Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy

Enhanced Recovery after Obstetric Surgery in Scotland (EROSS) class

This class is available for those who are planning to have a caesarean section – Caesarean Section Preparation Class. This class is available at the Princess Royal Maternity Hospital every second Thursday at 11.00am on Microsoft Teams.

Please discuss this further with your midwife.

Pelvic Girdle Pain class (PGP class)

This class is available for those who are struggling with Pelvic Girdle Pain (PGP) during their pregnancy. This class runs at the Princess Royal Maternity Hospital every second Friday afternoon at 1:00pm

If you would like to join the class, please self-refer via the self-referral form

Information about how to manage PGP is available.

Care of your body during Pregnancy class

This class is available from 12 weeks pregnant. It will provide you with an opportunity to discuss pregnancy related changes to your body and how to manage them. It also aims to promote health, wellbeing and exercise in pregnancy.

This class will run every second Monday at 1.00pm at the Physiotherapy Department.

To book this class, please self-refer via the following link: Care of body class self-referral

Pelvic Girdle Pain class (PGP class)

This class is available for women who are struggling with Pelvic Girdle Pain (PGP) during their pregnancy. This class runs at the Inverclyde Royal Hospital every Thursday morning at 11.00 am on Microsoft Teams. If you think you are suffering from Pelvic Girdle Pain, please complete the following self-referral form.

Information about how to manage PGP is available here.

Physiotherapy led Care of your body during Pregnancy class

Please note, this class is been prepared for you and will be available at the beginning of 2023.

This class is available from 12 weeks pregnant onwards. It will provide you with an opportunity to discuss pregnancy related changes to your body and how to manage them. It also aims to promote health, wellbeing and exercise in pregnancy.

Pelvic Girdle Pain class (PGP class)

This face to face class is available for women who are struggling with Pelvic Girdle Pain (PGP) during their pregnancy. This class runs at the Queen Elizabeth University Maternity Hospital once a week on a Thursday morning at 11.15am. If you think you are suffering from Pelvic Girdle Pain, please complete the following self-referral form.

Information about how to manage PGP is available here.

If you would like to speak with the team directly, please contact our obstetrics physiotherapy department.

Physiotherapy led Care of your body during Pregnancy class

This class is available as a one off class to everyone from 12 weeks pregnant onwards. It will provide you with an opportunity to discuss pregnancy related changes to your body and how to manage them. It also aims to promote health, wellbeing and exercise in pregnancy.

It takes place twice a month, on a Monday between 1-2 pm at the Physiotherapy Department on the Ground Floor of the Maternity Unit at the Queen Elizabeth Campus.

If you would like to book, please complete the following form

Enhanced Recovery after Obstetric Surgery in Scotland (EROSS) class

This class is available for women who are planning to have a caesarean section – Caesarean Section Preparation Class. This class is available at the Royal Alexandra Hospital every Friday afternoon at 2.00pm on Microsoft Teams.

Class invitations will be sent to individuals once their caesarean section date has been booked.

Pelvic Girdle Pain class (PGP class)

This class is available for women who are struggling with Pelvic Girdle Pain (PGP) during their pregnancy. This class runs at the Royal Alexandra Hospital on Monday afternoon at 1.00pm. If you think you are suffering from Pelvic Girdle Pain, please complete the following self-referral form.

Information about how to manage PGP is available here.

If you would like to speak with the team directly, please contact our obstetrics physiotherapy department.

Physiotherapy led Care of your body during Pregnancy class

This class is available from 12 weeks pregnant onwards. It will provide you with an opportunity to discuss pregnancy related changes to your body and how to manage them. It also aims to promote health, wellbeing and exercise in pregnancy.

This class will run on a Tuesday afternoon, from 1.30pm to 3.00pm in the Parent Education Room 2 on level 3 in the Maternity Unit.

If you would like to book, please complete the following form

The pelvic floor muscles sit like a hammock underneath your bladder, bowel and womb. During pregnancy, as the weight from the womb increases as baby grows, your pelvic floor muscles are working harder and at risk of developing pelvic floor dysfunctions. There are other factors that can increase the risk like having a vaginal birth, instrumental birth, heavy baby (more than 4kg), third- or fourth-degree tears and a long second stage of labour.

Helping your pelvic floor muscles recover with specific exercises will help reduce and prevent any symptoms.

Please use the Pelvic Floor, Deep Abdominal and Pelvic Tilting Video and the following patient information leaflet for advice regarding how to exercise your pelvic floor muscles.

For further advice on pelvic floor exercises please refer to:

NHS Highland Pelvic Floor Muscle Exercise Information Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v731EXFR2k4

Pelvic Floor Muscle Exercises Information Leaflet: https://pogp.csp.org.uk/publications/pelvic-floor-muscle-exercises-women

SqueezyApp for Information Leaflets and Videos on Pelvic Floor Muscle Exercises: https://www.squeezyapp.com

Please click on the following link for further advice on Bladder, Bowel and Pelvic Floor Concerns 

During pregnancy, we recommend you keep as active as able.

If you were not active before, start slowly. We recommend daily walks, deep abdominal exercises and pelvic tilting to get started.

If you were already active and your regular activity is not a contact sport and doesn’t make you feel in pain or unwell, you can continue practicing it.

Finally, we have put together some more examples of exercises during pregnancy.

Please always consult with your Obstetrics Physiotherapist if unsure where to start.

Generally, walking, pelvic floor exercises, deep abdominal and pelvic tilting exercises are safe a day or two after the delivery of your baby.

Between six and eight weeks after having your baby, you may return to low impact exercise. Here are some examples.

Always refer to your Obstetrics Physiotherapist for advice and guidance for an individualized programme.

We recommend not starting high impact exercises until after three months from the delivery of your baby to give your pelvic floor plenty of time to recover!

Always refer to your Obstetrics Physiotherapist for advice and guidance for an individualized programme.

Before the time comes for labour and birth, it will be useful to check our video and leaflet about positions and breathing for labour. We recommend you try this ahead of time and with your birthing partner so you can be more comfortable and in control on the day.

Relaxation can also be really helpful during this uncertain time and you can find a relaxation session and leaflet on the topic.

Are you have a Caesarean Birth? We also got you covered! Check our video about an elective caesarean birth journey and what to work on after. We also have a Caesarean Section Preparation Class that runs in some of our sites.

External Resources 

Information about pregnancy, labour and birth and early parenthood – Ready Steady Baby!

Information about pain relief options – Labour Pains UK

Relaxation for Labour Demo Video – BabyCentre UK

Breathing for Labour Video – BabyCentre UK

Positions for Labour Video – BabyCentre UK

Massage of Labour Video – New Life Classes Ltd

Relaxation Information Leaflet: https://pogp.csp.org.uk/publications/mitchell-method-simple-relaxation

Fit for Birth Information Leaflet: https://pogp.csp.org.uk/publications/fit-birth

Reproduced with permission of LabourPains.com, NHS inform – Ready Steady Baby!, BabyCentre, New Life Classes and Pelvic Obstetric and Gynaecological Physiotherapy (pogp.csp.org.uk)

After pregnancy it is as important to look after yourself. We have put together advice and information to help you recover after labour and birth, either vaginal or by caesarean section, including videos and leaflets on Post Natal Advice and Exercise, early advice after a caesarean section birth and physiotherapy advice after a caesarean section birth.

For more information on Post Natal Exercises, please visit our key exercises section.

For more information about Diastasis Rectus Abdominus Muscles (DRAM), please visit our common pregnancy related aches, pains and concerns section.

Pregnancy related Pelvic Girdle Pain is aches and pains experienced during pregnancy or in the early post-natal period around pubic bone, groin, buttocks, hips and/or lower back.

Use the links below for advice on how to manage Pregnancy related Pelvic Girdle Pain (PPGP)

Pregnancy Related Pelvic Girdle Pain and other common conditions in pregnancy | POGP

• Video with relevant exercises (Pelvic floor, pelvic tilting and deep abdominal exercise)

External Resources

Working from Home – Advice and Exercises: https://www.csp.org.uk/publications/do-you-sit-desk-all-day-leaflets 

Reproduced with permission of Pelvic Obstetric and Gynaecological Physiotherapy (pogp.csp.org.uk) and the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (csp.org.uk). 

NHS Highland Pelvic Floor Muscle Exercise Information Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v731EXFR2k4

NHS Lanarkshire Pelvic Girdle Pain Management

Pregnancy related Low Back Pain is pain experienced during pregnancy or in the early post-natal period around the bottom of your back. If you have pain in other areas around your back, this information will also be useful.

Use the links below for advice on low back pain during pregnancy or after having a baby:

• Pregnancy related Low Back Pain | POGP
• Fit for future | POGP
• Video with relevant exercises (Pelvic floor, pelvic tilting and deep abdominal exercise)

Diastasis Rectus Abdominus Muscle (DRAM) is the normal widening of your tummy muscles during pregnancy to accommodate your growing baby. After having your baby, this widening can take up to a year to recover.

Factors that may increase the risk of developing DRAM are;

• Multiple Pregnancy or larger babies
• Stretching in previous pregnancies
• Poor abdominal muscle tone
• Genetics

A small amount of widening of the abdominal muscles, 2-3 fingers width, is common after most pregnancies and likely to resolve with time. You can check you gap by following the steps below;

• Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the bed
• Place 4 fingers on your abdomen just above your belly button
• Raise your head and shoulders slightly off the floor
• You will feel the two abdominal muscles coming together against your fingers – this is the size of your gap – remember there may not be a gap and that is a sign that your DRAM has resolved.

If you notice the following then you may require a specialist physiotherapist to review;

• The gap is more than 3 fingers wide
• A visible small bulge protrudes at your midline
• Your fingers sink deeply into your abdomen

You can self refer for this up to 6 months after you have had your baby by completing the following form;

self referral form

Use the links below for advice on Diastasis Rectus Abdominus Muscles or DRAM.

• Diastasis Rectus Abdominus Muscles (DRAM) Video

External Resources

• POGP Fit for Future
• POGP: Post Natal Pilates
• Reproduced with permission of Pelvic Obstetric and Gynaecological Physiotherapy (http://pogp.csp.org.uk)

Use the links below for advice on bladder, bowel and/or pelvic floor concerns:

• Pelvic Floor Muscle Exercise and Urinary Incontinence Leaflet
• Overactive Bladder Leaflet
• Pelvic Organ Prolapse Leaflet
• Emptying your Bowels Leaflet
• Obstetrics Anal Sphincter Injuries (OASIS) 3rd / 4th degree tears Leaflet

Please use the following Relaxation Video to use alongside pelvic floor relaxation.

External Resources

Continence Information Leaflet

Pelvic Floor Muscle Exercises Information Leaflet

Pelvic Organ Prolapse Leaflet

Bowel Function Leaflet

NHS Highland Pelvic Floor Muscle Exercise Information Video

SqueezyApp for Information Leaflets and Videos on Pelvic Floor Muscle Exercises

Reproduced with permission of Pelvic Obstetric and Gynaecological Physiotherapy (pogp.csp.org.uk) and SqueezyApp.com

Coccydynia or tailbone pain is pain experienced on the sitting bone, specially when sitting. This can appear during pregnancy or in the early post-natal period due to the changes happening to your body.

Use the links below for advice about coccydynia or tailbone pain:

• Coccydynia Leaflet
• Care of your Body in Pregnancy – Managing Aches & Pains Video

External Resources

Working from Home – Advice and Exercises

Reproduced with permission of Pelvic Obstetric and Gynaecological Physiotherapy (pogp.csp.org.uk) and the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (csp.org.uk). 

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is pain, numbness, pins and needles and tingling of the fingers and hand(s). There may be also swelling of the hands and you might feel your hands are clumsy, weak and tire easily. This can appear during pregnancy or in the early post-natal period due to the changes happening to your body.

Use the links below for advice on how to manage carpal tunnel syndrome:

• Circulation Changes in Pregnancy – Managing Aches & Pains Video
• Wrist Splint Fitting Instructions

Wrist Splint Size Guide

DeQuervains Synovitis is pain on the base of the thumb, swelling and reduced movement. This can appear during pregnancy or in the early post-natal period due to the changes happening to your body.

Use the links below for advice on how to manage DeQuervains Synovitis:

• DeQuervains Synovitis Information Leaflet

• Thumb Spica Fitting Instructions

Thumb Spica Size Guide