After I had my baby, my body felt weird. Not like there was something wrong, but just…weird. Everything just felt a bit different to what I was used to, and while I didn’t have anything specific I was concerned about, I wanted a bit of reassurance that everything was normal after my body had been through something so enormous.
A friend had recommended a lady in Halifax, so I booked in for something called the MummyMOT with with Louise Harry at Women’s Health Physiotherapy Halifax. Louise is a chartered physiotherapist and certified MummyMOT practitioner who has specialised in women’s health since 2007, and reassuringly she’s a mum of two herself. She gets it – nothing is TMI to her, and believe me, I tested that.
The MummyMOT is a specialist postnatal assessment, designed for women after both vaginal and caesarean deliveries, that looks at how your posture, pelvic floor muscles, and stomach muscles are actually recovering after birth – it’s nothing like the rushed 6 week checkup at the GP where they have to cover both you and baby in the same 10 minute slot. The MummyMOT was a thorough, unhurried, assessment that left me feeling really reassured.
My Experience of the MummyMOT
The Mummy MOT cost me £95 and was worth every single penny. I know that’s a lot of money, but I was there for nearly 3 hours and was blown away by how thorough Louise was and the level of expertise involved. It really is good value for specialist one-to-one care.
Louise was thorough in a way that felt reassuring rather than clinical. She checked everything from posture, abdominal muscle separation, pelvic floor function, hydration, and was even able to scan my bladder to check it was emptying correctly. Nothing was rushed, nothing was brushed over, and Louise has the kind of manner that makes you feel comfortable talking about the things you’d otherwise quietly google at 2am. She answered all my questions (even about things entirely unrelated to women’s health) and gave me homework to do after our session. I booked a follow up session for 6 weeks later, and saw huge improvements in my pelvic floor and ab separation in that time.
Practicalities for Parents
Can I bring baby to my appointment?
Yes, I took mine to both my initial appointment and follow up with no issues, just make sure you have somewhere safe for your baby to sit (e.g. pram or carseat) while you’re being examined.
What about feeding my baby?
Louise is completely happy to work around you if you need to feed your baby during the appointment.
Is there baby changing?
There’s no specific baby changing, but Louise was happy for me to change my baby on the treatment bed in her room.
Is it pram friendly?
Yes – Louise sent me an email with instructions for how to get to her office with the pram; there’s a couple of lifts involved but it’s straightforward enough if you follow her instructions.
Is there parent parking?
There’s no dedicated parent and child parking on site, but there are car parks throughout the Dean Clough complex. Parking costs around £2/hour and it can get busy so leave yourself a bit of extra time to find a space where you have plenty of room to get your baby in and out the car.
Finding the office:
Dean Clough is a big, multi-level site made up of several different mills, and finding the right entrance for the first time can is a bit tricky. Louise is very much aware of this and sends a detailed email explaining exactly how to get in with a pram before your appointment. There are a couple of lifts involved so be warned if you’re scared of lifts!
How to Book
I booked in by emailing Louise at enquiries@womenshealthphysiotherapyhalifax.com
You could also connect with Louise at her instagram or Facebook.
Looking for more local services for parents in the Huddersfield and Halifax area? Head over to our directory to find everything from classes to clinics to cafés that actually have room for a pram.
