The International Urogynecological Association (IUGA) has designated July as a month of awareness around the physical and psychological changes that occur during pregnancy and childbirth. This annual campaign targets IUGA members and broader stakeholder networks—including women recovering from obstetric injuries—with a clear message: “It’s important to ask for help. Self-care is essential to becoming the best possible mother. Restoring your body after pregnancy and birth is fundamental—and it deserves your full attention.”
A Greek Initiative Rooted in Evidence-Based Care
Launched in 2003 by the PRAXIS Physiotherapy Clinic, the Greek M.A.M.A. program—short for Mitrikés Angalies Me Arhes (Maternal Embraces with Principles)—focuses precisely on this: supporting self-care before, during, and after pregnancy to safeguard maternal health—and, by extension, optimal care for the infant. A well-supported mother, equipped with scientific understanding and professional guidance to navigate her body’s physical and emotional shifts, is better positioned to provide safe, responsive, and sustainable care—for herself and her baby.
That support includes active partnership from her partner, whose role during the postpartum period is vital: offering practical and emotional backing so she can fully embrace motherhood and prioritize her own recovery. It also encompasses healthy, fulfilling sexual experiences—a key component of holistic well-being. Ultimately, this kind of empowered, informed, and cared-for woman is the one most likely to become what developmental psychologists describe as a “good-enough mother”—a concept rooted in secure attachment and long-term resilience.
As physiotherapists Dr. Mimí Marsellou, PT, MSc, PhD(c), and Fotini Lagari, MA, PT, emphasize: “The first years of life lay the foundation for childhood, adolescence, and adult health—physically, emotionally, and socially.”
Understanding Normal Physical Changes
The M.A.M.A. program was created not only to assist women but also to educate the wider interdisciplinary community—obstetricians, midwives, physiotherapists, mental health professionals—on how to recognize, prevent, and manage the natural physiological changes that occur throughout pregnancy and postpartum—without stigma or unnecessary intervention.
Common symptoms arising from these changes include:
- Musculoskeletal pain, particularly in the sacroiliac and pelvic girdle region;
- Pelvic floor dysfunction—which occurs regardless of delivery method, driven primarily by the sustained pressure of the growing fetus on pelvic structures.
This temporary weakening of pelvic floor muscles can compromise support for the bladder, uterus, and rectum—and impair control over urinary and anal sphincters. As a result, many women experience urinary or fecal incontinence, a sensation of heaviness or pressure deep in the pelvis, painful intercourse (dyspareunia), or burning and discomfort in the perineal area.
Through evidence-based physiotherapy, the M.A.M.A. program offers non-invasive, individualized strategies to restore strength, coordination, and confidence—helping mothers reclaim their bodies and their sense of well-being.