Your body has just done something enormous. Whether you had a vaginal birth or a caesarean, the first weeks are about healing, not workouts. But gentle movement, done at the right pace, can help you feel stronger, sleep better and feel more like yourself again. Here's how to approach it.
The first weeks: pelvic floor and gentle walks
Start with your pelvic floor. Pelvic floor exercises are the single most useful thing you can do after birth, and you can start them as soon as you feel ready, even lying in bed. The NHS suggests building up to 10 repeats of each exercise, at least 3 times a day. Breathe normally and don't pull your tummy in.
Walk, little and often. A slow walk with the pram is a lovely way to start. Begin with 10 minutes and build up gradually as you feel able.
Listen to your body. More bleeding, pain or feeling wiped out the next day are signs to ease off.
Your postnatal check
Your GP check at around 6 to 8 weeks after the birth is a good time to talk about returning to exercise, and about anything that doesn't feel right, from leaking to pain to low mood. Many women wait until after this check before starting anything more strenuous.
If you had a caesarean
A caesarean is major abdominal surgery, and recovery takes longer. Walking gently and pelvic floor exercises are still good to start early, but avoid heavy lifting (anything heavier than your baby) and strenuous exercise while you heal. Be guided by your midwife, GP or physiotherapist about when to do more.
Nobody needs to bounce back. Building back slowly is how you stay strong for years.
Building back up
Rebuild your core first. It's common for your tummy muscles to separate during pregnancy. Avoid sit-ups, planks and high-impact exercise until your tummy feels stronger, and start with gentle exercises like drawing in your lower tummy as you breathe out. Our guide to the tummy gap after pregnancy explains more.
Low impact before high impact. Swimming, postnatal Pilates or yoga, cycling and brisk walking are good next steps. For swimming, wait until your bleeding has stopped and any stitches have healed.
Running and high-impact exercise. Running, jumping and HIIT put a lot of load on your pelvic floor. Many physiotherapists suggest building up strength first and waiting until at least 12 weeks after birth. If you leak, feel heaviness or have pain, stop and get checked.
Aim for a little, often. The UK Chief Medical Officers suggest building up to 150 minutes of moderate activity a week after birth, but every bit counts. Ten minutes here and there absolutely adds up.
When to get help
Talk to your GP if you're leaking urine or wind, feel heaviness or dragging down below, have pain during sex, or your tummy gap is still obvious at 8 weeks. These are common, and very treatable, and your GP can refer you to a women's health physiotherapist.
When can I start exercising after giving birth?
You can start gentle walking and pelvic floor exercises as soon as you feel ready. Many women wait until after their 6 to 8 week postnatal check before more strenuous exercise.
When can I exercise after a caesarean?
Gentle walking and pelvic floor exercises can start early, but avoid heavy lifting and strenuous exercise while you heal, and follow your GP or physiotherapist's advice.
When can I start running after having a baby?
Many physiotherapists suggest building strength first and waiting until at least 12 weeks after birth. Stop and get checked if you have leaking, heaviness or pain.
How often should I do pelvic floor exercises after birth?
The NHS suggests building up to 10 repeats of each exercise, at least 3 times a day.
Keep reading
- The tummy gap after pregnancy: diastasis recti explained
- Pilates for pregnancy and motherhood
- How to navigate babywearing after a caesarean birth
- How to prepare your body and pelvic floor for birth
This article is general information, not medical advice. Everyone's recovery is different. Speak to your GP, midwife or a women's health physiotherapist before starting exercise, especially after a difficult birth or caesarean. See the NHS guide to your post-pregnancy body.
If you’re trying to conceive (TTC), you probably know that there are certain foods and nutrients that become especially important once you’re pregnant. But nutrition plays a vital role even when trying to conceive, much like laying a strong foundation before constructing a house.
Certain nutrients create that foundation by supporting egg and sperm health (yes, nutrition matters for both partners), hormone balance and creating a hospitable environment for a fertilized egg to implant. In fact, studies show that certain nutrients can help increase fertility and improve success rates for both natural conception and fertility treatments.
In other words, nutrition is a key player in the TTC journey, but getting the right nutrients in the right quantities can be tricky. That’s where supplements come in. Just as you’d take a multivitamin to fill in nutritional gaps for optimal health, fertility supplements can give you that extra nutrient boost.
Choosing supplements for your fertility journey
When choosing a supplement to support your fertility journey, look for science-backed, high-quality ingredients. Our editors are careful to select and partner with brands that use ingredients that have been clinically studied to support fertility. Eu Natural® (pronounced you) covers all those bases and more. We love knowing that Eu Natural® products contain zero artificial additives, binders, or fillers and are lab-tested to ensure purity and potency.
When choosing a supplement to support your fertility journey, look for science-backed, high-quality ingredients. Our editors are careful to select and partner with brands that use ingredients that have been clinically studied to support fertility. Eu Natural® (pronounced you) covers all those bases and more. We love knowing that Eu Natural® products contain zero artificial additives, binders, or fillers and are lab-tested to ensure purity and potency.
