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When Can I Do Abs After Pregnancy? (Postpartum Ab Workout Included)

So you just delivered your baby and you want to know when you can train abs again?

In this post you will learn:

• How soon you can train abs postpartum
• What ab exercises are safe to do after pregnancy
• A simple postpartum ab workout you can use to strengthen your core

Keep reading to learn more.

Disclaimer

Although I am a doctor, I am not your doctor. This information is for informational purposes only and should not substitute the advice from your healthcare professional. All kinds of exercise and dietary changes are potentially dangerous, and those who do not seek counsel from the appropriate health care authority assume the liability of any injury which may occur. Please read my full Disclaimer for more information. Also, this post may contain affiliate links: meaning I may receive a commission if you use them.

Yes, it is safe to do ab workouts after pregnancy. However, it is important that you take your time and listen to your body.

You can’t just jump right into a traditional core routine. You should always start with basic core exercises that teach you how to activate your transverse abdominis muscles.

When can I Start To do ab exercises postpartum?

In general, you can start doing gentle core and pelvic floor exercises a few days after delivery.

You should NOT do traditional ab exercises such as sit-ups or leg raises until you have been evaluated and cleared by a healthcare provider.

You should be able to do sit-ups and crunches 6-12 weeks after a vaginal delivery and at least 12 weeks after a c-section.

However, doing sit-ups and crunches might not be the best for you, right away, especially if you have diastasis recti.

Many experts argue that sit-ups are an exercise you should avoid in the postpartum.

Let’s go over the best exercises you can do after having a baby.

So if you can’t do crunches, what should you do instead? You can begin with some basic core stabilization exercises.

Instead of doing exercises where your core is moving, you should do exercises where your core is stable.

That is the whole basis of static core training.

That’s not to say that you aren’t moving. In some of these exercises, your pelvis or your extremities will move, while your core stays stable.

When doing each one of these exercises, you should focus on keeping your ab muscles tight and engaged.

That is how you activate the corset muscle- the transverse abdominis.

For the first 2-4 weeks postpartum, I want you to do posterior pelvic tilts and diaphragmatic breathing.

Posterior Pelvic Tilts

The posterior pelvic tilt is a very simple exercise that you can do while lying down.

Lie on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat. All you have to do is concentrate on bringing your belly button down towards the floor by flattening out the curve in your lower back.

This will naturally shift your pelvis back and activate your deep core muscles. Hold this position for a 3-count and release.

If this exercise causes you pain or discomfort – do not do it!

Diaphragmatic Breathing

Diaphragmatic breathing is another simple exercise you can do immediately after your delivery. This exercise will help improve oxygenation while strengthening your core and pelvic floor muscles.

You can do this exercise while lying down or sitting up. To start, take a deep breath by expanding your belly outward and to the sides much as you can.

Try your best to not breathe into your chest (i.e, don’t shrug up). After you inhale, hold your breath for a 3 count, and then exhale slowly and completely.

By exhaling as much as you can, your core muscles will be activated.

If this exercise causes you pain or discomfort – do not do it!

As time goes on, you’ll be able to do more and more core exercises. Your healthcare provider can give you more guidance as to what you can and cannot do.

Pelvic Floor Exercises

During this time, I also want you to focus on training your pelvic floor.

The best exercise to strengthen these muscles is the Kegel exercise.

I have created an entire post that goes over the best exercises to strengthen your pelvic floor after delivery.

4 Gentle Core Exercises You Can Do Postpartum

Once you have gotten the hang of activating your transverse abdominis muscle, you can do more complex exercises.

How soon will you be able to do these? I can’t say for certain, however, you may be able to start doing these exercises 6-12 weeks after a vaginal delivery, or 12-16 weeks after a c-section.

It all depends on how you heal.

But before you start, make sure that your doctor says it is safe for you to do them.

As soon as you have clearance, and you feel ready for ab workouts, here’s how to get started.

*Two more caveats*

If you have diastasis recti, you might benefit from doing a diastasis recti-specific program. You can check out my diastasis recti ab exercises here.

Secondly, if any of these exercises cause you pain or discomfort, DO NOT DO THEM* Go see your doctor to determine if you need further evaluation by a physical therapist!

Otherwise, let’s get started.

The Modified Plank

The plank is one of the best static core exercises you can do.

Traditionally, you do this exercise on the floor. Either on your elbows or on your hands like a push-up position.

In the postpartum period, the plank may be too difficult or place too much pressure on your abs.

Here are a few ways you can modify it.

The first way is to just do the planks on an elevated surface.

This could be on a table or even on your kitchen sink.

The second way to modify the plank is to simply bend one knee and let it rest on the floor. You then keep the other leg extended.

As you are doing this exercise, try to create a semi-hollow back position. It is also important that you keep the ab muscles really tight and engaged as you are doing the exercise.

Hold the plank position for 15-30 seconds.

Bird Dogs

The next core exercise you can do postpartum is the bird dog. To do it properly, you need to start on your hands and your knees or the table top position.

Keep your back straight, and your head looking down at the ground. Next, straighten one arm directly in front of you while straightening your opposite leg behind you.

Go through the motion slowly and engage your ab muscles.

Hold the top position for 3-5 seconds and slowly return back to the starting position.

Aim for 4-6 repetitions on each side.

The Dead Bug

The dead bug is very similar to the bird dog. Instead of doing the exercise on your hands and knees, you will do it on your back.

While lying on your back, bend your knees up toward your chest and straighten your arms up toward the ceiling.

Then, perform a posterior pelvic tilt to flatten your low back and create a neutral spine.

Next, you are going to bring one of your arms up above your head while straightening out the opposite leg towards the floor.

Don’t let your heel touch the floor.

Hold that position for 3-5 seconds and return back to the starting position.

Aim for 4-6 repetitions on each side.

Lying Knee Drops

The last core exercise you can do postpartum to help strengthen your abs is the lying knee drop.

To do this exercise, lie on your back and bend your knees up towards your chest.

Then, perform a posterior pelvic tilt to flatten your low back against the floor. Hold this position throughout the exercise.

Next, slowly straighten out one leg towards the ground without letting your heel touch the floor.

Slowly bring that leg back to the starting position, and then repeat on the next side.

To make this movement easier, you can keep your heels on the floor and slide them down until your leg is straight.

Aim for 4-6 repetitions on each side.

A Safe Postpartum Ab Workout For New Moms

As with all workouts, you do not need to do them every day to see results.

Here is the postpartum ab workout you can follow as long as you are 6 weeks since your delivery and have had clearance from your provider.

Workout 1

Workout 2

Start by doing 1 set of all four exercises for one week.

If that goes well, and you aren’t in any pain or discomfort, add a second set of all four exercises the following week.

Gradually increase the number of sets you do on a weekly basis until you can do 3-4 sets of each exercise.

Similarly, once you can do 3-4 sets per exercise, add an additional repetition or second to each movement.

What ab exercises Should You avoid postpartum?

In general, you should avoid any ab exercise that places a lot of outward pressure on your abdominal wall, or involves a lot of bending or twisting.

These include:

• Sit-ups
• Russian twists
• Full planks
• Oblique side bends

Instead, you should focus on strengthening the obliques and transverse abdominis with stabilization exercises.

Let’s go over the anatomy of these muscles in more detail.

The abs are composed of 3 main muscle groups.

The first muscle is the rectus abdominis

This is the six-pack muscle that everyone knows and loves. The rectus helps you flex your torso, and stabilize your spine.

As you can see, the muscle is divided into 8 different quadrants, right along the middle.   This midline is called the linea alba.

While the rectus abdominis is front and center, there are other muscles that you need to pay attention to as well.

The second muscle are the obliques

These muscles are located on the sides of the rectus.

They are responsible for letting you rotate side to side and bend laterally.

They can also help resist movement in those planes.

The third muscle is the transverse abdominis

This muscle is deeper than the rectus and the obliques. It wraps all the way around your entire abdomen. It’s almost like a corset.

This muscle is responsible for compressing your abdomen. It is this muscle that helps you deliver your child!

So as you can see, your abs, or better yet your core, has many different functions.

Don’t Forget To Get This Entire Workout & Post in PDF Format! Click here to get it now!

What Are The Benefits of Strengthening Your Abs Postpartum?

Even if you never exercised, it’s still a good idea to work out your abs postpartum.

Here are a few more reasons why.

You will be doing a lot of lifting (despite us telling you to avoid any heavy lifting.) Lifting your baby from the floor, from a car seat, or out of a crib.

A strong core can help ensure that your spine stays stable during these movements. This can help prevent muscle strains that lead to low back pain and neck pain.

A strong core postpartum can also help restore your posture. Pregnancy will naturally cause a shift of your pelvis known as anterior pelvic tilt.

By training your abs, you can help realign your pelvis and further reduce your risk of muscle injury and lower back pain.

Lastly, strengthening your core can help improve the changes that happen to your abs during and after pregnancy.

When you get pregnant, your uterus begins to expand to accommodate your growing fetus. 

If you didn’t already know, the uterus is deep to all of your abdominal muscles. So as your uterus gets bigger and bigger, the muscles of your core also have to expand.

Your uterus goes from being the size of a lemon to the size of a watermelon!  So as you can see, all three muscle groups will stretch with the growing uterus.

A stretched muscle is a weaker muscle. So that’s why your core gets weak during pregnancy.

In most instances, your rectus abdominis will split right along the linea alba if it is stretched too far.

After your delivery, what happens to your core muscles? Do they just compress back down to their normal size?

Well, no.

Even though the baby is out, your uterus will still be enlarged. It can take several weeks (6 or more) before it shrinks back down to normal size.

You will begin to start using your core muscles more and more which can help activate and strengthen them. But they will never be as strong as they can be while they are stretched.

This is especially true if you have a significant separation of your rectus muscles along the midline, known as diastasis recti which could occur after a vaginal delivery or cesarean delivery.

This is another reason why you must wait 6 weeks before doing any intense core training.

If you have a large abdominal separation, it is best to not do this postpartum ab workout until you are evaluated by a physical therapist.

Once cleared, you can check out my diastasis recti exercise program.

Here are a few other things you should consider when doing ab exercises after your delivery.

What does diastasis recti feel like?

If you have diastasis recti (DR), you will feel a palpable separation of your abdominal muscles in the midline.

It might feel squishy or flabby inside the separation.

Here is a post on how to tell if you have DR at home.

How Long Does It Take For Abdominal Muscles To Heal After Pregnancy?

It can take anywhere from 6 weeks to 6 months for your abdominal muscles to completely heal after pregnancy.

It depends on the mode of delivery (vaginal vs cesarean), the degree of diastasis recti you may have, and your pre-pregnancy core strength.

If you maintained an exercise routine while you were pregnant, then your core might heal faster than average.

Nevertheless, I still recommend that you start with diaphragmatic breathing and posterior pelvic tilts in the beginning.

How Can I Tone My Stomach After Having A Baby?

It is important to note that exercise alone will not tone your belly in the postpartum. You must improve your nutrition alongside core training.

Abs aren’t made in the kitchen.

They are made in the gym but revealed in the kitchen. If your diet doesn’t support you in getting lean, you may never have any abs to show for it.

I have written an entire post on how to lose baby fat in the postpartum period.

Final Words On Postpartum Ab Training

Hey momma, I know that you want to get your tummy back to being flat ASAP. But I hope you understand that it is a slow process that you must take one step at a time.

Do your pelvic tilts, deep breathing, and kegels in the early postpartum to prepare for the following weeks.

Only after your doctor has given you clearance should you try these core exercises.

And remember sit-ups and crunches may not be the healthiest exercises to do postpartum.

To learn additional exercises you could perform in the postpartum period, check out my Guide to Getting Fit after Pregnancy.

That’s all for today.

Did you have a lot of ab separation postpartum?

What did you do to improve it?

Comment below and let me know!

Other Articles on Developing Abs Postpartum

• 100 Amazing Exercises to Restore Your Diastasis
• Loose Skin After Pregnancy, What You Need to Know
• How to Get A Flat Stomach After Pregnancy
• How to Get Rid of Your Mommy Pooch

Get Four Free Workouts To Help Strengthen Your Pelvic Floor & Heal Your Mommy Tummy!

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Brittany Robles, MD, MPH, CPT

Brittany Robles is a full-time OBGYN physician, a NASM certified personal trainer, and a health & fitness expert. She holds a Master of Public Health degree in maternal health with a special interest in exercise and nutrition. She is also the co-author of The White Coat Trainer. Learn more about her here.

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References:

1. Fukano M, Tsukahara Y, Takei S, Nose-Ogura S, Fujii T, Torii S. Recovery of Abdominal Muscle Thickness and Contractile Function in Women after Childbirth. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021;18(4):2130. Published 2021 Feb 22. doi:10.3390/ijerph28042130

Download the press after childbirth | How to do it right?

It is said that a woman's body changes completely after childbirth. Almost everything changes - attitudes towards food, nutrient absorption, the rate of muscle growth, or in other words, muscle response. And they also say that after childbirth it is impossible to find a visually marked press and achieve its maximum relief. Deception? Let's figure it out. What is abs? Women after childbirth often pay attention to the "lag" of the lower abdomen, since it is in this place that subcutaneous fat accumulates, which in turn prevents the press from being noticed. In fact, there are no so-called parts. There is a longitudinal press - these are the same cubes along the abdomen, the transverse muscle - it is under the longitudinal, and two oblique ones. In order for there to be a visible result in working with the press, it is not enough to do twisting. It is necessary to increase the time of cardio and the number of static exercises. We remember that the relief press is an indicator of a low level of subcutaneous fat on the abdomen.

In this matter, it is important to pay attention to the individual characteristics and severity of childbirth. Natural childbirth or caesarean section, how quickly the uterus returns to its original state, were there any complications, what is the hormonal background, etc. In any case, only the attending physician can give the correct recommendations, he will also guide you in terms of timing. The average indicators (this is when all examinations after childbirth are within the normal range) show that after natural childbirth, you can start training the press after two months, after a cesarean section - after 3-4 months. Attention, if after the start of training you feel discomfort, non-specific pain, bloody discharge or other unusual symptoms appear, then you need to stop training and consult a specialist.

Even if you were an avid athlete before pregnancy, any physical activity after childbirth should begin with small loads, increasing gradually. The same goes for the press - start small. Start from the number of repetitions per day, and each time do ten times more.

Do not immediately resort to large weights or heavy loads. It makes no sense. Our task is not to increase muscle volume, but to reduce the amount of fat in the problem area.

Hormonal changes in the body during pregnancy lead to an increase in subcutaneous fat. Most of it is most often a layer on the stomach, which is not easy to get rid of in the future. Therefore, first take the time to warm up, warm up properly, do cardio or dance, play active games with your child, or just do high-rep simple exercises.

Set up correct breathing so that you can do it intensively and rhythmically. Tighten your muscles as you exhale, pull in your stomach.

Regularity is the key to success. For our press, exercises are needed every day. It is better to do it in the morning, an hour before breakfast or two hours after it.

Not always a round belly and a disproportionate waist indicate an incorrect and sedentary lifestyle. This person may have diastasis. Diastasis is a separation of the longitudinal muscles of the abdomen. Most often this occurs due to childbirth, and also appears in people with a hereditary predisposition, obesity and weak abdominal muscles.

Determining the presence of diastasis is very simple. Get into a crunch position, place your feet as close to your buttocks as possible, and start twisting. At this time, feel the abdomen along the press with your fingers. If by sensations you have identified a hollow between the longitudinal muscles of the abdomen, you should think about the presence of diastasis.

This pathology can lead to a number of problems in the future. This is the risk of hernias of various localization, and disruption of the digestive system, diseases of the spine, etc.

It is important to choose the right set of exercises to work on diastasis. Use bodyflex in your workouts. The alternation of inhalation and exhalation during exercise increases their effectiveness. There are exercises that you need to exclude from your program, these are those that can contribute to the occurrence of hernias (deadlift, lifting the pelvis-birch). In this case, it is better to use a pull-down belt or a supporting corset. With diastasis, only a balanced diet is recommended, foods should help digestion, fiber must be present. At first, it is better to choose breathing exercises - “pulsating the abdomen”, “pulling in the abdomen”, and then move on to more complex ones, for example, “modernized bicycle” or “alternating breathing”.

Although the word "gluteal" appears in the name of the exercise, it is done with an emphasis on the press. It gives the softest effect on the abdominal muscles. Take a prone position, bend your knees, tighten your abs and lift your pelvis.

Lie down, knees bent, hands in front of you or slightly touching the back of the head. As you exhale, lift your shoulders and head and pull them towards your knees.

An exercise that will strengthen not only the abs, but also other muscle groups. Lying position on the floor. Raise your whole body, standing on straight arms or on your elbows. As a result, the body stands on the hands and toes, parallel to the floor. Try not to lift your pelvis.

Lie on your back. Raise your legs at a 60-degree angle and simulate pedaling.

Lying on your back, lift your straight legs to a 45 degree angle, hold for 10 seconds and return to the starting position.

Dear mothers, do not chase after a flat stomach! Each of us, the body works in its own way, and the time for recovery after childbirth is different for everyone. Therefore, be patient, devote more time to your child. Balance your diet. You will feel when you are ready for a new stage. But when that time comes, then only forward! If you have gained excess weight, then one work on the press is not enough. In this case, it is better to contact a qualified trainer for the right program.

Without cardio, kilograms will not go anywhere. Be sure to take tests for hormones and be attentive to your feelings. After all, a woman's body changes after childbirth, and some things have to be perceived in a new way. Be healthy!

Abs after childbirth - when to start and what is prohibited

Contents

After childbirth, in the vast majority of cases, the figure of a woman changes significantly. This is especially true of the abdomen, whose muscles become weakened, and the skin stretched and flabby. Looking at themselves in the mirror after being discharged from the hospital, many women are immediately determined to bring themselves into a prenatal state and achieve a perfectly flat stomach. The desire is understandable and quite commendable, however, newly-made mothers should understand that it is unlikely that it will be possible to realize it instantly.

When can I start doing abs after childbirth

It will be possible to achieve the goal of getting her body in shape after a while, if a woman persists, eats right and exercises it reasonably. Starting to pump the press after childbirth, without waiting for the body to recover and be ready for active sports exercises, can cost a woman certain health problems. The duration of the rest period after childbirth - the time without any serious physical exertion - is individual and depends on how the delivery took place.

During natural childbirth, do not start active physical training, including pumping the press after childbirth, for about 7 weeks. After a caesarean section, which is essentially a surgical intervention, this period depends on the condition of the scars after the operation, and with normal indicators, the period increases to 12 weeks.

Contraindications for abdominal exercises after childbirth

In some cases, the question of when it is possible to pump the press after childbirth can only be answered by a doctor after consultation and additional examination. This is especially true for situations where a woman decided to pump the press with diastasis. Its presence suggests exercises for the press, which are different from the usual ones.

Caesarean section and diagnosed diastasis require a visit to a doctor and a decision on whether a woman can start training or not. In addition, there are contraindications in which the doctor will unambiguously prohibit heavy physical exertion and sports exercises, including the press after childbirth.

Such contraindications include:

• damage to internal organs;
• scars on the uterus;
• spotting;
• inflammatory diseases of the pelvic organs.

These symptoms make it impossible until cured training and exercises that involve the abdominal muscles.

Tips for starting workouts

You need to be careful not to exhaust yourself with long workouts in the fight for a flat stomach. A woman, even if she has no contraindications, should do exercises for the press in accordance with her level of physical fitness. In the matter of restoring the press after childbirth, it is not the number of approaches and not the intensity that is important, but the regularity. You need to start by practicing the correct technique for the abdominal exercises included in the training program. And not immediately, but after preparing the body for stress. Yoga, Pilates and light cardio workouts are the best for this purpose.

Breathing exercises that develop the diaphragm can help. Such exercises will tone the muscles, and it will become safer, more effective and easier to work on the press after childbirth. But the desire to pump up the press without preparation after childbirth can lead to a weakening of the pelvic floor muscles and the omission of internal organs.

Basic exercises for the press

After preparing the body for physical activity, you can proceed to the basic exercises to restore the press after childbirth - "Birch", "Reverse Bridge" or "Vacuum". The first two exercises should be done in the starting position “lying on your back”. When doing the “Birch”, support the hips with your hands, lifting your legs up, which helps to strengthen the lower press. With the “Reverse Bridge”, the legs are bent at the knees, lifting the hips up, bending in the back and then slowly lowering to the starting position.

First, repeat the exercise 10-15 times per set. In addition to the ability to quickly pump up the press after childbirth, such an exercise will help tighten the hips and buttocks. Performing the “Vacuum”, they take a deep breath with the stomach, exhale smoothly, pulling it back and forth, hold their breath and fix in this position until you can not breathe. Then release the stomach and take a smooth breath. For beginners, 3-5 repetitions are enough.

Additional exercises effective for pumping the press

Exercises available at home - Bicycle, Plank and Lift. They are simple and give a good effect if you want to quickly restore the press after childbirth. “Bicycle” is done lying on your back and raising your legs at an angle of 60 degrees, simulating the rotation of the pedals. The Planck universal exercise will strengthen not only the press, but also other muscle groups. It is done by lying on the floor with the body raised on the elbows or straight arms so that it is parallel to the floor.

Not so common, but effective for restoring a tucked-up abdomen after childbirth, is the “Lift” exercise. Sitting on the floor and pressing the back and shoulders against the wall, hands are placed on the stomach, mentally imagining that the abdominal muscles are an elevator that needs to be raised and lowered from the first floor to the last with a straight back. Then alternately raise the "elevator" from 1 floor to 2, from 1 to 3 and so on, while holding the abdominal muscles for 3-5 seconds.

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Exercises with a fitball and with a baby

One of the most gentle ways to pump the press after childbirth is exercises on a fitball. They perfectly tone the abdominal muscles with minimal stress on the back. One of these exercises is performed in the starting position lying on the floor with straight legs lying on the fitball. The hips are lifted up, rolling the ball back and forth with alternating movements of the legs. In addition to restoring the press after childbirth, the exercise contributes to the development of the muscles of the chest and buttocks.

You can combine business with pleasure by doing exercises with your baby at home, when, in addition to training for the press, the mother spends time with the child, paying attention to him and delivering positive emotions. Do the exercise, standing against the wall with straight legs. One leg is bent at the knee and raised. The baby needs to be seated on the thigh of the outstretched leg and rock the child up and down. Then you need to repeat the same for the second leg.

Diastasis - a special attitude to the restoration of the press

A special approach to rocking the press after childbirth should be used if a woman is diagnosed with postpartum diastasis. This term means the divergence of the press, abdominal muscles along the center line. To check if a woman has diastasis, she can independently at home. To do this, you need to lie on the floor, bend your knees, raise your torso, straining your abs.

The appearance between the rectus abdominis muscles when probing the cleft indicates the presence of diastasis. This means that after childbirth, special exercises for the press will be required, and it will also be necessary to wear a bandage. With a rupture of the press and physical exertion, it will protect damaged muscles and contribute to their faster return to their original state.

Exercises for diastasis

The restorative exercises for diastasis themselves also differ from those that can be recommended after childbirth for women who do not have a press discrepancy or by the time the rest period ends and the transition to the active phase it has been eliminated by itself. First of all, as already mentioned, you need to consult a doctor. And if he does not object to the start of training for the press after childbirth, proceed to classes. Classical training of the press must be categorically excluded, otherwise all efforts will lead to an increase in diastasis and, as a result, the growth of the abdomen.

Experts advise a unique exercise that can be done while sitting, standing, lying down, without being distracted from other activities:

• pulling the stomach in, "stretch" the navel to the spine;
• alternating relaxation and retraction, create fast pulsating movements;
• breathing is even, without delay.

Such pulsations of the abdominal muscles should be performed no more than 100.

What else to do with diastasis

Exercise to retract and relax the abdominal muscles is effective, but not the only one that can help women who have had a postpartum rupture of the press to regain shape after childbirth . Experts consider the exercise "Cat" to be effective. To perform it, you need to get on all fours, pulling in your stomach, and arch your back. Then, on the contrary, the stomach must be pulled in, and the back should be bent in an arc to the floor.

An exercise that is repeated 10-15 times while lying on your back will help in restoring the press with diastasis. As you exhale, raise your head off the floor and press your chin to your chest. The abdomen should be pulled in. On inspiration, they return to their original position. It is also recommended to stretch the lower back with a repetition of 10-15 times in each direction. It is done by turning the head in one direction, and the legs, bent at the knees, in the opposite direction, lingering in this position. It is important to keep the stomach pulled in.

How to increase the load over time

Over time, the load can be gradually increased. To remove the stomach, you need to gradually increase the number of exercises included in the daily workout at home. At a time when the body has already fully recovered, and the doctor does not mind going to the gym, you can increase the time spent in training. Gradually and carefully, you can complicate the exercises themselves, adding elements to them that make their implementation more difficult.

Progressively it is worth increasing the number of repetitions of this or that exercise.

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