Having a baby changes your body in ways that don’t always resolve on their own, and no one should have to accept pain, leaking or weak core strength as simply part of motherhood.
The Mummy MOT® is a dedicated postnatal physiotherapy assessment, carried out one-to-one by a specialist women’s health physiotherapist at Richmond Physiotherapy. It checks how your body, particularly your abdominal muscles and pelvic floor, has recovered since birth, and gives you a clear, personalised plan for moving forward, whether that’s returning to exercise, resolving ongoing symptoms, or simply understanding what’s normal and what isn’t.
What Is a Mummy MOT?
The Mummy MOT is the original postnatal physiotherapy assessment, developed specifically to check the effects of pregnancy and birth on a woman’s body. Research suggests that up to half of women experience weakness in both their abdominal and pelvic floor muscles after having a baby, and around a third still have a separation in their abdominal muscles, a “tummy gap,” at eight weeks postpartum. Left unaddressed, this can contribute to poor core control, back or pelvic pain, and bladder, bowel or sexual dysfunction: issues that are common after childbirth, but not something you need to simply live with.
Updated 2025 clinical guidance recommends that women have their first postnatal assessment from around three weeks after birth. We also regularly see women who gave birth months, or even years, ago and are only now looking into symptoms such as a tummy gap, heaviness or leaking. It is never too late to have this checked.
Who Is the Mummy MOT For?
You don’t need a specific diagnosis to book a Mummy MOT – many women come simply for reassurance. It may be worth booking if:
- You’re around three weeks or more postnatal and want a baseline check before returning to exercise
- You notice leaking when you cough, sneeze, laugh or exercise
- You feel heaviness, dragging or a bulge in your vagina or pelvis
- You can feel, or are worried about, a gap or dome shape down your abdominal midline
- You have ongoing back or pelvic girdle pain since pregnancy
- You’ve had a caesarean section and want your scar and core function checked
- Sex feels different, uncomfortable or painful since giving birth
- You had these symptoms with a previous baby and want a check before, or during, a new pregnancy
- You simply want reassurance that your body is recovering as it should, even without obvious symptoms
Conditions We Assess and Treat
Diastasis of the rectus abdominis (DRAM) – separation or widening of the abdominal muscles
Pelvic organ prolapse – a feeling of heaviness or bulge in the vagina
Stress and urge incontinence, and overactive bladder
Pelvic girdle pain, including SPD
Postnatal back pain
C-section scar recovery and scar tissue restrictions
Constipation and other bowel dysfunction
Sexual dysfunction, including pain during sex
What Happens During Your Mummy MOT Assessment
The assessment takes a full hour, one-to-one, in a private room with a specialist women’s health physiotherapist. It includes:
- Your history and goals. We talk through your pregnancy, birth and current symptoms, and what you want to get back to.
- A postural and movement screen. How you’re standing, moving and loading your body day to day.
- An abdominal muscle examination. Checking for, and measuring, any separation (DRAM).
- A pelvic floor muscle assessment. Usually carried out internally, with your consent, to assess strength, control and coordination. This is always explained fully before we begin, and can be adapted if you’d prefer an external assessment.
- Bladder, bowel and sexual function screening. A private, judgement-free conversation about symptoms many women feel embarrassed to raise.
- Advice for daily life. Safe lifting, carrying and pushing a pram, and guidance on returning to exercise.
- A bespoke rehabilitation plan. Built around your goals, your baby and your lifestyle.
- A written report. A summary of your findings and plan, to keep and refer back to.
What Makes Our Mummy MOT Different
- Led by a specialist women’s health physiotherapist, HCPC-registered and trained specifically in postnatal assessment
- A full, unhurried hour, one-to-one – not a brief add-on to a general check
- Grounded in current research, including 2025 guidance on postnatal assessment timing
- A plan built around you, not a generic handout
What to Expect at Your First Appointment
You’ll be seen in a private consulting room by a female physiotherapist. We’ll start by talking through your history and goals before any hands-on assessment, and nothing internal is carried out without your full understanding and consent beforehand – you’re always in control of what the appointment includes. You’re welcome to bring your baby along. Wear whatever feels comfortable; there’s no need to prepare anything in advance.
Outcomes and Realistic Expectations
Most women leave with a clear understanding of their pelvic floor and core function, and a plan they can act on straightaway. Many symptoms, such as mild separation, pelvic girdle pain or bladder leakage, improve significantly with a structured home programme and, where needed, a short course of follow-up treatment. Some conditions, including significant prolapse or persistent pain, take longer to settle and may involve joint management with your GP or a urogynaecologist; where this applies, we’ll discuss it with you openly at your assessment.
The Mummy MOT is a thorough physiotherapy assessment, not an emergency medical service. If you experience heavy bleeding, severe abdominal pain or other urgent symptoms, please contact your GP, midwife or emergency services directly.
What to Expect at Your First Appointment
Many of the parents who book a Mummy MOT are, understandably, also thinking about their baby’s development. Rather than arranging two separate appointments, you can book a Baby MOT and Mummy MOT together in a single visit.
- Mummy MOT alone – £150
- Baby MOT alone – £150
- Combined package, booked together in one visit – £270 (a £30 saving)
Find out more on our Baby MOT page, or ask about the combined package when you book.
How to Book Your Mummy MOT
Self-referral is welcome – you don’t need a GP letter to book. The initial assessment is £150 for a 60-minute appointment.
FAQs
What age is the Baby MOT suitable for?
The Baby MOT is designed for babies from 6 weeks up to 12 months. If your baby is older and you have a concern, please get in touch and we’ll advise on the best assessment for their age.
Do I need a referral from my GP or health visitor?
No. Self-referral is welcome and no referral letter is required.
Is the assessment painful or upsetting for my baby?
No. The assessment is gentle, play-based and entirely led by your baby throughout.
What happens if something is found during the assessment?
We’ll talk you through it clearly on the day and agree next steps together, including onward referral to another specialist if that’s genuinely needed.
How is this different from the NHS 6-8 week check?
The Baby MOT offers a longer, more detailed look specifically at your baby’s movement and physical development, using a standardised scale (AIMS). It’s designed to complement your NHS check, not replace it.
What should I bring to the appointment?
Just your baby, and anything you’d normally take out with you (a change of clothes, feed, comforter). No special preparation is needed.
How long does the assessment take?
The initial assessment lasts around 60 minutes.
My baby is older than 12 months - can they still be seen?
The Baby MOT is designed for 6 weeks to 12 months, but please contact us if you have a concern about an older baby or toddler; we can advise on the right assessment.
Will we need further appointments?
Most families need just one assessment. If ongoing support or a small number of follow-up sessions would help, this will be discussed and agreed with you directly.