It’s Halle, Thrive OT’s current capstone student. Today, I want to share more about occupational therapy’s role in maternal health.
Did you know that women who are trying to conceive, are currently pregnant, or are navigating the postpartum “fourth trimester” can benefit from occupational therapy (OT) services? While OB/GYNs and midwives provide essential medical care, many women still find themselves lacking the physical, mental, and emotional scaffolding required for such a massive life transition. OT is the ideal profession to help bridge this gap, offering services that optimize well-being by addressing meaningful activities of daily living.
The Road to Conception
The process of trying to conceive can be overwhelming, filled with a variety of medications and supplements, multiple tracking methods, and conflicting advice. This is where an occupational therapist can step in to look at each piece of the puzzle and help individuals integrate recommendations into a sustainable daily routine. Beyond immediate medical needs, an occupational therapist can provide skilled support for:
- Physical health: Hormone regulation, cycle syncing, nutrition management, sleep hygiene, and pain with intercourse
- Psychological well-being: Stress management, nervous system regulation, trauma-informed therapy, and self-advocacy
Support During Pregnancy
Once pregnant, the body changes in many ways. Hormonal shifts impact mood and appetite, while physical changes affect the way the body moves and feels. An occupational therapist can provide solutions for:
- Physical comfort: Fluid retention, round ligament pain, sleep hygiene, fetal position, and orthopedic conditions like carpal tunnel or De Quervains
- Labor Prep: Perineal massage, optimal labor positions, and breathing techniques
- Postpartum planning: Preparing for the mental and physical shifts before they happen
Preparation matters! Lack of postpartum preparation contributes to alarming morbidity rates, including a 33% prevalence of pelvic floor dysfunction and perinatal depression rates as high as 40%. Preparation is key and is often overlooked.
Navigating the Fourth Trimester
Once the baby arrives, medical care for the mother often subsides to a single six-week check-up. This decreased provision of services can lead to preventable dysfunction that impacts the mother-child bond and the mother’s long-term health. During the postpartum phase, an OT walks alongside women to address:
- Physical recovery: Scar healing/desensitization, diastasis recti, perineal care, bowel/bladder dysfunction, vaginal pain or prolapse, and safe return to sex and exercise
- Mental health: Emotional regulation, self-advocacy, and self-care
- Caregiver ergonomics: Learning how to feed, carry, rock, and lift the baby without straining the body
- Feeding support: Infant positioning, latch, nipple flow, and fascial restrictions
- Infant development: Educating caregivers on how to support their infant’s growing body systems (OTs are experts in pediatric development!)
While a significant gap exists in traditional maternal healthcare, women do not have to navigate it alone. By seeking occupational therapy services, women can protect their mental and physical well-being before challenges arise. Too often, women realize help was available only after they had struggled in silence. At Thrive OT, we provide holistic, trauma-informed care and resources women need to feel empowered throughout the motherhood journey.
Canavan, C., Sutherin, C., Delp, M., Fletcher, H., Dey, E., Rinehart, K., & Spencer, E. (2024). Investigating the role of OT in postpartum care & the impact on maternal psychosocial well-being. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy 78(2). https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2024.78S2-PO67
Hunter, L., Catapano, L., Nagle-Yang, S., Williams, K., & Osborne, L. (Ed.). (2022). Textbook of women’s reproductive mental health. American Psychiatric Association Publishing.
Schmitz, J., Schoener, H., Atler, K., Fruhauf, C., Pearce, D., Schmid, A. & Mathias, K. (2023). Women’s experience receiving OT for pelvic floor dysfunction: A case series. American Journal of Occupational Therapy , 77(2), 7711510310p1. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2023.77S2-PO310