Your body changes throughout pregnancy
Osteopathic care that considers how your body is adapting
Pregnancy asks a lot of your body. As your baby grows, changes in posture, movement, breathing, load and the way you use your body can alter how muscles and joints are working together. For some people these changes are barely noticeable; for others, they can contribute to aches, tension or discomfort, or make everyday activities less comfortable.
At Grow Clinic, osteopathic care during pregnancy is about understanding how your body is adapting and what may help support it through those changes. Your pregnancy, medical history, lifestyle and the things you need and want to be able to do all form part of that picture.
Whether you’re experiencing something new during pregnancy or an existing problem is behaving differently as your body changes, care is shaped around you and where you are in your pregnancy.
Osteopathy during pregnancy
Individual care as your body changes
People seek osteopathic help during pregnancy for many of the same musculoskeletal problems that can occur at any other time, including back and neck pain, joint and muscle aches, headaches associated with neck problems and general muscle tension and stiffness. Existing problems can also feel different as your body changes and your pregnancy progresses.
Pregnancy itself brings changes in posture, movement, breathing and load. An osteopathic assessment considers these changes alongside the area where you’re experiencing symptoms, looking at how different parts of your body are moving and working together.
Treatment is hands-on and tailored to you. Depending on the findings of your assessment, this may include soft tissue techniques, stretching and joint mobilisation, alongside movement, exercise or practical advice where appropriate.
How you are positioned for assessment and treatment can also be adapted throughout pregnancy. You won’t be expected to lie in a position that isn’t comfortable or appropriate for you, and the techniques used can be adjusted according to your stage of pregnancy, symptoms and preferences.
Every pregnancy has a story
Your history and experiences are part of the picture
No two people arrive at pregnancy from quite the same starting point. This may be your first pregnancy, a second or subsequent pregnancy, or a pregnancy following fertility treatment, pregnancy or baby loss. Whatever has come before, you can share as much or as little of that history as feels relevant and comfortable to you.
Previous pregnancies and births can also leave physical changes that may still be relevant, even if they happened several years ago. Some people come to Grow during a subsequent pregnancy having had a difficult or traumatic previous birth, ongoing abdominal or pelvic changes, or scarring following a caesarean birth, perineal tear or episiotomy. Others simply feel they never had the opportunity to understand or address what changed after their last pregnancy.
Your pregnancy and birth history forms part of your osteopathic assessment where relevant. This may include considering abdominal and pelvic function, breathing and pressure management, movement, and the impact of previous scars alongside how your body is adapting to your current pregnancy.
For some, the goal is simply to feel more informed and better prepared for this pregnancy and the postnatal period. Where more specific pelvic health, postnatal or scar assessment would be helpful, we can discuss this with you and help you decide what support may be appropriate.
Osteopathy alongside your maternity care
Part of the wider picture, not a replacement for it
Osteopathic care during pregnancy sits alongside, rather than replaces, the care you receive from your midwife, GP, obstetric team or other healthcare professionals involved in your pregnancy.
Your safety and that of your pregnancy are always part of the clinical decision-making process. Your medical and pregnancy history will be considered at each stage, and treatment will only be offered where it is appropriate to do so.
If something you tell us or something identified during your assessment needs further investigation, osteopathic treatment may not be appropriate at that time. Where necessary, this will be discussed with you and you may be advised to contact your maternity team, GP or another healthcare professional.
Good pregnancy care is collaborative. The aim is for osteopathy to complement the care and support already around you, while giving you dedicated time to consider your own body, movement and physical wellbeing during pregnancy.
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