02/01/2026
As we take the decorations down, ease back into routines, and start thinking about school terms, work, and “normal life” again, January often brings a quiet shift.
It’s the moment women start to notice themselves again.
After weeks (or months) of putting everyone else first, the noise settles and the body starts to speak up.
Maybe you’re pregnant and you’ve been carrying aches and pains that you meant to look at after Christmas. Back pain, pelvic discomfort, that feeling of “this probably feels uncomfortable, but I’ll cope for now.”
Maybe you’re postpartum, living in survival mode, and you’ve never quite had the space to check in. A C-section scar you haven’t touched because no one showed you how. A core that doesn’t feel like yours. A desire to move your body again, but uncertainty about what’s safe.
Or maybe you’re in menopause, and over the winter you’ve noticed more stiffness, joint pain, or leaks when you cough, laugh or exercise. Perhaps a lingering cough over Christmas made you aware of heaviness or a dragging sensation in your pelvic floor -something new, or something you hoped would pass.
All of these stories walk through my clinic doors in Heaton Mersey every single week.
They are common and they are understandable.
And they are not things you have to “just live with”.
As women, we are incredibly good at placing ourselves at the bottom of the pile — prioritising children, work, family, and everyone else’s needs. January can be a gentle reminder that your health matters too.
This isn’t about drastic changes or a “new you”.
Sometimes it’s simply about turning towards yourself and saying, I’m allowed to take up space again.
If this resonates, support is there whether you’re pregnant, postnatal, navigating menopause, or somewhere in between
I work from my home clinic in Heaton Mersey SK4
See my website for further information or get in touch
www.maternitytomenopause.com
susie@maternitytomenopause.com
Susie