Services
Pregnancy and Prenatal Physiotherapy
Pregnancy & Prenatal Physiotherapy
At Dyer St Clinic, our Pre and Post Natal Physiotherapy service supports women through pregnancy and beyond, promoting strength, comfort, and confidence at every stage. We offer specialised care to help you stay active, manage discomfort, and safely return to your favourite activities postpartum.
Who is it for?
Our Pre and Post Natal Physiotherapy is ideal for:
- Expectant mothers experiencing pregnancy-related pain or discomfort
- New mothers recovering from childbirth
- Women seeking guidance on safely returning to exercise post-pregnancy
What do we Treat?
- Back and pelvic pain (including pelvic girdle pain)
- Diastasis recti (abdominal separation)
- Pelvic floor dysfunction and incontinence
- Hip and joint discomfort
How do we treat it?
We use an individualised approach combining:
- Thorough assessment and personalised treatment plans
- Gentle manual therapy techniques
- Safe and effective exercises tailored for pregnancy and postpartum recovery using our inhouse gym.
- Education and advice on daily activities
- Specific pelvic floor rehabilitation exercises
- Pregancy cushions to allow you to lie comfortably
- Continuous support and adaptations as your body changes
Who does it?
Sarah Fellows
Sarah Fellows, our dedicated physiotherapist, specialises in women’s health, particularly pre and postnatal care. With extensive experience and training, Sarah provides compassionate, evidence-based treatment, ensuring you receive the best support throughout your journey.
Initial Consultation
- Your first appointment includes a thorough assessment, diagnosis, and tailored treatment plan to get you started on your recovery journey.
Follow Up Visits
- Ongoing treatment sessions to progress your care, monitor improvements, and help you achieve your goals
Why We Are Different
We believe great physiotherapy is about more than exercises and machines. At Dyer St Clinic, we take a modern, empowering approach to your recovery:
- Collaborative, Supportive Care: We listen first and work with you to create goals that are realistic, meaningful, and achievable.
- Time and Attention That Counts: Our standard sessions last at least 30 minutes, ensuring you get the time needed for assessment, treatment, and advice. We won’t rush or overload you—just focused, quality care.
- Helping You Take Control: We’re passionate about helping you understand your condition and giving you practical strategies to improve independently.
- Truly Multidisciplinary: With chiropractors, podiatrists, osteopaths, massage therapists, and doctors in-house, we offer joined-up thinking and seamless referrals when needed.
- Focused on Your Potential: We highlight what your body can do and help you build from there, so you leave each session more confident, capable, and in control.
Whether you’re aiming to return to sport, improve daily function, or simply feel better in your body, our physiotherapy team is here to guide and support you every step of the way.
FAQ’s
Do I need to see my GP first?
No, although we do take a lot of referrals from GPs, you are able to self refer to us.
What is women’s health physiotherapy?
Women’s Health Physiotherapy is the specialist treatment of any symptoms that arise from the pelvis and the pelvic floor. From incontinence to prolapse, pelvic girdle pain or constipation, there is good evidence that physiotherapy can alleviate, and in may cases cure these symptoms. Whether you’ve had a vaginal delivery or a C-section recently, whether you’ve had a baby years before or whether you’ve never had one, whether you’re entering menopause, undertake a lot of high-intensity exercise or spend much of your day sat at a desk; all these things impact your pelvic floor! And pelvic floor health is something that all women should be familiar with.
What is the pelvic floor?
Your pelvic floor is the web of muscles found at the base of your pelvis. They are shaped like a sling and hold your pelvic organs (uterus, vagina, bowel and bladder) in place.
How many treatments will I need?
This is varied an depends of your age, length of time you’ve had the condition and how good you are at implementing life changes we suggest! On average our patients see us for around 5 sessions.
Will I see the same expert every time?
Yes, excluding extenuating circumstances once you are booked in with a practitioner you will stay with them for your course of treatment. If they feel your needs will be better suited with another practitioner this will be discussed with you.
Do I have to go up a flight of stairs?
We have one treatment room up a single flight of stairs. If you are unable to use a flight of stairs, please let us know and we will ensure you are booked in an downstairs room. Please note our bathroom facilities are upstairs.
Do you do home visits?
We don’t current offer a home visit service.
Can I choose my expert?
Yes, you can request who you see when booking, either on the phone or by selecting the required practitioner online.
What does an assessment involve?
Your assessment appointment starts with your medical history, questions about your symptoms, how long you have had your symptoms for and how they affect you day to day, Sarah will start with assessing your low back, pelvic and hips to check for any postural issues that are contributing to your symptoms. The next part of the assessment is the (optional) internal examination. All female health practitioners will start by internally assessing you with their fingers. Yes it’s intrusive, no it’s not painful. It is necessary for Sarah to get a view of the internal vaginal walls and internal structures. Using touch allows Sarah to assess the tension or lack of it in these areas. It takes a few minutes. Sarah can also use a probe which is inserted and then sends signals back to a computer. The probe can sense electrical impulses within a muscle – in this case, the pelvic floor muscles. These measurements show up on the screen and beep so you as the patient can see and hear what is happening. (The screen and sound is also something else to look at and focus on!). Sarah will insert the probe or you have the option to do it yourself. Sarah will talk you through everything, what you need to ask your body to do and when. Internal examination are always optional, and you can change your mind at any point.
What should I wear to my appointment?
There is nothing special you need to wear to your assessment appointment. When it is time to have your examination, Sarah will step out of the room to give you a moment to get changed. You’ll be asked to remove your trousers and underwear and put on a patient gown. When Sarah comes back in, she’ll ask you to get onto the examination couch, you’ll be on your back in a semi sat up position
What happens if you can’t help me?
If we feel that your case would best be managed by another medical professional, or if you need a referral for further testing or scans we will make sure we find the best person for you.
I feel embarrassed!
Know that feeling embarrassed is completely normal. However, for women’s health physiotherapists, assessing pelvic floor muscles is no different to assessing shoulder muscles. For professionals, it is just anatomy.
What does treatment involve
- Manual therapy to tight joints and muscles (this can include internal work such as trigger point release, stretches and scar tissue release).
- Massage to tight achy muscles
- Exercises to help strengthen the supporting muscles around the tummy and pelvis
- Pelvic pain retraining
- Education and advice about what to avoid, and what to do when the problems arise
- Pilates based stability exercises
- Provision of belts and any other supportive tools
- Relaxation and breathing exercises