What are the best postpartum exercises?

Last reviewed June 19, 2026 by Dr. Sapna Jadhav, General Physician. Sources from ACOG, NHS, Mayo Clinic, CDC, NICE, NIH, Cochrane, and peer-reviewed journals.

Bottom lineThe best postpartum exercises start with pelvic floor work, deep core activation, and walking, then progress to low-impact strength training; avoid crunches and high-impact exercise until your core and pelvic floor have recovered.

The best postpartum exercises start with pelvic floor and gentle core work, plus walking, then progress to low-impact strength training. Rebuilding from the inside out protects your recovering body.

Start here

• Pelvic floor exercises (Kegels): Squeeze and lift the muscles you'd use to stop a wee, hold briefly, then relax. Do these daily - they help prevent leaking and support recovery.
• Deep core breathing and gentle abdominal activation: Reconnect with your deep core muscles before doing harder ab work.
• Walking: Builds stamina with low impact.

Then progress to

• Low-impact strength work: Squats, bridges, and gentle resistance exercises.
• Posture and back exercises: Helpful for the strain of feeding and carrying a baby.
• Gentle yoga or Pilates designed for postpartum bodies.

Be careful with these early on

Avoid intense ab exercises like crunches and sit-ups until your deep core and any abdominal separation (diastasis recti) have recovered, and hold off on high-impact exercise until your pelvic floor is ready.

Get guidance if you can

A postpartum-focused physiotherapist or trainer can tailor a program, especially after a C-section or if you have diastasis recti or pelvic floor symptoms.

Femora helps you track your recovery as you build a postpartum exercise routine.

Check your core: what is diastasis recti