Part 1: Reclaiming Your Body – Gentle Movement After Birth
Honoring your healing and reconnecting with your strength in the fourth trimester.
The early postpartum weeks are filled with emotion, transition, and new rhythms. Your body has just completed an incredible transformation—growing and birthing a baby—and now it feels unfamiliar, tender, maybe even like a stranger.
Let’s be clear: your body is not broken. It is healing. And movement during this season isn’t about burning calories or bouncing back—it’s about reclaiming connection with your body through breath, awareness, and small, intentional steps.
This is your invitation to move gently, rebuild gradually, and restore your sense of strength—on your own terms.
Section 1: The Role of Rest in Recovery Before we talk about movement, let’s talk about stillness. In the first few weeks postpartum, rest is your most important form of recovery. Lying down, feeding your baby, bonding through skin-to-skin—these are healing actions.
Give yourself full permission to rest.
Sleep in shifts if you can
Say yes to help when it’s offered
Create a cozy corner for feeding + hydration
Trust that movement will come. But rest is where you begin.
Reconnecting With Your Core & Breath Gentle, functional movement starts with your breath. Breathwork helps you:
Re-engage your deep core muscles
Realign your posture
Calm your nervous system
Start here: 360 Diaphragmatic Breathing
Sit or lie down comfortably.
Place one hand on your ribcage, one on your belly.
Inhale slowly through your nose, expanding your ribs out to the sides.
Exhale gently through pursed lips, drawing your belly in slightly.
Do this for 3–5 minutes each day. It’s simple, grounding, and effective.
Gentle Movements to Begin With Once cleared by your provider (usually around 4–6 weeks), you can start integrating light, low-impact movement. Begin with:
Pelvic tilts (lying on your back or seated)
Heel slides (lie down and slowly slide one foot away and back)
Glute bridges
Bird-dogs (on hands and knees, extend opposite arm and leg)
Walking (even 5–10 minutes counts!)
Start small. Even one intentional movement per day helps rebuild trust with your body.
Signs to Pause or Scale Back Postpartum movement should feel supportive—not depleting or painful. Pause and talk to your provider if you notice:
Pelvic heaviness or pressure
Pain during or after exercise
Coning/doming of your belly during core work
Increased bleeding
Your body is talking to you. Listen without judgment.
Your Movement Mindset Your body has not failed you. It has walked with you through pregnancy, birth, and recovery. Let this season be about building trust, not chasing bounce-backs.
💜 Movement is not punishment. It is presence. It is a gift.
💜 Movement is not about getting smaller. It’s about coming home.
💜 Movement is allowed to look different every day.
Affirmation: “My healing is valid. My strength is returning. I honor where I am.”
Want a gentle plan to guide you? Download the Postpartum Fitness & Recovery Guide to get a full week of sample movements, pelvic floor support tips, and mindset encouragement.
Or explore monthly coaching with Anna through the our app for personalized postpartum programming.
Stay tuned for Part 2 of the Postpartum Foundations series: Nourish to Restore – Postpartum Nutrition That Supports Healing
