Pregnancy, Birth and Recovery

• Are you experiencing back or pelvic pain during your pregnancy?
• Do you need guidance on how to help your pelvic and abdominal muscles recover after giving birth?
• Are your shoulders and neck stiff and sore after breast feeding?
• Do you need information and a clear pathway to assist with returning to exercise after your pregnancy?

Pregnancy is a time of rapid physical change in your body. Our experienced Women’s Health physiotherapists understand these changes and can show you how to best manage any symptoms during each different stage of your pregnancy, and after the birth of your child.

The team at Anchala Rehabilitation Physiotherapy work together with your chosen obstetric-care providers to assist you through all stages of pregnancy, preparing for labour and after birth. Helping you to understand what is happening to your body, and supporting you to remain active and pain-free during your pregnancy can lead to a better experience of pregnancy, birth and postnatal recovery.

Pelvic pain is common during pregnancy, and hands-on physiotherapy treatment can help alleviate it. In addition, our physiotherapists prescribe targeted exercises to manage the pain.

Our physiotherapists are expert at providing advice on exercise that you can safely undertake, during and after your pregnancy. It’s essential that you continue to try and do some form of gentle exercise during and after your pregnancy, but it’s important to get guidance around safe exercise.

Common Symptoms During Pregnancy

• Neck and back pain
• Pain in your pelvis
• Pain with walking or rolling over in bed
• Urinary leakage or urgency (needing to rush to the bathroom)
• Feeling like you have not emptied your bladder or bowels properly
• Constipation and soiling
• Trouble exercising and being unsure as to what exercise is safe for you
• Concerns/confusion around birthing choices

Your advanced trained Women’s Health physiotherapist will conduct a thorough assessment and provide you with a customised management plan, depending on your needs, concerns and any symptoms you may have. You may not have any of the above symptoms, however many people find it helpful to consult with a physiotherapist about exercise and movement related to pregnancy, child birth and the period after child birth.

Common Symptoms After Your Delivery

• Urinary incontinence or soiling
• Abdominal muscle separation
• A feeling of heaviness or a dragging sensation at your vagina
• Neck or back pain
• Mastitis
• Pelvic pain
• Scar tissue concerns after a caesarean section
• Wound healing
• Reduced fitness

A physiotherapy appointment after birth is part of routine care and is usually scheduled at 6-8 weeks after your delivery. Your physiotherapist will screen for a wide range of symptoms and concerns. Even if you have none of the common symptoms listed above, many women benefit from an assessment of their pelvic floor.

Our priority is ensuring you recover well after your delivery and are supported to slowly return to those activities you wish to resume, as soon as it is safe and possible.

How can we Help?

The stage of your pregnancy often determines your symptoms. We can support you with:

• concerns around exercise and what is safe;
• education and exercise prescription,?to keep you safe and strong during pregnancy and after your baby is born;
• addressing any continence issues you may experience including pelvic floor exercise prescription;
• back and pelvic pain management with hands-on therapy such as massage, joint mobilisation and soft tissue release;
• provide you with education to prepare you for birthing
• taping and bracing, to provide additional joint support; and/or
• provide you with an individualised exercise program for your general wellbeing, which may include pelvic floor exercise.

After your delivery, our physiotherapists are able to support you in several ways including:

• helping you to recover your strength and fitness;
• assessing your pelvic floor and managing any symptoms associated with trauma to the pelvic floor, including any continence concerns;
• helping you to manage any ongoing joint or muscle pain;
• assessing and managing any abdominal separation you may have;
• treating episodes of mastitis, and
• providing you with advice on returning to your usual activities in a safe and timely way.