After giving birth, many people feel a strong desire to reconnect with their bodies but often wonder what the best way is. When is it safe to exercise after birth? What kind of workouts are okay postpartum? And how do you rebuild strength without pushing too hard, too soon?
Why Postpartum Exercise Is About Recovery, Not “Bouncing Back”
Exercise after birth isn't about "getting your body back" (because your body never left you). It's about:
- Supporting pelvic floor and core recovery
- Boosting circulation and healing
- Improving mood and reducing anxiety or postnatal depression
- Increasing strength and energy for daily baby care
- Reconnecting with your body in a new way
When Can You Start Exercising After Giving Birth?
It depends on how you delivered and how you’re healing.
After a Vaginal Birth
- Gentle pelvic floor exercises can begin within days if you're comfortable
- Walking and light stretching are safe once you feel ready
- More structured exercise can usually begin after your 6–8 week postnatal check-up, with GP or physio sign-off
After a C-Section
- Healing takes longer, as it’s major abdominal surgery
- You may start with pelvic floor exercises and breathing work early on
- Avoid abdominal or high-impact exercise until at least 8–10 weeks, and only with GP clearance
Always listen to your body. Just because something is “allowed” doesn’t mean it feels right yet, and that’s okay. Go at your own pace.
Start With Your Pelvic Floor
The foundation of all postpartum movement starts with the pelvic floor - a group of muscles that support your bladder, bowel, and uterus. These muscles can weaken during pregnancy and birth, affecting continence and core stability.
How to do pelvic floor exercises (Kegels):
- Imagine you’re stopping the flow of wee and holding in wind at the same time
- Lift and squeeze those muscles gently
- Hold for 5–10 seconds, then relax completely
- Repeat 10 times, 3–4 times per day
You can also do quick squeezes (1–2 seconds) to build endurance. Add these into your routine - while brushing teeth, feeding, or walking.
Early Postpartum-Friendly Exercises
Once cleared by your healthcare provider, you can begin with:
- Walking – Start slowly and increase distance gradually
- Gentle yoga – Focus on breathing, stretching, and alignment
- Postnatal Pilates – Supports deep core and pelvic floor engagement
- Bodyweight strength exercises – Think wall push-ups, glute bridges, seated squats
- Deep core breathing – Reconnects you to your transverse abdominis (deep core muscles)
Avoid:
- Crunches or sit-ups early on
- High-impact workouts like running or jumping
- Heavy lifting without proper core engagement
- Any movement that causes pelvic heaviness, leakage, pain, or doming of the abdomen
How to Know You’re Doing Too Much
Your body will give you signals. Stop or scale back if you notice:
- Pelvic or vaginal heaviness (possible sign of prolapse)
- Leaking urine or wind during exercise
- Pain at your C-section scar or stitches
- Bulging/doming at your midline (possible diastasis recti)
- Extreme fatigue or soreness that lingers beyond 24–48 hours
Remember: recovery is not linear. What feels doable one day might not the next.
What If You Have Diastasis Recti?
This is a separation of the abdominal muscles, which happens in up to 60% of postpartum bodies. It can cause a soft, domed belly, back pain, or instability during movement.
If you suspect it:
- Avoid crunches, planks, or deep twists
- Focus on core engagement through breathing and gentle activation
- See a women’s health physio for personalised guidance
When Can I Start Running After Birth?
If running is part of your long-term fitness routine, you’ll need to rebuild slowly and with care.
General guidance suggests waiting until:
- At least 12 weeks postpartum
- You’ve regained core and pelvic floor strength
- You’re not leaking or feeling pressure
- You’ve passed a return-to-run assessment (often offered by physios)
Managing Expectations Around Fitness and Postpartum Life
It’s easy to compare your progress to others, but everybody and every birth is different. A healthy return to exercise is about:
- Consistency over intensity
- Listening to your body, not your watch
- Rest days without guilt
- Celebrating function over size or weight
You’ve already done something incredible. Moving your body again should feel empowering, not punishing.
Midwife’s Top Tips
- Start with pelvic floor and core work, even before full workouts
- Wait until your postnatal check-up before doing anything high impact
- Don’t ignore symptoms - see a physio if you have pelvic pain, leakage, or doming
- Set realistic, non-aesthetic goals (like better energy or fewer aches)
- Celebrate every step - gentle movement is progress
Returning to exercise after having a baby is about so much more than fitness. It’s about rebuilding trust in your body, honouring the pace of healing, and finding strength on your terms.
Be patient. Move with kindness. And know that every walk, breath, and stretch is an act of self-care. Your body has already done something extraordinary, now it’s time to support it with the movement it deserves.
