BIRTH PREPARATION

Feel ready for birth, not just informed

Evidence-based preparation for one of the biggest days of your life. Preparing your body for birth is one of the most powerful things you can do, and yet it's one of the most overlooked parts of pregnancy care.

How it works

At Fitt Physiotherapy we offer a complete birth preparation pathway, designed by pelvic floor physiotherapist and mum of two, Rachel Fitt. Whether you prefer to learn online in your own time or come in for a hands-on clinical assessment, we have a pathway that works for you.

Every option is evidence-based, warmly delivered and designed to leave you feeling genuinely prepared, not anxious.

Our birth prep pathway has three touchpoints, designed to give you the education, practical skills and ongoing support you need from pregnancy through to postpartum recovery.

Step 1: Education

Complete our online course. All of the evidence-based education you need including:

  • Pelvic floor preparation

  • Birth preferences

  • Labour tools

  • Caesarean birth

  • Postpartum recovery,

Covered before you set foot in clinic.

Step 2: In-Clinic Appointment

A streamlined 60-minute practical appointment from 30 weeks. Pelvic floor assessment, pushing technique (including real time ultrasound feedback) and guided perineal massage, with your partner welcome to attend.

Step 3: Postpartum Follow Up

A comprehensive postpartum check at 6 weeks. Pelvic floor assessment, caesarean scar treatment if applicable, core rehabilitation and a personalised recovery plan.

The Fitt Physio Birth Prep Online Course

Self-paced | 6 modules | ~120 minutes total | Partners included

Our comprehensive online birth prep course covers everything you need to know, at your own pace, in your own time, from the comfort of home.

Designed and presented by Rachel Fitt, pelvic floor physiotherapist, founder of Fitt Physiotherapy and mum of two planned caesareans, this course combines the latest evidence with genuine lived experience.

This course is for you if:

  • You want to learn at your own pace and in your own time

  • You want your partner to be informed and involved

  • You want to arrive at your in-clinic appointment already prepared

  • You're preparing for a vaginal birth, a planned caesarean, or want to be ready for either

$197 — one-off purchase, 6 months access, partners included

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WHAT’S INSIDE

7 modules. Everything you need.

Each module builds on the last, from understanding your pelvic floor to navigating birth choices with confidence.

  • The foundation of everything. Learn what your pelvic floor actually is, how to activate and relax it correctly, and why it matters for birth and recovery, plus what normal bladder, bowel and pelvic function looks like during pregnancy.

  • What actually happens to your pelvic floor during birth, covering perineal injury, grades of tearing, levator avulsion and what to know if you've had a severe tear previously. The full picture, delivered with honesty, not fear.

  • The practical module. Everything here is within your control, from pelvic floor relaxation and perineal massage to pushing technique, optimal fetal positioning and what the evidence says about tools like the Epi-No, Swiss ball and TENS machine in labour.

  • Know what to expect and how to advocate for yourself. Covering Australian birth statistics, induction of labour, the BRAIN framework for unexpected decisions, delayed cord clamping and how to build a birth preferences document that actually works, including the role of your support person.

  • A caesarean is birth, and it deserves the same preparation. Relevant for everyone, given unplanned caesareans occur in around 1 in 3 Australian births. Covering what to expect in theatre, birth preferences, recovery, scar care and massage, pelvic floor considerations and a safe return to exercise timeline.

  • Most birth prep courses skip this entirely. Know what to expect in the first hours after birth, including the APGAR score, Vitamin K, the heel prick test and newborn hearing screening, so you can make informed decisions rather than feeling like things are happening without your understanding.

  • The fourth trimester, covered properly. Common pelvic floor symptoms, abdominal separation, breastfeeding and your pelvic floor, postpartum sexual health, birth trauma support and a safe return to exercise timeline, for both vaginal and caesarean births.

In-Clinic Birth Prep Assessment

60 minutes | From 30 weeks | Partners welcome

Your in-clinic birth prep assessment is the hands-on practical component of your birth preparation and it's where everything you've learned in your course or workshop comes to life.

Please note: completion of the online course is required if you are a new patient prior to booking your in-clinic birth prep assessment. This ensures you arrive informed and ready to make the most of your practical time with us.

What we cover:

  • Brief assessment of your individual pelvic floor function and relaxation capacity

  • Transperineal ultrasound assessment of pushing technique, using real-time ultrasound imaging so you can see your pelvic floor working and refine your technique with visual feedback

  • Perineal massage demonstration, with time for you and your partner to practise with our guidance

  • Epi-No guidance if appropriate

  • Any questions from your course or workshop answered in person

From $240 — privately billed at our comprehensive consultation rate. If you have a referral from your GP you may be entitled to a Medicare rebate. Alternatively if you have private health insurance with extras cover you will be able to submit a claim through your provider.

Not sure if you're covered? Contact us on 0416 059 370 or email admin@fittphysiotherapy.com and our friendly admin team will be happy to help.

Book appointment

BIRTH PREP BUNDLES

Save when you commit to the full pathway

Our bundles are designed to give you seamless, comprehensive support from pregnancy through to postpartum recovery, at a saving on individual prices.

Birth Prep Education

Online course

$197

  • Full online course, 6 modules plus a bonus module, 6 month access, partners included

Enrol now

Birth Prep Bundle

  • Most popular

Online course + in-clinic appointment

$487 $397 Save up to $90

  • Full online course, 6 modules plus a bonus module, 6 month access, partners included

  • 60-minute in-clinic practical appointment from 32–34 weeks

  • Transperineal ultrasound pushing technique assessment

  • Guided perineal massage

Buy bundle

Workshop + In-Clinic Bundle

Face to face workshop + in-clinic appointment

Pricing TBC

  • 2-hour face to face birth prep workshop

  • Partner included in workshop

  • 60-minute in-clinic practical appointment

  • Transperineal ultrasound pushing technique assessment

Coming in 2027.

Postpartum Assessment

Your birth prep journey doesn't end when your baby arrives. Your 4-6 week postpartum assessment with a Fitt Physiotherapy pelvic floor physiotherapist is an essential next step, for every birth type, every birth story.

What we assess:

  • Pelvic floor muscle function including strength, coordination and relaxation

  • Pelvic floor anatomy and pelvic organ prolapse risk factors

  • Perineal healing and scar tissue if applicable

  • Caesarean scar assessment and treatment from 6 weeks

  • Abdominal separation assessment

  • Core rehabilitation, where to start and how to progress safely

  • Return to exercise guidance tailored to your individual recovery

  • Bladder and bowel function

  • Any symptoms such as leaking, heaviness, pressure, pain

From $180 — privately billed at our initial 45-min consultation rate. Medicare rebate available with GP referral. Private health extras cover accepted.

Whether your birth was everything you planned or nothing like you expected, your body deserves proper care and support in the weeks that follow.

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Why prepare with us?

  • Led by a Senior Pelvic Floor Physiotherapist who has been through birth herself

  • Evidence-based content, not generic advice or outdated information

  • Covers what most birth prep courses leave out, including pelvic floor function, perineal preparation and postpartum recovery

  • Practical techniques you can actually use before, during and after labour

  • Australian-based, with statistics and resources relevant to your healthcare context

  • Flexible online learning you can revisit anytime within your access period

  • Backed by an in-clinic team in Mount Waverley if you want hands-on support

  • “Easy & Convenient. Rachel’s guide is easy to follow and convenient to fit my workouts in around nap times. The workouts are achievable even after I was disabled with Pelvic Girdle Pain in pregnancy. They increase slowly allowing me to build my strength whilst remaining achievable. The Facebook group is great for receiving personalised support and answering my questions, even silly ones like “how do I set up my interval timer.”

    — EMMA DAVIES, MUM OF ONE

  • “Exercise has always been a big part of my life, even throughout my pregnancy, so I was very keen to begin my 12-week postpartum journey with Rachel, following the birth of my first daughter Arlo. The guide was easy to follow and easy to squeeze into my (somewhat) routine around naptime, for a bit of ‘me time’. The workouts aren’t too long, too complicated, or too strenuous to begin with and gave me the confidence to progress every week. At 13 weeks postpartum, I was back to running and 6 months on, I still refer to the guide for workout ideas. Big thanks to Rachel for sharing her knowledge, support and confidence in me.”

    — ALANA BRUMBY, MUM OF ONE

  • “Whether you want to return to high impact exercise or just want to keep things really gentle and improve your pelvic floor this is a really good program.”

    — NATALIE SULLIVAN, MUM OF THREE

Frequently Asked Questions

  • From your second trimester onwards, but we recommend starting from around 28 weeks so you have time to implement what you learn. If you're booking the in-clinic assessment, aim for 30–35 weeks so you can put perineal massage and pushing techniques into practice before birth. It's never too early or too late to see us — reach out if you're unsure.

  • Yes. The course covers both vaginal birth and caesarean birth in depth. Module 5 is dedicated to caesarean birth, and the rest of the course covers the pelvic floor and recovery considerations that apply to all birth types.

    Rachel plans to release a dedicated caesarean birth course in 2027.

  • You have 6 months access from the date of enrolment. Given that birth prep information is updated as evidence evolves, we set a 6-month window to ensure the content you're accessing reflects current best practice.

  • Absolutely — they complement each other well. Hospital antenatal classes typically cover the general labour process, newborn care and breastfeeding. This course goes deeper on the pelvic floor and physio side of birth prep: pushing technique, perineal preparation, pain relief evidence, and postpartum recovery.

  • The postpartum recovery module and downloadable recovery guide are relevant well beyond birth. And if you're planning another pregnancy, the course is just as valuable the second time around. Many of our patients tell us they wish they'd known this information for their first birth.

  • Fitt Physiotherapy is located in Mount Waverley, Melbourne. After purchasing the bundle, you'll receive a link to book your appointment online through our booking system. You can choose your preferred clinician and time.

  • Your appointment is privately billed at our comprehensive consultation rate. If you have a referral from your GP you may be entitled to a Medicare rebate. If you have private health insurance with extras cover you will be able to submit a claim through your provider.

    Not sure if you're covered? Contact us on 0416 059 370 or email admin@fittphysiotherapy.com and our friendly admin team will be happy to help.

  • Bring them to your in-clinic appointment, that's exactly what it's for. You can also reach us via email admin@fittphysiotherapy.com or by calling the clinic on 0416 059 370.

  • The Birth Prep Bundle includes our online course ($197) and your in-clinic birth prep appointment (up to $290), purchased together for $397, saving you up to $90. It's the most popular way to complete your birth preparation pathway with us.

  • Absolutely, our Birth Prep Bundle can make a beautiful and genuinely useful gift for an expecting parent. Contact us at admin@fittphysiotherapy.com to arrange a gift purchase.

You've done the hard work growing this baby.

Let's make sure you feel ready for what comes next.