Pregnancy is an incredible and transformative journey that brings significant changes to a woman’s body—especially the pelvic floor. While it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all the appointments that come with pregnancy, many women wonder: if everything seems to be going well, is it really necessary to see a pregnancy physio?
We may be a little biased, but the answer is yes! Seeing a pregnancy physio can play a key role in managing common aches and pains, preparing for birth, and setting you up for a smoother postpartum recovery. In this blog, we’ll explore exactly how a pelvic physiotherapist can support you throughout pregnancy and why proactive care makes a big difference.
What can a pelvic physio do to support you during pregnancy?
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There are many reasons why proactively visiting a pregnancy physio, often also known as a pelvic physiotherapist, during pregnancy is worthwhile and can set you up well for recovery into postpartum and beyond. A few key areas include:
Baseline Pelvic Floor Assessment
Your pelvic floor is going to go through significant change throughout pregnancy and birth, and it’s great for us to have a baseline measurement to refer back to throughout the birth prep process. It is also a wonderful tool for us to have when it comes to your postpartum assessment, particularly with planning your return to activity (especially higher impact exercise). Ideally we take this baseline assessment early in your second trimester, as the lovely hormonal softening that happens over time is yet to really take off yet!
Address Bladder & Bowel Changes
Pregnancy often comes with a range of changes to your bladder (including leakage, frequency and urgency) and bowels (constipation), which can often be written off as “normal pregnancy changes”. Although these symptoms are common, there is a lot we can (and should!) be doing to manage these symptoms.
Discussion of Exercise Guidelines & Modifications
We all know that exercise is important, however it can be really hard to know what’s right when it comes to exercise in pregnancy. Am I allowed to keep running? Do I have to stop lifting heavy weights? Do I need to stop lying on my back? A pelvic physiotherapist after taking your exercise history can provide personalised advice to keep you confidently moving your body throughout all stages of pregnancy.
Can a pregnancy pelvic physio help with pregnancy aches & pains?
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Many pregnant women can experience lower back pain, pelvic girdle pain or sciatica due to hormonal changes, postural changes and increased pressure on the pelvis as pregnancy progresses.
A pelvic physiotherapist can provide advice, manual therapy and tailored exercises to help alleviate discomfort.
Can a pregnancy physio help with birth preparation?
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Regardless of how you’re planning to birth (vaginal or caesarean) it’s important to have knowledge on what is actually going on down there, how to best prepare, plus what can happen during delivery if things aren’t going to plan. This knowledge really equips you to make informed choices on the day which can help promote a positive birthing experience.
There are many practical things that we teach to prepare you for labour including perineal massage, push preparation/training, optimal positioning and pain relief techniques (just to name a few!)
When should I see a pregnancy physio?
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So, the question that comes next is when? We recommend your initial appointment happens early in the second trimester as this is a great time to get that baseline pelvic floor assessment, and also gives us ample time to make change if we pick up on anything that we need to work on prior to birth.
However, if you’ve missed this window, fear not! It is never too late in pregnancy to start being proactive about your pelvic health.
References
Other Blogs in the Pregnancy Series
Deep dive into education written by our pelvic physiotherapist, Emma, all about pregnancy – including symptoms, tools & understanding the range of associated conditions.
Do you want to learn more about pelvic health, specialised to your symptoms?
