Postpartum Pain & Conditions
The postpartum period is a time of significant recovery as your body heals from childbirth. While it can be an exciting time, it can also come with physical challenges, including pain, fatigue, and discomfort.
At Alpha Sports Medicine, located in Newport, Ascot Vale and Bacchus Marsh, we understand the physical demands of the postpartum journey and are here to help support your recovery with personalised osteopathic care.
What is Postpartum Pain?
Postpartum pain is a common experience after childbirth, as the body goes through a process of healing and adjustment. This may include sore muscles, joint pain, pelvic discomfort, and more.
Whether you’ve had a vaginal delivery or a C-section, your body has undergone major changes that require time and attention to fully recover. The good news is that many of these discomforts can be managed with the right support and treatment.
Common Causes of Postpartum Pain
After childbirth, the body experiences various changes that may lead to discomfort. Common causes include:
The pelvic region can feel sore or weak as muscles and ligaments recover from labor and delivery.
Pregnancy shifts posture, increasing the arch in the lower back (lordosis), which may persist post-birth. Habits like locking your knees while holding the baby or carrying them on one hip can reinforce this posture, contributing to lower back discomfort.
Repeated activities such as breastfeeding, nursing, and constantly reaching forward to care for your child can round the upper back, leading to stiffness, tension, and discomfort in the neck and upper back, contributing to muscle imbalances.
Some degree of separation is normal, but if it remains wide after birth, it can affect core strength and stability. This may lead to back pain, poor posture, or a feeling of weakness in the abdomen.
Postpartum pelvic floor issues like incontinence or pelvic organ prolapse can be common after delivery.
Common Symptoms of Postpartum Pain?
- Persistent pelvic discomfort – Soreness or pressure as the pelvis recovers from childbirth.
- Lower back pain – Often due to postural changes,, physical strain, or muscle weakness.
- Pain from C-section or perineal scars – Tenderness or tightness around the scar site.
- Urinary incontinence or pelvic heaviness – Possible signs of pelvic floor dysfunction.
- Core weakness – Difficulty engaging abdominal muscles or experiencing back pain due to diastasis recti.
- Neck, shoulder, or upper back pain – Caused by the strain of carrying, feeding, and holding the baby, leading to muscle tension and discomfort.
- Wrist or thumb pain – Resulting from repetitive movements like holding and carrying the baby, which can lead to overuse injuries like “mummy thumb” (De Quervain’s tenosynovitis).
Managing Postpartum Pain?
- Rest & Recovery – Prioritise sleep and relaxation to aid in healing (as much as possible with a newborn!)
- Gentle Exercises & Stretching – Postpartum yoga and core-strengthening exercises can help with mobility and muscle recovery.
- Hydration & Proper Nutrition – A healthy diet and adequate fluid intake can support healing and reduce swelling.
- Pelvic Floor Management – To properly manage pelvic floor strength and function.
How Osteopathy Can Help
Osteopathy can play a crucial role in supporting your recovery during the postpartum period. Our team at Alpha Sports Medicine in Newport, Ascot Vale and Bacchus Marsh use gentle hands-on techniques to support your body as it adapts to the changes post-pregnancy.
Osteopathy helps increase mobility and ease muscle tension, reducing pain and discomfort in the pelvis and lower back.
Osteopathic treatments can help ease muscle tension and improve mobility, allowing for more comfortable feeding, carrying, and holding your baby.
Strengthening the abdominal muscles through safe exercises helps to reduce the gap in the abdominal wall.
Osteopathy can support pelvic floor rehabilitation, improving function and reducing pelvic discomfort.
Gentle lymphatic drainage techniques can help reduce swelling in the legs, feet, and hands.
A combination of dry needling, gentle exercises, activity modification and hands on treatment can help to reduce tension, decrease inflammation and improve function.
We believe that being part of your support team and seeing you thrive is one of the most rewarding things we do. Together, we can help you find the relief you are looking for, relax and recover so you can get back to living and enjoying your life.
Give us a call to find out more, or book an appointment online with one of our Osteopaths.
Learn More About Postpartum Pain Relief & Recovery
When Should You See a Health Professional?
- Severe or persistent abdominal pain
- Heavy or unusual bleeding
- Intense headaches or vision changes
- Sudden swelling in the face, legs, or feet
- Pain that does not improve with rest or home care
- Difficulty moving or engaging in daily activities due to pain