OR call Dr Liz Johns - Osteopath
+61 435 896 176
Osteopathy and Pregnancy
Pregnancy is a very special time for expectant mothers, as their bodies create a safe environment for their little ones to grow and develop. As a pregnant woman your body undergoes many changes in order to adapt to your growing baby. To aid in this process the body releases a hormone called relaxin. This hormone allows all the ligaments throughout your body to soften and stretch, which in turn helps your posture to adapt as your baby grows and your centre of gravity changes and prepares your pelvis for labour. As the ligaments within your pelvis become more relaxed and soften, the muscles in and around your pelvic region need to work extra hard in order to maintain good support for your pelvic joints.
While this process sounds rather simple, the reality is that for many pregnant mamas, pain and discomfort is their new reality. Previous trauma (physical and/or emotional), posture (alignment) issues, movement patterns, and muscle weakness or overactivity can all have an impact on the body’s ability to accommodate these postural changes. These issues more than often cause strain to your pelvic joints, back, neck or shoulders.
As your osteopath, I can assist in supporting these postural changes by identifying the regions in your body that are either not moving or are moving too much. By creating a specific treatment plan unique to your needs and using a variety of gentle techniques to improve mobility, relieving stress in muscles, tendons and ligaments, I will be able to help to not only relieve stress and strain, but also give your body more space to adapt throughout the rest of your pregnancy.
I have extensive experience in treating the following conditions:
Pelvic girdle pain
Pubic symphysis pain
Coccyx pain
Lower back pain
Sciatica (pain down the legs)
Sacroiliac pain
Rib pain
Shoulder and upper back pain
Headaches
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
... and have also been trained in the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of pelvic floor dysfunction, I can assist with:
Urinary leakage
Constipation
Diastasis Recti/Abdominal wall muscle separation
Pelvic floor muscle/core strengthening
Preparation for vaginal or cesarean birth or VBAC
Birthing and Osteopathy
As an osteopath we do more than just assist with pain relief during your pregnancy, by working to release tension and improve alignment throughout your whole body, (in particular your spine and pelvic ligaments). An added bonus with osteopathic treatment is that it can be deeply relaxing and therefore help in the calming of your nervous system, which of course is ideal in your preparation for labour.
As a mum and a specially trained osteopath, I am extremely passionate about empowering my pregnant patients with essential skills to support them during their labour and as well as helping them to prepare their pelvic floors for life before, during and after the event!
With over 18 years of experience and a passion for treating and supporting women through their pregnancy and beyond, I have a great understanding of the anatomy and biomechanics of the continuously changing pregnant body. I believe this knowledge and understanding allows me to compassionately treat and support you through all stages of your pregnancy and your new life afterwards.