Postpartum Back & Shoulder Pain: An Osteopath's Perspective – and Lived Experience
By Bernitta Willoughby M.Ost DO PGD WHO, Principal Osteopath
As an osteopath and mother of two, I’ve long supported women through the physical challenges of pregnancy, labour, and those early postpartum weeks. But recently, I found myself on the other side of the treatment table — and I can say with absolute conviction: the physical toll of childbirth and new motherhood is real.
Just two days after giving birth to my second child, I found myself walking back into clinic — not to treat, but to be treated.
During labour, I had gripped tightly onto the sides of the birthing pool, unconsciously straining my right shoulder through hours of tension and bracing. The adrenaline of birth carried me through, but once it was all over and the sun was rising, that dull ache in my upper back and shoulder rapidly escalated. Add to that the awkward sleeping positions (broken sleep, sore body, baby attached to me at all hours), and my mid-back was in agony — tight, sore, and affecting how I held and fed my newborn.
I knew exactly what I would say to a patient in my shoes:
"This is common, treatable, and you don’t need to just 'put up with it'."
Why This Happens Postpartum
After childbirth, our bodies are flooded with hormones like relaxin, which soften joints and ligaments. Add to that a suddenly changed posture (from growing a bump to constantly lifting, rocking, and feeding a baby), and it's no wonder the spine, shoulders, and pelvis feel completely out of sync.
Feeding positions — especially when we’re tired or curled around a baby for hours — often lead to strain in the thoracic spine (mid-back), shoulders, and neck. Combine that with co-sleeping or contact napping in awkward positions, and even the strongest bodies begin to protest.
How Osteopathy Helps
Osteopathic treatment can offer enormous relief in those early weeks. With gentle, hands-on techniques, we can release tension through the spine, ribs and shoulders, ease muscular strain, and help realign areas that have compensated through labour or poor posture.
In my case, I had a combination of mid-thoracic dysfunction, shoulder joint strain, and muscular spasm across my mid-back. A short session with one of my wonderful colleagues helped me move more freely, lift my baby with more ease, and most importantly — get through the day with less pain.
You Don’t Need to Wait
Often, new mums delay seeking treatment because they feel they should "tough it out", can’t face leaving the house, or they’re unsure whether it's too soon after birth. In reality, you can safely see an osteopath within days postpartum, especially if pain is affecting your ability to feed, hold, or care for your baby comfortably. I walked in 2 days after giving birth to my bundle of joy in baggy clothes, still with a tummy pouch from pregnancy, questionable hair but freshly showered and yet I still apologized to osteopath Harry for being ‘a little sweaty’. It’s completely normal, and I knew I was in the right place for relief.
We tailor every session to what your body needs — whether that’s gentle soft tissue work, joint mobilisation, or simply guidance on posture, movement and self-care.
You Deserve Support Too
If you're feeling stiff, sore, or overwhelmed by physical discomfort after birth, please know: you’re not alone, and you absolutely can feel better. Postpartum isn’t just about healing — it’s about being supported, seen, and cared for (plus we don’t mind hair brushed or not!).
And sometimes, even osteopaths need an osteopath.
With warmth,
Bernitta
Principal Osteopath & Mum of Two
The Waterside Practice, Warboys.