What to expect: Postnatal check-up
Do I need a postnatal check-up?
A woman’s body undergoes tremendous physical change during pregnancy and child-birth. Postnatal recovery takes time, patience and a lot of self-love!
A Women’s health physiotherapy assessment is important in providing you with an appropriate assessment and management tools, to ensure that you have a seamless recovery.
What happens during a postnatal appointment?
1. Abdominal muscle separation check-up.
Due to the expansion of your tummy during pregnancy, many women develop a gap between their tummy muscles – this is called a Rectus Abdominus Diastasis. A significant separation, may result in decreased strength and altered appearance of your tummy, along with an increased risk of back injury. I can provide you with a number of exercises to help reduce the gap and keep your tummy nice and strong!
2. Scar observation.
This is important to check that the stitches have healed entirely, with no residual pain, change of sensation or numbness. If you have any of these symptoms, there are strategies I can teach you to help these disappear.
3. Pelvic floor muscle screening.
Using a Real-Time Ultrasound machine, I look at the strength and endurance of your pelvic floor muscles. These muscles are essential in controlling your bladder and bowel, providing stability for the pelvis and allowing sexual function.
4. Pelvic organ prolapse check
I'll ask you if you feel heaviness, pulling, dragging or a dropping sensation within the Vagina. When performed correctly, pelvic floor exercises can improve symptoms and prevent the likelihood of prolapse.
5. Bladder and bowel screening.
It is common to experience changes in your bladder and bowel after giving birth. Women may experience symptoms like urine leakage, accidentally passing wind or constipation. I will question you about your symptoms, perhaps ask you to keep a bladder/bowel diary, or begin some pelvic floor exercises.
6. Return to exercise prescription.
We can discuss your goals and come up with a safe plan to return to exercise. An assessment will help you feel confident that your body has recovered sufficiently to cope with the stresses of high impact exercise/sport.
7. Musculoskeletal screening.
There are new loads on the body when looking after a newborn baby. I can assess any problem areas, provide treatment or prescribe exercises as needed.
Lydia Barlow
Women’s Health Physiotherapist
