Postnatal Recovery: How Physiotherapy Supports Healing After Birth

Postnatal Recovery: How Physiotherapy Supports Healing After Birth

Bringing a baby into the world is a huge achievement—physically, emotionally, and mentally. But what often gets overlooked is what happens next: your recovery.

Whether you’ve had a vaginal birth or a caesarean section, your body has been through a significant transformation. And while there’s a lot of focus on caring for the baby (and rightly so), you deserve care and support, too—especially when it comes to rebuilding your strength, movement, and confidence.

That’s where postnatal physiotherapy comes in. At Proactive Physiotherapy, we help mums recover safely and effectively—not just to “bounce back,” but to move forward feeling stronger, more supported, and more at ease in their body.

Why Postnatal Recovery Deserves Attention

Pregnancy and childbirth place a lot of pressure on the pelvic floor, abdominal muscles, and lower back. Hormonal changes, changes in posture, and the physical demands of birth can lead to a number of symptoms that don’t just disappear after delivery.

Some common postnatal issues include:

• Pelvic floor weakness or heaviness

• Urinary leakage when coughing, sneezing, or exercising

• Separation of the abdominal muscles (diastasis recti)

• Lower back or pelvic pain

• Pain or discomfort during intercourse

• Poor posture from breastfeeding or carrying your baby

• Difficulty returning to exercise or activity

These symptoms are very common, but they’re not something you have to simply live with. In fact, the earlier you seek support, the better your recovery can be.

How Physiotherapy Supports Postnatal Healing

Postnatal physiotherapy is about restoring function, reducing discomfort, and helping you feel more in control of your body again. Here's how it can help:

1. Pelvic Floor Rehabilitation

Your pelvic floor muscles play a key role in bladder control, pelvic support, and core stability. They’re often stretched or weakened during pregnancy and birth.

Physiotherapy helps by:

• Teaching you how to properly activate and strengthen your pelvic floor

• Addressing issues like leakage, urgency, or heaviness

• Supporting your return to physical activity safely

2. Core Strengthening and Abdominal Recovery

Many women experience a separation of the abdominal muscles (diastasis recti) after pregnancy. This can affect your posture, back strength, and overall stability.

We assess your abdominal function and guide you through a safe, gradual strengthening plan to help close the gap and improve core strength—without doing more harm.

3. Managing Aches, Pains, and Postural Changes

Feeding, changing, carrying, and rocking a newborn all take a toll on your body. It’s no wonder many new mums experience neck, shoulder, back, or wrist pain.

Through hands-on treatment, gentle exercises, and postural advice, we help relieve discomfort and build the resilience you need for everyday tasks.

4. Supporting Your Mental and Emotional Recovery

Your physical health and emotional wellbeing go hand-in-hand. Feeling strong, mobile, and capable again can have a big impact on your confidence, mood, and mental health in the postnatal period.

Our role is to provide not just treatment, but compassionate, understanding care. You're not expected to “get back to normal” overnight. Recovery is a journey—and we’re here to support you every step of the way.

5. Guiding You Back to Exercise

Ready to get back into exercise, but not sure where to start? We’ll help you return to movement safely, based on where your body is now—not where it was before pregnancy.

Whether your goal is gentle walking, Pilates, running, or strength training, we’ll create a plan that supports your recovery and minimises risk of injury or setbacks.

When Should You See a Postnatal Physiotherapist?

Ideally, we recommend booking a postnatal check-up around 6 weeks after birth. However, it’s never too late to start—whether you're 6 weeks or 6 years postpartum.

You may benefit from physiotherapy if you're:

• Experiencing pelvic floor symptoms like leaking or heaviness

• Noticing abdominal separation or weakness

• Dealing with ongoing back, hip, or pelvic pain

• Struggling with posture, tension, or fatigue

• Unsure how to return to exercise safely

Final Thoughts: You Deserve Care, Too

There’s no “one size fits all” when it comes to postnatal recovery. Every birth is different. Every body is different. But what stays the same is this: you deserve support that’s tailored to you.

At Proactive Physiotherapy, we’re here to help you rebuild strength, reduce discomfort, and feel more like yourself again—no rush, no pressure, just professional care grounded in empathy and respect.

📅 If you're ready to start your postnatal recovery journey, book an appointment today.
Let’s get you moving forward, one step at a time.