Core strengthening exercises postpartum rebuild trunk stability with breath-led activation, steady walking, and graded strength once you’re cleared to move.
Your midsection did a lot of work in pregnancy. After birth, many people feel loose, sore, and unsure what “core work” should look like. This guide gives a clear path you can start at home, without guesswork.
Two ground rules: get medical clearance if you had a cesarean birth, heavy tearing, high blood pressure, prolapse symptoms, or ongoing bleeding; and stop any move that brings sharp pain, dizziness, heavy pelvic pressure, or a doming bulge along the midline.
What postpartum core strength means
“Core” is not just abs. It’s a team: diaphragm, pelvic floor, deep abdominals, back muscles, hips, and the pressure system that ties them together. Early on, your best results come from retraining that pressure system, not chasing burn.
The goal is steady trunk control in daily tasks: getting out of bed, lifting a car seat, pushing a stroller, carrying laundry, and walking without back or pelvis aches.
Core Strengthening Exercises Postpartum that start small
This section lays out a simple progression. You can stay in one stage for weeks. Progress is based on what your body shows, not the calendar.
| Stage | Main aim | Go-to moves |
|---|---|---|
| Days 0–7 | Reduce strain, restore breath | Side-lying rest, rib breathing, short walks |
| Weeks 1–2 | Reconnect deep core | 360 breathing, pelvic floor lift, heel slides |
| Weeks 3–4 | Build control in motion | Bridge holds, dead bug arms, bird-dog prep |
| Weeks 5–6 | Add load with form | Suitcase carry, sit-to-stand, wall push |
| Weeks 7–10 | Increase time under tension | Side plank on knees, split squat, row band |
| Weeks 10–16 | Return to impact prep | Single-leg balance, step-ups, pogo prep |
| 4–6 months+ | Resume sport patterns | Jog progressions, heavier lifts, jumps |
Use the table as a menu, not a rulebook. Your birth, sleep, feeding plan, and healing change the pace.
Stage 1: breathing and pressure control
Do this on your back with knees bent, or on your side if your back feels sore. One hand on ribs, one on low belly. Inhale through your nose and let ribs widen. Exhale slowly and feel the low belly draw in, like you’re zipping up snug jeans.
- Sets: 5 breaths, rest, repeat 4 times
- Focus: rib movement on the inhale, gentle abdominal tension on the exhale
If you’re unsure how to restart exercise after giving birth, ACOG’s exercise after pregnancy guidance gives baseline timing and red flags.
Stage 2: pelvic floor and deep abdominal pairing
On an exhale, lift the pelvic floor as if you’re stopping gas, then keep breathing while you hold a light lift. Pair it with a low-belly draw-in. The lift should feel subtle, not like a full squeeze.
- Reps: 8–10 holds of 3 seconds
- Rest: 6–10 seconds between holds
Skip long holds if you feel cramping. If leakage or heaviness shows up, a pelvic health physio can check coordination and tone.
Stage 3: gentle limb motion
Heel slide: Exhale, brace lightly, slide one heel away, then bring it back. Keep hips level and ribs quiet. If your belly domes, shorten the slide.
- Reps: 6 per side, 2–3 rounds
Dead bug arms: Exhale and brace, reach one arm overhead, return, then swap. Keep your back comfortable and avoid rib flare.
How to screen yourself for common postpartum core issues
Two issues come up often: diastasis recti (a wider gap between the left and right sides of the rectus abdominis) and pelvic floor strain. A gap alone is not a diagnosis. Symptoms and control matter.
A simple check: lie on your back with knees bent. Place fingertips across the midline at the belly button. Exhale, then lift your head a little. Feel for depth and tension, not just width. If you feel a deep trench, doming, or pain, pick earlier stages and avoid crunch-style work.
ChoosePT’s diastasis rectus abdominis guide explains what the condition is and why skilled rehab matters.
Moves that tend to backfire early
Some classic “ab” moves spike pressure before your system is ready. If you see doming, feel pelvic heaviness, or hold your breath to get through reps, pull them for now.
- Full sit-ups and long crunch sets
- Front planks on toes
- Leg lowers with a heavy back arch
- High-rep twisting that yanks the ribs
- Heavy lifts done with a held breath
You can return to many of these later. Timing and form decide if a move builds you up or beats you up.
Building a weekly plan you can stick with
Consistency beats intensity. A short plan, done often, is easier to keep during newborn life. Start with three sessions per week and short daily walks.
Sample week for weeks 2–6
- Day 1: breathing sets, pelvic floor holds, heel slides
- Day 2: walk, gentle mobility for hips and upper back
- Day 3: breathing sets, bridge holds, dead bug arms
- Day 4: walk, side-lying rest and breathing
- Day 5: breathing sets, sit-to-stand, suitcase carry light
- Day 6: walk
- Day 7: rest
Progress checks that work
Use three simple tests. First, can you exhale and brace without doming. Second, can you talk during a set, which shows you’re not breath-holding. Third, do you feel better the next day, not worse.
Exercise cues that clean up form fast
Small cues change plenty. Try these as you move.
- “Exhale first.” Start the effort on an exhale.
- “Ribs down.” Let ribs stack over pelvis.
- “Belt buckle up.” Keep pelvis from tipping forward.
- “Zip and lift.” Light low-belly draw with a subtle pelvic floor lift.
When to step up intensity
You’re ready for harder work when you can do 2–3 sets of 8–12 reps of your stage moves with no doming, no pelvic heaviness, and no back flare the next day. Then add one new demand at a time: range, load, or speed.
For core strengthening exercises postpartum, “harder” often means more control, not more sweat. A slow, clean rep beats a rushed set.
Notes for cesarean and other slower healing paths
If you had a cesarean birth, treat the first weeks as tissue-healing time. Walking, breathing work, and gentle carries can still train your core system. Skip any move that tugs the incision or leaves a burning ache after. When scar sensitivity settles, try light self-massage around the scar line and work up from side-lying to back-lying drills.
If you had heavy tearing, hemorrhoids, or a feeling of dragging in the pelvis, keep sessions shorter and put more of your effort into breath, pelvic floor timing, and posture while walking. A check-in with a pelvic health physio can clarify what to progress and what to pause.
How to return to planks, crunches, and running
Think of these as later-stage skills. Start with wall or counter push-ups, then knees-down planks, then short toe planks. Each step should keep the belly flat, ribs stacked, and breathing smooth.
Crunch-style work can wait until you can curl your head and shoulders with no doming and no neck strain. When you reintroduce it, use low reps and stop while form is clean.
For running, build a base of brisk walking and single-leg strength first. A simple gate: step-ups, single-leg balance, and short hops done with no leakage, no heaviness, and no next-day flare.
Table of fixes for common problems
| What you notice | What it may mean | What to try next |
|---|---|---|
| Midline doming | Pressure outpaces control | Shorten range, exhale longer, swap to heel slides |
| Pelvic heaviness | Pelvic floor overload | Drop impact, reduce load, add rest days |
| Low back ache | Rib flare or pelvis tilt | Use “ribs down,” limit arch, do bridges |
| Leakage with effort | Timing issue | Exhale on effort, lighten weight, see pelvic physio |
| Incision tugging | Scar sensitivity | Stay with walking and breathing, talk to your clinician |
| Wrist pain in planks | Joint load | Do wall push or forearm version |
| Neck tension | Overusing front neck | Use head rest, reduce reps, slow tempo |
How to carry your core into daily life
The best transfer comes from small habits. Exhale and brace before you lift the baby. Roll to your side to get out of bed. Keep loads close to your body. Use a step to get items from low shelves instead of repeated deep bends.
Feeding posture matters. Stack pillows so you bring the baby to you, not your spine to the baby. During coughs or laughs, exhale and add a light belly draw to reduce pressure spikes. When you carry, switch sides often and keep one hand free to steady the ribs. Reset with three breaths before standing.
When you pick up the car seat, think “exhale first, then stand.” That one tweak cuts strain.
When to get in-person help
Get checked by a clinician or pelvic health physio if you have new bleeding, fever, calf pain, chest pain, dizziness, strong pelvic pressure, bulging that does not settle, or pain that rises during exercise.
Seek help, too, if you feel stuck: your gap feels deeper over time, you can’t control doming, or daily tasks flare symptoms.
One simple 12-minute session
Use this when you want a short reset. Do it three times per week. Add walking on off days.
- Breathing: 4 rounds of 5 breaths
- Pelvic floor lift with exhale: 10 reps of 3-second holds
- Heel slides: 2 rounds of 6 per side
- Bridge hold: 3 holds of 15 seconds
- Suitcase carry: 3 walks of 30 seconds per side
That’s enough work to move you forward. As sleep returns and feeding gets easier, you can add sets or load.
Core strengthening exercises postpartum should feel steady and doable. If it feels like a strain test, scale it down and keep the win.