Maternal Health - World Health 2025
Image from Who.int
World Health campaign 2025 - Maternal Health
WHO has kicked off a year-long campaign on maternal and newborn health. The campaign, titled Healthy beginnings, hopeful futures, will urge governments and the health community to ramp up efforts to end preventable maternal and newborn deaths, and to prioritize women’s longer-term health and well-being.
WHO and partners will also share useful information to support healthy pregnancies and births, and better postnatal health.
Source - Who.int
At Ballsbridge Physiotherapy Clinic we want you to feel as comfortable as possible throughout your pregnancy. Have as much knowledge as possible about the journey your body is about to embark on. Providing useful information and tips compiled by our clinic Director, Aileen Maquire, and the rest of the team here at the clinic.
Preparing for Pregnancy
The Importance of a Healthy Diet and Lifestyle During Pregnancy
As pregnancy is one of the most sensitive periods in a women’s life, eating a healthy diet is essential not only for the women, but for the developing baby. Expecting mothers should pay close attention to what they eat. Try your best to avoid any foods or beverages that could be harmful to the baby. Foods to avoid include; raw fish, shellfish, raw eggs, raw sprouts, unpasteurised dairy, soft cheese with a white rind (such as brie and cambered) and blue cheese. Foods to reduce intake of include high mercury fish, processed meats, organ meats and undercooked meats.
Read Full Blog - The Importance of a Healthy Diet and Lifestyle
Strengthening the Pelvic Floor
Strengthening the pelvic floor is essential when preparing for pregnancy as it supports the bladder, bowel, and uterus, all of which experience increased pressure during pregnancy. A strong pelvic floor helps prevent issues like urinary incontinence, supports the growing baby, aids in labour and delivery, and promotes faster recovery postpartum. Regular pelvic floor exercises can improve core stability, reduce pelvic pain, and enhance overall physical readiness for pregnancy and childbirth.
Read Full Blog - Strengthening the Pelvic Floor
Common Discomforts During Pregnancy
Pregnancy brings about significant physical changes that can lead to common discomforts, many of which stem from hormonal shifts, postural adaptations, and increased physical demands. Common issues include lower back pain (affecting up to 80% of women), thoracic (mid-back) pain from rib cage expansion, and pelvic girdle pain (PGP) caused by increased ligament laxity. Other frequent complaints include carpal tunnel syndrome, resulting from fluid retention and nerve compression in the wrists. While these symptoms are often expected, they can be managed effectively with physiotherapy through targeted exercises, manual therapy, and support strategies.
Read Full Blog - Common Discomforts During Pregnancy
Staying Active Before and During Your Pregnancy
As long as your doctor allows you to continue your current exercise regime, you don’t have to stop if you don’t want to. Exercise contributes to so many benefits for your mental and physical health. We also know that pregnancy can be quite demanding on your body. Pilates is a great activity to do while pregnant that doesn’t place the same level of demands that a high intensive cardio exercise plan might. Likewise, swimming or walking are also great low-impact styles of training because they reduce the amount of stress going through your body due to the impact of the movement.
Read Full Blog - Staying active before and during your pregnancy
During Pregnancy
Leg Cramps
Leg cramps are a common pain for pregnant women to experience. It is still unsure exactly why these are caused but it could be because of pregnancy weight and the compression of blood vessels in the legs due to the expansion of the uterus. These cramps are often worse at night and can wake you up with sudden sharp pain in the leg.
Read Full Blog - Leg Cramps in Pregnancy
Dry Needling
Dry needling is a therapeutic technique using filament needles to release trigger points, which are taut bands in the muscles. Studies have concluded that acupuncture is safe in the hands of a qualified practitioner.
Read Full Blog - Dry Needling During Pregnancy
Upper Back & Shoulder
One of the common discomforts many expectant mothers face is upper back pain, particularly between the shoulder blades. While some level of pain is expected during this change, it's important to address and relieve discomfort rather than endure unnecessary suffering.
Read Full Blog - Why does my upper back & shoulder hurt while pregnant?
Pelvic Girdle Pain in Pregnancy
Pelvic girdle pain (PGP) is an extremely common condition, affecting up to 20% of pregnant women. To clarify, it can occur as early as the first trimester. PGP occurs due to the changes in hormones that occurs when pregnant. When you produce relaxin, PGP can happen. This increases laxity of ligaments around the pelvis, in preparation for the birth of the baby. Pain may be felt at the front of the pelvis at the pubic symphysis, or around the lower back at the sacroiliac joints. Pain is normally worst with walking, standing, climbing stairs and turning in bed.
Read Full Blog - Pelvic Girdle Pain in Pregnancy
Is Exercise Safe During Pregnancy?
Exercise during pregnancy is safe and recommended by all international organisations and guidelines. There are many documented and well supported benefits of exercise during pregnancy!
For the mom, exercise can:
Prevent excess body fat and the development of diabetes mellitus
Result in improved physical condition
Result in a shorter duration of labour and a quicker recovery after childbirth.
Reduce the risk of pregnancy-induced hypertension, pre-eclampsia, and premature births
Decrease chance of caesarean births and operative vaginal deliveries
Read Full Blog - Is Exercise Safe During Pregnancy?
After Pregnancy
Here at Ballsbridge Physiotherapy, we can help guide through your postpartum exercise journey. This can include general exercise recommendations and guidance, pelvic floor muscle training, incontinence care, and diastasis recti treatment. Our Clinic director Aileen Mcguire runs the pelvic floor rehabilitation service in the clinic treating both male and female patients with bladder and bowel incontinence and pelvic pain.
Returning to Exercise
If you have an uncomplicated vaginal delivery, you can usually start gentle exercises within a few days/when you feel ready. The American College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology recommends waiting until your post-natal check at 6 weeks before resuming/beginning swimming, gym sessions, and exercise classes. It generally takes 16 weeks to return to pre-pregnancy exercise levels.
Read Full Blog - Returning to Exercise after Pregnancy
Pelvic Floor Exercises During and Post Pregnancy
Continuing these pelvic floor exercises after pregnancy can help to prevent problems becoming a long-term issue. Depending on how long you breastfeed for, it may take quite a while for your hormones to return to their pre-pregnancy state. This can vary from person to person. Therefore, even though you no longer have the weight of the baby stressing your pelvic floor, the effects of hormonal changes may still be present. Doing pelvic floor exercises will also aid in accelerating healing post birth by increasing blood flow to this area.
Read Full Blog - The Importance of Pelvic Floor Exercises During and Post Pregnancy
Tailbone Pain
Women may experience localised pain and tenderness around the tailbone, which can intensify with sitting or direct pressure. Additionally, bruising, swelling, and discomfort during bowel movements may also be present. Postpartum coccydynia can significantly impact daily activities, particularly caring for a newborn, but with proper management, including pain relief measures, gentle exercises, and ergonomic adjustments, symptoms can be effectively managed, allowing for a smoother postpartum recovery process.
Read Full Blog - Tailbone Pain After Birth
Diastasis Recti - What is it and how can it be managed after childbirth?
The rectus abdominis muscle is a pair of long flat muscles that run vertically along the length of the stomach. The Linea alba connects the two sides of the rectus abdominis. The linea alba is a fibrous tissue that runs down the middle of the abdomen. Pregnancy can put a lot of strain on these muscles and this increased abdominal pressure can sometimes lead to a separation of the two sides of the rectus abdominis muscle. The rectus abdominis muscle separation is referred to as diastasis recti. This separation will often shrink in the weeks after delivery. A separation of two fingers width or less between the right and left sides of the muscle would not be considered significant.
Read Full Blog - Diastasis Recti - What is it and how can it be managed after childbirth?
Conclusion
Many changes happen to your body over the course of the 9 months to allow for the growing foetus. Your body changes and adapts to carry the baby, but this may also put more strain on certain parts of the body due to the increasing weight. Back pain, both lower and mid back, pelvic pain, swelling in hands or feet may be some of the problems you experience during pregnancy.
If you would like more information on the above, please contact the clinic to speak to one of our team members.
Pregnancy Services
Many changes happen to your body over the course of the 9 months to allow your body to adapt. But this may also put more strain on certain parts of the body.