Prenatal Recovery

Supporting Your Body Through Pregnancy

Pregnancy is an exciting time, but it can also bring significant physical changes.

As your baby grows, your posture, movement, joints, muscles and pelvic floor all adapt. You may experience back or pelvic pain, changes in your mobility, difficulty exercising or uncertainty about what activity is safe during pregnancy.

At Core Physiotherapy, we provide personalised prenatal physiotherapy to help you feel more comfortable, stronger and confident throughout your pregnancy.

Our approach combines hands-on treatment, exercise, education, rehabilitation and practical advice, while considering your whole body, your pregnancy, your lifestyle and your individual goals.

Whether you're experiencing pain, want help staying active or simply want to prepare your body for birth and recovery, we're here to support you. To also seek support through fertility or pregnancy loss, we're here to support you every step of the way.

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How Can Prenatal Physiotherapy Help?
Helping You Stay Comfortable, Active & Confident

Pregnancy affects everyone differently.

Some people experience significant pain or mobility problems, while others simply want guidance about staying active and preparing their body for birth.

Prenatal physiotherapy can help with:

Pelvic girdle pain
Lower back pain
Hip pain
Sciatica type symptoms
Rib and upper back discomfort
Postural changes
Bladder leakage
Pelvic heaviness or pressure
Abdominal muscle changes
Maintaining strength during pregnancy
Preparing for birth
Preparing for postnatal recovery

Our aim is to help you stay as comfortable and active as possible while supporting your changing body.

Our Holistic Approach

Looking at the Whole Picture

Pregnancy isn't simply a physical condition.

Your body is changing while your lifestyle, sleep, work, activity levels and daily demands may also be changing.

That's why we take a whole-person approach.

We'll consider:

Your stage of pregnancy
Your symptoms
Your pregnancy history
Previous injuries
Your movement and posture
Strength and mobility
Pelvic floor function
Your work and daily activities
Your exercise history
Your sleep and recovery
Your goals for pregnancy and birth
Your plans for returning to activity after birth

We want your treatment to fit into your life and support you throughout your pregnancy.

What Do We Do?

Personalised Physiotherapy for Every Stage of Pregnancy

Every pregnancy is different.

Your treatment will be tailored to your symptoms, your stage of pregnancy, your previous activity levels and what you want to achieve.

Treatment may include:

Hands On Physiotherapy

Hands-on treatment can be used where appropriate to help manage discomfort and support comfortable movement during pregnancy.

Depending on your individual needs, this may include:

Soft tissue techniques
Gentle joint mobilisation
Manual techniques around the back and pelvis
Treatment to support mobility
Techniques to help manage muscular tension

Treatment will always be adapted to your pregnancy and discussed with you beforehand.

Your comfort, safety and consent are central to every treatment session.

Pregnancy Exercise
Stay Strong & Active Throughout Pregnancy

Staying active during pregnancy can be beneficial, but your exercise needs may change as your pregnancy progresses.

We can help you adapt your exercise programme to your changing body.

Your programme may include:

Strength exercises
Mobility exercises
Pelvic floor exercises
Breathing exercises
Core and trunk control
Hip and lower-limb strengthening
Balance and stability
Functional movement
Pregnancy-specific exercise modifications
Preparation for postnatal rehabilitation

The goal isn't to maintain exactly the same training programme throughout pregnancy.

It's about finding the right level of activity for you and your stage of pregnancy.

Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy During Pregnancy

Preparing Your Pelvic Floor

Your pelvic floor muscles have an important role during pregnancy and birth.

Pregnancy can place increased demands on these muscles, and some women experience symptoms such as:

Urinary leakage
Difficulty controlling your bladder
Pelvic heaviness
A feeling of pressure
Difficulty contracting the pelvic floor
Difficulty relaxing the pelvic floor
Changes in pelvic floor awareness

We can provide education and an individualised programme to help you understand and train your pelvic floor appropriately.

This may involve:

Learning how to contract the pelvic floor
Learning how to relax the pelvic floor
Coordinating breathing and pelvic floor activity
Understanding pressure management
Building strength and endurance
Applying pelvic floor control to everyday movement and exercise

Where clinically appropriate, an internal pelvic floor assessment may be offered.

This would always be explained beforehand and undertaken only with your informed consent.

Preparing for Postnatal Recovery

Think Beyond Pregnancy

Your body doesn't stop changing when your baby arrives.

Preparing for the postnatal period can help you understand what to expect and how to gradually rebuild your strength.

We can discuss:

Pelvic floor recovery
Abdominal recovery
Returning to exercise
Managing lifting and carrying
Posture
Early movement
Returning to normal activities

Understanding that recovery is a gradual process can help you approach the postnatal period with realistic expectations.

Conditions

Pelvic Girdle Pain

Pelvic girdle pain can occur during pregnancy and may affect the lower back, pelvis, hips, buttocks or thighs.

You may notice discomfort when:

Walking
Turning in bed
Getting dressed
Using stairs
Getting in and out of a car
Standing on one leg
Moving between sitting and standing
Changing position in bed

Physiotherapy can help you understand your symptoms and identify ways to make everyday movement more comfortable.

Your treatment may include appropriate exercise, movement advice, activity modification and hands-on treatment where suitable.

NICE guidance recommends considering physiotherapy referral for women experiencing pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain, including exercise advice where appropriate.

Pregnancy Related Back Pain

Supporting Your Changing Body

As pregnancy progresses, changes in your posture, weight distribution and movement can place additional demands on your back.

You may experience:

Lower back pain
Stiffness
Pain when standing
Discomfort when walking
Pain when turning in bed
Difficulty sitting for long periods
Pain when lifting or carrying

We'll assess how your symptoms behave and consider the movements and activities that may be contributing to them.

Treatment may include hands on therapy, mobility exercises, strengthening, movement advice and practical strategies for everyday activities.

Pelvic Floor Conditions

Urinary leakage
Difficulty controlling your bladder
Pelvic heaviness
A feeling of pressure
Difficulty contracting the pelvic floor
Difficulty relaxing the pelvic floor
Changes in pelvic floor awareness

We'll carry out an appropriate physical assessment based on your symptoms.

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I see a prenatal physiotherapist?

You can seek physiotherapy at any stage of pregnancy if you're experiencing pain, reduced movement or other physical symptoms, or if you'd like advice about staying active and preparing for birth.

Can physiotherapy help pelvic girdle pain during pregnancy?

Yes. Physiotherapy can provide assessment, exercise advice and strategies to help manage pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain.

Is it safe to exercise during pregnancy

For many people, staying active during pregnancy is appropriate and beneficial, but exercise should be adapted to your individual circumstances. If you have a medical or pregnancy-related complication, follow the advice of your midwife, obstetrician or doctor.

Can I continue going to the gym while pregnant?

Often, yes. Your exercise may need to be modified as your pregnancy progresses. We can help you understand how to adapt exercises to your changing body.

Can physiotherapy help with pregnancy-related back pain?

Yes. Physiotherapy can assess contributing factors and may use exercise, movement advice and appropriate hands-on treatment to help manage pregnancy related back pain

Can physiotherapy help with pelvic floor problems during pregnancy?

Yes. Pelvic floor physiotherapy can provide education, assessment and individualised exercise where appropriate.

Do I need an internal pelvic floor assessment?

No. An internal assessment isn't automatically required. If one is clinically appropriate, your physiotherapist will explain why, what it involves and obtain your informed consent beforehand.

Can physiotherapy help me prepare for birth?

Physiotherapy can provide education around movement, pelvic floor awareness, breathing, comfort positions and physical preparation. This is designed to support your understanding and confidence rather than dictate how you should give birth.

Feel Supported Through Your Pregnancy

Pregnancy is a time of enormous physical change.

Whether you're experiencing pelvic girdle pain, back pain, pelvic floor symptoms, difficulty exercising or simply want to prepare your body for birth and recovery, you don't have to navigate it alone.

At Core Physiotherapy, we combine hands-on physiotherapy, exercise, rehabilitation, education and a holistic approach to provide care that is personal to you.