8 Restorative Exercises & Stretches to Do In the First 6 Weeks Postpartum

Do you really have to wait 6 weeks to dive back into exercise after having a baby?

The short answer is: nope.

The long answer is that you don’t have to wait to start moving. You can start moving sooner.

The truth is you’re already doing a ton of moving, lifting, and carrying simply by being a mom.

So the best thing you can do is focus on moving in a way that’ll support your recovery process.

And there are some essential foundational strategies and movements that you can use to help your body heal, feel stronger, and deal with any pain or discomfort you might be having from all the demands of caring for a newborn.

As well as ensure that – when you are truly ready to dive back into your pre-baby workouts – you (hopefully) aren’t going to have to deal with any negative side effects (like leaking, pain or other uncomfortable issues).

As you go through these strategies, it’s important to remember that there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to recovering from pregnancy, labour and delivery.

There isn’t one exercise program that’ll work for every mom – especially since every mom has different preferences and goals and no two MomBods are the same.

But there are some essential strategies that all moms can benefit from.

And that’s what we’ll focus on today.

Whether…

You’re eager to dive back into some kind of exercise but you don’t want to push your body too hard, too soon.

You feel like your core and pelvic floor doesn’t exist anymore it’s so weak, and you want to strengthen it up.

Or you’re dealing with some pain or problems and you’re hoping some gentle exercise and stretching could help, you’re in the right place.

Let’s do this.

I recommend you do 1-2 sets of each of the exercises for 10-12 reps.

And hold those stretches for at least 20 seconds, ideally (if you have time) closer to 1 minute is best.

You can do these movements 3-7 days a week or as much as your time and energy allows.

(P.S. The core engaging video I mentioned is right here).

Like I said, this isn’t the complete list of exercises to do, nor the only exercises you can do.

This is a start.

This will get the ball rolling, help you feel stronger, and support your body in a way that can help speed up the healing process.

If you have any questions about any of the movements – or anything I talked about it in the video – let me know in the comments below.

And remember – this moment in time is temporary.

You won’t be here forever.

And there’s no rush to “get your body back”.

You just had a baby. It’s okay for your body to look like you had a baby.

And if you give yourself the time and space to heal well, you’ll actually be able to get back into the workouts you want to be doing sooner.

Doing it right from the get-go means that you’ll heal, recover and be ready for more intensity faster.

So take your time, give yourself permission to rest, and enjoy those newborn snuggles, friend!

Hugs,

Jen

P.S. Have a friend who’s early postpartum? Send this post her way!

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