Why Every New Mother Deserves a Postnatal Physiotherapy Assessment

Pregnancy and birth are extraordinary. The body grows, changes, and performs one of the most demanding physical feats imaginable. And then, often within days, the expectation is that life simply carries on: feeding, lifting, carrying, bending, barely sleeping, and somehow returning to "normal." As a physiotherapist, this is something I feel strongly about. New mothers deserve dedicated, specialist support, and in 2026 that support has a name: the Mummy MOT.

What Is the Mummy MOT?

The Mummy MOT is a specialist postnatal assessment carried out by a trained women's health physiotherapist. It evaluates the function of the pelvic floor, the abdominal muscles, posture, and overall physical recovery following pregnancy and birth. Whether you had a straightforward vaginal delivery, an instrumental delivery, or a caesarean section, your body has been through significant physical change and deserves a thorough check.

The assessment looks at how your pelvic floor is functioning, whether there is any degree of diastasis recti (abdominal muscle separation), how your posture and movement patterns have changed, and what you need to support a safe return to activity. From this, a personalised recovery programme is created.

The Antenatal Picture

Physiotherapy during pregnancy is equally valuable. Pelvic girdle pain and symphysis pubis dysfunction are among the most common and debilitating conditions of pregnancy, and both respond well to physiotherapy input. Back pain, rib discomfort, carpal tunnel symptoms, and postural strain are also common reasons women seek physiotherapy support during pregnancy.

In 2026, there is a growing understanding that staying active during a healthy pregnancy is beneficial, both for the mother and the developing baby. A physiotherapist can help you understand what exercise is safe, how to modify your programme as your pregnancy progresses, and how to prepare your body for the demands of birth and recovery.

Why This Matters

The consequences of untreated postnatal dysfunction are significant and long-lasting. Unresolved pelvic floor weakness, scar tissue from episiotomy or caesarean, and unaddressed diastasis recti can all contribute to problems that persist for years: incontinence, prolapse, back pain, and painful intercourse.

These are not things women should simply accept as the price of motherhood.

A Mummy MOT gives every new mother the information and support she needs to recover properly, and to return to the activities she loves, from exercise to intimacy, with confidence and without pain.

You Deserve This

If you are pregnant, recently postnatal, or even years down the line and still experiencing symptoms you have never had properly addressed, it is never too late to seek help.

At Smartphysio, our specialist women's health physiotherapists provide antenatal support and Mummy MOT assessments in a warm, professional, and confidential environment.