Michael Watson – Working with The Postpartum Body: Manual Therapy and Movement Practices

This webinar series is focused on working with women postpartum, presented by Anatomy Trains Senior teacher Michael Watson.

This series is 4 x 2 hour webinar sessions, with a combination of anatomical principles and demonstrations on a live model for postural assessment, strategy, cueing, and manual and movement therapy for women postpartum.

Session 1: Goals & Principles of Structural Integration in the Postpartum Body

Duration: 2 hours

Part 1: Foundations of SI in the Postpartum Period

• Introduction to Structural Integration: Ida Rolf’s legacy
• Understanding postpartum physiology and fascia: changes in the body’s tensegrity model
• Why SI matters postpartum: the role of gravity, structure, and sensory awareness

Part 2: Core Goals of Postpartum SI

• Reestablishing core line and grounding
• Reorganizing pelvic-lumbar relationships
• Supporting myofascial decompression and hydration
• Enhancing somatic presence and psycho-emotional integration

Part 3: Fascial Adaptations During Pregnancy & Birth

• Myofascial elongation and shortening patterns
• Pelvic diaphragm strain and tailbone torque
• Scar tissue impact (e.g., cesarean, episiotomy)
• Visceral repositioning and breath limitations

Part 4: Body Mapping & Assessment

• Hands-on fascial listening
• SI-style body reading in standing and walking
• Identifying asymmetries in the pelvis, legs, and breath
• Postpartum timeline: when to begin and contraindications
• Practice Demo: Postpartum fascial glide tests and pelvic tilt assessment

Session 2: The Pelvis, Core & Breath

Duration: 2 hours

Part 1: Pelvic Floor Integration

• Layers of the pelvic floor: anatomy, fascial connections (via the Deep Front Line)
• Addressing pelvic pain, prolapse, urinary incontinence
• Re-establishing tone and lift without over-contraction

Part 2: Abdominal Wall & Diastasis Recti

• Fascial sheath of the rectus abdominis and transversalis
• SI strategies to support natural closure
• How to work without reinforcing splinting or bracing patterns

Part 3: Breath & Core Coordination

• Rib cage mobility and postural restoration
• Relationship between breath, pelvic floor, and thoracic outlet
• Breathwork as a fascial decompression tool

Practice Demo:

• Pelvic lift with breath awareness
• Fascial work around the pubic arch and iliacus
• Diaphragmatic decompression techniques

Session 3: Reclaiming Spine, Ribs & Upper Body

Duration: 2 hours

Part 1: The Breastfeeding Body

• Forward head, collapsed sternum, internally rotated shoulders
• SI techniques to support spine length and thoracic decompression
• Working with the intercostals, serratus anterior, scalenes

Part 2: Repatterning Arm & Shoulder Use

• Upper limb strain from carrying and lifting
• Fascia connections from shoulder to pelvis (Superficial Front/Back Lines)
• SI strategies for scapular release and clavicle opening

Part 3: Restoring Spinal Continuity

• Lumbar compression patterns from birth positions and carrying
• T12, sacrum, and coccyx relationships
• SI work to restore spinal wave and segmental articulation

Practice Demo:

• Rolfing-inspired side-lying spinal decompression
• Arm line fascial glide work
• Breast tissue and pectoral myofascial release (with consent & draping)

Session 4: Integration, Movement & Psycho-Emotional Recovery

Duration: 2 hours

Part 1: Fascial Integration through Movement

• From table to movement: why movement is crucial postpartum
• Gait, posture, and dynamic balance restoration
• Rebuilding the spiral lines: contralateral movement and rotation

Part 2: Psycho-Emotional Landscape of Postpartum

• Somato-emotional patterns in the pelvic floor and diaphragm
• Touch as safety: trauma-sensitive SI practice
• Listening touch and the importance of pacing

Part 3: Creating a Personal Integration Plan

• Mapping a 5–12 session SI sequence for postpartum clients
• Adapting the 12-Series or Principles Model
• Home exercises and movement prescriptions

Practice Demo:

• Standing wave exercise
• Embodied cueing for core and pelvic floor
• Partner touch practice: listening hands on sacrum

Previously presented live via Zoom, August 2025
Run time: Approximately 8 hours

More courses from the same author: Michael Watson

When will I receive my course?

You will receive a link to download your course immediately or within 1 to 21 days. It depends on the product you buy, so please read the short description of the product carefully before making a purchase.

How is my course delivered?

We share courses through Google Drive, so once your order is complete, you'll receive an invitation to view the course in your email.

To avoid any delay in delivery, please provide a Google mail and enter your email address correctly in the Checkout Page.

In case you submit a wrong email address, please contact us to resend the course to the correct email.

How do I check status of my order?

Please log in to HealthcareCourse account then go to Order Page. You will find all your orders includes number, date, status and total price.

If the status is Processing: Your course is being uploaded. Please be patient and wait for us to complete your order. If your order has multiple courses and one of them has not been updated with the download link, the status of the order is also Processing.

If the status is Completed: Your course is ready for immediate download. Click "VIEW" to view details and download the course.

Where can I find my course?

Once your order is complete, a link to download the course will automatically be sent to your email.

You can also get the download link by logging into your HealthcareCourse account then going to Downloads Page.