Pregnancy and Birth Preparation Program
Pregnancy and Birth Preparation Program
Women’s Health Physiotherapists play a significant role in pregnancy and birth preparation. From addressing aches and pains and pelvic floor concerns to teaching you how to push your baby out, there is a lot to cover. Much of what we do is incredibly individualised, but there are also some components that are more generic. I’ve created the Pregnancy and Birth Preparation Program so that you can get the absolute most out me. Having the online course allows us to spend every second of your in-person sessions on all the individual factors about YOU. You can then take your time to go through the online modules to get all the rest of the more generic info in-between our sessions. Having a specific program to follow allows us to ensure that we are covering off everything we need to in a systematic way. Whilst you can purchase the programs individually, I have created them to be completed together.
Pregnancy and Birth Preparation IN-PERSON Physiotherapy Program
The goal of this program is to provide you with individualised and tailored treatment so that you know you are doing everything you can to have the best outcomes postnatally. It includes:
Pelvic floor assessment – where are you at now and what do we need to do to get your pelvic floor in the best possible shape?
Individualised pelvic floor exercise program based on the results of your assessment
Individual risk factor questioning – we gauge what your risk is for issues associated with childbirth including prolapse, obstetric anal sphincter injury, urinary incontinence and faecal incontinence, and then we make a plan to mitigate those risks
Guidance and advice on safe exercise in pregnancy
Guidance with birth choices if indicated/requested
Coaching of perineal massage
Coaching of pushing technique
Resource pack provided during initial appointment filled with information so you always have something physical to refer back to
The program consists of 4 sessions. The initial assessment being 60 mins and then all subsequent sessions being 30 mins.
Session 1
Recommended as early as possible
This session consists of lots of questions about bladder, bowel and reproductive function, internal or external vaginal assessment to assess pelvic floor function and prescription of a personalised pelvic floor muscle function program
Session 2
Recommended after your 20 week morphology scan
Review and progression of your pelvic floor muscle function program, exercise guidance and advice, management of aches and pains.
Session 3
Recommended at 34 weeks
Review of pelvic floor muscle function, coaching of perineal massage, prescription of individualised pelvic floor stretching and down training program
Session 4
Recommended at 35 weeks
Coaching of pushing technique, assessment of pelvis, hip and spinal mobility and prescription of individualised pelvis and spinal mobility program
Postpartum Phone Check In
A 15 minute phone check in (included as part of the program) will also be scheduled around the 2 week postnatal mark to check in and answer any questions. It is then recommended to book in for your postpartum check at 6 weeks postpartum to begin your postpartum recovery.
Pregnancy and Birth Preparation ONLINE Program - COMING SOON
This is my version of antenatal classes and is designed to compliment the individualised assessment and treatment you receive in the Pregnancy and Birth Preparation IN-PERSON Physiotherapy program. It is designed to be done in conjunction with regular midwife-led antenatal classes, not to replace them. These classes are physio-focused so the main aim is keeping mum as happy and healthy as possible through her pregnancy and childbirth and facilitating excellent recovery. They do not focus on bub or any early parenting advice which you will find in a midwife-led antenatal course. These modules provide all the extra information that goes with the individualised treatment you access in the in-person physiotherapy sessions. It’s the content that is just as important but does not need to be individualised from person to person.
It consists of six sessions:
Safe exercise in pregnancy
Stretches and exercises to prepare your body for childbirth
Perineal massage
The first stage of labour – pain relief techniques, positions to adopt
The second stage of labour – positions to adopt, pushing technique
Early postnatal recovery – the first 6 weeks
The goal of this part of the program is to EMPOWER you. I am a firm believer that knowledge is power. It’s easy to avoid exploring and talking about the less appealing parts of pregnancy and childbirth but I guarantee you, if you arm yourself with all the knowledge going into your childbirth, you will come out of it with a much more positive experience.
-------------------------------------
Perineal massage add-on
(available only to women enrolled in Pregnancy and Birth Preparation Program)
Perineal massage is recommended from 34 weeks up to three times per week. There is strong evidence to suggest that perineal massage decreases the severity of perineal tearing. For women who are unable to complete perineal massage themselves, women who do not have someone at home to help them with perineal massage, or women who are struggling with down training an overactive pelvic floor, you can book in for physiotherapist-performed release and perineal massage. These are quick 15 minute sessions which is just the right amount of time to perform effective perineal massage (which means there’s unfortunately not enough time for any other treatment during the session).
————————————————————————
Planned c-section alternative option
Some women will know from an early stage that they are having a planned c-section. C-section delivery still requires much of the same preparation and management as a vaginal delivery so it is still important to see a Women's Health Physiotherapist during your pregnancy regardless of your mode of birth. I have created a planned c-section version of both the in-person and online program. The differences being:
IN-PERSON: 1 x 60 min initial and 2 x 30 min follow ups
ONLINE: 4 modules
The planned c-section version is offered at a cheaper price than the standard program as it consists of less sessions. If you purchase the standard program, and end up choosing a c-section birth before you have used all of your sessions, the difference in price will be credited for you to use on your first postnatal appointment.
————————————————————————
PRICING:
PREGNANCY AND BIRTH PREPARATION PROGRAM
In-person Program: $540 (saving of $100)
Online modules: $250
Total package: $750 (further saving of $40 for purchasing both in-person and online packages together)
PREGNANCY AND BIRTH PREPARATION PROGRAM - Planned C-section option:
In-person Program: $400 (saving of $95)
Online modules: $200
Total package: $550 (further saving of $50 for purchasing both packages together)
**Credit of $200 to go towards your postnatal appointment if you purchase the standard total package but decide on a planned c-section before completing all sessions
Credit of $140 to go towards your postnatal appointment if you purchase the standard in-person program only but decide on a planned c-section before completing all sessions