This post is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always get clearance from your OB or midwife before resuming exercise, and stop any movement that causes pain, pressure, or increased bleeding. This post may contain affiliate links — see our Affiliate Disclosure for details.
Why Week 6 (and Not Sooner)
Six weeks postpartum is the standard timing for your OB or midwife postpartum checkup and clearance to resume exercise, though the actual right time depends on your delivery and recovery, not the calendar alone. Before that checkup, the safest moves are diaphragmatic breathing, gentle pelvic floor activation, and short walks. Once you’re cleared, these ten moves are a reasonable, PT-informed starting point — not a race back to your pre-pregnancy workout.
The 10 Exercises
1. Diaphragmatic Breathing
Sit or lie down, breathe in and let your ribcage expand while your pelvic floor relaxes, then exhale while gently drawing your pelvic floor up (think “sipping through a straw”). Do 10 slow breaths. This is your foundation move — every exercise below builds on this breath-and-brace pattern.
2. Seated or Lying Kegels
Gently engage and fully release your pelvic floor muscles in a pain-free way, 10 reps. Full release matters as much as the squeeze — a pelvic floor that can’t relax is as much of a problem as one that’s weak.
3. Pelvic Tilts
Lying on your back, knees bent, gently flatten your lower back into the floor by tilting your pelvis, then release. 10–15 reps. Helps reintroduce safe core movement without straining the midline.
4. Heel Slides
Lying on your back, slowly slide one heel away from you along the floor while keeping your core braced and lower back still, then slide it back. 8–10 per side. A gentle way to reintroduce leg movement without pulling on your abdomen.
5. Glute Bridges
Lying on your back, knees bent, feet flat, lift your hips while exhaling and bracing gently, then lower with control. 10–12 reps. Builds glute and hip strength that supports your lower back and pelvis.
6. Bird Dog (Modified)
On hands and knees, extend one arm forward while keeping your hips and back still, then switch sides — hold off on extending the opposite leg until this feels stable. 8 per side. Builds core stability without loading the front of your abdomen.
7. Standing Sit-to-Stand with Kegel
From a seated position, engage your pelvic floor and deep core lightly as you stand, then sit back down with control. 8–10 reps. This mirrors a movement you make dozens of times a day, so training it well pays off immediately.
8. Wall Sits
Back against a wall, slide down to a shallow squat you can hold comfortably, breathing normally throughout. Hold 15–20 seconds, 3 rounds. Builds leg strength without any impact or core strain.
9. Cat-Cow
On hands and knees, alternate gently arching and rounding your back with your breath. 8–10 slow rounds. Eases back tension from feeding positions and babywearing, and reintroduces spinal mobility.
10. Short, Frequent Walks
Not a “core exercise,” but arguably the most important one on this list. Gradually increase distance and pace while staying pain-free. Walking builds baseline cardiovascular fitness and endurance without the impact of running, which most PTs recommend holding off on until at least 12 weeks postpartum.