Are you a new mum? Here’s 10 things your Women’s Health physio wants you to know.......

I have been treating post-natal ladies for many years and some things are common to all of us mums. Here are 10 things I find myself saying a lot to clients so thought I’d write them down!

1. It’s taken you 9 months to stretch into your pregnancy shape, you’ll need AT LEAST 9 months to feel things are going back in the right direction. Expectations are everything.

2. Don’t compare yourself to anyone else. Ever. No honestly, stop it.

3. To fit in exercise, do it when your baby is awake. When your baby is asleep that’s prime time for getting your head down yourself or doing the stuff you haven’t been able to do while they are awake. Once they are fed and happy to kick about, get some music on and wow them with your routine. They’ll be impressed.

4. Also, when it comes to exercise, SOMETHING, however brief, is better than NOTHING. Don’t wait to start exercising until you have the time. Start with 3 minutes regularly and you’ll see a difference. Anything more is a bonus.

5. Avoid sit-ups. There are soooo many great abdominal exercises to choose from that you won’t miss these. For one thing they push everything south, and they won’t encourage your abdominals to pull back together again either.

6. Breathe deeply and slowly. Often.

7. There is never a good way to carry a baby in a car seat. They are heavy, awkward and can give you back pain. However they ARE great for car travel. Does what it says on the tin....car travel NOT carrying.

8. If you have back pain it’s not likely to be from the epidural. It’s from having weakened core control and doing so much bending and lifting. Stretch and strengthen and it’ll be as right as rain.

9. Think of pelvic floor exercises as an investment for life. Rather like a pension. The sooner you start them the more benefit you will get in the long term.

10. If you have back pain, stress incontinence or any other postnatal problem, see a women’s health physiotherapist sooner rather than later. Firstly, we are lovely and secondly, some post natal problems last a lifetime if not addressed.

Sally is a Women’s Health physio working at the Derbyshire Sporting Joint with a mission to help new mums recover and thrive.