How Do You Strengthen Your Core Postpartum?

The best way to strengthen your core postpartum is to take a progressive, personalized approach to postpartum core training, ensuring you’re not overloading the healing tissues and gradually building strength, while also addressing concerns like diastasis recti or pelvic floor issues.

After having a baby, your abs might feel like mush, and moms are often shocked at how weak they feel, especially if you’ve exercised during pregnancy. This is common, but the good news is that if you allow time for healing, address any functional concerns, and follow a step-by-step core training progression, your core could become stronger than it was before pregnancy.

In this article, we’ll explore the foundational elements of postpartum core training, such as how long it takes and where to begin.

Start with the Deep Core

No matter what you did before or during pregnancy, all moms will benefit from reconnecting with their deep core by coordinating breathing with muscle contraction. This initial step involves the diaphragm and transverse abdominis. If you think of your core as a cylinder or canister, the diaphragm (your breathing muscle) is the ceiling. During pregnancy, the diaphragm often shifts upward due to your growing belly, which can alter your breathing. Most moms know the diaphragm is connected to your respiratory system, but may not realize that it should move in coordination with your deepest core muscle, the transverse abdominis. During postpartum core training, you can use breathing to help activate your transverse abdominis and improve core function by coordinating your breathing with your movements. 

Your transverse abdominis acts like a corset wrapping around your trunk, and will provide the stability you need to carry, rock, hold, and lift your new baby. This function of your core is essential to reduce your risk of back pain, address any pelvic floor conditions, and lay the foundation for future fitness goals.

How Do You Activate Your Transverse Abdominis?

Coordinating the movement of your diaphragm with your abdominal muscles may take practice. Eventually, the synergy between breathing and muscle activation should become a habit that you don’t have to think too much about, and you’ll instinctively exhale on exertion (during lifts, picking up something heavy, etc.). However, as you’re rebuilding core strength after having a baby (even if it’s years postpartum and you’re just returning to exercise), you’ll want to focus on your belly expanding as you inhale. When you breathe out, this is when you can gently engage the transverse abdominis, drawing it in toward your spine. Note that your belly should visually move in as you exhale; don’t make the mistake of sucking your belly in as you’re sucking in air. After working with hundreds of moms, I’ve realized this may seem simple, but it can take weeks to get it right. But trust me, this is an important first step.

Do you have to wait until you’re cleared for exercise at your six-week postpartum appointment? Nope. In fact, the 2025 postpartum exercise guidelines suggest starting movement earlier than that if you’re up to it. For some moms, you’ll be able to start breath work during the first few days after giving birth.

Here is one way to practice:

Breathe with Hands on Your Abdomen: Either standing or lying on your back, place your hands on your lower abdomen, with your finger tips on each hand facing each other, and the tips just touching but not interlacing. As you inhale, notice your finger tips separate further from each other. As you breathe out, notice your finger tips touch, or perhaps overlap with stronger contractions of your transverse abdominis. Slowly take breaths in and out, making sure that your chest isn’t heaving upward on your inhales.

How Long Does it Take to Strengthen Your Core Postpartum?

A 2021 study found that both the thickness and the ability of your deep core muscle to contract are impacted postpartum. The study showed that there was some increase in muscle thickness after 1 month, but that it could take more than six months to recover after delivery. Additionally, it took at least four months for contractile function to improve.

What does this mean for you?

You might not feel activation or very strong contractions during the fourth trimester, but as long as you keep at it, you’ll make progress and start to feel stronger.

Before training other muscles like your obliques with twisting movements or your “six pack abs” with sit-ups, ensure you’ve established foundational strength in your transverse abdominis.

Give yourself some grace. Your body physiologically needs time. Be consistent and be patient.

Don’t assume you’re too advanced for these basics. Pregnancy leads to real changes in these muscles, and all moms need to re-establish strength and function in their deep core, starting with coordinating breath and activation.

Wrapping it Up

This article was meant to give you a brief introduction to postpartum core training, and help you understand it’s normal for you to feel disconnected from your abs, because the strength and thickness take time. Hopefully, you also have a clear understanding that breath work to activate the transverse abdominis is your first step.

When you’re ready to move beyond the first step, or if you need more guidance on getting started, consider the Core Foundation video course or the comprehensive guide to exercise during motherhood, Active Mom.