Exercising After Having A Baby... When Is It Safe To Start?

One of the most common questions we hear from new moms at Revive PT & Pilates is:
“When is it safe for me to go back into my old fitness routine after having a baby?”

Whether that routine included HIIT training, Pilates, running, or strength training, many new moms feel unsure about when their body is truly ready. And I get it—I’ve been there myself. After having my own nine-pound baby, I felt the same uncertainty.

If you’re a few weeks (or even months) postpartum and wondering when it’s safe to return to exercise, here are some key guidelines and red flags to keep in mind.

1. Make Sure Your Body Has Healed First

• Bleeding must be fully stopped. If you are still bleeding, your body hasn’t healed yet—this is a red flag to rest longer.

• After a C-section, wait at least six weeks until your incision has healed, and make sure you’ve been cleared by your OB/GYN before resuming any fitness.

• Even after the “6-week clearance,” many women are still not ready for running, heavy lifting, or high-intensity workouts. Start small: gentle walks, stretching, and basic bodyweight movements.

⚠️ If you feel pain anywhere, it’s your body’s way of saying “not yet.”

2. Stay Hydrated

Hydration plays a major role in healing, especially if you’re breastfeeding. When you start exercising and sweating, make sure to replenish fluids to support both your recovery and energy levels.

3. Be Careful with Abdominal Exercises

Many moms notice their belly still looks “pregnant” weeks or months after delivery, even if they’ve lost the baby weight. This may be due to diastasis recti (abdominal separation).

👉 If you notice a ridge or bulge when going from lying to sitting up, it could be diastasis. Exercises like crunches, sit-ups, heavy planks, or twisting movements can make this worse.

Instead, consult with a women’s health physical therapist for safe, core-healing exercises tailored to you. Don’t just rely on random YouTube workouts—what works for one woman might not be right for your body.

4. Pay Attention to Your Pelvic Floor

If you’re leaking urine when you cough, sneeze, run, or jump, your pelvic floor is not ready for high-impact exercise. This could be due to:

• Weak pelvic floor muscles

• Ongoing tissue healing

• Poor brain-muscle connection (coordination issue, not just weakness)

⚠️ Kegels aren’t always the answer. For many women, kegels alone don’t solve leakage. Without proper treatment, these symptoms often stick around into later life.

A pelvic floor physical therapist can teach you how to properly activate, strengthen, and coordinate these muscles—so you can safely get back to running, lifting, or Pilates without fear of bladder leaks.

5. Start with Low-Impact Movement

Your best first steps back into exercise include:

• Walking

• Swimming

• Gentle postpartum Pilates or yoga (guided by a pelvic floor PT)

Avoid activities that put too much pressure on your core and pelvic floor early on, like heavy lifting, crunches, or certain yoga poses. These can increase the risk of pelvic organ prolapse (when organs shift downward due to weak pelvic floor support).

👉 Curious to learn more? Book a free postpartum consultation HERE!

Take the Next Step: Postpartum Readiness Checklist

Before jumping back into exercise, ask yourself the questions your OB/GYN or midwife probably didn’t ask you.

✅ Is my bleeding fully stopped?
✅ Do I have any abdominal separation (diastasis recti)?
✅ Am I experiencing bladder leakage or heaviness in my pelvis?
✅ Do I feel pain anywhere during movement?