Table of Contents
Physiotherapy and Pregnancy – How Physiotherapy Helps
During pregnancy, your body will go through a huge amount of change. Your spine, pelvis, ligaments and muscles change dramatically to accommodate a growing fetus. These changes can place additional pressure on the joints and muscles of your spine and pelvis. Pregnancy speeds up postural changes, and the body has to work overtime to adapt. Even in the last trimester, the changes in weight and posture can be quite dramatic. From a Physiotherapy point of view, greater, more structural changes are important. The softening of pelvic ligaments (to enable the baby to be delivered through the pelvis) caused by a hormone called Relaxin can alter the stability of the whole body. Depending on the person, the position of the growing baby can lead to pain and discomfort in the spine and pelvis. Physiotherapy treatment aims to improve your body’s ability to change (compensate) and adapt during pregnancy. Physiotherapy during pregnancy aims to support you and your baby with the minimum pain and discomfort.
Physiotherapy During Pregnancy?
Hatfield Physiotherapy aims to strengthen and stabilise problematic areas during pregnancy. It also aims to educate and inform through discussion and, also importantly, to soothe and ease away pains that seem to change day by day. Physiotherapy treatments aim to normalise your body so that it works as effectively as possible. Treatments during pregnancy are no different. We aim to assist the natural process of pregnancy and birth by aiding the body to adapt and align as the pregnancy progresses. Hatfield Practice Physiotherapy treatment achieves this by using experienced Physiotherapists who use gentle, safe and effective treatments. We are always aware of you, your baby and how you feel.
Physiotherapy and Your Pelvis
During the delivery of your baby, many factors can affect the baby’s passage through the pelvis. In some women, the pelvis is naturally asymmetrical or twisted out of line. This twisting can be due to many factors. This rigidity can interfere with the baby’s delivery through the birth canal and is the complete opposite of hyper-mobile due to the hormone Relaxin. Physiotherapy treatment can help improve your spinal function and mobilise your spine and pelvis to align your body. Physiotherapy is great for improving pelvis and lower back mechanics. It’s helpful that the spine and pelvis are in the best possible position with as little torsion and restriction as possible.
Is It Safe To Have Physiotherapy During Pregnancy?
Physiotherapy at the Hatfield practice is both safe and gentle for both mother and the baby. The Hatfield Practice only use hand-picked experienced Physiotherapists who have undertaken post-graduate training. Physiotherapy treatments used during pregnancy are professional and carefully applied. Our Physiotherapy is gentle, and your comfort is paramount. The mother and baby’s wellbeing is always taken into consideration. Physiotherapy Treatment is individually designed to suit each patient.
It’s important to us that you are very comfortable. We use specially designed and pillows and cushions for your comfort. Some patients like to lie on their front for certain physiotherapy techniques. The Physiotherapist is trained to know if you’re comfortable in certain positions (or at least to ask). Please feel free to let us know if you are worried or, of course, even slightly uncomfortable.
Can Physiotherapy Help Postnatally?
Depending on the type of labour experienced during childbirth, women can have a wide range of issues postnatally. Physiotherapy treatment can help to restore you to balance after the babies birth. During pregnancy, the body is pushed back into an extended position which shortens and tightens muscles. Physiotherapy is about taking away any pain and discomfort. Physiotherapy is about releasing the habits that the last nine months have formed along your spine and pelvis. With a new baby, life can change dramatically during the first year. They grow so quickly, and getting the balance right between your wellbeing and the baby’s care is important to us. Physiotherapy can also help ongoing back problems.
Physiotherapy treatment can also help with aches and pains associated with poor breastfeeding posture (men using bottles. Well, you will be surprised !). Babygrows very fast, so lifting car seats can be hard. Prams seem to be getting heavier and heavier and, of course, carrying a baby and bending over the cot.
Overall, postnatal Physiotherapy can help with long term preventative care, allowing you to relax and enjoy your new baby.
