If you’ve recently had a baby — especially within the past month — and you’re wondering how to safely start moving your body again, this early postpartum recovery workout is for you.
I’m Roxanne, a certified nurse midwife and mom to my one-month-old baby, Harvey. At five weeks postpartum, I’m walking through Week 3 of our Early Postpartum Recovery Program. This is a four-week progression designed specifically for the first month after birth — before returning to the gym or higher-impact workouts.
And let me say this first: your baby might be with you. You might need to pause. You might need to feed, rock, change, or cuddle mid-workout. That’s not a disruption — that’s postpartum life. This session might take you 10 uninterrupted minutes… or it might take longer. Both are completely okay.
Let’s break down what Week 3 looks like and why it matters.
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Why Early Postpartum Core Work Matters
In the first month after birth, your body isn’t ready for intense workouts — but it is ready for reconnection.
Pregnancy and birth impact:
The diaphragm
The deep abdominal muscles
The pelvic floor
Rib cage mobility
Hamstrings and glutes
Neuromuscular coordination
Before we jump into strengthening, we need to restore communication between the brain and the core system. That’s exactly what this workout does.
This session is divided into two parts:
Breathing & Core Reconnection
Intro to Strength (Core Progression Week 1)
Who Is This Program For?
This Week 3 workout is ideal for:
3–6 weeks postpartum
Vaginal or cesarean recovery (with provider clearance)
Anyone wanting structured early core rehab
Moms easing back into movement before returning to the gym
This entire four-week Early Postpartum Program is designed to:
Restore breathing mechanics
Reconnect pelvic floor
Build foundational strength
Prepare you for a return-to-fitness phase
Part 1: Breathing & Pelvic Floor Reconnection
All breathing drills are done in an all-fours (quadruped) position:
Wrists under shoulders
Knees under hips
Core gently engaged (no collapsing into the belly)
1️⃣ 360 Rib Cage Breathing
Instead of breathing into your belly, we focus on expanding the rib cage — front, sides, and back.
Inhale:
Feel your rib cage expand 360 degrees.
Exhale:
Use a slightly forceful exhale and feel your pelvic floor gently lift and engage.
While breathing:
Avoid slouching.
Gently draw ribs and hips toward one another to maintain connection.
Think “core on” — not rigid, just engaged.
Perform 5–10 slow breaths.
2️⃣ Back Expansion Breathing (Forearms Down)
Lower onto your forearms and gently round your upper back.
Now breathe into the space around your bra strap or mid-back.
Inhale: Expand through the back ribs.
Exhale: Engage pelvic floor and deep core.
This helps restore posterior rib mobility — something often limited after pregnancy.
Perform 5–10 breaths.
3️⃣ Cat-Cow with Core Connection
Now we add gentle spinal mobility.
Inhale: Drop belly, open ribs.
Exhale: Round spine, press floor away, engage core.
On your inhale, gently draw your hands toward your knees (without moving them) to deepen engagement.
On your exhale, actively push the floor away.
Perform 5–10 reps.
4️⃣ Side Body Lengtheners
From hands and knees:
Reach one arm forward and slightly across.
Create length through the side body.
Keep ribs connected — don’t let them flare.
Breathe into the rib cage while maintaining core support.
Switch sides after 5–10 breaths.
Holding your baby?
You can perform a seated version in cross-legged or 90/90 position. Simply reach away from the front leg side to create that same stretch.
Part 2: Core Progression (Week 1 Strength Work)
Now we transition from reconnecting… to strengthening.
These three exercises will gradually progress over the next six weeks. Today, we start with foundational variations.
You’ll need:
A small ball
A bench or elevated surface
1️⃣ Hamstring Bridge with Ball Squeeze (Dead Bug Prep Variation)
Setup:
Ball between knees.
Heels on a bench.
Upper body relaxed.
Hands on rib cage to monitor breathing.
Inhale: Expand ribs.
Exhale:
Drive heels down.
Engage hamstrings.
Gently lift hips.
Squeeze ball.
Engage pelvic floor.
Lower fully between reps.
Perform 10 reps.
Why this works:
Activates hamstrings (key pelvic stabilizers)
Encourages deep core engagement
Reconnects breath + movement
It’s completely normal if your hamstrings feel this quickly — they haven’t been asked to do much lately!
2️⃣ Side-Lying Hip Abduction (with Ball Squeeze)
Setup:
90-degree bend at hips and knees.
Ball between knees.
Feet stacked.
Lift your hips up at a 45-degree angle — not straight up.
Exhale to lift.
Inhale to lower.
Keep:
Hips slightly forward.
Obliques engaged.
Core connected.
You may notice:
Lower abs feel engaged.
Upper abdomen may look slightly fuller.
That’s normal — as long as you’re not seeing full abdominal coning or doming.
Perform 10 reps per side.
3️⃣ Modified Bird Dog (Knee Hover)
Instead of extending opposite arm and leg, we simplify.
Setup:
All fours.
Ball between thighs.
Inhale: Rib expansion.
Exhale: Hover knees 1 inch off the ground.
Hold for 1–2 seconds.
Lower with control.
Perform 8–10 reps.
This builds:
Deep core activation
Pelvic stability
Shoulder and hip integration
Foundational control before advancing to traditional bird dog
What Comes After This?
If you’re within the first 1–2 months postpartum, this program is a great starting point.
If you’re further along and ready for more structured training, our 16-week Postpartum Return-to-Fitness programs help you transition back into:
Progression matters. Healing matters. And rebuilding correctly sets you up for long-term success.
Final Thoughts
Postpartum recovery isn’t about “bouncing back.”
It’s about:
Rebuilding your foundation
Restoring connection
Moving intentionally
Honoring your body’s timeline
Some days your baby will nap peacefully through your workout.
Some days you’ll get halfway through and call it a win.
Both count.
If you found this helpful, keep following along for continued weekly progressions and guidance for safe postpartum recovery.
Your core isn’t gone.
Your strength isn’t gone.
We’re just rebuilding it — one breath at a time.