Top 3 Postpartum Core Exercises

Restoring your postpartum core – Our top 3 exercises

Restoring your core with 3 simple exercises sounds like it’s too good to be true. Read on to find out more about postpartum core exercises.

Almost every woman I come across wants to ‘fix her core’. Especially Mums. You have had a baby and have returned to mum life with little to no education around your core and how to rehabilitate it after birth. So you do what you think will help with lot’s of sit-ups yet you are not seeing results and now you have neck and back pain too. Unfortunately, what most women aren’t told is that to restore their core, they need to work on it from the inside out.

Sit-ups are not the solution

You can absolutely do sit-ups in your workouts if you have the core control to do so, however whilst you are restoring your core’s function, it’s best to drop these from your workouts and add movements that focus on strengthening your inner most layer of core muscles – your transverse abdominis (TvA).

What is the core?

The core muscles work in harmony with your back, hips and buttocks to support posture, enable movement, and stabilize the spine. When the core is weak, it can lead to a host of issues, such as poor posture and lower back pain. It can also impact everyday activities such as carrying groceries, climbing stairs or even getting in and out of a car. For women, a focused effort on restoring core function is imperative to long term functionality and independence.

Your transverse abdominis muscle is the foundation of your core and your starting point for restoring your core. ‘It offers support to your back and acts as a corset around the trunk and, in turn, when working well, actually flattens the look of the tummy.’ (Dugard, 2019) To return your transverse abdominis to function there are simple exercises you can begin to do from home.

Top 3 exercises for core rehabilitation

• TvA Activations
  Lay flat on your back, neutral spine, knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Take a natural breath in filling the belly with air, as you breath out draw the transverse abdominis back to your spine, lift the pelvic floor, pause and release. Repeat several times. Practice connecting the activations with your breath. This will help reduce intra-abdominal pressure during movement.

• Leg slides
  Lay flat on your back, neutral spine, knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Take a natural breath in, as you breath out draw the transverse abdominis back to your spine, lift the pelvic floor and gently slide one leg out along the ground to full extension and return, keeping your foot connected to the floor the entire time.
• Bridges
  Lay flat on your back, neutral spine, knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Take a natural breath in, as you breath out draw the transverse abdominis back to your spine, lift the pelvic floor and then gently lift your hips off the floor, using your glutes press the hips up to the ceiling, creating a straight line from your knees to your shoulders. Pause at the top before returning gently to the floor.

More than aesthetics

Restoring your core is about more than achieving a toned midsection; it’s about reclaiming your body’s central support system. By incorporating core restoration exercises into your routine, you can build a stronger, more resilient body ready to tackle all of life’s physical demands.

Further Information and Help

For a specialized approach to your core function, please seek the guidance of a Women’s or Pelvic Health Physio. You can find one in your area by heading to our main website