'I'm a physio, and here are the 5 questions you're too afraid to ask post-baby, answered.'

Thanks to our brand partner, Ramsay Health Plus

Picture this: You're in a postnatal pilates class after having your first baby when suddenly — that telltale leak happens. There's nothing quite like experiencing urinary incontinence in public to bring anyone crashing back to earth. Many new mothers would feel crippled by panic in this situation, wondering whether they should excuse themselves or just endure the embarrassment.

In these moments, a conversation with a qualified professional can make all the difference. Many people don't realise that pelvic health physiotherapists specialise in addressing these exact concerns.

What's surprising to many is that symptoms often dismissed as "normal" in the postpartum period — symptoms some people resign themselves to dealing with forever — can actually be addressed with proper care.

That's what makes conversations about pelvic health and wellness so important. Amy Cooke is a women's health physio at Ramsay Health Plus, who specialises in helping women during pregnancy and beyond with a whole range of pelvic issues, including, erm, peeing their pants in pilates.

And so, I did what any nosey person would do: I asked her every single question I could think of, no matter how taboo.

If you've just had a baby, how are you meant to know what's normal?

One of Cooke's mottos when it comes to issues women experience in the postpartum period is, "it might be common, but it's not normal".

What she means is that often women put up with problems like incontinence or pelvic heaviness because they've heard they're common after giving birth and assume that means there's no solution.

To an extent, Cooke blames the huge amount of information available online about women's health issues for "normalising" these conditions.

"Women definitely need to get more educated when it comes to pelvic health issues," she said, emphasising that the type of education she's recommending is personalised and comes directly from an allied health professional.

"There's so much information out there but often people aren't discerning. Don't settle for leaking, don't settle for discomfort. It's common but it's not normal."

When should someone start seeing a women's health physio?

Sure, this isn't a question some women would be afraid to ask, but for those who are worried they've left it "too late", it's one that can weigh heavily on their minds.

The short answer, Cooke said, is that it's never too late. "I see women in their 50s and 60s for the first time — often daughters telling their mums to come and talk to a pelvic health physio!"

The longer answer is that care at any stage of a woman's life can make a big difference — whether during her reproductive years, including endometriosis management, sexual and pelvic pain, through conception, birth and postpartum or in her mature years for issues like incontinence and prolapse.

If you're having trouble during your pregnancy, Cooke said, you can loop in with a professional as early as you like. Early preventative care can help to achieve optimal women's health outcomes pre, during and post pregnancy. Otherwise, she often sees her patients directly post-birth, again at the six-week mark and at regular intervals through the first year of their recovery.

That continuity of care is one of the things that Ramsay Health Plus offers. As part of Ramsay Health Care, Australia's largest private hospital operator, Ramsay Health Plus is a team of allied health professionals working in fields like physiotherapy, dietetics, exercise physiology and occupational therapy. It provides quality, individualised care and support to women and men recovering from a wide range of conditions, including injury, childbirth, surgery, musculoskeletal dysfunction and more.

Ramsay Health Plus takes a personalised approach to post-birth and gynaecological surgery recovery, combining the expertise of experienced surgeons, obstetricians, midwives and facilities available through Ramsay Health Care with the support of passionate allied health professionals.

How long does it actually take to recover from birth?

"Your OBs and people on the maternity ward will say you're no longer postpartum at six weeks," Cooke said, "but from the perspective of a physio looking at changes to your body, it's really more like 12 months."

And even that timeframe is affected by all kinds of things — whether you're breastfeeding, what sort of delivery you had and whether you had a traumatic birth will all affect how quickly your body returns to "normal".

"There can be such variation in recovery," Cooke said. "If there's one thing I wish that women knew, it would be to be patient and kind to yourself. How long it takes for your body to feel like you've recovered or like you're ready to try for another baby, there can be a lot of pressure, but that length of time is so individualised and it's not your fault if it takes longer than you expected."

Is a pelvic health physio really worth it?

"Birth in Australia is very safe but is still one of the most significant medical risks that women will undertake," Cooke mused.

"If you're not a health professional, how do you know if something really is wrong? If it were me, I would say, I want to do everything I can to give myself the best chance to have the best possible outcomes for myself following my birth." That includes seeing a pelvic health physio.

"Of course, there's a cost associated with seeking that professional advice. My advice would be: you don't necessarily need more stufffor the baby, you need professional and personalised advice.

"From a budget perspective, getting your nails and eyelashes done shouldn't come before your pelvic floor."

When is it really safe to have sex postpartum?

As with so many things in the postpartum period, Cooke said, this really comes down to timing.

"It's all about time. Take your time. There's no one-size-fits-all model." But there are two things Cooke recommends to her patients without fail when it comes to postpartum sex: lots of lube and lots of sleep.

"Women are always surprised by the impact that getting no sleep has on their sex lives. Nobody can have good sex if they're exhausted or emotionally dysregulated."

And as for the men who might be waiting around for the "good" news that their partners are cleared to have sex again after a baby?

"Calm down, mate! Your whole intimacy and relationship change when you bring another person into a relationship. There's scope for sex to be better than ever, but that will take time to get to that point again."

Ready to support your postpartum recovery? Visit Ramsay Health Plus to learn about health services that may assist with your individual needs.

This information is general in nature and does not replace the advice of a healthcare professional. As with any health condition, always seek health and medical advice from a qualified pharmacist or your healthcare professional.

Feature Image: Supplied.

Take charge of your health with the support of our dedicated allied health team. Whether it's women's health or care for the whole family, your local Ramsay Health Plus team are here to support you every step of the way.