Written by Sanderstead Osteopaths. Clinically reviewed by Judith Tardif, Registered Osteopath.
If you have recently had a baby, you may assume that your 6-week postnatal check will tell you whether your body has fully recovered.
The GP postnatal check and a Mummy MOT have different purposes.
Your postnatal GP review is an important medical appointment. It gives you an opportunity to discuss your physical and emotional recovery, raise symptoms or concerns and identify anything that may need medical investigation, treatment or referral.
A Mummy MOT assessment in Sanderstead does not replace this appointment.
It comes afterwards and looks at a different part of recovery: how your body is functioning following pregnancy and childbirth.
You may have been medically well at your postnatal review but still notice that your core feels weak, your stomach domes when you sit up, you leak when you cough or exercise, your lower back aches when carrying your baby, your pelvis feels uncomfortable or you simply do not feel confident returning to exercise.
These concerns can relate to the way the abdominal wall, pelvic floor, breathing system, pelvis, spine and wider movement system are working together.
A Mummy MOT is designed to investigate that functional side of postnatal recovery.
What Is the 6-Week Postnatal Check?
The appointment commonly called the 6-week check usually takes place around 6 to 8 weeks after birth.
It is an important part of postnatal medical care.
Depending on your circumstances and the way your GP practice carries out the appointment, areas discussed may include:
- Your general physical recovery
- Your emotional and mental wellbeing
- Bleeding and periods
- Contraception
- Recovery following a vaginal birth
- Recovery following a C-section
- Healing following stitches or an episiotomy
- Bladder or bowel symptoms
- Pain during sex
- Blood pressure where appropriate
- Medication
- Existing medical conditions
- Any new symptoms or concerns
The exact content of a postnatal appointment can vary.
If there is something concerning you, it is important to raise it with your GP rather than assuming it will automatically form part of the consultation.
Why the GP Postnatal Review Matters
Pregnancy and birth can affect physical and psychological health in many different ways.
The GP review provides an opportunity to identify symptoms that may require medical investigation, treatment or referral.
This may include concerns relating to wound healing, infection, bleeding, bladder or bowel function, pain, mental health or other aspects of postnatal recovery.
It therefore remains an essential part of postnatal care.
A Mummy MOT should not be used instead of your GP postnatal review.
Great experience with Sanderstead Osteopaths. I began treatment due to a sports injury in my leg which greatly reduced my mobility. In all honesty, I just looked up osteopaths near me and these lads came up. Couldn’t be more happy with their work. My progress to recovery has taken time and obviously money to get to where I am now (back to 95%) but I couldn’t be more pleased. All of my treatment was by Paul Harmes. If you need something to be looked at, consider these guys. C
Charles ThakkerDecember 28, 2023
What Is a Mummy MOT?
A Mummy MOT looks at postnatal recovery from a functional and musculoskeletal perspective.
Pregnancy does not simply affect one muscle or one joint.
Over many months, the abdominal wall stretches, the pelvis adapts, the centre of gravity changes, the pelvic floor manages increased load and the spine responds to a progressively changing body.
Birth then places additional demands on that system.
Immediately afterwards, your body also has to cope with feeding, lifting, carrying, bending, getting up from the floor, pushing a buggy, lifting a car seat and repeatedly moving while caring for your baby.
A Mummy MOT in Sanderstead assesses how your body is managing those demands.
Depending on your symptoms, stage of recovery and goals, the assessment may consider:
- Abdominal wall function
- Core control
- Diastasis recti
- Abdominal doming
- Pelvic floor coordination
- Breathing and pressure management
- Pelvic movement
- Lower back function
- Hip movement
- Posture
- C-section scar-related restriction where relevant
- Functional movement
- Lifting and carrying
- Exercise readiness
The objective is not simply to identify weakness.
It is to understand what has recovered well, what may still need support and whether other parts of the body are compensating.
The Difference Between Medical Recovery and Functional Recovery
Medical recovery and functional recovery overlap, but they are not exactly the same thing.
You can be medically well without every part of your physical function having returned to its previous level.
A C-section incision may have healed appropriately while the surrounding tissues still feel tight or guarded.
You may have no serious pelvic floor problem requiring medical treatment but still leak when running.
You may have no significant spinal condition but experience lower back pain whenever you carry your baby.
You may have abdominal separation that is not medically concerning but struggle to generate useful abdominal tension when lifting or exercising.
The postnatal GP review is concerned primarily with your medical recovery and overall wellbeing.
Great experience with Sanderstead Osteopaths. I began treatment due to a sports injury in my leg which greatly reduced my mobility. In all honesty, I just looked up osteopaths near me and these lads came up. Couldn’t be more happy with their work. My progress to recovery has taken time and obviously money to get to where I am now (back to 95%) but I couldn’t be more pleased. All of my treatment was by Paul Harmes. If you need something to be looked at, consider these guys. C
Charles ThakkerDecember 28, 2023
What a Mummy MOT May Assess in More Functional Detail
Your GP may ask about symptoms affecting many of the areas discussed below and can investigate or refer where medically appropriate.
A routine GP consultation, however, is not generally designed to provide an extended assessment of how the abdominal wall, pelvic floor, breathing system, pelvis and spine behave together during functional movement.
That is where a Mummy MOT can provide additional information.
H3: How Your Abdominal Wall Is Functioning
After pregnancy, many women describe their stomach or core as feeling weak, stretched or disconnected.
However, describing the core as weak does not tell us exactly what is happening.
During a Mummy MOT, we may look at how the abdominal wall behaves when you:
- Breathe
- Engage the core
- Lift your head
- Roll
- Sit up
- Stand
- Bend
- Lift
- Balance
- Exercise
We may consider whether the abdominal wall can create useful tension, whether you brace excessively, whether you hold your breath and whether the abdomen domes or bulges during effort.
We may also assess whether your lower back, hips or upper body are compensating when the abdominal wall is placed under load.
The aim is to understand function rather than judge the appearance of the abdomen.
Diastasis Recti After Pregnancy
Diastasis recti refers to separation of the abdominal muscles along the connective tissue running through the midline of the abdomen.
Some degree of separation is common during pregnancy because the abdominal wall has to stretch to accommodate the growing baby.
After birth, measuring the width of a gap can provide useful information, but the measurement alone does not tell us how well the abdominal wall is functioning.
During a functional assessment, we may also consider:
- Where separation is present
- The depth of the separation
- The tension through the midline
- What happens when the abdomen is loaded
- Whether doming appears
- Whether breathing changes the response
- Whether the tissue can generate useful tension
Two people with a similar measured gap can have very different levels of abdominal control.
The goal is therefore not simply to make a gap smaller.
The more useful question is whether your abdominal wall can manage pressure and support movement effectively.
If abdominal separation is your main concern, our diastasis recti treatment in Sanderstead service focuses specifically on abdominal wall recovery, pressure management and progressive rehabilitation.
Abdominal Doming When You Sit Up
A ridge, cone or dome appearing through the middle of the abdomen is one of the changes some women notice after pregnancy.
It may appear when:
- Getting out of bed
- Sitting up from the sofa
- Performing a crunch
- Planking
- Lifting your baby
- Running
- Doing Pilates
- Returning to gym training
Doming can provide useful information about how pressure is being managed through the abdominal wall.
During assessment, we may look at whether the doming changes when the movement is modified.
For example, does it improve when you exhale?
Does it reduce when the load is lowered?
Are you holding your breath?
Are you bracing too aggressively?
Is the abdominal wall struggling to create tension?
Is diastasis recti involved?
Are pelvic floor symptoms appearing at the same time?
These distinctions help determine what type of rehabilitation is appropriate.
If you have noticed this symptom, our article on why your stomach domes when you sit up after pregnancy explains the issue in more detail.
Pelvic Floor Function During Movement
Pelvic floor recovery is relevant after both vaginal birth and C-section.
Pregnancy itself places increased demand on the pelvic floor for many months.
The pelvic floor also works closely with the abdominal wall, diaphragm, pelvis and spine to manage internal pressure and support movement.
Symptoms that may suggest this system needs additional support include:
- Leaking when coughing
- Leaking when sneezing
- Leaking when laughing
- Leaking when lifting
- Leaking during running or jumping
- Pelvic heaviness
- Dragging
- Pelvic pressure
- Reduced pelvic support
- Difficulty controlling the pelvic floor
- Reduced confidence returning to exercise
These symptoms should be discussed with your GP where appropriate, particularly if they are persistent, worsening or concerning.
A Mummy MOT can additionally look at how those symptoms behave during functional movement.
At Sanderstead Osteopaths, our pelvic floor assessment within a Mummy MOT is external.
We may assess breathing, abdominal movement, pelvic control, posture, pressure management and movement to understand how the pelvic floor appears to be coordinating with the wider system.
If bladder control, heaviness or pelvic support is your main concern, our pelvic floor recovery after pregnancy service provides a more focused assessment.
Our guide to leaking after birth also explains why leaking can involve much more than pelvic floor strength alone.
Breathing and Pressure Management
Breathing may not immediately seem connected to postnatal recovery, but it plays an important role in the way pressure is controlled through the trunk.
The diaphragm, abdominal wall and pelvic floor work together.
Pressure naturally increases when you:
- Cough
- Sneeze
- Lift your baby
- Carry a car seat
- Stand from sitting
- Get up from the floor
- Exercise
- Run
- Jump
The issue is not that pressure exists. Your body is designed to manage pressure.
The question is how efficiently that pressure is controlled.
If you hold your breath, brace excessively or push pressure forwards or downwards, you may notice symptoms such as abdominal doming, leaking, heaviness or lower back strain.
During a Mummy MOT, we may therefore assess how breathing changes when you move or exert yourself.
This can help determine whether symptoms relate primarily to strength, coordination, timing, pressure management or a combination of factors.
Lower Back and Pelvic Function
Lower back pain after pregnancy is not always caused by one isolated problem within the back itself.
The lower back forms part of a larger load-sharing system involving the pelvis, hips, abdominal wall and pelvic floor.
If your abdominal wall is contributing less effectively, the back may work harder.
If your hips are stiff, the lower back may compensate when you bend.
If you feel unstable through the pelvis, spinal muscles may grip to create a sense of control.
Repeated feeding, carrying and lifting can then reinforce those patterns.
During a postnatal assessment, we may look at movements including:
- Standing from sitting
- Bending
- Squatting
- Lifting
- Walking
- Balancing
- Twisting
- Getting up from the floor
The aim is to understand what your lower back may be compensating for, rather than assuming that the painful area is the only area involved.
If back pain is your main concern, our postnatal back pain treatment in Sanderstead service looks at how the spine, pelvis, abdominal wall, posture and everyday baby-care demands may be contributing.
You can also read our guide to why lower back pain can continue months after pregnancy.
C-Section Scar and Abdominal Wall Recovery
A C-section involves abdominal surgery as well as recovery from pregnancy.
Even when the incision has healed well medically, some women continue to notice:
- Scar tightness
- Pulling
- Sensitivity
- Numbness
- Guarding
- Reduced confidence using the lower abdomen
- Discomfort when standing upright
- Difficulty engaging the core
Protective movement around the scar can also influence other areas.
You may brace through the lower back, avoid extending through the front of the body, hold your breath when lifting or move more cautiously through the pelvis and hips.
These patterns can be understandable during early recovery.
If they persist, however, they may affect the way your body manages everyday movement.
A Mummy MOT may look at the scar area as part of the wider abdominal wall, pelvis and movement system.
Our guide to having a Mummy MOT after a C-section explains scar, core and movement recovery in more detail.
Feeding, Lifting and Carrying Your Baby
Pregnancy may have ended, but the physical workload on your body has not.
In many ways, it increases.
You may spend substantial amounts of time:
- Feeding
- Looking down
- Carrying your baby
- Holding your baby on one hip
- Bending into a cot
- Using a changing table
- Lifting a car seat
- Loading a buggy
- Getting up from the floor
- Sitting in unsupported positions
Individually, these movements may seem insignificant.
Repeated dozens of times every day, they can place considerable demand on the neck, shoulders, back, pelvis and core.
I had treatments for backache and neck pain with both Tom and David, during pregnancy and after birth. I found the sessions really beneficial, they were gentle but straight to the point causing the pain. My mother sorted her backache in 4 treatments too. And I also got my newborn treated which helped her as she is much more relaxed now. I definitely recommend this clinic, osteopathy is good at any stage of life.
Laura VettoreAugust 28, 2023
Does Passing Your GP Check Mean Your Core Has Fully Recovered?
Not necessarily.
Your postnatal GP review is not a pass-or-fail assessment of your abdominal wall, pelvic floor or movement system.
If there are no medical concerns, that is reassuring.
However, you may still have functional areas that need rebuilding.
For example, you may be medically well but still experience abdominal doming.
Your C-section scar may be medically healed while you continue guarding the lower abdomen.
Your spine may be healthy while your lower back becomes overloaded during lifting.
Your pelvic floor may be capable of contracting but respond too late during coughing, jumping or running.
Time and medical healing are important, but they do not automatically restore strength, coordination, movement confidence or load tolerance.
Can You Have a Mummy MOT If You Do Not Have Pain?
Yes.
Pain is not a requirement for a postnatal functional assessment.
Some patients attend because they have symptoms.
Others feel reasonably well but want more confidence before increasing activity.
You may want help understanding whether you are ready to:
- Return to running
- Restart gym training
- Resume Pilates
- Lift heavier weights
- Return to sport
- Progress abdominal exercises
- Increase impact activity
- Return to physically demanding work
You may also simply want to understand your abdominal wall, pelvic floor or general postnatal movement better.
Very knowledgeable, nice people
Bernt HellmanJanuary 28, 2024
When Should You Book Before Returning to Exercise?
If returning to demanding exercise is one of your goals, a useful time to consider a Mummy MOT is before making a major increase in load or impact.
General movement and high-demand exercise are not the same thing.
Walking and gentle activity place very different demands on the body compared with:
- Running
- Jumping
- Burpees
- Heavy squats
- Deadlifts
- High-impact fitness classes
- Intense abdominal exercises
- Competitive sport
Before increasing to these activities, it can be useful to understand how your abdominal wall, pelvic floor, pelvis and wider movement system respond under load.
Time Since Birth Does Not Automatically Mean Exercise Readiness
Two women can both be 12 weeks postnatal and have very different levels of readiness.
One may have good abdominal control, no pelvic symptoms and be progressing comfortably.
Another may experience leaking, abdominal doming, heaviness or lower back pain during relatively simple exercise.
The number of weeks since birth does not explain that difference.
A functional assessment can consider:
- Core control
- Abdominal wall behaviour
- Pelvic floor symptoms
- Breathing
- Pressure management
- Pelvic control
- Balance
- Load tolerance
- Movement quality
- Pain
- Confidence
Where a more exercise-focused rehabilitation programme is appropriate, our osteopathy and Pilates treatment service can provide additional support.
I have suffered with various back problems, especially lower back and shoulder tension. David has helped with my symptoms quickly and effectively. He is extremely professional and knowledgeable. I can highly recommend this practice and I will continue to use them in the future.
Kim FyfeAugust 28, 2023
Returning to Exercise After Your Postnatal Check
Being a certain number of weeks postnatal does not mean every person is ready for the same exercise at the same time.
Healing time matters, particularly following surgery or tissue injury.
However, time alone does not tell us everything about:
- Core control
- Pelvic floor response
- Load tolerance
- Abdominal doming
- Breathing
- Pain
- Stability
- Movement confidence
This becomes particularly relevant when returning to activities such as running, weight training, Pilates, HIIT, impact exercise or sport.
If an exercise produces doming, leaking, pelvic heaviness, pain, scar pulling or loss of control, this can indicate that the current level of load needs adjusting.
That does not necessarily mean you must avoid the activity permanently.
The aim is to rebuild the capacity needed to perform it successfully.
Where appropriate, rehabilitation may also incorporate exercise-based support through our osteopathy and Pilates treatment.
Can a Mummy MOT Replace Your GP Postnatal Check?
No.
The two appointments serve different purposes.
Your GP is responsible for medical postnatal assessment and can investigate symptoms, diagnose medical conditions, prescribe medication and arrange further medical care or referral where necessary.
A Mummy MOT at Sanderstead Osteopaths focuses on musculoskeletal and functional recovery.
If you have not yet had your appropriate postnatal medical review, this should come first.
I have been using Sanderstead Osteopaths for many years David has been treating my ongoing back and neck issues and wouldn’t go anywhere else. I would highly recommend.
Allison StaggAugust 28, 2023
When Should You Seek Medical Advice Instead of Booking a Mummy MOT?
A Mummy MOT is not appropriate for symptoms that require urgent or ongoing medical investigation.
Seek appropriate medical advice if you develop symptoms such as:
- Fever
- Signs of infection
- Increasing wound redness
- Wound discharge
- Heavy or unusual bleeding
- Severe or rapidly worsening pain
- Chest pain
- Shortness of breath
- Sudden swelling
- New weakness
- New numbness
- Sudden loss of bladder or bowel control
- Blood in the urine
- Severe pelvic pain
- Symptoms that feel sudden or concerning
Your GP, midwife, NHS 111 or emergency services should be used as appropriate depending on the nature and severity of your symptoms.
A Mummy MOT is designed to support functional postnatal recovery, not replace medical assessment.
When Is the Right Time to Have a Mummy MOT?
Before attending a Mummy MOT, you should have completed your appropriate postnatal medical review and have been advised that it is appropriate to proceed.
After that, the right time depends on your individual recovery.
Some women attend because they want guidance before increasing exercise.
Others attend several months after birth because symptoms become more obvious as their baby becomes heavier and their activity increases.
Some attend much later because a problem never completely resolved.
A Mummy MOT may be useful if you continue to experience:
- Abdominal weakness
- Abdominal doming
- Diastasis recti concerns
- Pelvic floor symptoms
- Leaking
- Pelvic heaviness
- Lower back pain
- Pelvic discomfort
- C-section scar tightness
- Neck or shoulder discomfort
- Difficulty lifting or carrying
- Reduced confidence returning to exercise
If your symptoms are more general postnatal aches, stiffness or musculoskeletal discomfort, our pregnancy and postnatal osteopathy service may also be appropriate.
I’ve been attending Sanderstead Osteopaths to see David for a few years. The treatment is effective and the service professional.
Stuart kennedyAugust 28, 2023
What Happens During a Mummy MOT at Sanderstead Osteopaths?
The assessment begins with a detailed discussion about your pregnancy, birth and recovery.
We may ask about:
- Your pregnancy
- The type of birth you had
- Whether you experienced complications
- Your postnatal medical review
- Pain
- Pelvic floor symptoms
- Abdominal symptoms
- C-section recovery where relevant
- Feeding
- Lifting and carrying
- Exercise
- Work
- Your current concerns
- What you want to return to
The physical assessment is then adapted to you.
H3: Assessing Posture and Movement
We may assess how you stand, sit, bend, walk and move through the spine, pelvis and hips.
The aim is not to find a perfect posture.
We want to understand how your body distributes load and whether certain areas are consistently doing more work than others.
H3: Assessing Your Core and Abdominal Wall
We may look at how the abdominal wall behaves during breathing and movement.
This can include assessing abdominal tension, diastasis recti, doming, pressure control and coordination.
The emphasis is on function rather than appearance.
Assessing Pelvic Floor Coordination
Where relevant, pelvic floor function is considered as part of the wider core and pressure-management system.
Our assessment is external.
We may look at breathing, abdominal movement, pelvic control and symptoms during functional movement.
Assessing Functional Everyday Tasks
Postnatal recovery has to work in real life.
Depending on your symptoms, we may therefore assess movements such as:
- Standing from a chair
- Bending
- Lifting
- Squatting
- Balancing
- Carrying
- Getting up from the floor
These movements can show whether you brace excessively, hold your breath, shift load unevenly or compensate through the lower back or pelvis.
Creating Your Recovery Plan
Following assessment, we explain what we have found and how it may relate to your symptoms or goals.
Your recovery plan may include:
- Core rehabilitation
- Pelvic floor coordination
- Breathing strategies
- Pressure-management work
- Movement retraining
- Posture advice
- Lifting guidance
- Mobility exercises
- Progressive strengthening
- Scar tissue support where appropriate
- Hands-on osteopathic treatment where appropriate
- Gradual return-to-exercise guidance
I have been using Sanderstead Osteopaths for many years David has been treating my ongoing back and neck issues and wouldn’t go anywhere else. I would highly recommend.
Allison StaggAugust 28, 2023
Mummy MOT vs 6-Week Check: What Is the Main Difference?
The simplest way to understand the difference is to consider the question each appointment is trying to answer.
Your GP postnatal review considers your medical recovery, general health and wellbeing and whether symptoms require medical treatment, investigation or referral.
A Mummy MOT considers how effectively your body is functioning after pregnancy and childbirth.
It looks more closely at areas such as abdominal wall control, pelvic floor coordination, breathing, pressure management, posture, spinal and pelvic movement and the way your body manages everyday load.
One does not replace the other.
For many patients, the most appropriate sequence is medical postnatal review first, followed by functional assessment if symptoms remain or if they want additional guidance with their physical recovery.
Book a Mummy MOT in Sanderstead
If you have completed your postnatal medical review but still feel unsure about your core, pelvic floor, abdomen, back, pelvis, posture or return to exercise, a Mummy MOT at Sanderstead Osteopaths can help you understand how your body is functioning.
We assess postnatal recovery as a connected system rather than treating every symptom in isolation.
The abdominal wall, pelvic floor, breathing system, pelvis, spine and movement patterns all contribute to the way your body manages everyday load.
Our aim is to help you understand what has recovered well, what may still need support and what the next stage of your recovery should involve.
Sanderstead Osteopaths supports patients from Sanderstead and surrounding areas including South Croydon, Purley, Warlingham, Kenley, Selsdon and Coulsdon.
To arrange an assessment, contact Sanderstead Osteopaths or book online.
I’ve visited Tom at Sanderstead Osteopaths since March for postnatal neck and back issues and then subsequent issues with my neck from looking after a baby (and now toddler) and he’s absolutely superb. I’d highly recommend him!
Louise MayAugust 28, 2021
Frequently Asked Questions About Mummy MOTs and the 6-Week Check
Is a Mummy MOT the Same as My 6-Week GP Check?
No.
Your GP postnatal check is a medical review of your recovery and general wellbeing.
A Mummy MOT is a separate functional assessment looking at areas such as abdominal wall recovery, core function, pelvic floor coordination, posture, breathing, movement and load management.
A Mummy MOT does not replace your GP review.
Do I Need a Mummy MOT If My GP Says Everything Is Fine?
Not everyone needs a Mummy MOT.
However, you may choose to have one if you have ongoing symptoms, feel unsure about your recovery or want a more detailed functional assessment before returning to demanding exercise or activity.
Being medically well does not necessarily tell you exactly how your abdominal wall, pelvic floor and movement system are performing under load.
Does a Mummy MOT Assess Diastasis Recti?
It can.
If abdominal separation is relevant, we may assess the width and depth of the separation as well as how the tissue behaves during breathing and movement.
The aim is not simply to measure a gap.
We are interested in whether the abdominal wall can create tension, manage pressure and support movement effectively.
If diastasis recti is your main concern, our diastasis recti treatment in Sanderstead service provides more focused assessment and rehabilitation.
Does a Mummy MOT Include the Pelvic Floor?
Yes, where relevant.
At Sanderstead Osteopaths, our pelvic floor assessment is external.
We may assess breathing, abdominal movement, pelvic control, pressure management and symptoms during functional movement to understand how the pelvic floor appears to be coordinating with the wider system.
If pelvic floor symptoms are your main concern, you can also read more about our pelvic floor recovery after pregnancy service.
Can I Have a Mummy MOT After a C-Section?
Yes, once you have completed your appropriate medical postnatal review and have been advised that it is appropriate to proceed.
A Mummy MOT following a C-section may consider abdominal wall recovery, scar-related restriction, core control, breathing, posture, pelvic movement, lower back function and movement patterns.
Our Mummy MOT after a C-section guide explains this area in more detail.
Can I Have a Mummy MOT Months After Giving Birth?
Yes.
Functional recovery is not restricted to the first few weeks after childbirth.
If you still have symptoms, reduced confidence or feel that your core, pelvic floor, back, pelvis or movement has never fully recovered, an assessment may still be useful months or even years later.
Can a Mummy MOT Help Me Return to Exercise?
A Mummy MOT can help assess how your body currently responds to movement and load.
If you experience doming, leaking, heaviness, pain, scar pulling or reduced control during exercise, the assessment may help identify which aspects of recovery need to be rebuilt before progressing.
The aim is not to stop you exercising unnecessarily. It is to help you progress at a level your body can currently manage.
