Postpartum Movement & Recovery: Getting Back Out There | with women’s health physio Heidi Barlow

The Fourth Trimester Village is a four-part series exploring what it actually takes to navigate those first twelve weeks after birth — not just physically, but emotionally, socially and practically. Because we spend so much time preparing for birth, but not nearly enough time talking about what comes after.

Across four episodes I’m joined by:

• Dr Edna Lekgabe — perinatal and reproductive psychiatrist
• Heidi Barlow — women’s health physiotherapist
• Dr Nicole Gale — GP and lactation consultant
• Francesca Hung — sharing her honest postpartum experience

In this episode we cover:

We cover a lot of ground in this episode, and honestly, I think every pregnant and postpartum woman needs to hear it. In this episode, we talk about:

• Why recovery actually takes twelve to twenty-four months and not six weeks
• What the six-week check does and doesn’t tell you about your body
• The truth about diastasis recti and why doing the wrong exercises too soon can set you back
• What’s actually happening when everything feels heavy and like it might fall out
• Why getting out for a pram walk is genuinely one of the best things you can do for both your pelvic floor and your mental health in those early weeks

That last point feels especially fitting, because this series is brought to you by Bugaboo. Heidi is very clear in this episode that movement is medicine in the fourth trimester, and having a pram that makes it easier to actually get out the door matters more than we give it credit for. All-terrain wheels, one-hand fold and steering, an XL basket, and a design that grows from a single to a double as your family expands. Head to bugaboo.com to find out more.

Episode two is live now wherever you listen to podcasts. I hope it makes you feel informed, reassured and a little less alone in your recovery.

You can connect with Heidi over at Shire Women’s Physio or follow her on socials at Women’s Health with Heidi.