Pregnancy MOT in Bristol & Bath
Physical preparation for birth, recovery and the months in between — for pregnant women at any stage from 14 weeks onwards.
How to prepare your body — not just your nursery.
Pregnancy is, by most measures, a fairly substantial event. The “expecting” bit is generally well-covered — by midwives, mums, friends, NCT and the internet at large. Less covered is what you can usefully do physically — to settle the niggles you have right now, prepare your body for birth, and make a plan for your recovery.
That’s what a Pregnancy MOT is for. It’s a structured one-hour antenatal physiotherapy session with a specialist physiotherapist, covering the pain and pelvic-floor concerns that come up in pregnancy, birth-prep coaching and a practical plan for the weeks ahead. It runs alongside your midwife and GP care, not instead of it.
Common reasons women come. Pelvic girdle pain that makes turning over in bed feel impossible. Lower back pain that’s starting to limit movement. New bladder symptoms (or ongoing symptoms). Wanting to feel prepared for birth rather than hoping for the best. Wanting to know how to set up recovery before the baby arrives.
What we look at
At Pelvix, your Pregnancy MOT is delivered by Megan Jackson, Melissa McDonnell or Siobhan Harris, all specialist pelvic health physiotherapists. Each session is tailored to your stage of pregnancy and what you most want to address. The assessment typically covers:
Pain and movement
- Pelvic girdle pain (PGP)
- Pelvic and lower back pain that’s affecting sleep, work or walking
- Hip, rib and upper back discomfort as the bump grows
Pelvic floor function
- Strength, coordination, and — crucially in pregnancy — your ability to relax the pelvic floor
- Bladder symptoms that have started in pregnancy
- Early signs of prolapse or heaviness
Birth preparation
- Birth positions that work with your body
- Breathing for labour — the practical kind that helps your pelvic floor relax and stretch
- Perineal massage technique and timing
- Learning to push effectively in labour — many women instinctively tighten the pelvic floor while pushing, which works against you. We teach the opposite: how to let the pelvic floor yield while you breathe and bear down
- Strategies to reduce the risk of perineal tearing
Posture, movement and load
- Sitting, lifting, sleeping and wrangling toddlers into car seats
- Safe exercise modifications for the trimester you’re in
- What to do — and what to leave alone — if you’re training through pregnancy
Setting up postnatal recovery
- Early recovery planning so your recovery gets off to a good start
- When and how to book your Mummy MOT®
What happens at your first appointment
A full conversation.
We start by talking about your pregnancy so far, any complications, what’s comfortable and what isn’t, your birth plans (or lack of plan — both are fine), what you’d like to feel confident about by the time labour starts.
A physical assessment.
This includes posture, movement, breathing, hip and lower back mobility. Where it would add useful information and only with your explicit consent, an internal pelvic floor assessment lets us check tone, coordination and relaxation directly. We’ll explain what we’re proposing and why and it’s never compulsory.
A clear plan.
You’ll leave with a working understanding of what’s going on, the specific exercises and how often to do them and an honest sense of whether you’d benefit from coming back for another appointment.
What treatment involves
Antenatal physiotherapy is built around tailored exercise, hands-on care where it helps, and practical education — adjusted for the stage of pregnancy you’re in. Your plan may include:
- Pelvic girdle and back pain management — manual therapy, targeted exercise, taping, support belts where indicated, and the small daily-routine adjustments that often make the biggest difference
- Pelvic floor work — strengthening, releasing or coordination work depending on what your muscles actually need. In pregnancy, the relax-and-yield work matters as much as the squeeze-and-hold
- Birth preparation coaching — positions, breathing, perineal massage technique, and the practical skills that help labour go more smoothly
- Posture, breathing and load management — how to sit, lift, sleep and move with rather than against your changing body
- Safe exercise progression — adjusting your training (whatever it is) for each trimester
- Postnatal recovery planning — what to expect, what to look out for, when to book your Mummy MOT®, and how to set the early weeks up to support recovery
When in pregnancy to come
There isn’t one right answer. Different stages of pregnancy lend themselves to different things:
Before 14 weeks:
We don’t usually run a Pregnancy MOT in the first trimester. If you have significant pain or concerns earlier than this, get in touch — we can offer telephone advice or arrange a more focused session where appropriate.
14 to 28 weeks (second trimester):
This is the typical window for an initial Pregnancy MOT. Your body has settled into pregnancy, you have time to apply what we work on, and we can address pain or function before it escalates.
29 to 36 weeks (third trimester)
Either as an initial session or a follow-up. Focus often shifts to birth preparation, positioning, perineal massage (from around 34 weeks) and getting the postnatal plan in place.
37 weeks onwards:
Late-pregnancy sessions are usually birth-prep focused. Plenty of women come for a single late session just to make sure they feel as ready as possible.
A note on safety: internal examinations are not performed before 12 weeks and not where pregnancy complications make them inappropriate. We’ll always check this with you before suggesting one.
Between appointments
Most women benefit from a short, well-designed home programme rather than a long list of things to remember. We’ll show you what to do and roughly how often. For pelvic floor work, we sometimes recommend the NHS-supported Squeezy app to keep you on track.
Pricing
A Pregnancy MOT is £108 with our specialist physiotherapists.
Combined Pregnancy MOT and Mummy MOT® packages are available at £205 — useful if you know you’ll want both, and a small saving on the two individually.
See our full pricing page for follow-up rates.
FAQS
Frequently asked questions
When in my pregnancy should I come for a Pregnancy MOT?
From 14 weeks onwards. The second trimester (around 14–28 weeks) is the most common window for an initial session, but third-trimester appointments are equally valuable — particularly for birth preparation. See the section above for trimester-by-trimester detail.
Is it safe to have a pelvic floor examination during pregnancy?
Yes, when carried out by a trained pelvic health physiotherapist after 12 weeks and where there are no pregnancy complications that contraindicate it. The decision is always yours. Many Pregnancy MOT sessions are completed without an internal examination, with the assessment focused on external function, movement and education.
Can you help with pelvic girdle pain (PGP)?
Yes — PGP is one of the most common reasons women come. Treatment usually combines hands-on work, targeted exercise, practical advice for daily activities (lifting, getting in and out of cars, sleeping positions), and support belts where they help. It’s better to come sooner than later.
I'm planning a Caesarean — is the Pregnancy MOT still useful?
Yes. The pain, posture and pelvic floor concerns of pregnancy are the same whatever your birth plan.
Can I learn perineal massage with you?
Yes. Perineal massage from around 34 weeks has reasonable evidence for reducing the risk of tearing ² , and we’ll show you the technique and timing in a session. It’s not the only thing that helps with tear reduction — and we cover the others too.
How is this different from antenatal classes or hypnobirthing?
Different scope. Antenatal classes and hypnobirthing courses cover the experience of birth and birth psychology. A Pregnancy MOT is a physical, individualised physiotherapy assessment focused on your body, your pain, your pelvic floor and the practical mechanics of birth and recovery. They complement each other well — many women do both.
Will I need to book a Mummy MOT® afterwards?
Most women benefit from doing so. Mummy MOT® is the postnatal recovery assessment that picks up where Pregnancy MOT leaves off — most usefully booked from six weeks postnatal onwards. If you know you’ll want both, the combined package is the better deal.
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Book your Pregnancy MOT
Same-week appointments are often available. No GP referral needed.