Before, During, and After: Caring for Your Body Through Pregnancy and Beyond
By Becca Atkinson
Mother’s Day often highlights everything moms give to others – their time, their energy, their care. Though in clinic, I often meet people who haven’t had the opportunity to consider what their own bodies need throughout pregnancy and postpartum.
Whether you’re thinking about becoming pregnant, currently expecting, or adjusting to life after birth, your body is going through significant change. While these changes are a normal part of the process, it does not mean you have to simply “push through” discomfort or uncertainty.
Pelvic health physiotherapy is about helping you understand those changes, and supporting you through them every step of the way.
Before Pregnancy: Building a Strong Foundation
If you’re planning to become pregnant, this is a valuable time to connect with your body. Developing strength, coordination, and awareness of your pelvic floor and pelvic girdle region can make a meaningful difference during pregnancy and recovery afterward.
This doesn’t mean intensive training. Often, it starts with simple, intentional steps:
- Learning how to properly engage and relax your pelvic floor
- Building strength in your core and hips
- Understanding how breath and movement work together
Think of it as preparing your body for what’s ahead in a way that’s individualized, supportive, and sustainable.
During Pregnancy: Adapting With Your Body
Pregnancy brings natural changes to posture, joint mobility, and how your muscles work together. As your body adapts, it may be common to experience:
- Low back or pelvic pain
- A feeling of pressure or heaviness
- Changes in balance or coordination
These symptoms may be common, but they’re not something you have to accept as inevitable.
Pelvic health physiotherapy during pregnancy focuses on helping you move more comfortably and confidently. This might include modifying exercises, improving posture, or addressing specific areas of discomfort so you can stay active in a way that feels right for you.
We also place a strong focus on preparing your body for birth via labour preparation sessions, while helping you understand and navigate the changes happening week by week.
After Birth: Recovery Is Not One-Size-Fits-All
Every postpartum journey is different, even within the same body after multiple births.
Recovery after birth, whether vaginal or cesarean, takes time, guidance, and a personalized approach. You may be experiencing:
- Core weakness or separation (diastasis recti)
- Pelvic floor dysfunction (leaking, heaviness, or discomfort)
- Pain with movement or when returning to exercise
Pelvic health physiotherapy helps guide this stage of recovery. The focus is on rebuilding strength gradually, improving coordination, and supporting your return to the activities that matter most; whether that’s lifting your child comfortably, getting back to the gym, or simply feeling like yourself again.
A Tool That Can Support Recovery
In some cases, tools such as neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) combined with biofeedback may be used to support pelvic floor awareness and activation.
Devices like the NeuroTrac provide real-time feedback, helping you better understand how your muscles are working, especially when it may be difficult to feel that connection on your own.
This approach isn’t necessary for everyone, but for some patients, it can be a valuable addition to a broader, individualized treatment plan.
You Deserve Support, Too
There is still a strong societal message that moms should be able to handle everything, including their own recovery, without much support. Yet your health matters just as much as everything else you’re balancing.
Taking the time to understand your body, ask questions, and seek support when something doesn’t feel right is often overlooked, but it’s a crucial part of caring for yourself.
Whether you’re preparing for pregnancy, navigating changes during it, or recovering afterward, you don’t have to figure it out alone.
Clinician Spotlight: Becca Atkinson
Becca Atkinson is a pelvic health physiotherapist who works with and supports women through all stages of life, from preparing for pregnancy to postpartum recovery and beyond.
Her approach is grounded in evidence-based care and strong patient advocacy. What patients often notice most is how comfortable and supported they feel during their visits. Becca understands that pelvic health concerns can feel sensitive and, at times, overwhelming. She prioritizes creating a safe, welcoming space where each person feels heard. Through active listening, clear education, and thoughtful guidance, she helps individuals understand what’s happening in their bodies and builds care plans that feel both manageable and meaningful.
Whether someone is experiencing pain, navigating uncertainty, or simply wanting to better understand their body, Becca’s goal is to make the process approachable and empowering.
Her work is rooted in a simple but important belief: when people understand their bodies, they’re better equipped to care for them. And Becca is there to support them every step of the way.
Follow Us on Social Media!
Welcome to Our Newest Staff Members!
Phi Nguyen | Deerfoot | RMT
Amrit Dhaliwal | Deerfoot | PT
Eric Rattai | Mahogany | Kinesiologist
Jody Cumberbatch Lewis | | Virtual Psychologist
Miki Hidaka | Westbrook | Acupuncturist
Jay Thatcher | Seton | Occupational Therapist
Isha Akhtar | West Springs | Kinesiologist
Community Corner: CycleFest 2026
A free celebration of people on bikes, youth empowerment, and community connection. CycleFest is more than a festival. It’s a movement to make cycling accessible, inclusive, and joyful for everyone — especially young people.
What is CycleFest?
CycleFest is Youth en Route’s flagship community event — bringing together families, bike shops, local businesses, community organizations, and people who believe cycling is freedom.
With downtown streets activated for the day, CycleFest will feature:
- Kids Bike Trade Up
- Learn-to-Ride sessions
- Bike safety checks
- Community demos & exhibitions
- A trade show featuring local partners
- Cyclepalooza — our signature fundraising challenge
Every dollar raised supports youth cycling programs across Calgary.
Why It Matters
When young people have a bike — and the skills to use it safely — they gain independence, confidence, and connection to their community.
CycleFest helps remove barriers to mobility while building a more inclusive, active city.
Chiropractic Pilot Program. Now Live!
The Low Back on Track pilot program is now live in northwest Calgary and Red Deer.
This publicly funded program gives eligible adults up to eight chiropractic visits over 90 days at no cost, helping people access early, evidence‑based care for persistent or recurring low back pain.
If you or someone you know has been struggling with low back pain, this program may be a great fit.
Beyond Pain Relief: How Physiotherapy Supports Your Health
Pain may be what brings people into physiotherapy, but the benefits go far beyond symptom relief. At Momentum Health, physiotherapy plays an important role in helping you move better, stay active, and support long-term health.
Improving Movement and Strength
Injuries, surgery, or inactivity can limit how your body moves. Physiotherapy uses hands-on techniques, mobility work, and targeted exercises to restore movement and rebuild strength where it matters most. This helps reduce strain on joints and supports everyday activities.
Enhancing Balance and Preventing Injury
Balance and coordination can be affected by age, injury, or neurological conditions. Physiotherapy includes balance training and movement retraining to help reduce fall risk and improve stability. For active individuals, it can also identify movement patterns that may lead to injury and help correct them before problems develop.
Managing Chronic Conditions
Conditions like arthritis or persistent pain benefit from consistent, guided movement. Physiotherapy provides structured exercise, education, and pacing strategies to help manage symptoms while keeping you active.
Supporting Neurological Recovery
For individuals recovering from conditions such as stroke or Parkinson’s disease, physiotherapy focuses on improving coordination, strength, and daily function. Even small improvements can make a meaningful difference in independence.
Building Better Habits
Posture, work setup, and daily movement patterns all impact how your body feels over time. Physiotherapy helps you develop healthier habits through education, ergonomic guidance, and movement training.
A Collaborative Approach to Care
At Momentum Health, physiotherapy is part of a team-based approach. Your care may also include chiropractic, massage therapy, kinesiology, or other services to support your overall recovery and performance.
Physiotherapy is about more than feeling better today. It is about helping you move well, stay strong, and continue doing what you love.
Schedule Your Appointment Today!
If you’re ready to make meaningful changes that actually last, scheduling an appointment with Momentum Health is the perfect place to start. Our team is here to help you move better, feel stronger, and build healthier habits all year long.
Healthy Recipe: Fruit & Chocolate Board
This Fruit & Chocolate Board is the perfect kid-friendly creation for Mother’s Day. It’s easy for little hands to help assemble, let kids get creative with colours and shapes, and it feels like a special treat without needing any baking. Best of all, it’s a thoughtful way for kids to “make” something beautiful and delicious that Mom can enjoy with the whole family.
Ingredients:
- Strawberries
- Red and green grapes
- Blueberries or raspberries
- Orange segments or clementines
- Apple slices
- Banana slices
- Kiwi slices
Chocolate & Dips
- Dark chocolate squares or chunks
- Milk chocolate squares
- White chocolate or yogurt-covered raisins
- Chocolate hazelnut spread
- Greek yogurt with a drizzle of honey
Crunch & Extras
- Pretzels or chocolate-covered pretzels
- Shortbread cookies or biscotti
- Coconut flakes
- Mini marshmallows
How to Assemble
- Wash and dry all fruit thoroughly, then slice where needed.
- Finish with a light sprinkle of coconut flakes or chocolate shavings if desired.
- Place chocolate items and dips in small bowls and spread them across the board
first. - Arrange fruit in loose clusters, mixing colours and shapes for visual contrast.
- Fill gaps with cookies, pretzels, and small extras.