Pelvic Health Birth Preparation in Healesville
When birthing your baby, your pelvis needs to move and adapt to allow your baby to descend through the birth canal. This movement is influenced by many structures throughout the body, including the muscles, ligaments, joints and fascia within and around the pelvis. When these tissues are restricted or not functioning optimally, they may limit the pelvis’s ability to create space and adapt during labour.
The pelvic floor plays an important supportive role in this process. While the uterus is responsible for pushing the baby out, the pelvic floor needs to coordinate, soften and lengthen to allow your baby to move through the birth canal. Excess tension, guarding or asymmetry in these muscles may affect their ability to relax during birth.
Our osteopaths are highly trained and take a whole-body approach when preparing the body for birth. With your consent, some practitioners may perform an internal pelvic floor assessment to evaluate strength, coordination and the ability of the muscles to relax and lengthen. Gentle internal or external techniques may be used to release tension and improve tissue mobility, helping create an adaptable pelvic environment that supports your body’s natural ability to birth.
Our birth preparation consults provide education including:
Take-home resources to help you continue preparing confidently between appointments.
Perineal massage, and tips to support the perineum during birth
Active birth positions
Pain management strategies
Understanding pain and how to manage it during labour
Exercises and techniques to help baby engage into the pelvis and support you during labour
Reassessing contractions, relaxation, and bearing down
Postnatal support
Pelvic floor assessment
Antenatal birth education
External osteopathic musculoskeletal treatment, as part of preparing the body for birth — not for treating specific aches or pains, which is the focus of our pregnancy appointments
The number of sessions varies from person to person, some feel ready after just one or two, while others like a little more time and support along the way. We'll help you work out what's right for you.
When should I start Birth Preparation?
We generally recommend beginning dedicated birth preparation from around 30 weeks of pregnancy, giving you time to work on pelvic mobility, pelvic floor awareness and relaxation, perineal preparation and strategies for labour and birth.
If you'd like to start earlier, an assessment from around 20 weeks can be a great opportunity to understand how your body and pelvic floor are functioning, identify areas you may want to work on, and give you plenty of time to prepare as your pregnancy progresses.
Why patients choose Yarra Valley Women's Health
One-on-one birth preparation tailored to your pregnancy and birth goals.
Hands-on assessment to optimise comfort, movement and labour positions.
Practical education to help you feel informed and confident.
Take-home resources to support your preparation between appointments.
Conveniently located in Healesville, welcoming patients from across the Yarra Valley.
