be a great help after childbirth.

Increased pelvic floor health

The pelvic floor exercises provided by your physio will help strengthen the weakened pelvic floor muscles that control the bladder and bowel. This can help prevent prolapse and leakage.

Additionally, improving your pelvic health will help restore your confidence when completing daily activities, allowing you to do more for longer periods of time.

Abdominal recovery

If you experienced abdominal separation as a result of childbirth, your physio will address this by helping you rebuild your core safely. Adhering to this will reduce the risk of hernias and improve your long-term strength.

Pain relief

Staying consistent with physio sessions, exercises, and stretches will help ease any neck, shoulder and lower back pain caused by pregnancy.

You will also learn how to move and lift safely, which will help prevent future injuries and tension.

Improved mobility and posture

The strain of carrying a baby during pregnancy can have a significant effect on your posture, shifting your body’s centre of gravity. The gentle stretches provided by your physio will reduce stiffness, strengthen the core to support balance, and improve mobility, making carrying and bending far safer and easier.

Additionally, you will feel more comfortable while feeding and rocking your baby while also having a reduced risk of injury from lifting car seats and prams.

When is the best time to start postnatal physio?

It is recommended that you start postnatal physio and structured exercise after your 6-8 week postnatal GP check (or later, depending on your recovery progress). However, you can begin very gentle pelvic floor exercises soon after birth if you are comfortable.

You may need it if you have consistent lower back or pelvic pain, bowel or bladder leakage, abdominal separation, or if you are struggling to return to your regular activities. If symptoms last longer than 6 weeks after having your baby or are severe, we advise you to ask for help. Treatment is usually simple and doesn’t cause any pain. Please contact your GP for support. 

However, we encourage you to get early postnatal support, even if you aren’t experiencing severe symptoms; doing this can prevent long-term issues.

Further information on postnatal physio

Recovery after birth takes time, and your journey will be different to others. Postnatal physio is an option that will keep you active, while also being a gentle method that helps you regain strength and confidence.

You can learn more about postnatal physio and exercises by visiting our page here, and more about your body after birth here.