Working with mums-to-be and new mums there is always a lot of talk of women’s health issues, lots of the Mums I talk to you don’t know what a women’s health physio does or wouldn’t go to see one because they are too nervous or have no idea what an appointment would entail.
I had a chat with Ruth Bennett a women’s health physio to give you an insight into what women’s health physios do and how they are an invaluable resource for new mums in particular. Here are some of the highlights from our recent Instagram Q&A, if you have any specific questions go check out Ruths Instagram or website.
She is very lovely and super approachable. Being a mum herself, she understands where you are coming from and your concerns!
I started the chat by asking Ruth what women’s health physios do…
Women’s health videos or health professional that women can see postnatally, prenatally or even if you haven’t had children. We look at the whole body; Incontinence, pelvic floor function, tummy muscle function. You can get referred through the GP or you can go and see one privately.
I asked on my Instagram story what stopped people from seeing a women’s health physio, there was an overwhelming number of responses from mums who were scared or anxious and didn’t know what it would entail. So I asked Ruth to talk us through what would happen in a first appointment post baby…
You can come and see a women’s health physio from six weeks onwards, but it’s never too late to come and see us. We will have a chat about pre-pregnancy, pregnancy, birth and your postnatal recovery. If there are any issues that you are concerned with, we would focus on those. We would look at the whole body, how you are moving, how your muscles are behaving, how you feel post natally compared to prenatally, then offer a pelvic floor assessment which is optional. This is the bit most people feel anxious about, but if you are concerned it is very useful to get checked out. It’s a digital assessment, so Ruth (or another Womens Health Physio) would feel the muscles in the pelvic floor to see how the tissues are, whether you have any tension or if you have any tightness and whether you can do a contraction and relax the muscles.
Womens health physios can also look at C section scars, tummy gaps and other postnatal concerns.
Did you know there is often too much emphasis on strengthening the pelvic floor? Lots of people don’t realise that you need to relax it too! I asked Ruth what her top tips are for relaxing the pelvic floor…
Meditation, relaxation, deep breathing (belly breaths) to reset the pelvic floor and stretches are her top tips. Ruth explained that in an assessment they would also look at other parts of your body where you are holding tension as this can have an affect on the pelvic floor.
I think lots of mums are unsure if they are doing contractions correctly, I know I haven’t always been super confident on this so I asked Ruth if she has any tips...
Start with the breath, your diaphragm and pelvic floor work together, as you inhale they lower, as you exhale they lift up this is how they move and function together. Do you ever take a second to focus on your breathing? Her other top tip was to imagine you are having tea with the queen and you are trying to stop a fart! Make sure you relax between each contraction and if you are still not feeling confident, go and get an assessment!
I hope this gives you an idea of what to expect from a Womens Health Physio! Going to get checked post birth is definitely something I would recommend, as your 6 week post natal check with the GP is often not a physical check. What is your experience of post natal care? I would love to hear your thoughts!
Jen 😊
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