Harriet Ellison
Why the rush to bounce back misses the point
Your body has spent nine months growing a baby, then done one of the most physically demanding things it will ever do. Whether you had a straightforward vaginal birth, an assisted delivery, or a caesarean section, you are recovering from both pregnancy and birth at the same time. The pressure to "get your body back" within weeks is not helpful, and it is not realistic.
That said, gentle movement in the early weeks and months genuinely helps. It supports circulation, digestion, mood and sleep, and it lays the groundwork for stronger movement later on. The key word is gradual. Think of it as rebuilding a foundation rather than jumping straight back to your pre-pregnancy routine.
If you are unsure where to start, always speak to your GP, health visitor or a women's health physiotherapist. The six to eight week postnatal check is a useful marker, but it is not a green light for running or high-impact exercise.
Start with your breath
Breathing sounds too simple to matter, but it is where every postnatal recovery programme should begin. During pregnancy, the growing baby pushes the diaphragm upwards and the deep abdominal muscles stretch and separate. Learning to breathe well again reconnects the diaphragm, the deep core and the pelvic floor.
Try this daily, lying on your back with knees bent or sitting comfortably:
- Place your hands on your lower ribs.
- Breathe in through your nose for a count of four, feeling your ribs widen sideways and your belly soften.
- Breathe out slowly through your mouth for a count of six, feeling the pelvic floor gently lift and the ribcage soften down.
- Repeat for five slow breaths, two or three times a day.
Notice whether you hold your breath when you lift the pram, the car seat or a toddler. Learning to breathe out on effort is one of the most protective habits you can build.
Reconnect with your pelvic floor
The pelvic floor is a sling of muscle at the base of your pelvis. It supports your bladder, bowel and womb, and it works with your breath and deep core. After pregnancy and birth it can be weak, or it can be over-tight and unable to relax — both cause problems.
Signs worth taking seriously include leaking when you cough, sneeze, laugh or run; a feeling of heaviness or dragging; pain during sex; or difficulty controlling wind. Leaking is common, but it is not something you simply have to live with.
To practise gentle pelvic floor exercises:
- Squeeze and lift as though you are stopping wind and urine at the same time, without clenching your bottom or holding your breath.
- Hold for a comfortable count of three to five seconds, then release fully for the same length of time.
- Build up to eight to ten slow lifts, followed by ten quick flicks.
- Rest for a full breath between each repetition — the release matters as much as the squeeze.
If you had a caesarean, your pelvic floor still needs this work. Pregnancy alone places significant load on it.
Walking: the underrated first step
Once bleeding has settled and you feel ready, short walks are ideal. Start with five to ten minutes around the house or to the end of the road, and build slowly over days rather than pushing through fatigue.
Use your pram walks well. Stand tall, relax your shoulders, and avoid pushing with a hunched posture. If you feel heaviness, dragging or increased bleeding afterwards, that is your body asking you to do less for a few days.
In the early weeks, be careful with heavy lifting, hoovering, carrying a full laundry basket or lifting the car seat one-handed. These load the abdomen and pelvic floor far more than they look like they do, and they are worth delegating where you can.
Build strength before you build speed
Once walking feels comfortable, you can begin rebuilding strength. The aim is control and coordination first, then load. Good early options include:
- Pelvic tilts and gentle glute bridges.
- Bird-dog and side-lying clamshells.
- Sit-to-stand from a chair, then bodyweight squats.
- Step-ups onto a low step and single-leg balance holds.
- Upper back and shoulder work to counter feeding posture.
Hold off on crunches, full planks and heavy abdominal work until you have been assessed, particularly if you have abdominal separation. Progress by adding repetitions first, then resistance, then speed. Lifting and carrying your baby all day counts as training too, so factor that in.
If you had a caesarean, gentle scar massage and desensitisation can help once your wound is fully healed and you have clearance — a women's health physio can guide you.
Getting back to running — and when to ask for help
Running is high impact, and most women need longer than they expect. A common guideline is not before twelve weeks, and often sixteen weeks or more. Before you try, you should be able to:
- Walk briskly for thirty minutes without pain, leaking or heaviness.
- Balance on one leg for thirty seconds on each side.
- Complete ten small hops on each leg without leaking, pain, or a bulge in the abdomen.
- Feel a clear pelvic floor lift when you need it.
If you pass those checks, start with run-walk intervals: one minute of easy running, two minutes of walking, repeated ten times. Build over weeks, not days.
Speak to a GP or women's health physiotherapist if you notice leaking, pelvic heaviness, pain, a doming or bulging tummy, or bleeding that returns after activity. These are treatable, and getting help early makes a real difference.
Above all, be kind to yourself. Your body has done something remarkable, and it deserves patient, steady rebuilding rather than a race back to where you were.
