A postnatal assessment with a pelvic floor physiotherapist is quite different to a check with your obstetrician or GP – and they are both equally important.

Your body has just been through a huge transformation and you need to treat your body as though you are in recovery – you need to take time to heal and do what is right for your individual recovery.

It is never too late to book in your postnatal assessment, whether you are 6 weeks or 5 years postnatal.

Why you should see a pelvic floor physiotherapist after having a baby?

  • Pelvic floor muscle assessment

    • We will check your pelvic floor muscles to assess their strength, endurance, co-ordination and ability to relax
    • We will prescribe an individualised program to help you begin your rehab journey
    • A vaginal assessment is the gold standard way to do this, but we do offer real time ultrasound as an alternative method
  • Scar assessment

    • This may either be a cesction, perineal, third or fourth degree scar assessment
    • We discuss scar massage and treatment options for scar healing if necessary
  • Abdominal assessment

    • We will check for abdominal separation and provide guidance on recovery garments if necessary
    • We assess core strength and prescribe rehabilitation exercises
  • Bladder health

    • We assess your current bladder function and assess if there are any signs of dysfunction (bladder leakage, urgency, frequency, incomplete emptying or pain)
  • Bowel health

    • We discuss stool consistency, if you have any difficultly holding on or emptying or pain
    • We assess for anal fissures and haemorrhoids and support your recovery from these
  • Sexual health

    • We discuss return to intimacy postnatal (which can be a very different journey for everyone) and ensure you have normal sensation, no discomfort or bladder leakage
  • Prolapse

    • We screen for prolapse and discuss ways to support your recovery if necessary
  • Exercise

    • We discuss safe return to exercise and support you to get back to whatever it is you want to do!
    • We offer baby friend group physiotherapy exercise classes (similar to pilates) and a baby boot camp exercise class