Postpartum Checkup

Why Have a Postpartum Osteopathy Appointment?

This is a 1-hour long session focusing on you and your health and well-being. We’ll want to know about your pregnancy, birth and postpartum recovery, as well as your past medical history, aches/pains, pelvic health status, sex, sleep, feeding and exercise.

Then, depending on your symptoms and goals we will assess the following:

  • Movement
  • Sore joints or spine
  • Breathing
  • Diastasis Recti and core strength
  • Perineal tear/episiotomy OR c-section scar
  • Pelvic floor which includes assessing strength/weakness of the pelvic floor muscle and ligaments, prolapse and pain
  • Return to exercise testing

When Is The Right Time To Book In For An Appointment?

Your body is designed to heal after delivering a baby, and the first six weeks with a new baby can be a wonderful time to establish routines and connections with your baby. But if you are experiencing symptoms that are preventing you from feeling comfortable, please come in sooner.

Postpartum checkup

Symptoms may include but are not exclusive to:

  • Low back pain and stiffness
  • Upper back pain and fatigue
  • Bowel changes – constipation, incontinence, haemorrhoids, urgency
  • Bladder changes – incontinence, hesitancy, frequency, urgency, retention
  • Pelvic pressure or heaviness, visualisation or a lump or bulge in the vagina
  • Perineal trauma – pain from your tear or episiotomy
  • Pelvic girdle, neck, back or wrist pain
  • Itching to return to exercise ASAP and would like guidance
  • Treatment optimises recovery and gives you the reassurance about your symptoms and what your recovery will look like.

Is This Necessary?

YES! Moderate post-natal symptoms affect 90% of women but can be successfully treated, or minimised very quickly with the right expert help.

Our women’s health osteopaths are extremely experienced, having trained for over two years to gain their post-graduate diplomas. Any trauma, or strain to your pelvic floor musculature and your body’s adaptations to those strains can impair your quality of life both in the short and long term.

Is It Ever Too Late?

As they say, once postnatal, always postnatal. If you have never had your ‘6-week check’ – it’s never too late!