From the Physio
Postnatal Recovery Blog
Evidence-based articles to help you understand your body, navigate your recovery, and return to the activities you love - written by a registered pelvic health physiotherapist.
The 6-Week Check: What It Covers (And What It Misses)
The 6-week postnatal check is an important milestone, but it is not a clearance for all activity. Here is what your GP assesses - and the significant gaps that often go unaddressed.
Why You're Still Leaking at 3 Months (And What to Do)
Stress incontinence after birth is common, but common is not the same as inevitable or permanent. Understanding why leaking happens - and why Kegels alone often fall short - points the way to real improvement.
Diastasis Recti: The Tummy Gap Explained Simply
A gap between your abdominal muscles after birth is extremely common. Here is what it actually means, how to check for it yourself, and - critically - which exercises help versus harm.
Returning to Running After Baby: When Is It Safe?
Running is one of the activities new mums most want to return to - and one of the most commonly rushed. Evidence-based guidelines changed significantly in 2019. Here is what the current thinking actually says.
Pelvic Girdle Pain After Birth: You Don't Have to Just Live With It
Pelvic girdle pain is one of the most underdiagnosed postnatal conditions. It is not just 'hip pain from pregnancy' - and physiotherapy can make a significant difference.
The Truth About Kegel Exercises (And When They Can Make Things Worse)
Kegels are the most universally recommended postnatal advice. They help many women - but they are not the right prescription for everyone, and doing them incorrectly can make symptoms worse.
C-Section Recovery: What Nobody Tells You About Your Core
Recovering from a caesarean is about far more than the scar healing. Understanding what changes in your abdominal and pelvic floor function - and the timeline for rebuilding it - makes an enormous difference.
Sleep Deprivation and Your Recovery: The Overlooked Connection
Nobody warns you about how sleep deprivation affects the physical recovery process. The science is clear: chronic sleep deficit slows tissue healing, disrupts hormonal recovery, and keeps your nervous system in a state that works against rehabilitation.
Sex After Baby: What's Normal, What's Not, and How to Rebuild Confidence
Returning to sex after birth is a topic surrounded by silence, shame, and unhelpful expectations. Here is what the physiology actually looks like - and how to support your body through this transition.
How to Tell If Your Postnatal Exercise Is Doing More Harm Than Good
Returning to exercise is a positive step for postnatal recovery - when the exercise is appropriate. These are the signals that tell you the load is too much, and a simple framework for getting the progression right.
The Postnatal Recovery Timeline: A Realistic Guide for New Mums
What should you expect at 6 weeks? At 3 months? At 6 months? Here is an honest, evidence-based timeline that reflects what your body is actually doing - rather than what you are told it should be doing.