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.

Beyond the Hospital Bag: Overlooked Postpartum Prep

Much of your pregnancy prep will focus on what to pack in your hospital bag or what to put on your baby registry, but there are a few simple things you can prepare for to make your postpartum experience a little easier. These aren’t complicated; they’re just practical things you may not think about until you're already in the thick of it.

Here are some suggestions to help you feel more supported at home in those early weeks.

Hydration You Don’t Have to Think About

One of the simplest ways to support recovery and breastfeeding is by drinking enough water, but when your days are filled with feeding and changing diapers, it can be easier said than done. I recommend filling a few stainless steel water bottles and keeping them in the places around your home where you spend the most time: your nightstand, couch, and feeding chair. I can remember several times after feeding my daughter, her falling asleep on me, and me being stuck on the couch, wishing I had my water bottle, thinking about nothing but thirst, and not waking a sleeping baby.

To mix things up, you might enjoy mixing in electrolyte powders occasionally. There are plenty of clean options that aren’t overly sweet or artificial.

Easy Food That Supports Postpartum Recovery

You won’t always have time (or hands) to make a full meal. Having easy-to-grab, nutrient-dense snacks like protein bars, trail mix, and yogurt drinks can give you quick energy and keep you from running on empty, which affects everything from your mood to your milk supply.

Snacks that are high in fiber can also help prevent constipation, which is a really common issue in the early postpartum weeks. Hormone changes, pain medications, and decreased movement all play a role. A fiber-rich diet, along with staying hydrated, can reduce the need to strain, which is especially important to protect your pelvic floor muscles.

If you were given antibiotics during labor or recovery, adding a probiotic supplement or probiotic-rich foods may help support your gut health and reduce digestive issues.

Small Comforts That Matter More Than Expected

Joint pain often begins from the ground up, and if you’re rocking back and forth on hardwood floors or spending more time at home barefoot, you may notice discomfort in your feet, knees, or hips. Consider purchasing a new pair of slippers or house shoes that take into account arch support if your feet have flattened or a larger size if your feet have grown during pregnancy. 

A baby-safe laundry detergent is another good item to have on hand. Newborn skin is sensitive, and it’s common to see rashes or irritation from heavily fragranced products. Starting with a gentle detergent can save you from having to troubleshoot later.

And finally, if you drink coffee or tea, a mug warmer is a must. Instead of reheating the same cup over and over, you actually get to drink it warm, even if it takes you three hours. Eliminating the frustration of cold coffee goes a long way.

Final Thoughts

You won’t be able to plan for everything postpartum, but having a few of these things ready can make those early days feel a little less overwhelming. It’s not about creating the perfect setup. It’s about making small choices now that support your body and ease some of the mental load later.

Resources

In addition to supporting moms during and after pregnancy through exercise and core training, I serve as a human health contributor for Grove Co. Grove brands are carefully vetted by expert physicians and meet a higher standard for human and environmental health. Their Healthier Home Guide makes shopping for non-toxic water bottles, quality probiotics/fiber supplements, and natural laundry detergents easy.

How To Start Working Out: Framework for Moms

Whether you’re pregnant and want to begin exercising to have a more comfortable pregnancy or a new mom ready to focus on fitness again, with all of the apps and internet clutter it can be hard to figure out where to begin. That is why I’m sharing the method I developed and have used with hundreds of moms and moms-to-be. It’s called Core, Function & Fitness (CFF). CFF is an approach. It’s a strategy. It’s a guide to help you determine where to begin your fitness journey and a framework to help you prioritize what to focus on during your workouts.

Whether you’re pregnant and want to begin exercising to have a more comfortable pregnancy or a new mom ready to focus on fitness again, with all of the apps and internet clutter it can be hard to figure out where to begin. That is why I’m sharing the method I developed and have used with hundreds of moms and moms-to-be. It’s called Core, Function & Fitness (CFF). CFF is an approach. It’s a strategy. It’s a guide to help you determine where to begin your fitness journey and a framework to help you prioritize what to focus on during your workouts.

The Foundation

During and after pregnancy, the foundation of your fitness program should be core strength and function. Core refers to the 360-degree cylinder from your diaphragm to your pelvic floor, including both abdominal and back muscles. A functional core means that your deep stabilizing muscles activate to support your spine before any movement. A functional core also means, you know how to breathe (exhale on exertion) with movement, and that you’re treating any pelvic floor concerns like tight pelvic floor muscles or urinary incontinence. A strong and functional core will enhance your ability to advance in exercise and will make daily life more comfortable.

If we look at CFF as a pyramid, “core” is the base layer and what you’ll prioritize when you begin an exercise program. This doesn’t mean that core needs to be your only focus, but if you’re short on time or searching for workouts, this will help you strategize and select the correct exercises. If time and energy aren’t an issue you can certainly do workouts that are more than core, but keep in mind that if your core isn’t yet strong and functional, you’ll want to ensure any other formats of exercise you’re choosing don’t require more core strength then you presently have.

For example, if you’re pregnant and beginning an exercise program, you can focus on breathing and engaging your abs with each movement you perform. So if you’re doing squats, lunges, and arm exercises, rather than just going through the motion, you’re exhaling on exertion or engaging the deep abs as you curl the dumbbell during a biceps exercise.

Middle of the Pyramid

So now that you’ve spent some time activating your pelvic floor, deep abs, and using your breath, you’re ready to shift your focus to “function”. The term functional training is a bit trendy so I’ll provide you with my simple definition. Functional training is performing exercises that help you meet the physical demands in your life. This means factoring in the type of job you have, the workouts you plan to do, or the physical demands of caring for your child at different stages. During pregnancy functional training can be performing exercises that help you better adapt to the changes your body is experiencing, like strengthening your back because you’re being pulled forward due to the weight of your breasts and belly. Function is the next step in my model because you should be able to feel good moving through your daily life before setting more lofty fitness goals (for example if your back hurts every time you lift your child, doing an hour spin class maybe shouldn’t be your priority). Functional training also means addressing pain and specific weaknesses. It is easier to attain function when you have a strong core, so for that reason “function” sits on top of the “core” layer in my pyramid.

Top of the Pyramid

You’re ready to move up the pyramid when you have a solid core foundation and you’re functionally moving well during the day and your workouts. “Fitness” is the top piece and refers to goals such as muscle definition, weight loss, sports performance, and running. This is the last step along the CFF progression because you’ll have a better chance of achieving fitness when you effectively know how to engage your core and you know how to perform exercises correctly and without pain. I’ll reiterate that it doesn’t mean that you have to wait to set your fitness goals, but increasing your run distance shouldn’t be the priority before you’ve spent time on the other components. When you move to the top of the pyramid, the idea is that you’ve already set yourself up to achieve your specific fitness goals.

For example, if you do have a goal to run postpartum, you can first focus on making sure your core can support proper running form, and that your pelvic floor muscles can handle the impact and load. Functional training might include single-leg strength activities so that when you do run, your body is better prepared. 

Summary

I developed the Core, Function and Fitness method to help you prioritize your efforts, and make workout selection less overwhelming. The pyramid can also be explained as a pie chart with the percentages of core, function and fitness components shifting as your needs are being met. Maybe you’re starting with core being 80% of the chart because you just had a baby, but after a few months of training, core might then become just 30% and fitness taking the majority. This pie chart is a good visual because it emphasizes that you’re never solely focusing on just one thing. All components are important and will be integrated into your plan.

Whether you like the pyramid or the pie chart, the main point I'm making is that this is a tool that can keep you active through all 40 weeks of pregnancy, and help you feel stronger than ever after having a baby.

Have You Been Cleared for Exercise?

If you’re currently pregnant and have been consistent with exercise, you’re probably already planning your return to exercise postpartum, especially if exercise has always been a part of your life. I know most of my clients who have continued to stay active during pregnancy have goals to return to fitness as soon as their doctor gives the OK postpartum.

If you’ve recently had a baby, you may be awaiting your postpartum appointment to find out if you are “cleared for exercise”. Getting cleared for exercise can feel liberating if you’ve been missing that sense of control over your body. However, it’s important to understand what being cleared means as well as how to return to physical activity after pregnancy.

What Does "Cleared for Exercise" Mean?

Being cleared for exercise is your doctor’s medical opinion that you are physically ready to start increasing physical activity, or that it’s generally safe for you to exercise. This typically happens at your 6-week postpartum check-up, but if you’ve had complications like tearing or are recovering from a c-section, that may happen a bit later. 

In other words, your doctor will either tell you it’s safe, or that it’s not. Which, don’t get me wrong is important information. You shouldn’t begin to increase physical activity or exercise if you have contraindications. However, the trouble with the yay or nay approach is that it’s one size fits all. Postpartum exercise clearance usually comes with the advice that you should ease back into it and listen to your body. This is not inherently bad advice, but it’s pretty subjective and doesn’t educate you on what a proper progression looks like, or why easing back into it is essential. Fortunately for you, if you’re reading this, you probably already have an understanding that there are important considerations when returning to exercise after having a baby. In the rest of this article, I’ll provide you with tips and strategies to guide you in your return to fitness.

What do the postpartum exercise guidelines say?

At the time of this article (12/2023), postpartum exercise guidelines have not been published. BUT, there is encouraging news that they’re finally in the works and should be released soon. I’ll link to them when they come out, but in the meantime, I’m going to provide you with some tips inferred from the research that exists, my background in exercise science, as well as the practical experience I have working with pregnant and postpartum moms.

Do you need to see a pelvic floor physical therapist or postpartum exercise specialist?

The ideal answer is yes, it would be great if everyone was able to receive personal guidance from a professional after having a baby. The more realistic answer for most people is that it depends. If you have any concerning symptoms like incontinence, pelvic or back pain, abdominal separation, or others then I strongly encourage you to see a pelvic floor physical therapist as a starting point. If you live in a major city there are probably those that accept insurance, as well as cash-based, but you should be able to see someone. Additionally, if you are concerned about excessive fatigue, anxiety, or depression, I’d also recommend seeing a professional before beginning a structured exercise program beyond general physical activity. If you were not active during pregnancy or you’re new to strength training or core exercises, a postpartum exercise specialist can save you a lot of time and energy in the long run by helping you determine which exercises are best for you.

Time for the Tips

Aerobic

The general physical activity guidelines for adults recommend 150 minutes per week of moderate or moderate-vigorous physical activity, with activity occurring on most days. The postpartum guidelines may skew a bit, but will not be drastically different. In any case, that duration and intensity is what you’re working up to and not where you’re starting. For most moms that I’ve worked with, getting out and pushing the baby in the stroller for 10-20 minutes every day is a great starting point. Walking is great because you can still spend time with your baby, being outside may boost your mental health, it’s a low-impact activity ensuring you’re not stressing your healing pelvic floor too soon, and it’s a trackable activity that you can strategically progress to longer durations, distances, and intensities. 

Strength

Here’s where I plug the method I developed called the Core, Function & Fitness approach. The idea is that the core is the foundation of fitness and where you should prioritize your efforts. During the postpartum period, this most often means addressing any pelvic floor concerns and coordinating breath with your deep ab muscle activation. Initially, this could be through pelvic tilts or heel slides but can progress to exercises like the deadbug. After you’ve made some progress in core strength and function, you can add in functional strength training. So this might mean you’re spending 5-10 minutes on isolated core exercises and then doing a full body circuit focusing on muscles you need to move through your day pain-free, as well as the major movement patterns. For example, lengthening chest muscles and strengthening upper back muscles is usually a necessary focus for moms due to the feeding posture. 

After you’ve laid a solid foundation of core training and strength training you can continue to increase the duration, frequency, and intensity of your workouts, while also setting more specific goals like running.

Don’t Forget About Lifestyle Factors

To benefit from exercise, there are more factors than the workout or activity. Things like sleep, nutrition, hormones, childcare, the ability to be consistent, and the ability to recover all determine whether you’ll get the benefits you’re expecting from exercise. For this reason, not jumping back into structured workouts until you are more healed, getting a bit more sleep, and have found ways to stay hydrated and eat a balanced meal is a reasonable decision and it’s smart. Now this doesn’t mean you should do anything. You should begin to increase physical activity and address core strength at a minimum, but it means that rather than aiming for pre-pregnancy 60-minute workouts at the gym, your starting point might be daily walks and two minutes of isolated core work when the baby is doing tummy time.

On the flip side, if you have childcare help, you’re feeling healed and sleep deprivation isn’t an issue, you may be feeling like you’re ready to get back to your old routine. To that I’ll say, remember that your abdominal and pelvic floor muscles and tissues are still healing and your hormones are still fluctuating, so even if you’re feeling good, I’d suggest the same gradual core, function then fitness framework. You may move through the progression quicker than someone else but don’t skip the gradual transition.

The Takeaway

This article is just one piece of the postpartum exercise puzzle, but I hope it gave you some perspective on getting cleared for exercise. To summarize:

• Prioritize healing

• Remember that lifestyle factors should support the type of workouts you’re doing

• Core, then add functional strength then set fitness goals

Being an active mom is a lifestyle and will look different as you move through different stages of motherhood. The fourth trimester is not even the first chapter, we’ll call it the introduction.

Ready for more tips? Download 5 Tips for a Stronger Core After Pregnancy.

Exercise Better Than Dieting for Belly Fat Loss

Belly fat is something many of us struggle with, especially after pregnancy and going into menopause. The fat stored during pregnancy and the change in estrogen is responsible for fat distribution to your abdomen. And while watching what you eat is essential, a recent research review shows exercise may be even more effective for specifically targeting visceral fat. Visceral fat is the fat that wraps around organs deep in your abdomen. This type of fat increases your risks for things like heart disease and diabetes. So losing it is good for your health. 

Photo by Andres Ayrton:

In a recent research review, researchers compared how well exercise versus cutting calories reduced visceral fat in people with overweight or obesity. Researchers looked at data from 40 different studies with over 2,190 participants. Some people dieted, some exercised, and some did neither. Everyone who dieted or exercised lost visceral fat. The results showed that ONLY the exercise groups showed a dose response, where increasing exercise meant more visceral fat loss. Cutting calories did reduce visceral fat, but diet didn’t show the same dose effect. Eating fewer calories didn’t necessarily equal more fat loss. So in this case, more exercise was better than further calorie restriction.

Exercise causes fat loss via an increase in energy expenditure, while caloric restriction results in fat loss via a decrease in energy intake. Researchers theorize the results can be attributed to exercise preserving muscle while dieting alone possibly causing muscle (lean mass) loss. More muscle means you’re burning more calories at rest, so you definitely don’t want to lose muscle while attempting to rid the postpartum belly fat.

Why This Matters for Moms

Early postpartum before you’re able to do vigorous exercise, nutrition and calorie reduction might be your best tool for losing some of the stored abdominal fat from pregnancy. But, be sure to keep in mind:

• adequate protein is important to prevent muscle loss (mom butt)

• there are increased calorie requirements while breastfeeding, and the energy and nutrients needed for tissue healing come from a healthy diet

When you’re able to safely return to physical activity, exercise will be an important part of your fat loss plan. Rather than continuing to cut calories, you’ll increase your exercise.

Another perspective is that yes, your body does need to accumulate fat during pregnancy, but maintaining a healthy weight and not gaining excess visceral fat is also important. So more points for prenatal exercise during pregnancy!

The Takeaway

If your mommy pooch concerns you, focus on both your diet and physical activity. To better your chances of losing the fat around your abdomen, make sure that exercise is a part of your program. If the researchers’ theory is correct and losing muscle mass is responsible for the dose-effect difference between diet and exercise, make sure strength training is the foundation of your fitness program. Lastly, keep in mind that this research review was conducted on overweight and obese individuals, but did not specify if any of the participants were early postpartum or approaching menopause.

Feeling Overwhelmed When You Think About Returning to Fitness?

As we all know exercise has many physical and mental health benefits. We all are also probably somewhat familiar with exercise guidelines and recommendations. So why does beginning an exercise program after having a baby feel so difficult? The answer is that there are many real challenges for new moms. Being a military mom adds another layer of barriers and stressors. Sleep deprivation, lack of time, changed priorities, minimal support from family, fear, birth complications, pain, lack of postpartum exercise and healthcare resources, and pressure to lose weight and perform, are all very real barriers (not excuses!). Although every mom’s journey back to exercise will be different, these three general strategies can make your return to exercise a little less overwhelming.

1) Understanding Changes to Your Body: Having information and knowledge about the anatomical and physiological changes during and after pregnancy will validate why you feel weaker despite exercising during pregnancy, or why you can’t seem to lose the last five pounds, or why you’re experiencing soreness like you never have before. Understanding how the changes to your body impacts fitness is essential, yet most postpartum care doesn’t include such information. Having this understanding will help you make sense of why workouts feel so difficult, why you’re not seeing progress at the rate you’re used to, and hopefully allow yourself some grace during those first few months after having your baby. 

There could be an entire book about this, but hormones play a huge role in muscle development and exercise recovery. Hormones don’t stabilize immediately after giving birth, and even when they begin to “balance out”, other hormones due to lack of sleep and stress can keep your hormones at levels that will impact your ability to lose weight, workout at higher intensities, and recover after a workout. Additionally, hormones can have an impact on your mood, affecting your motivation to exercise and desire to hit the gym like you used to. If you’re breastfeeding, you’ll have an even longer delay of hormones getting back to pre-pregnancy levels, so having the understanding that breastfeeding doesn’t automatically make it easier to change your body composition due to so many other factors, is also really important.

In addition to hormones, you need to have an understanding of tissue healing. You may be feeling stronger and ready for more physical activity, but whether you’ve had a vaginal delivery or c-section, your abdominal wall and pelvic floor tissues can take 9-12 months to fully heal and regain strength. Having this understanding is important so that you’re not choosing exercises that will do more harm than good, hence stunting your progress and inhibiting fitness results. Exercise is important in healing, but not over stressing the tissues is crucial in progressively increasing strength and function. This means if running feels overwhelming, that’s OK. Recent guidelines suggest that running and other high impact activity shouldn’t even happen until at least 12 weeks postpartum, and after proper strength training.

Hormones, tissue healing, and other factors don’t mean that you can’t exercise, in fact you absolutely should. Those factors also don’t mean that you won’t see results. What those changes to your body do mean is that you shouldn’t expect to exercise at your same pre-pregnancy level right away, and that initially, your program will probably need to look different. Having this understanding about the changes to your body means you’ll be able to gradually progress in fitness. As long as you’re moving forward with no setbacks, you’ll get there.

2) Prioritize: Being able to prioritize will help ease some of the pressure and stress around exercising. You’re probably used to thinking of fitness as aerobic, strength, and flexibility. And you’re correct, these are all major components of fitness. However, as a new mom it’s important that you make the most of your time and energy. To set yourself up for success, you should prioritize the type of workouts and exercises you’re choosing. Your first priority should be on healing. This includes any tears, incisions, scarring and any emotional trauma, depression, or anxiety. So if you once prioritized high intensity cardio and heavy weights, you’ll need a mental shift to feel good about the workouts your body needs. Next you should prioritize core strength and function, specifically addressing any concerns for abdominal separation, back pain, or pelvic floor dysfunction (pain or incontinence). Next make sure you’re functional. Functional strength training is somewhat of a trendy term, but for moms it means that you can perform all of your daily movements and demands of caring for a baby without pain. As it relates to exercise, it means you have mastered all of the major movement patterns (squat, lunge, hinge, push, pull, rotate/anti rotation) with good technique, and ability to recover. Your last priority is progressing to more vigorous physical activity and your traditional fitness goals. After you have the foundation of core strength and functional movements, you should be able to advance comfortably and with reduced injury risk. This is a simplified progression, but I like to think of Core, Function and Fitness as a pie chart with different percentages. You’ll always be working on all parts, but the percentage of each will change based on your priorities and needs.

3) Mental Shift: This has been touched on a bit already, but the first step in returning to exercise is mental. The fitness requirements of the military are relevant, but this comes secondary to how you view postpartum physical activity, especially now that you have a year to meet your military fitness and body composition goals. Your body has changed so your workouts will and should as well. The goals you once set were for a different body. Exercise should be a tool and if you begin to look at it that way, you will choose and plan your workouts differently, and with less stress. During the first few months, what type of exercise will help you heal? What type of exercise can you do without childcare? What workouts are realistic with the time you have? If you’re not sleeping, when is the best time of day to exercise and the appropriate intensity? Shifting your perspective about fitness and exercise is not a sign of weakness, but rather a helpful and smart tactic.

Now that you have those three general strategies to help you overcome the numerous barriers you face as a mom returning to exercise, I want to make it very clear that being a mom does not have to negatively impact your fitness. Moms actually have an advantage when it comes to fitness. By training in a very specific way and a way that you’ve never trained before, you have the ability to have a stronger core, be more functional, and feel stronger than you’ve ever been. Why? Because now your training will probably include pelvic floor muscles and breathing techniques, making your core function optimally. By caring for a baby, you’ll probably need to address posture, aches, and pains caused by muscle weaknesses/tightness, that you just ignored before. Your workouts as a mom will now have more meaning and serve many more purposes. If you can understand what your body needs, prioritize the proper exercise progression, and change your mindset, you will feel strong and confident in your body again.

Looking for a little more guidance? Take this Free Self-Assessment.

Don’t Make These Postpartum Exercise Mistakes

Pregnancy and childbirth are hard on a mom’s body, and exercise is a powerful tool. After having a baby, you’re going to desire restored core strength, improved your posture, returning to a healthy weight, boosting your mood, more energy, and quality sleep when you can. Exercise can help new moms with all of this! So if you’re ready to become more physically active, keep reading so you don’t fall into the pitfalls of postpartum exercise.

Forgetting the first step is healing: Pregnancy and childbirth put significant physical strain on the body. If you’ve had any tearing or a c-section, you need to allow adequate time to heal. If you didn’t have any complications, you still have to keep in mind that your abdominal wall and pelvic floor muscles have been stressed and also need adequate time to heal. Before exercise comes recovery. Light walking, reconnecting with your pelvic floor and deep abs with breath, and gentle stretching is usually fine for most moms as a first step.

Going back to your pre-pregnancy routine too soon: Your first step in postpartum fitness should be strengthening your core, and addressing any concerns like incontinence or diastasis recti. Before you can resume an old routine it is essential to focus on core strength and function in a progressive way. Just like your exercise goals during pregnancy were different, your postpartum goals will also be unique to this stage of life.

If you were a runner before or during pregnancy, you’re probably ready to get back. But again, I’ll emphasize that the tissues in your abdominal wall, your pelvic floor, and spinal stabilizers need to be able to handle the impact. This means no running until you’ve dedicated time to strengthening your body.

Not factoring in exercise recovery: Exercise has positive benefits, but it is still a source of stress on our body. In a state of sleep deprivation, your body using energy to heal, and probably sporadic and unbalanced nutrition, you have to consider if you have the ability to recover from the workouts you’re doing.

Ignoring aches/pains: You might be so eager to get moving again, take control of your body, feel stronger, and maybe lose weight that you’re ready to push past any aches and pains. It’s normal to feel a bit sore as you return to exercise, but your body is performing new physical tasks, and holding new postures so it’s likely you’ll have to focus on strength and mobility to improve alignment and reduce discomfort. Motherhood is physically demanding, so ignoring your neck pain, back pain, wrist pain, and foot pain is only going to lead to further discomfort. Prioritize function after core strength.

Not using physical activity as a tool for emotional health: Instances of baby blues, hormone crashes, and postpartum depression/anxiety are common. If you’re not yet physically ready to resume structured workouts, then find ways to move your body. Walks outside can be extremely impactful on mental health. Gentle exercises like yoga can help calm your mind and body.

Not seeking professional help: At this stage in life your body is still going through changes. If you have the ability to seek professional guidance from a qualified postpartum fitness professional, I highly recommend it. Someone like me can see when you’re exhausted and adjust the workout to something effective, yet more appropriate. Postpartum exercise professionals can help you prioritize exercises that help address your specific physical needs so you’re not wasting your limited time or energy. You have enough going on as a new mom…exercise is essential, but it should not feel overwhelming. Use someone like me for guidance, motivation, and accountability.

By avoiding the mistakes above, you’ll set yourself up for success. Your return to exercise should be progressive and specific to your needs. Remember: heal first, strengthen the core, focus on your functional needs, improve strength…and then meet all of your fitness goals! I’ve created a self-paced core challenge to help you take your first steps toward fitness. For a more personalized approach, I’d love for you to join an Active Mom Fitness Program.

Ready for more tips? Download 5 Tips for a Stronger Core After Pregnancy.

When Can I Start to Exercise After Having a Baby?

“When can I exercise again after having the baby?”, OR “Do I have to wait until my 6-week postpartum appointment to get back to physical activity?” The answers to these questions are going to vary based on your individual situation and needs. In general, it is safe for most moms to begin connecting with their deep abs and pelvic floor muscles using breath. Low-intensity walking and mobility exercises may be beneficial for you as well. Let comfort and energy level be your guide. Remember movement is good, but you don’t want to interfere with healing, especially if you had tearing or a c-section. You should not return to anything more vigorous before a doctor can tell you that there are no medical contraindications. If bleeding increases following even light activity, that may indicate that you are doing too much and you should contact your physician.

If you are “cleared” for exercise at your postpartum visit, this means that your doctor from a medical perspective thinks you can begin to be more physically active. You should still approach exercise with a gradual and progressive approach. This is not a green light to jump into your old routine. Abdominal and pelvic floor tissues can take up to 9-12 months to heal.

If your doctor approves and you’re ready to exercise, the progression below might help you prioritize your first steps back to fitness.

1. Heal: Whether you’ve had a c-section or vaginal delivery you have tissues that need to heal. Your initial focus should be on promoting healing by getting enough water, and nutrients and resting when you can. You should not begin to exercise until you know that any tears or incisions have healed properly. You’ll also want to address any scar tissue. Part of healing may also mean addressing concerns like incontinence, the feeling of pressure or bulging in your vagina, or abdominal separation. These are all common conditions, but not normal. It may not necessarily mean that you can’t begin an exercise program simultaneously, but you should consult with a pelvic floor therapist and prioritize exercises that will help you improve those symptoms or conditions.

2. Core: Most muscles of your core are impacted by pregnancy and delivery. All moms should strengthen these muscles and ensure that they function optimally by working synergistically. This often means beginning with breath, transverse abdominis, and pelvic floor muscles.

3. Function: Being a mom is physically demanding. Part of your return to fitness should be mastering repetitive movements like hip hinges or getting up off of the floor (think deadlifts and lunges), strengthening muscles that impact posture (think back and glutes, and focusing on mobility (think upper back, ankles, hamstrings and hip flexors).

4. Strength: After you have foundational core strength and have mastered movement patterns, you can begin to think about gradually progressing your program. This could include adding more resistance, moving to moderate to high-impact activity, and performing more demanding abdominal exercises like rotations or exercises in positions against gravity.

Other considerations of when it’s best for you to begin to exercise include sleep (ability to recover), support from family/friends, and mental state. Hopefully, this doesn’t sound overwhelming because there are many positives to postpartum exercise like establishing a healthy lifestyle for your family, and training in a way that you can become stronger than you were before pregnancy. And remember, exercise as a mom is not a luxury, it is essential in meeting the physical and emotional demands of motherhood.

Ready for more tips? Download 5 Tips for a Stronger Core After Pregnancy.

Running After Having a Baby: Guidelines for Postpartum Running

You’re six weeks postpartum and you’ve just been cleared for exercise. You may be wondering if you are ready to get back into running. Or maybe you’ve gone for your first run after having a baby and you’re wondering why it feels so hard. Either way, the purpose of this article is to tell you NOT to run as soon as you’re cleared for exercise, and to encourage you to take the proper steps so your first return runs feel good.

Unfortunately you can’t search the internet for standardized postpartum running guidelines. You may find blogs with suggestions and advice, but research-backed guidelines are hard to come by. The best ones I’ve found were created by Gráinne Donnelly, Emma Brockwell, and Tom Goom in 2019, which I will summarize in this post. The following information is to help you 1) determine if you’re ready to run 2) make you aware of concerns, and the suggested progression of exercise leading up to running.

Running is a high-impact activity requiring core strength and function. To manage the intra-abdominal pressure that stabilizes your body during running, your abdominal and pelvic floor muscles need to be strong and functional. These muscles are weakened during pregnancy and can be further impacted during labor and delivery (cesarean and vaginal). Therefore, incontinence and prolapse can be a concern in postpartum running. You have to allow yourself enough time to heal and strengthen. How will you know if you have pelvic floor or abdominal wall issues? The following is a list of symptoms that could indicate dysfunction and should be addressed with a pelvic floor physical therapist before running.

• Urinary and/or fecal incontinence

• Urinary and/or fecal urgency

• Heaviness/pressure/bulging in the pelvic area

• Pain with intercourse

• Separated abdominal muscles and/or decreased abdominal strength and function

• Low back/pelvic pain

Based on evidence, these experts state that return to running is not advised prior to 3-6 months postpartum or beyond if any symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction are experienced before running or after attempting to run. Furthermore, even if you don’t have symptoms, 3-6 months is still a minimum guideline to allow your tissue and muscles time to heal and strengthen. For example, it’s been found that after a c-section, your abdominal wall has only regained 51% of its tensile strength by 6 weeks postpartum, and reaches 73-93% only at 6-7 months postpartum.

After (or while) addressing any pelvic floor and/or abdominal concerns, it’s time for you to focus on building overall strength, with a focus on the core and lower body (I recommend glutes for all moms!). Stronger muscles will allow you to better manage the load/demand running puts on your body. If you’re able to work with a qualified postpartum exercise professional they can lead you through the proper training progression. When I work with people I start with making sure all of the muscles that attach to the pelvis are strong, functional, and know how to work together. I then move on to bigger movement patterns like squats, hinges, and lunges. The guidelines referred to in this article use the following exercises to assess readiness to run:

• Walking 30 minutes

• Single leg balance 10 seconds

• Single leg squat 10 repetitions each side

• Jog on the spot 1 minute

• Forward bounds 10 repetitions

• Hop in place 10 repetitions each leg

• Single leg ‘running man’10 repetitions each side

• Single leg calf raise 20x

• Single leg bridge 20x

• Single leg sit to stand 20x

• Side lying abduction 20x

Keep in mind that this is not a prescriptive list, but it gives you an idea of what you should be working toward. You want to be able to do these exercises (or exercises that require similar load and strength) without pain or incontinence before returning to running.

So mama, before you break out the running shoes (which by the way, make sure they support your new postpartum feet), take the time to heal, strengthen, and get assessed by a pelvic floor PT if you have access to one. You have your entire life to be active (with your children!) and you don’t want to have any setbacks…so remember progression is essential.

And PS. This article doesn’t account for other factors like sleep, scar tissue, weight, breathing, breast size/breastfeeding, jogging strollers, or emotional readiness, which all will factor into your readiness and ability to run.

Ready for more tips? Download 5 Tips for a Stronger Core After Pregnancy.

If you are experiencing back pain or leaking, consider this FREE 5-day course to gain a better understanding of how to reduce your risk for pain and incontinence.

If You Weren't Eating Enough Before, You Will Now: Protein for Moms

The amount of protein you eat is directly related to the body’s ability to build and maintain muscle, and it plays a role in hair, blood, hormones, connective tissue, and more.

Why discuss protein intake specifically for moms? The recommended daily allowance for protein (to ensure your body has the minimum to function as it should) is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight each day. However, it’s been well-researched that very active individuals benefit from consuming more protein than the recommended minimum amount to prevent muscle breakdown and promote tissue growth. I’d like to take it a step further and highlight that moms, using similar logic, also require more protein as they go through the different stages of motherhood. From conception to pregnancy, to breastfeeding, through postpartum recovery, into your return to fitness, and even to menopause, your need to build and maintain tissues goes through various stages of higher importance.

Pregnancy

During pregnancy, the expansion of blood volume and growth of your tissue and the baby’s require sufficient protein. Currently, the American Pregnancy Association states that experts recommend 75-100 grams per day. One study estimates the need for protein to be about 1.1k-1.5g/kg per day. To calculate your need you can divide your pregnancy bodyweight by 2.2 and then multiply that by 1.1 to find your daily minimum in grams. It should be noted that a pregnant person should be able to meet their daily needs through food without the need for supplementation.

Postpartum

Not as researched is the protein recommendations postpartum, however, if we use reasoning it is safe to assume that postpartum moms require higher than the average recommendation as well. During the postpartum period, you are rebuilding tissue, and re-strengthening muscle so naturally, adequate protein intake is essential. Being a new mom also involves periods of high stress. When your body is stressed it produces catabolic hormones, which are hormones that trigger the breakdown of tissue. To counteract this breakdown it’s important to have sufficient protein, specifically to maintain your lean muscle tissue. Lastly, if you’re breastfeeding your energy requirements are higher and it would make sense your protein needs are too. One study found the need to be around 1.7-1.9g/kg of body weight per day. Although recommendations fluctuate, most still remain under the recommended consumption for athletes, assuring a safe elevated range.

Fitness: Strength and Weight Loss

When you move beyond birth and return to a more rigorous exercise routine, protein needs are often increased as well. It is well documented that athletes benefit from a higher consumption of proteins, ranging from 1.8 to 2.7 grams at elite levels. This is because strength training and high intensity actually break down muscle. It is during the repair that muscle improves. If you’re putting your much limited time and energy into strength training, you better be sure that your nutrition supports your muscle recovery and development. Additionally, studies show that during periods of caloric/energy deficit, eating higher amounts of protein can prevent the loss of too much lean muscle. In other words, if you’re cutting calories to lose weight, you want to make sure most of the weight you’re losing is fat rather than lean muscle. Increased protein has been shown to help with that.

Perimenopause

Let’s not forget moms transitioning to menopause. During this period your hormones fluctuate and eventually, your estrogen levels drop. Why is this significant? Remember the term catabolism (breakdown tissue)? Well, estrogen is a hormone that triggers the opposite, anabolism (building up tissue). So if your body’s ability to build tissue (anabolism) decreases with lower levels of estrogen as you approach and go through menopause, then you want to make sure you’re doing your part to counteract that as best you can with adequate protein (and resistance training)

Protein Choices

There are plenty of sites that give examples of protein sources so no need to repeat that information here. However, I do think it would be helpful to define the term amino acid and why that’s important in your protein choice. Proteins are made up of 20 different amino acid molecules in various sequences. There are nine “essential” amino acids that your body can’t make and can only be consumed through food. When choosing your proteins you want to make sure that you’re getting all nine essential amino acids. The simple way is to make sure you’re eating a variety of protein sources. The more complex way is to ensure you’re eating “complete proteins”, meaning they contain all of the amino acids you need. Examples include poultry, fish, dairy, beef, quinoa, soy, and pork. Vegetarians and vegans have fewer choices in complete protein sources, but plenty of other options that will give your body what it needs if you’re making sure to eat a range of foods.

Protein timing

To wrap this up, my advice is to evenly spread your protein intake throughout the day. If you’re doing some serious training, following sports nutrition guidelines may be more beneficial for you. However, for most of us, aiming to have protein at most meals is a good start. If you’re a mom who tends to skip meals or graze throughout the day this will initially be challenging. In either scenario, it’s going to be hard to meet your needs. If you’re grazing, you’re probably going to fall short as most mom snacks tend to be pretty carb-heavy. If you’re skipping meals it makes it tough to hit your goal and because our body generally can’t absorb more than 25-40 grams of protein at a time, saving consuming most of your day’s requirements at one sitting isn’t beneficial. So to make adequate protein intake manageable, I suggest including protein evenly in each meal/snack.

OK, now go enjoy the benefits of protein! And if all this talk about healthy pregnancies, recovering after baby, and serious strength training has you motivated then take this time to join the Active Mom Fitness Community!