What is NOT Normal From 8 Weeks (to 40years+) Postnatal

If you are anything like us, eight weeks after your little one has arrived you are going to be in a sleep deprived fog and probably eating more cake than ever before. However,  just to give you some guidance the following points are normal things to expect for this time frame.

What is normal 8+ weeks post delivery;

• Your bleeding should have stopped and any incisions/tears should have healed. Please consult your GP if you have concerns.
• You should be pain free.
• You should have control over your bladder and bowel movements.
• You may now begin to increase your activity level and consider returning to a gentle exercise class/practice, but before you do,  go through the following checklist of ‘not normal’ findings to ensure you are ready.

One of our favourite sayings at QuayPhysio is,  “once postnatal, always postnatal”!

So, this list of symptoms NOT normal 8 weeks postnatal is equally NOT normal 6 months, 1 year,  3 years,  5 years, 10 years,  20 years plus postnatal too!

Many women suffer from these issues for years, thinking (and being told by other women) that issues such as these are simply your lot in life for having babies and there is nothing you can do.  This is wrong!  There is so much that can be done at any age to treat these issues (often very simply) and it is never too early or too late.

Delaying addressing any of these symptoms is going to have potentially long lasting effects on you giving you months if not years of unnecessary symptoms.  They are easier to fix than you think and can, quite literally, change your life. Just do it and do it now because the most common phrase we hear is “I wish I’d done this years ago”.

What is NOT normal 8+ weeks post delivery;

⎕ Ongoing back, pelvis, groin, leg or abdominal pain

⎕ Leaking urine, wind or stool with laughing, coughing, jumping, sneezing, lifting, walking,    running etc

⎕ Leaking of any kind from your bladder of bowel

⎕ Rushing to the loo and maybe not making it on time

⎕ Pressure, dragging, heaviness or bulging in your vagina, rectum or tummy

⎕ Bulging of your abdomen during ANY exercise (please also refer to the blog about    test you can do to check for this)

⎕ Difficulty doing any of your everyday activities because of pain, leakage, pressure or    any other symptoms that concerns you.

⎕ Straining on the loo when emptying your bladder or bowels

⎕ Pain during sex after your 2nd or 3rd attempt.

Please know it is very variable when women feel ready to return to intimacy after giving birth.

When you feel emotionally ready we need you to know that you may feel some discomfort the first time. This discomfort should ease and become more comfortable with each successive attempt. If it isn’t improving by your 2nd or 3rd attempt you need to get some help.

What to do if you do have symptoms

Obviously, we would love to see people as early as possible in order to set them on the path to recovery however, whether you had your baby 6 weeks or 6 decades ago you are “postnatal” and there is always something that can be done to help.  None of the above symptoms are normal after 8 weeks postnatal.  Even if you only checked one box you need to do something about it as not addressing the problems will affect your life and potentially have far worse effects the longer you leave it. Don’t accept them as a normal consequence of having children.  These symptoms will not go away on their own and you will need to get some proper help from a Physio who specialises in Pelvic Health.

Luckily we have 2 wonderful ladies who are highly skilled in this field at the HealthHub. They want to help you and help change your life.  Alternatively,  go see your GP and get a referral to see a Pelvic Health Physio on the NHS.

In the meantime, do not do sit-ups or any other form of “core” strengthening.  Your core muscles (deep abdominals and pelvic floor) likely need to be trained before they can be strengthened.  There is a difference, and our Physio will tell you all about it.

Contact us on 01548 852355 or email [email protected] asking for a postnatal check.