Mummy MOT
More than a postnatal check-up
Pregnancy and childbirth change your body in remarkable ways. While many women recover well with time, others are left wondering why they still don’t quite feel like themselves.
Perhaps you’re leaking urine when you run, your back has been aching since having your baby, sex feels uncomfortable, or your core feels weaker than it used to. Maybe you’ve returned to exercise but something just doesn’t feel right.
A Mummy MOT is a comprehensive postnatal physiotherapy assessment designed to help you better understand how your body is recovering after pregnancy and birth. Rather than focusing on just one area, we assess how your whole body is working together so we can create a personalised rehabilitation plan based on your symptoms, lifestyle and goals.
Whether your goal is to lift your baby comfortably, return to running, get back to the gym, practise yoga, or simply move with more confidence, a Mummy MOT can help guide your recovery.
What happens during a Mummy MOT?
Every woman is different, so every assessment is tailored to you.
Your appointment begins with a conversation about your pregnancy, birth and recovery so far. We’ll discuss your symptoms, your medical history, your current activity levels and what you would like to achieve.
Depending on your presentation, your assessment may include:
- Breathing assessment and pressure management
- Posture and movement analysis
- Assessment of your abdominal wall, including diastasis recti where appropriate
- Caesarean or perineal scar assessment
- Strength and functional movement testing
- Pelvic girdle, back or hip assessment if you’re experiencing pain
- An assessment of how you move during everyday activities and exercise
If clinically appropriate, and only with your informed consent, we may also recommend an internal pelvic examination to assess your pelvic floor muscles.
Following your assessment, you’ll receive clear explanations of our findings together with an individualised rehabilitation programme designed specifically for your needs.
Women’s Health FAQ
What does a Mummy MOT assess?
Although many women associate a Mummy MOT with pelvic floor exercises, the assessment looks at much more than that.
Recovery after pregnancy involves the way your breathing, abdominal wall, pelvic floor, spine, hips and movement patterns work together.
Depending on your symptoms and goals, your physiotherapist may assess your breathing, posture, abdominal wall, pelvic floor function, movement patterns, strength, scar mobility (if applicable), and how your body manages load during everyday activities or exercise.
Sometimes symptoms such as back pain, abdominal weakness or difficulty returning to exercise are influenced by several factors rather than one isolated problem. Looking at the whole picture helps us identify what may be contributing to your symptoms and develop a rehabilitation plan that’s specific to you.
Will I need pelvic floor exercises after my Mummy MOT?
Not necessarily. Many women assume every postnatal assessment ends with a list of Kegel exercises. In reality, some pelvic floor muscles need to become stronger, while others need to learn to relax, coordinate and respond to movement. Your assessment helps us determine what your body needs.
Although many women associate a Mummy MOT with pelvic floor exercises, the assessment looks at much more than that.
Recovery after pregnancy involves the way your breathing, abdominal wall, pelvic floor, spine, hips and movement patterns work together.
Sometimes symptoms such as back pain, abdominal weakness or difficulty returning to exercise are influenced by several factors rather than one isolated problem.
Who is a Mummy MOT for?
A Mummy MOT may benefit you if you:
- Have recently had a baby.
- Are preparing to return to exercise or sport.
- Leak urine when coughing, sneezing or exercising.
- Experience urgency or difficulty controlling your bladder.
- Feel heaviness or a bulging sensation vaginally.
- Have abdominal separation (diastasis recti).
- Experience pelvic, hip or back pain.
- Have discomfort around a Caesarean or perineal scar.
- Feel weaker or less confident in your body than before pregnancy.
- Simply feel that something doesn’t feel quite right.
You don’t need to have symptoms to benefit from an assessment. Many women choose to have a Mummy MOT to better understand their recovery and return to activity safely.
I had my baby three years ago. Is it too late to have a Mummy MOT?
One of the biggest misconceptions about postnatal care is that if you didn’t seek help within the first few months after giving birth, you’ve somehow missed your opportunity.
The truth is that recovery doesn’t stop at six weeks.
Whether your baby is six weeks, six months or six years old, it’s never too late to understand how your body is functioning, address ongoing symptoms and improve the way you move.
Many women don’t notice symptoms until they return to running, start lifting heavier weights, begin practising yoga again or simply become more active as their children grow.
If something still doesn’t feel right, it’s worth having it assessed. Whatever stage of motherhood you’re in, it’s never too late to seek support.
How long after having a baby can I have a Mummy MOT?
In most cases, a Mummy MOT can be performed from around six weeks after giving birth, once you’ve been medically cleared by your healthcare provider.
If you’ve had a Caesarean birth, we’ll also consider how your incision is healing before assessing your abdominal wall or scar.
What is an internal pelvic examination?
An internal pelvic examination is one of the tools a specialist women’s health physiotherapist may use to assess the function of your pelvic floor muscles.
Not everyone needs one, and it is never mandatory.
If we believe it would provide useful clinical information, we’ll explain exactly why we are recommending it and answer any questions you may have before asking for your consent.
You are free to decline the examination or stop it at any time, and a chaperone is always available if you would like one present.
An internal examination allows us to assess much more than muscle strength. It helps us understand how your pelvic floor muscles contract, relax and coordinate with your breathing and movement. It can also provide valuable information about muscle tension, pain, scar tissue, pelvic organ support and other factors that may be contributing to your symptoms.
If you decide not to have an internal examination, we can still carry out a thorough assessment using other clinical tests and tailor your treatment accordingly.
Giuliana Fierro
Physiotherapist - Women’s Health
Giuliana Fierro is a Chartered Physiotherapist with a background in musculoskeletal rehabilitation, women’s health and movement-based rehabilitation. Giuliana is a certified Mummy MOT Practitioner and is trained in pelvic health assessment, supporting women through pregnancy, postnatal recovery, pelvic floor dysfunction and return to exercise. She also has a particular interest in persistent pain, hypermobility and rehabilitation through movement.
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Laura Fornoni
Sports & Dance Therapist
BSc Sports & Dance Therapy, London Metropolitan University 2018 Laura is a former gymnast and gymnastic coach with wide-ranging sports experience including rugby and cheerleading. She’s well-versed in all styles of dance and enjoys enriching her knowledge in new disciplines such as burlesque and circus arts. Laura works with patients from all backgrounds whether they are sedentary or high-performing sports people.
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