My wife gave birth to our son on January 31, a Tuesday. She returned to the gym that Friday, though she kept it light—just a few easy bodyweight moves and guidance on core work like dead bugs and bird dogs to rebuild her core strength and stability.
Postpartum training is a delicate and serious topic. Many women rush back into intense exercise before their bodies are ready and can face consequences. In today’s guest post, Dr. Sarah Ellis Duvall offers insights on this issue.
Recently I spotted an impressive Instagram post from Tony about his wife Lisa, who was maxing out on bench press just weeks after giving birth. Way to go, Lisa! She’s punching above her weight and I was truly impressed. Note from TG: This is the post Sarah refers to. It was an amazing lift, but another trainer hijacked the thread to claim it was dangerous for someone to lift so heavy so soon after birth, despite Lisa training through pregnancy, taking her time after birth to rebuild, and being cleared by her doctor.
1) Do you have full core strength back?
Start by checking for a diastasis—a thinning of the connective tissue that runs down the middle of the stomach. Lie on your back with your knees bent. Place your fingertips halfway between your ribcage and your navel. Lift your head slightly and press in. Do your fingers sink or spring back? If there’s sinking or the gap is more than about two finger widths, that suggests the core isn’t fully reconnecting yet. Think about how well your core can transfer load; a gap or laxity makes that transfer inefficient.
2) Check for doming.
During a crunch, sit-up, or plank, your abs should flatten; they shouldn’t dome outward. Doming means the abs aren’t firing together correctly and can compromise the spine and pelvis, increasing the risk of hernias. Prevention is best.
3) Is your deep breathing system in place?
Breathing should involve the pelvic floor; inhale should engage the diaphragm and expand the ribcage in the back, sides, and front. The diaphragm is the top of the core—the pressure control for the spine. If breathing is off, pressure can be too high or too low, stressing the pelvic floor. Use the umbrella analogy: breathe into the back, sides, and front of your ribcage with each breath.
4) Make sure your pelvic floor is timed with your diaphragm
Coordinate inhaling with pelvic floor relaxation and exhaling with pelvic floor recoil. A long pushing phase or holding too much tension can disrupt this timing.
5) Be aware of what happens under exertion
As effort increases, the exhale should drive the pelvic floor to contract. If you bear down instead, you risk leaks or pelvic organ prolapse. I’ve heard from many women who develop prolapse months after birth, even after feeling fine for a while. They may push their limits with a hard class or a heavy lift and only then confront the problem. I’m not saying avoid hard exercise, but be mindful of how your pelvic floor responds under pressure and build the groundwork first. If you don’t know how your pelvic floor behaves under load, that’s like not knowing your knee caves in during a squat. A professional would fix that knee-caving issue to protect you from years of pain. Pelvic floor prolapse is real and serious, and taking early steps can help prevent it.
About the author
Dr. Sarah Ellis Duvall is a women’s health specialist, wife, mom, and adventure-sports athlete who believes in teaching. She focuses on pelvic floor and diastasis, building strength injury-free, and shares her results-driven approach through online programs with Core Exercise Solutions. When she’s not climbing mountains, Sarah writes and speaks to help women pursue strong, adventurous lives. Find out more about her pelvic floor and diastasis programs at CoreExerciseSolutions.com
