3 Exercises For The Early Postpartum Phase to Promote Healing

This is a quick list of gentle exercises you can get started with to help you heal and feel more comfortable and supported in those first 6-12 weeks after giving birth. 

Remember– this phase is about healing, self care, compassion and surviving!

1. Deep breathing to connect to your pelvic floor

This can be done in a variety of positions, but if you’re in those first few weeks, it’s best to start lying down to relax your nervous system and make that connection a little easier. Not only does this help you start reconnecting with those muscles, but it also promotes blood flow in the pelvic floor to improve tissue healing. 

2. Actively stretching your glutes

This is also known as lengthening your glutes under load. This doesn’t mean you need a heavy weight, because at this phase, you don’t! It’s all about gentle, light movement right now. What it means is to include moves that get your hips and legs moving in a way that stretches your booty and back of your legs, while also using those muscles to support you. This supported squat is a great gentle option if a regular bodyweight squat doesn’t feel stable yet. Hinges and donkey kicks are great options, too!

3. Upper back mobility 

Also known as thoracic mobility, this refers to strengthening your upper back muscles, those ones that tend to be a bit hunched forward and stiff from carrying baby around. Ligament laxity from pregnancy hormones can also make it a bit harder to use these muscles. We can improve mobility here by working on straightening the upper back, and also by working on side to side rotation. 

If this feels like a big list to tackle while you’re trying to work on sleep habits and calling on your 3am friends for moral support, just choose 1 of these moves that feels the most ‘do-able’ right now, and start there. 

There’s no reason to rush your recovery. Just like figuring out all the ins and outs and unknowns of parenting, it’s all about taking it one day at a time.  

PS. Once you’ve mastered these and you’re ready for the next level of recovery, you can move onto my Heal Your Core Postnatal Mini Program to start reconnecting with and strengthening your abs.

Coach Dee

@coachdee_fitness

info@coachdeefitness.com

coachdeefitness.com

*This is a fitness and personal training blog for information purposes only and shouldn’t be seen as health, nutritional, or medical advice. This site is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical or health advice, diagnosis or treatment. Any information you use from this site is at your own risk. Never disregard professional advice or delay seeking it because of something you read on this site.