Five of My Favorite Postpartum Exercises

By Kris Grinovich Minear, L/PTA, E-RYT 200

After I gave birth to my son in late August of 2023, I learned a few very important lessons as a brand new mom:

1. How little sleep I actually needed to survive.

2. That I would do anything for my son, even if that meant no longer sleeping and constantly performing squats (see below)

3. The ways in which the body can transform, break, heal and recover are pretty mind-blowing. While time-management has quickly become an abstract term with a 5-month old at home, I have found a few exercises and moves that make me feel much more mobile, energized and strong, and only take a few minutes.

Here are my 5 go-to exercises that I do when I only have 10 minutes in between feedings, burps, changings, walks, laundry, work, and all the best snuggles. Try them out and let me know which ones you like best!

1. Heel slides with diaphragmatic breathing

Proper diaphragmatic breathing is essential for postpartum recovery. Diaphragmatic breathing is a safe way to help re-strengthen your core and pelvic floor muscles, and it’s my #1 home exercise for postpartum patients!

To perform heel slides, start with good diaphragmatic breathwork! You can breathe diaphragmatically in any position, but I recommend seated or supine to start. Place your hands on your belly and close your eyes so you can imagine the muscles corresponding to your breath. Take a full inhale and feel your belly puff out gently into your hands as your diaphragm drops. Your pelvic floor should also relax and descend slightly during this slow inhale breath! On the exhale breath, tighten up your core muscles as if you were bracing your belly for a punchand perform a pelvic floor contraction as well. If it’s challenging to activate your deep core muscles on the exhale breath, try making a “shhhh” sound as you exhale, which should help contract your core muscles (and can also help soothe a cranky baby!) Once you’ve mastered diaphragmatic breathing, try it while laying on the floor in a hooklying position (knees bent, feet flat on the floor, head and shoulders heavy) and add heel slides to engage your deep core muscles even more! Place one foot on a towel on the floor and slide your heel away from you on the exhale, then slide it back towards your glutes on the inhale breath. Repeat 10x on each leg.

2. Bird Dogs

One of my favorite core progressions after heel-slides is bird dogs, and mastering bird dogs is your first step before graduating to planks. Bird dogs work not only the core muscles, but also the spinal extensors, hip flexors, quads, glutes, and shoulders. Combined with good diaphragmatic breathing, this exercise checks a lot of muscle boxes. I recommend doing your first few reps in front of a mirror so you can make sure your spine is straight and you’re not arching your back or overcompensating with a tilted pelvis.

To perform bird dogs, find a quadruped position on all fours. Make sure that your shoulders, elbows and wrists are in line and your hips are above your knees. Extend your right arm long out in front of you as you kick your left leg straight back. Take a moment to level out your hips and straighten your neck by gently tucking your chin. Take a full inhale and relax your belly and pelvic floor muscles. On your exhale breath, contract your pelvic floor and abs, and bring your elbow and knee to touch. Repeat 5 times then switch sides. Note: if you have any wrist pain, try making your supporting hand into a fist and put your knuckles down on the floor with your wrist straight.

3. Good Mornings

If only someone had warned me how sore my uppertraps and shoulders would be after snuggling and feeding a babe for months! Goodmornings are a great way to strengthen your glutes and hamstrings, and the hands-behind-the-head position of the upper body helps open up the chest and reset the 3am dreamfeeding posture I’ve recently become accustomed to. Plus, I currently bend over to pick up my son from his bassinette/floor/changing table/carseat approximately 6,342 times each day, so mastering a proper hip hinge with good breathing mechanics has been hugely helpful.

To do a Goodmorning, stand with your feet hips-width distance apart with a soft bend in your knees. Interlace your hands behind your head and keep your elbows wide. Inhale to press into your feet and hinge from your hips so your chest is parallel to the floor. Exhale as you press into your feet, tighten your core and pelvic floor, squeeze your glutes, and rise up to a standing position. Try 10 and see how you feel!

4. Squat Tap-Outs

There was about a 15 day stretch when my son was 2 months old in which the only way he would be soothed was if I held him and performed squats. If I wasn’t squatting with him, he was inconsolable. Hence, I squatted for, what it felt like, an eternity. During these two weeks however, I not only felt my legs get progressively stronger and more stable, but it also gave me an opportunity to get creative and experiment with various squat techniques. I love this single- leg version as a low-impact way to strengthen glutes and quads as well as improve balance. I found these tap-outs were also a great exercise to train my way safely back into running (and assist with other single-leg-stance activities like balancing on one leg while closing the dryer

door with the other). I’m one of those weirdos who actually enjoys running (in fact, it’s my favorite way to have some vital me-time as a new mom!) but even the running-averse will benefit from this exercise, especially if you have an inconsolable newborn who forces you to squat while you snuggle them to sleep.

To perform a squat tap-out, start with feet hip-width distance apart (or feet close together for more of a challenge!). Bend your knees to a low squat while keeping your chest lifted. (Pro tip: holding your hands at the level of your face will help remind you to keep your chest up and shoulders back.) Maintain the squat in one leg while you tap your other leg out to the side and back in towards center 5 times before you stand up and switch sides. Increase the reps for a greater burn, and remember to breathe! For an added challenge, add in a few air squats in between reps.

5. Quadruped Thoracic Twists

During the first few crazed months of newborn life, my upper body took quite a hit. I noticed my shoulders rounding, my chin jutting forward and down to watch my son as he nursed, and all the muscles supporting my shoulder blades and backbody overstretching as I cradled and rocked my babe. This is also known in the PT world as Forward Head Posture, or as I have recently renamed it, Nursing Neck. Not only does this postural adaptation wreak havoc on your musculoskeletal system by overstretching the back body and tightening the front, but it also adversely affects your respiratory system - closing off the front of the ribs and flexing the core limits the ability to take a full breath. I love these thoracic twists to help regain some mobility in my trunk and shoulders, and you can tap into strengthening the deep neck stabilizer muscles as you tuck your chin and press the back of your head gently into your hand.

To perform these twists, start by getting in a tabletop position on all fours. Just like you did for bird dogs, double check your alignment and stack your joints. Tighten up your core during good diaphragmatic breathing work and maintain a flat back. Take one hand behind your head and as your inhale, rotate your chest up to the ceiling. Use the exhale to rotate down and tap your upper elbow to your opposite elbow crease. Repeat 10x on each side.

While I know first hand how hard it is to find time for yourself while caring for a brand-new human, finding even a few moments out of each day for self-care is so important for your own well-being. If you are looking for more tips, exercises, and stretches to help support your amazing postpartum body, please reach out! You can email me directly at kristina@fixxedstudios.com to schedule a free 20 minute consultation!