After giving birth, getting back into exercise doesn’t mean jumping straight into your old workout routine. Your body needs time to recover and gradually rebuild strength. A good postpartum workout plan progresses with you, starting with gentle movement and core and pelvic floor connection, then gradually adding strength training and higher-impact exercise.
Below, we’ll walk through when to start exercising postpartum, the best exercises to begin with, and how to safely progress back to strength training and your regular workouts.
Key Takeaways
- Return to exercise gradually based on how your body feels.
- Start with gentle movement, breathing, and core work.
- Progress when movement feels controlled and symptom-free.
- Give your body extra healing time after a C-section.
- With diastasis recti, focus on core control and avoid excessive coning.
- Rebuild full-body strength before adding high-impact exercise.
When Can You Start Exercising After Birth?
You can start with gentle activities like short walks, breathing, and pelvic floor exercises within the first few days after giving birth if they feel comfortable. Early movement is not about getting back into shape or returning to your previous workouts. It is about supporting recovery and slowly reconnecting with your body.
More demanding exercise should come later. As your body heals, you can gradually introduce exercises that challenge your core, glutes, hips, and eventually your full body. Your timeline will depend on factors like your delivery, symptoms, and recovery, so wait for medical clearance when appropriate and pay attention to how your body responds as you increase the intensity.
What Exercises Should You Start With After Giving Birth?
Your first postpartum exercises should match where you are in your recovery. Start with breathing, core connection, and gentle mobility, then gradually introduce exercises that rebuild strength.
Stage 1: Gentle Early Movement
The first six weeks are primarily about recovery. Start with gentle movement that feels comfortable, focusing on breathing, core and pelvic floor connection, and mobility.
1. 360° Breathing:
Reconnects your breath, deep core, and pelvic floor while practicing both engagement and relaxation.
How to do it:
- Lie on your back with knees bent, or get comfortable.
- Place your hands on your lower ribs.
- Inhale, letting your ribs, belly, and pelvic floor expand.
- Exhale, letting your ribs soften as you gently engage your deep core and pelvic floor.
2. Heel Slides
Gently challenges your deep core while keeping the movement slow and controlled.
How to do it:
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet on the floor.
- Gently engage your core, then slowly slide one heel away from your body.
- Bring it back in and repeat on the other side.
3. Windshield Wipers
Gently moves your hips and pelvis while easing tension through your lower back.
How to do it:
- Lie on your back with knees bent and feet apart.
- Gently lower your knees side to side, staying within a comfortable range.
Stage 2: Early Progression (After Medical Clearance)
As your initial recovery progresses and you have been medically cleared, you can start introducing exercises that ask a little more from your core, glutes, and hips. This stage bridges the gap between gentle recovery work and more traditional strength training.
Keep the movements controlled and focus on how your body responds rather than how much weight or resistance you can use. You should be able to breathe normally and maintain good control without pain, pelvic pressure, leaking, or other symptoms.
1. Glute Bridges
Rebuilds glute and hip strength while introducing more core engagement.
How to do it:
- Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat.
- Engage your core and lift your hips.
- Pause at the top, then slowly lower.
2. Clamshells
Strengthens your glutes and outer hips to help support your pelvis as you return to exercise.
How to do it:
- Lie on your side with knees bent and stacked.
- Keep feet together and lift your top knee, keeping hips stacked.
- Lower with control and repeat.
3. Bird Dog
Builds core stability and coordination by challenging you to keep your trunk controlled while moving your arms and legs.
How to do it:
- Start on hands and knees with a neutral spine.
- Extend one arm and the opposite leg, keeping your core engaged.
- Return with control, then switch sides.
Phase 3: Return to Strength Training
The next step is bringing more traditional strength exercises back into your routine. At this stage, the core and pelvic floor control you have been practicing becomes the foundation for movements like squats, lunges, rows, deadlifts, and presses.
Begin with lighter resistance and prioritize good control over lifting heavier weights. From there, you can increase resistance, reps, or workout length based on how your body responds. The goal is to progressively rebuild full-body strength rather than immediately returning to your pre-pregnancy training level.
Phase 4: Return to Higher-Impact Exercise
Running, jumping, HIIT, and other higher-impact workouts place greater demands on your core and pelvic floor, so they typically come later in postpartum recovery. Build your strength and control first, then introduce impact gradually rather than jumping straight back into your previous routine. If you experience leaking, pelvic heaviness or pressure, pain, or other symptoms as you increase the intensity, scale back and consider getting guidance from a pelvic health physiotherapist or healthcare provider.
Which Exercises Should You Avoid Postpartum?
You don't necessarily need to avoid certain exercises forever, but some movements can be too demanding early in postpartum recovery.
- Planks: Planks require significant core control. If you notice coning or doming through your abdomen or can't maintain good control, start with gentler core exercises first.
- Crunches and sit-ups: These aren't automatically off-limits postpartum, but they can place more demand on your abdominal wall. Rebuild core control first, then gradually introduce them.
- Running and jumping: Higher-impact exercise places more load on your recovering pelvic floor and is usually introduced later.
- Heavy lifting: Start lighter than your pre-pregnancy weights and gradually increase resistance as your strength and control return.
The goal isn't to permanently avoid these exercises. It's to build the foundation you need to return to them comfortably and confidently.
How Often Should You Exercise Postpartum?
Start with short, manageable sessions and build from there. In the early stages, even a few minutes of breathing, mobility, or gentle core work can be enough.
As you recover, gradually increase your workout frequency, length, and difficulty. You don't need to rush back into your previous training schedule to make progress.
What About Exercise After a C-Section?
After a C-section, your return to exercise may take longer because your body is recovering from both pregnancy and abdominal surgery. Early on, prioritize healing and gentle movement as recommended by your healthcare team rather than trying to follow a specific exercise timeline.
As your incision heals and you recover, you can progress from breathing and core connection to gentle strengthening, full-body strength training, and eventually higher-impact exercise. Your timeline may look different from someone who had a vaginal delivery, so base your progression on your recovery, symptoms, and medical guidance rather than a specific postpartum week.
How Do You Know When You’re Ready to Progress Your Postpartum Workouts?
As your recovery progresses, your workouts should progress too. If your current exercises feel comfortable and you’re able to complete them with good control and without pain, pressure, or other symptoms, you may be ready for the next step.
But knowing what to progress to and when isn’t always obvious. FitMama’s postpartum plans adapt as you rebuild strength, taking you from gentle core and pelvic floor work to progressively more challenging workouts.
Ease Back Into Exercise With FitMama
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I exercise before my 6-week postpartum checkup?
Gentle movement like walking, breathing, and pelvic floor exercises may be appropriate within the first few days after birth if you feel comfortable. More demanding workouts should be introduced gradually based on your recovery and medical guidance.
What are the best exercises for rebuilding your core postpartum?
Start with gentle exercises that help you reconnect with your deep core, such as 360° breathing and heel slides. As your control and strength improve, you can progress to exercises like glute bridges, bird dogs, and eventually more challenging core work.
When can I start doing ab workouts after giving birth?
There isn't one timeline that works for everyone. Start with gentle deep-core exercises before progressing to more demanding movements like planks, crunches, and sit-ups. Your ability to control the movement without pain, pressure, or significant coning or doming matters more than reaching a specific week postpartum.
Can I work out postpartum if I have diastasis recti?
Having diastasis recti doesn't necessarily mean you need to avoid exercise, but your workouts may need to be modified. Focus on breathing, core control, and gradually increasing abdominal load, and consider seeing a pelvic health physiotherapist if you have concerns about your recovery.
How long does it take to regain strength after pregnancy?
Postpartum recovery is different for everyone. Your delivery, previous fitness level, sleep, symptoms, and how consistently you're able to exercise can all affect how quickly your strength returns. Focus on gradual progress rather than trying to meet a specific timeline.