When can I start pelvic floor exercises after birth?
If you’re newly postpartum and wondering “When can I start pelvic floor exercises after birth?” you’re not alone. This is one of the most common (and important) questions women ask after delivery.
The short answer: pelvic floor recovery starts immediately after birth, but what that looks like changes week by week. Doing too much too soon can be just as unhelpful as doing nothing at all.
Let’s break it down.
What Is the Pelvic Floor and Why Does It Need Recovery?
The pelvic floor is a group of muscles that support the bladder, uterus, and bowel. During pregnancy and childbirth, these muscles are stretched, compressed, and sometimes injured, regardless of whether you had a vaginal delivery or a C-section.
After birth, your pelvic floor needs time, coordination, and gradual loading to recover properly.
Can I Start Pelvic Floor Exercises Right After Birth?
Yes, but not the kind you might be thinking of.
In the first few days after birth, pelvic floor “exercises” are not about strengthening. They are about:
Re-connecting to the muscles
Improving circulation
Reducing swelling
Restoring coordination between breathing, core, and pelvic floor
This phase is often overlooked, but it’s foundational.
A Week-by-Week Guide to Pelvic Floor Exercises After Birth
Days 0–7: Gentle Awareness & Breath
What to focus on:
Diaphragmatic breathing
Gentle pelvic floor awareness (no forceful squeezing)
Relaxation just as much as activation
Avoid:
Aggressive Kegels
Bearing down
Core exercises that increase pressure (crunches, planks)
At this stage, the goal is healing, not strengthening.
Weeks 2–4: Light Activation & Coordination
If pain, bleeding, and swelling are improving:
You can begin:
Gentle pelvic floor contractions paired with exhale
Low-intensity core engagement
Coordinated movements (not isolated squeezing)
Important:
Pelvic floor exercises should feel subtle, not exhausting.
Weeks 4–6: Building Endurance (Not Intensity)
This is when many women either:
Do too much too fast, or
Get stuck doing only Kegels
Instead, focus on:
Functional pelvic floor use (lifting baby, standing, walking)
Endurance over strength
Integrating pelvic floor with the deep core
If you’re leaking urine, feeling pelvic pressure, or experiencing pain, this is a sign to slow down and reassess, not push harder.
After 6 Weeks: Individualized Progression
After your postpartum check, pelvic floor exercises should be tailored, not generic.
Depending on your symptoms, you may need:
Strengthening
Relaxation/down-training
Coordination retraining
Pressure management strategies
There is no single “right” exercise plan for everyone.
What If I Had a C-Section?
Even after a C-section:
The pelvic floor still carried pregnancy weight
Core-pelvic floor coordination is disrupted
Breathing and pressure patterns often change
Pelvic floor recovery is still essential, just approached differently.
Signs You May Need Guidance With Pelvic Floor Exercises
Consider extra support if you have:
Urine or stool leakage
Pelvic pressure or heaviness
Pain with movement or intimacy
A feeling that Kegels “aren’t working”
Diastasis recti concerns
These symptoms are common, but not something you should just live with.
The Bottom Line
You can start pelvic floor recovery immediately after birth, but strengthening comes later, and only after proper foundation work.
The biggest mistake postpartum women make is assuming:
More Kegels = faster recovery
Or that pelvic floor exercises should hurt or exhaust you
Neither is true.
Want a Week-by-Week Postpartum Plan?
Core & Floor provides postpartum pelvic floor recovery guidance designed specifically for the early postpartum period—led by a board-certified urogynecologist and grounded in how bodies actually heal after childbirth.
Start with a consultation or download our free postpartum recovery guide to learn what your pelvic floor needs right now.
