Symptoms
- Weak core and pelvic floor
- Diastasis recti (abdominal gap)
- Urinary incontinence
- Lower back pain
- Poor posture from feeding/carrying baby
- Fatigue
Common causes
- Pregnancy and delivery stresses on the body
- Hormonal changes post-delivery
- Abdominal and pelvic floor stretching during pregnancy
- C-section surgical recovery
- Sleep deprivation and physical demands of newborn care
How physiotherapy helps
Graduated core restoration programme, pelvic floor rehabilitation, diastasis recti assessment and treatment, scar tissue management (C-section), postural correction, and safe return-to-exercise guidance.
Exercises your physiotherapist may give you
- Gentle pelvic floor activation
- Diaphragmatic breathing with core connection
- Modified crunches (after clearance)
- Bridging exercises
- Transversus abdominis activation
- Gradual return to walking and aerobic exercise
Please note: start these exercises only after an assessment, and stop if pain increases. Your physiotherapist will choose the right exercises, number of repetitions and progression for you.
Guide written by the physiotherapists of CAPT – Centre for Advanced Physiotherapy, MVM Educational Trust. For more reading, search MedlinePlus (U.S. National Library of Medicine).