Holding. Feeding. Rocking. Carrying. Reaching.
Your shoulders do a lot as a new parent, often in awkward, repetitive positions with very little rest.

And yet, shoulder health is rarely talked about in postpartum recovery.
We focus on core and pelvic floor (for good reason), but forget that upper body function is a critical piece of the puzzle — not just for lifting weights, but for lifting your entire day.

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Let’s start with the basics:

The shoulder is a mobile joint — it’s designed for big ranges of motion.
But mobility without stability? That’s a recipe for pain, tightness, and compensation.

Stability doesn’t mean locking your shoulders in place. It means the muscles around your shoulder blades (like your serratus anterior, lower traps, and rotator cuff) can control that mobility — especially during real-life movement like:

• Holding a car seat with one arm
• Reaching into the crib
• Feeding in a sidelying or slouched position
• Lifting a toddler while holding a diaper bag

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Why is shoulder stability so important postpartum?

1. Hormonal laxity: After pregnancy, many women have lingering joint laxity. Shoulder stability helps protect against overuse and strain.
2. Repetitive load: New parents repeat the same motions (often with poor posture and no rest). Stable shoulders = less cumulative stress.
3. Core connection: A flared rib cage or weak core makes it harder for the scapula to sit on a solid foundation — increasing compensation through the neck and shoulders.
4. Breastfeeding or bottle-feeding posture: Without scapular strength and mobility, you end up relying on your upper traps — leading to tightness, tension, or even numbness.

Signs your shoulder stability could use work:

• Your upper traps feel constantly tight
• You have mid-back or shoulder blade discomfort
• You feel disconnected or weak pressing overhead
• You compensate with neck tension when lifting kids
• Your ribs flare or you lose posture during carries or presses

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What to do about it?

You don’t need fancy rehab drills — you need thoughtful strength work that builds shoulder control in real positions. Think:

• Serratus-focused movement
• Unilateral loading
• Scapular control under load

And above all: remember that shoulder strength is a full-body equation.
Rib position, breath mechanics, core stability, scapular control
All of these support healthy, pain-free shoulders — whether you’re working out or rocking your baby to sleep.

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So where do you start?

These exercises were chosen to address every key element of the core–shoulder connection. You’ll train horizontal pulling to build back strength and support better posture (1-arm plank row, side plank row), rotational stability to coordinate your core and shoulders through movement (arm bar rotations, bear plank with rotations, 1/2 kneeling windmill), and serratus and scapular control for smooth, pain-free shoulder blade mechanics (serratus punch, tall kneeling halo).

You’ll also build overhead-friendly pressing strength without forcing your body into positions it’s not ready for (landmine press), and practice core-integrated loading across multiple planes so your shoulders can stabilize in the same dynamic ways you move in daily life. Each exercise plays a unique role — but together, they rebuild the foundation for strong, stable shoulders that work with your core.

1. Side Plank Row

This movement combines lateral core activation with upper body pulling — a powerful combo for postpartum recovery. In the side plank position, the body is challenged to resist rotation and maintain stacked alignment through the ribs and pelvis. Adding a row introduces dynamic scapular movement while keeping the core engaged, training the shoulder to stabilize under asymmetrical load. This closely mimics the demands of real life: carrying a car seat, holding a baby on one side, or reaching across the body. It also improves awareness of trunk stability while moving the upper body — a key skill often lost after pregnancy due to changes in core coordination.

2. Serratus Punch

This drill is essential for restoring healthy shoulder blade mechanics, especially when postpartum posture tends to collapse into upper trap dominance. The serratus anterior is responsible for protracting and upwardly rotating the scapula — a motion crucial for overhead reaching and pressing without impingement. Many postpartum women struggle with shoulder tightness or discomfort due to weak or underactive serratus muscles, especially after months of feeding, rocking, or carrying. The serratus punch retrains this muscle in isolation, while also reinforcing proper rib positioning and breathing mechanics — both foundational for restoring shoulder rhythm and core-shoulder synergy.

3. Arm Bar Rotations

This rotational stability drill builds shoulder joint integrity while integrating breath and thoracic mobility — making it a perfect choice for postpartum training. As the arm stays locked out overhead, the body rotates underneath it, challenging the shoulder to stabilize dynamically across planes of motion. This helps retrain the rotator cuff, improve proprioception, and restore the nervous system’s trust in end-range shoulder positions — especially important after periods of inactivity or postural compensation. The integration of slow breath with movement also improves rib cage control, a key factor in both shoulder health and core re-coordination postpartum.

4. Bear with Alternating Shoulder Tap

This exercise trains reflexive core stability alongside shoulder stability in a quadruped position that’s accessible postpartum. The bear crawl position naturally encourages rib stacking, 360° breath, and pelvic neutrality — all key components of re-establishing pressure management. Alternating taps demand anti-rotation from the core while the shoulder stabilizes against the shifting load, simulating the way the body needs to stabilize when lifting or reaching while holding a baby. It’s also a great progression toward crawling, loaded carries, or more athletic postpartum movement patterns, without requiring heavy external load.

5. Tall Kneeling Halo

The tall kneeling halo is a full-body integration exercise that targets shoulder control while reinforcing rib-pelvis alignment and trunk engagement. By removing the option to use the lower body for momentum, the tall kneeling position forces the core to stabilize the torso — helping postpartum women avoid the common compensation of rib flaring during overhead movement. As the weight moves around the head, the shoulders are challenged through their full range, training scapular mobility, shoulder girdle strength, and positional awareness. This is particularly valuable for rebuilding coordination between the upper body and core, especially after pregnancy-induced changes in posture and control.

6. 1-Arm Plank Row

A functional strength movement that builds on earlier stability drills like the side plank row or bear tap. The unilateral load challenges both the shoulder and the core to resist rotation, while reinforcing proper scapular retraction and control through the row. This movement helps build strength in pulling mechanics while keeping the ribs, pelvis, and spine aligned — teaching the body how to move and stabilize simultaneously. It’s especially beneficial postpartum for rebuilding strength and confidence in real-life activities like lifting a car seat, pulling a stroller, or doing any movement that requires shoulder control with core engagement.

7. 1/2 Kneeling Windmill

The half-kneeling windmill trains the shoulder to stay stable in an overhead position while the rest of the body moves underneath it — a key skill for maintaining shoulder health postpartum. As you hinge at the hips and rotate through the thoracic spine, your ribs and pelvis must stay stacked, preventing compensation through the lower back. This position also challenges hip stability and balance, adding a full-body component that reinforces the core–shoulder link. For postpartum women, it’s an effective way to restore rotation, improve overhead control, and integrate mobility with strength — all without forcing end ranges the body isn’t ready for yet.

Landmine Press

The landmine press is an ideal way to reintroduce pressing strength postpartum because of its angled pressing path. Unlike a strict vertical press, the landmine allows the shoulder to move into upward rotation more naturally, reducing the risk of rib flare or lumbar overextension. The half-kneeling or standing setup demands core engagement to stabilize the torso, while the unilateral load trains anti-rotation and reinforces scapular control. It’s particularly beneficial for building overhead-friendly strength and integrating the shoulder with the trunk, making it a great bridge between early stability work and heavier pressing variations.

Final Thoughts

Postpartum shoulder stability isn’t about doing endless band work or forcing yourself into perfect posture — it’s about teaching your shoulders to work with your core, breath, and rib position so they can support you through the demands of daily life. By building stability in real-world positions, restoring scapular control, and integrating strength across your whole body, you’re not just preventing tension or discomfort — you’re creating the foundation for stronger, more efficient movement in everything from workouts to baby-carrying marathons. The more your shoulders and core work together, the more capable, resilient, and pain-free you’ll feel in motherhood and beyond.