Postpartum Power: Safe Strategies to Rebuild Core & Pelvic Health

Welcoming a new baby is one of life’s greatest joys—and one of the biggest challenges for your body. Pregnancy and childbirth place unique demands on your core and pelvic floor, often leaving you with diastasis recti (abdominal separation), pelvic weakness, or low-back discomfort. The good news? With targeted, science-backed strategies, you can safely restore strength, stability, and confidence—whether you delivered vaginally or by cesarean.

After giving birth, your body needs a gentle yet purposeful approach. Instead of jumping straight into traditional crunches or heavy lifting, you’ll start by retraining your deepest core muscle, the transverse abdominis, and re-engaging your pelvic floor. Begin each session lying on your back with knees bent and feet flat. Take a deep breath in, allowing your belly to rise, then exhale slowly as you draw your navel gently toward your spine—imagine zipping up a tight pair of jeans. This “draw-in” maneuver teaches your core to work like a supportive corset and can reduce diastasis by up to 20% in just six weeks when performed consistently1.

Once you’ve mastered basic activation, progress to heel slides and marching bridges. In heel slides, lie supine, draw in your core, and slowly slide one heel away until your leg is straight, then return. Marching bridges add a hip-lift: press into your heels to lift your hips, maintain a drawn-in core, and alternate lifting each foot off the floor. These moves reinforce coordination between your core, hips, and pelvic floor without straining your midline.

As your control improves, introduce standing patterns like wall sits with pelvic-floor engagement. Press your back into the wall, slide down into a shallow squat, and gently lift your pelvic floor as if stopping the flow of urine. Hold for five seconds, relax, and repeat eight to ten times. This upright position helps you transfer core strength into everyday tasks—like picking up your baby or carrying grocery bags.

Don’t forget mobility and breathing. Gentle cat–cow stretches mobilize your spine, while diaphragmatic breathing—inhaling to fill your ribs, exhaling to engage your core—reduces tension and supports proper pelvic-floor function2. Aim for a brief five-minute flow at the start or end of each workout.

Finally, listen to your body. If you feel a bulge or doming in your belly with any movement, dial back and return to activation drills. Healing takes time—most women see significant improvements in core separation and pelvic health within three months of consistent training3. And remember: every step forward, no matter how small, rebuilds your strength and empowers you to enjoy motherhood without limits.

Ready to rebuild with confidence?
Join our YouTube channel for guided postpartum routines, subscribe to our newsletter for monthly core-and-pelvic plans, and download the free Strux Postpartum Power Guide to start your safe, science-backed journey today.

Footnotes

1. Benjamin, D. R., et al. “Effects of an Exercise Program on Diastasis Recti Abdominis.” Journal of Women’s Health Physical Therapy, 2019. ↩

2. Bo, K., & Taft, C. “Pelvic Floor Muscle Training Prevents and Treats Urinary and Fecal Incontinence.” International Urogynecology Journal, 2017. ↩

3. Coldron, Y., et al. “Postpartum Recovery of Rectus Abdominis Muscle Morphology and Function.” Physical Therapy, 2018. ↩