YOUR BODY AFTER BIRTH: WHAT'S NORMAL, WHAT'S NOT & WHEN TO SEE A PHYSIO

9 hours ago

4 min read

From pelvic floor recovery and abdominal separation to returning to exercise, Women’s Health Physiotherapist Julia Lee explains what postnatal recovery can really look like.

There’s a lot of attention on preparing your body for birth. Then the baby arrives, and suddenly most of the appointments, questions and conversations are about them.

Meanwhile, your body has been through pregnancy and birth - and whether you had a vaginal delivery or C-section, recovery doesn’t happen overnight.

Pelvic floor weakness, abdominal separation, back pain, leaking when you sneeze, discomfort returning to exercise... some postnatal changes are incredibly common. But common doesn’t always mean something you simply have to live with.

We spoke to Julia Lee, Senior Women’s Health Physiotherapist at The Round Clinic, about postnatal recovery, what a women’s health physio can actually help with and when it might be worth getting checked.

First things first: what does a postnatal physio actually do?

A postnatal physiotherapy assessment looks at how your body is recovering after pregnancy and birth — including your pelvic floor, abdominal muscles, core strength and any pain or physical changes you may be experiencing.

Julia’s work includes pelvic floor rehabilitation, checking and treating diastasis recti (abdominal separation), rebuilding core strength and creating gentle, individualised exercises to help parents return to movement safely, and importantly, physiotherapy isn’t only for when you know something is “wrong”.

Some parents book because they have a particular symptom they want help with. Others simply want to understand what has changed, how their body is recovering and what they can safely do next.

“But isn’t that just part of having a baby?”

Leaking when you cough, sneeze or exercise. Feeling heaviness or pressure in the pelvic area. Persistent back or pelvic pain. Abdominal separation. Pain during sex. Or simply feeling like your core isn’t quite as strong or stable as it was before. These can all be experienced after pregnancy and birth.

The important distinction is that something being common after having a baby doesn’t mean there’s nothing you can do about it.

Pelvic floor rehabilitation and targeted strengthening can form part of postnatal recovery, while an individual assessment can help identify what your body needs rather than relying on a generic list of post-baby exercises.

So, when should you see a women’s health physio?

There isn’t one set point at which everyone needs to see a physiotherapist because every pregnancy, birth and recovery is different.

You might seek support because something hurts, because you’re experiencing pelvic floor symptoms or because your body simply doesn’t feel quite like yours yet.

Or you might feel absolutely fine but want some reassurance before returning to running, Pilates, the gym or another form of exercise.

Julia takes a personalised, evidence-based approach to treatment and looks beyond an isolated muscle or symptom. Her biopsychosocial approach considers physical health alongside mental wellbeing, lifestyle and the realities of someone’s day-to-day life.

Because rebuilding strength while caring for a newborn is rather different from doing it with unlimited time, sleep and two free hands.

You don’t have to wait until after birth

Women’s health physiotherapy can be useful during pregnancy too.

Julia works with expectant parents to manage pregnancy-related discomfort, release lower-back muscle tension and stay active throughout pregnancy, as well as helping them physically prepare for labour.

Treatment can include physiotherapy, prenatal massage and individualised exercises, depending on what that particular body and pregnancy needs.

The aim isn’t to prescribe one “right” way to move through pregnancy or recover afterwards. It’s about having the right support for the stage you’re actually in.

Meet Julia

Julia Lee is the Senior Women’s Health Physiotherapist at The Round Clinic in Central, with more than a decade of clinical experience and specialist training in pelvic health, prenatal and postnatal physiotherapy.

Her interest in this area is also deeply personal.

Julia began her career with a passion for paediatrics, before becoming a mum herself in 2016. Experiencing pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and postpartum recovery first-hand gave her a new perspective on just how much women’s bodies go through - and how important the right support can be afterwards.

Originally trained in South Africa, Julia moved to Hong Kong with her daughter two years ago and now combines her international training with an approach that is very much about meeting each person where they are.

She’s also a qualified Breastfeeding Practitioner and Clinical Pilates Instructor, and was voted Best Physiotherapist and Women’s Health Specialist in Expat Living’s Readers’ Choice Awards in both 2025 and 2026.

The BUMP takeaway

Pregnancy and birth ask an enormous amount of your body. Recovery deserves a little attention too.

Whether something doesn’t feel quite right, you’re wondering about your pelvic floor or abdominal separation, or you simply want some reassurance before getting back to the exercise you love, you don’t have to figure it out alone.

Sometimes the answer isn’t to accept that this is simply your “new normal”. It’s finding out what your body needs now.