I hope you have found some of the articles on this website helpful. But each person has an individual story and journey and many problems need to be individually understood, assessed in the flesh, and treated according to your specific situation. You may wish to talk to a specialist physiotherapist.

Specialist physiotherapists have extensive post-graduate training to qualify for full membership of the Professional Network of Pelvic, Obstetric and Gynaecological Physiotherapy (POGP)

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MummyMOT is a full postnatal assessment offered by physiotherapists across the UK. search for your nearest clinic here

Talk to a specialist physiotherapist

If you feel that you would like to talk to a physiotherapist about your personal situation your needs will be best met by a physiotherapist who has specialised in “Women’s Health”, also sometimes referred to as ‘obstetrics’, ‘gynaecology’ or for pelvic floor problems sometimes ‘urogynaecology’. She will have knowledge of all the issues that arise during the childbearing year and specialist skills for treating them.

Specialist physiotherapists, like myself, have passed exams to become full members of the Professional Network of Pelvic, Obstetric and Gynaecological Physiotherapy (POGP) or to train to offer a Mummy MOT

Pelvic Floor assessment by a specialist Physiotherapist

There is so much that a specialist pelvic floor physiotherapist can teach you to improve internal muscle strength, endurance and co-ordination.

Through post-graduate training we have the skill to properly assess and examine the pelvic floor muscles with a vaginal examination. We do this in a kind and gentle way putting you as much at ease as we can and aiming to help you understand how they work.

Once, together, we have a better understanding of where your muscles are at presently, we can then show you how to help them to grow and improve your skill at using them to prevent incontinence and improve internal organ support.

It’s not just up/down squeezes! We have lots of different ways to the standard exercises you may have already tried! To encourage proper muscle activation we have tricks & tips, more advanced and interesting exercises, even great gadgets that can show you what you are doing and help your muscles work.

Find a physio near you

Rather like dentist services you can choose between NHS and private physiotherapy.

NHS Physiotherapy Services

Across the whole UK all the NHS maternity services have a linked specialist physiotherapy service. Most commonly known as the Women’s Health Physiotherapy department or Obstetric Physiotherapy. Your midwife, GP or health visitor will all be able to put you in contact with your local team.

In many areas of the UK you can now self-refer to physiotherapy. For example if you live in Cambridge PhysioDirect is a self-referral telephone consultation and triage service.

Private Physiotherapy

Most private physiotherapy practices predominantly treat sports injuries and orthopaedic problems. They will be more than happy to help you with a straightforward back or pelvic issue but you may wish to work with a specialist ‘women’s health’ physiotherapist for a pelvic floor or pelvic girdle pain problem. It they don’t have a specialist women’s health physio working with their clinic just ask them to recommend the nearest one to where you live.

Use the great directory at www.thepogp.co.uk or www.themummymot.com or www.squeezyapp.com to find a specialist physio near you.

Below is my ‘little black book’ of physiotherapy colleagues who work in private practice: