A Mummy MOT is a specialist postnatal assessment designed to check how your body has recovered after pregnancy and birth. It was developed by women's health physiotherapist Maria Elliott and is now offered by certified practitioners across the UK — including here at Physio On The Hill.

The assessment typically takes place from six weeks after a vaginal birth, or eight weeks after a caesarean section, though it can be carried out at any point postnatally — even years later.

During your Mummy MOT, I'll assess:

• Your posture and alignment — pregnancy shifts your centre of gravity significantly, and many women carry those postural changes long after birth
• Your abdominal muscles — including checking for diastasis recti (separation of the abdominal muscles). This is very common in the early weeks after birth — around six in ten women have some degree of separation at six weeks — and it typically continues to narrow naturally over the first year, though for some women it persists and benefits from targeted rehabilitation
• Your pelvic floor function — both strength and coordination, as well as checking for any signs of prolapse
• Your breathing mechanics — how your diaphragm, core and pelvic floor work together as a system
• Your scar tissue — if you've had a caesarean or perineal tear, we'll assess how the scar is healing and whether any treatment would help

The internal pelvic floor assessment is always optional. Everything is explained clearly, and you're in control throughout.

The honest answer: most women benefit from one, even if they feel fine.

Many of the issues I see in clinic — leaking when you sneeze, a feeling of heaviness in the pelvis, back pain that won't shift, difficulty returning to exercise — are things women have been told are "just part of having a baby." They're not. They're signs that the body needs some support.

The NHS six-week check, while valuable, doesn't routinely include an assessment of the pelvic floor or abdominal muscles. A Mummy MOT fills that gap.

• Six weeks after a vaginal birth (or eight weeks after a caesarean)
• Before returning to exercise — especially running, HIIT or anything high-impact
• If you have any symptoms — leaking, prolapse, pelvic pain, scar discomfort, or back pain
• At any point postnatally — it's never too late, even if your youngest is starting secondary school

If you're based in the Surrey Hills or surrounding areas, I offer Mummy MOTs at home visits and at Key Osteopaths in Walton-on-Thames. Book your assessment here.