Postpartum Core and Pelvic Floor Exercises: Gentle, Safe and Natural Recovery
Feeling different in your body after giving birth? You’re not alone.
Many first-time NYC moms tell me they’re surprised by how unfamiliar their bodies feel after birth. Whether it’s lower back pain, incontinence or pelvic floor weakness, these are common postpartum experiences and they’re treatable. The good news is: with safe and natural postpartum core and pelvic floor exercises and strengthening, you can reconnect to your body and feel in control of your body again.
Why Postpartum Recovery Matters?
The postpartum journey is not just about bouncing back it’s about healing deeply and building a strong foundation for long-term wellness.
In the weeks and months after birth, your core and pelvic floor need gentle attention. Whether you’re experiencing diastasis recti, leaking when you sneeze or just feeling unstable, intentional gentle exercises can help you feel confident when you’re ready for intimacy with your partner and to get back to your regular exercise routine.
With my Toning and Strengthening Protocol, you can support your body’s natural recovery process. Not surprisingly, your breath and your mindset play a key role in your recovery.
Every Mom’s Healing Timeline is Unique
NYC life moves fast, but your healing moves at a slower pace. Studies show it can take 18 to 24 months for your body to fully recover from pregnancy and childbirth. Allowing yourself grace, patience and compassion is one of the best ways to honor your postpartum body.
Avoid comparing yourself to others. Instead, tune into your body’s needs. Remember: you grew and birthed a human. That deserves care and reverence. It’s important to move slowly and mindfully during the early months to avoid postpartum depletion later on during the toddler years or during subsequent pregnancies.
Understanding Your Core & Pelvic Floor
Forget Kegels. He was a doctor in the 1950’s who put weights in the vagina for strengthening. You, Mama, are working globally, mindfully and effectively.
Your core is made up of three key muscle groups:
Rectus abdominis - runs vertically
Obliques - runs diagonally
Transverse abdominis - runs front to back, like a corset
Since all are interconnected, toning one tones the others. Our focus is on the transverse abdominis, which wraps around your torso and is essential for core stability and healing the diastasis recti.
The postpartum core and pelvic floor exercise is a diamond-shaped network of muscles at the base of your pelvis. Connect to your pelvic floor by visualizing lines of energy:
Front to back - Pubic bone to tailbone
Side to side - Sit bone to sit bone
Your pelvic floor supports your bladder, uterus, and bowels—and is impacted whether you birth vaginally or by cesarean.
Learning how to gently contract and fully relax these muscles is key to long-term health, function and strength.
Pregnancy
Reasons why you want to be proactive during pregnancy is to support your changing body and cultivate awareness and sensitivity so you can push with minimal tearing. My Toning and Strengthening Protocol helps you do just that!
If you’re still pregnant, now is the perfect time to begin. It’s not too late to get started. My clients get strategies for pelvic floor health before baby even arrives. Building core and pelvic floor awareness postpartum helps support your labor and reduces recovery time. Learn more about Pregnancy Coaching to prepare for birth and postpartum.
Toning and Strengthening Protocol: Start With Your Breath - The Foundation of Healing
In the early days postpartum, your breath is your best tool for beginning your Toning and Strengthening Protocol. Here’s how to begin:
Step 1: Breath Awareness
For Abdominal Healing - Targeting Transverse Abdominis:
Inhale: Let your belly softly expand.
Exhale: Gently draw your lower belly (transverse abdominis) toward your spine.
Repeat with slow, steady breaths.
This gently supports diastasis recti healing, by closing the separation of the abdominal wall.
Fact: When you nurse, your uterus contracts it’s nature’s built-in toning mechanism! You can enhance this natural benefit by combining it with gentle breath work.
For Pelvic Floor Activation and Toning: Not your mother’s Kegels
Inhale: Relax your pelvic floor completely.
Exhale: Draw energy from the pubic bone to tailbone and sit bones inward toward the center (the perineum), then gently lift upward.
Repeat by lifting and releasing with your breath.
Resist strain or pressure. Stay relaxed and grounded.
Step 2: Safely Strengthen Your Core
Once you’ve established basic breath connection, and begin to regain your strength, energy and focus, you can safely tone both your core and pelvic floor together. Here’s how:
Inhale: Allow your belly to expand and your pelvic floor to relax.
Exhale: Draw your navel toward your spine while gently lifting the pelvic floor toward the crown of your head.
This simple yet powerful sequence engages your deep core system in harmony - no crunches, no strain, no equipment required.
Practice in a supported seated position or lying on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Always avoid dangling feet or unsupported postures, especially early on.
Support Your Healing with Movement
You don’t have to wait to feel "fit" to move again.
Walking and babywearing workouts provide low-impact ways to stay active, boost your mood and gently engage your core.
Restorative postpartum yoga offers deep relaxation and supports hormonal balance, nervous system regulation as well as emotional well-being. It’s especially helpful for anxious new moms navigating stress and sleepless nights.
Learn more about my approach here.
Everyday Tips for NYC Moms
Whether you’re navigating subway stairs with a stroller or carrying your baby through Central Park, posture and breath make a difference.
Use your legs and your core when lifting.
Be mindful of your posture. Are you hunching or slouching?
Engage your core muscles gently when picking up your baby or stroller.
Avoid straining - move from strength, not momentum.
Final Note
As your priorities shifts and your energy fluctuates, give yourself grace and space to establish a routine. Your best healing takes places during sleep. Sound sleep is equally important as the Toning and Strengthening Protocol. Healing and recovery is a process that takes time, especially because sleep is inevitably disrupted caring for your baby. Allow yourself time to heal.
Ready to Start Your Healing Journey?
You don’t need to do this alone. With expert guidance, you can feel strong, supported and empowered in your postpartum body.
A postpartum doula or trained specialist can walk you through the first steps of postpartum core and pelvic floor strengthening exercises, offering encouragement and personalized support for your healing journey.
Let’s Connect
I work with NYC moms to support gentle, effective postpartum ab rehab, pelvic floor exercises and diastasis recti healing techniques that fit into with your lifestyle - not against it. Let’s create a plan that works for you and your baby.
You deserve to feel strong, connected, and confident in your postpartum body - naturally. Click the button below and let’s chat.