Pregnancy

As the pregnancy hormones take effect your body goes through alot of changes. The abdominal muscles will often separate to make room for your growing uterus. This is called Diastasis Rectus Abdominus (DRA). Mary can assess you for this and help you with a suitable exericse programme and fit you with an abdominal support if needed.

The ligaments of the pelvis will become soft, ready for delivering baby safely. This sometimes causes pain in the front of the pelvis, called Symphisis Pubis Dysfunction. This might feel like pain standing on one leg or pain going up steps.  Pain can also be in the back of the pelvis, the sacroiliac joints or the lower back. A support belt, soft tissue release and strengthening exercises can help make you more comfortable.

Pelvic floor muscles play an important role in maintaining continence in pregnacy and postpartum. Mary can assess your ability to activate these muscles and help you learn to exercise them. Having good pelvic floor function will also help to assist you to have a more straight forward labour.

A physiotherapy assessement in pregnancy will also include information about safe exercise for pregnancy and preparation for labour, including teaching perineal massage.

 

Postnatal

Mary is an ACC provider and can see you for Maternal birth injuries. But even if you haven’t had an injury it is good to have an appointment when your baby is about 6 weeks old. Pelvic health physiothrapy can help in the postnatal recovery period with;

-Management of perineal  and caesarean scars

-Pain with sex

-Coccyx, pelvis or back pain

-Diastasis Rectus Abdominis ( Abdominal separation)

-Pelvic floor function

-Abdominal muscle function.

Mary can assess you and help you get back towards your goals safely, guiding you with suitable exericses and returning to sport.

Mary was the founder of Mumsntums, a pregnancy and postnatal exercise classes. Although she no longer takes the classes she recommends them as a safe space to exercise with your baby.

https://mumsntums.co.nz/postnatal-classes/