Postnatal Recovery: Care for Your Body After Birth

The first year after birth asks a lot of your body, from feeding posture and broken sleep to lifting a growing baby. Postnatal osteopathy is gentle, hands-on care that helps your body recover from pregnancy and birth, so you can feel like yourself again.

The part of postnatal care that often gets missed

During pregnancy and birth you're well looked after, and your midwife and then Plunket keep a close eye on your baby. What often gets missed is your body. Months later, your lower back may still not feel right, your neck may ache from feeding, your core may feel weak, and broken sleep can slow your recovery.

Postnatal osteopathy is gentle, hands-on care that helps your body recover from pregnancy and birth, so you can feel like yourself again. It won't undo the birth or work miracles, but it can ease the strain of nine months of pregnancy, the birth itself, and months of feeding, carrying and settling your baby.

Who this is for

Postnatal osteopathy may help if you:

Still have lower-back or pelvic pain from pregnancy that hasn't settled by 6–12 weeks
Get neck, shoulder or upper-back tension from feeding, settling or bending over the cot
Have wrist, thumb or forearm pain from lifting your baby many times a day ("mother's thumb", also called De Quervain's)
Feel your ribs or breathing haven't gone back to normal since the pregnancy
Have headaches that started or got worse after the birth
Want a check-up before getting back into running or exercise

If you have pelvic-floor symptoms, prolapse or separated tummy muscles, we can work alongside your women's-health physiotherapist. They focus on your pelvic floor and core, while we look after your back, pelvis, ribs and posture, so the two treatments support each other.

What treatment looks like

A first postnatal appointment takes 40–60 minutes. We'll ask about your pregnancy, the birth, how feeding and sleep are going, and what's changed since. Then we'll check your posture, spine, pelvis, ribs, tummy muscles and any areas that are bothering you.

Treatment might include:

Gentle joint mobilisation for your lower back, pelvis, mid-back and neck
Soft-tissue release for tight glutes, hips, shoulders and diaphragm
Rib and diaphragm work to help your breathing settle back to normal
Practical advice on feeding positions, carrying, sleep set-up and getting back to exercise

You can bring your baby or come alone. Most people come every two weeks for a few sessions, then less often as things settle. There's no fixed programme.

Working with the rest of your postnatal team

Osteopathy is one part of postnatal care, not all of it. We're happy to work alongside your women's-health physio. If something would be better handled by your usual doctor, a lactation consultant or a mental-health professional, we'll tell you, whether that's at the first visit or later on. The right mix of care makes recovery easier.

Ready to book? You can book directly online — no referral needed.

Common questions

Whenever you feel ready. Many people start around 6 weeks after the birth, often after their midwife's final check, but there's no minimum wait. Gentle treatment is safe from the first week or two if something is bothering you. We can work around breastfeeding, or a young baby who comes with you.

Common reasons people come in include: back or pelvic pain from pregnancy that hasn't settled, neck and upper-back tension from feeding, wrist and thumb pain from lifting your baby ('mother's thumb'), tight ribs or restricted breathing after pregnancy or a caesarean, and a general sense that your body doesn't feel like your own yet.

Yes. Osteopathic treatment doesn't affect milk supply or feeding. You're welcome to feed your baby during the appointment. We can treat you lying flat, on your side or propped up, whichever is most comfortable.

Yes, most people do in the first few months. There's room beside the treatment table for a car seat or pram, and you can pause to feed, settle or change your baby at any time. If you'd rather come alone, our evening and Saturday appointments can make childcare easier to arrange.

It works alongside them. Your midwife looks after the first six weeks, Plunket supports your baby's health, and your usual doctor handles anything medical. Postnatal osteopathy adds hands-on care for your muscles and joints, and we're happy to work alongside your women's-health physio too. If we notice anything outside our scope, such as ongoing bleeding or low mood, we'll tell you and suggest who to see.