Rebuilding strength after having a baby isn’t just about core rehab exercises.

Your core functions as part of a system. One that includes the pelvic floor, diaphragm, deep abdominals, hips, and upper body all working together to manage pressure and stabilise the body during movement. When that system has been through the demands of pregnancy and birth, simply adding more ab exercises doesn’t address what’s actually changed.

What changes during pregnancy goes well beyond a stretched abdominal wall. The diaphragm shifts upward as the uterus grows, altering breathing mechanics. The pelvic floor carries sustained load for months. Posture adapts (often significantly) affecting how muscles coordinate during movement. And birth itself, whether vaginal or caesarean, places additional demands on tissues that are then asked to heal and rebuild simultaneously.

This is why the early focus in postpartum recovery isn’t just strength, it’s also coordination. The ability for the breath, pelvic floor, core and surrounding muscles to work together as an integrated system. Once that coordination is restored, strength follows. And it follows in a way that actually transfers to real life: lifting your baby, carrying a car seat, getting back to training without symptoms.

That’s why my postpartum programs focus not just on muscle activation, but on how the body coordinates itself under load, through breathing, positioning and muscle synergy.

This post breaks down 8 foundational movements that help rebuild that system from the ground up.

1. Posterior Expansion: Relearning How to Breathe

If there is one place to start postpartum recovery, it is with the breath. Learning how to use the breath as a mechanical tool for managing pressure and coordinating the deep core system is key.

During pregnancy, the expanding uterus pushes the diaphragm upward and the ribcage outward. This changes the mechanics of breathing significantly. Many people develop compensatory patterns breathing primarily into the chest, flaring the ribs outward, or failing to expand the back and sides of the ribcage at all. These patterns can persist long after birth and have a knock on effect on how the core and pelvic floor function.

Posterior expansion refers specifically to the ability to breathe into the back and sides of the ribcage, not just the front. This matters because:

• It restores the diaphragm’s full range of motion, allowing it to descend properly on the inhale
• It encourages the ribcage to move in three dimensions rather than just expanding at the front
• It creates the conditions for the pelvic floor to lengthen on the inhale and lift on the exhale — the coordinated pattern that supports core pressure management
• It helps reduce rib flare and upper abdominal gripping, both of which are common compensatory patterns postpartum

When the breath moves well, the entire deep core system — diaphragm, transverse abdominis, pelvic floor and multifidus — can begin coordinating reflexively rather than relying on conscious bracing or gripping.

Exercise: Rockback breathing with band feedback

The rockback position (sitting back toward the heels from a hands and knees position) naturally encourages the pelvis to tuck and the lower back to decompress. You then want to actively round the upper back and block of the front side, creating space for the breath to move into the back of the ribcage. Adding a band wrapped around the lower ribs provides tactile feedback, giving you something to breathe into and making it immediately clear whether the breath is reaching the right place. It is a simple setup but one of the most effective ways to begin retraining breathing mechanics in the early postpartum period.

2. Hamstrings: Restoring Pelvic Control

The hamstrings are one of the most consistently overlooked muscle groups in postpartum recovery yet they play a critical role in how the pelvis and core function together.

These muscles run from the back of the pelvis (the ischial tuberosity) down to the lower leg, crossing both the hip and the knee. Because of this attachment, the hamstrings have a powerful influence on pelvic positioning and control. When they engage well, they help bring the pelvis back toward a more neutral position, reduce reliance on the lower back, support glute function during hip extension and improve coordination between the hips and deep core.

During pregnancy, the growing belly shifts the centre of mass forward, often tipping the pelvis into a more anteriorly tilted position. This increases reliance on the hip flexors and lower back while the hamstrings become relatively underused. Restoring hamstring function is therefore about far more than leg strength with a goal of re-establishing pelvic control and reconnecting the posterior chain.

When you train the hamstrings in a supported position postpartum, they help draw the pelvis into a more optimal alignment. This:

• Creates a better environment for the lower abdominals to engage
• Reduces the dominance of the hip flexors
• Encourages a more stacked relationship between the ribcage and pelvis
• Supports a fuller exhale, which drives pelvic floor and deep core coordination

Exercise: 90/90 marching hemibridge with iso adductors

In the 90/90 position with the feet elevated, the hamstrings are immediately placed in a position where they can influence pelvic tilt. Pressing one foot into the surface to lift into a hemibridge activates the hamstring and glute on that side while the pelvis stays level. The marching component, alternating the legs while maintaining the bridge, adds a coordination challenge, asking the deep core and pelvic floor to respond to shifting load without losing pelvic position. Adding an isometric adductor squeeze throughout ties the inner thighs into the equation, reinforcing the connection between the pelvis, pelvic floor and hip musculature that is so important to rebuild postpartum.

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3. Adductors: Supporting the Pelvis and Pelvic Floor

The adductors, your inner thigh muscles, are another key piece of the postpartum recovery puzzle that rarely gets the attention it deserves.

Their importance lies partly in anatomy. The adductors have a strong fascial relationship with the pelvic floor, meaning force generated or absorbed by one system directly influences how the other responds. When adductor strength and timing are reduced, the pelvic floor is often asked to compensate — increasing tone or bracing to maintain stability that should be shared across the system.

During pregnancy, both the adductors and the pelvic floor adapt to longer positions and reduced dynamic demand. This relationship becomes less efficient over time. The pelvic floor may struggle to respond quickly to changes in load, while the adductors lose their role in sharing force across the pelvis.

This pattern often presents as hips that feel restricted or unstable in lateral movement and adductors that feel “tight” despite lacking genuine strength or control. Tension here is typically a compensatory strategy and the body’s way of managing single leg tasks, changes of direction, or walking when the underlying coordination is not yet adequate. During pregnancy, this same dynamic can contribute to pelvic girdle pain when the pelvis lacks sufficient shared muscular support.

Restoring coordination between the adductors, pelvic floor, glutes and deep hip rotators so they can share load again, respond to pressure changes, and support movement across all planes.

Exercise: Side-lying adductor lift

The side lying position removes the compressive load of standing and isolates the adductors without requiring the pelvis to stabilise against gravity in a more demanding position. As the bottom leg lifts, the adductors work concentrically through their full range while the rest of the body stays still. It is a deceptively simple exercise that allows you to develop adductor strength and awareness before progressing to positions where they need to coordinate with the rest of the system under greater load.

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4. Lats: Connecting the Upper Body to the Core

The latissimus dorsi (the lats) are far more involved in postpartum recovery than most people realise. These large muscles connect the upper arm to the thoracolumbar fascia, a thick band of connective tissue that also links to the glutes and deep core. This makes the lats a key player in how the body manages pressure, transfers force, and maintains trunk stability.

During pregnancy and in the postpartum period, the lats often become tight and restricted due to postural changes, nursing positions and the demands of carrying a baby. When they are short or overactive, the ribcage cannot move freely. You may notice:

• Rib flare or ribs that remain “stuck” in an expanded position
• Gripping through the upper abdomen as the body searches for stability
• Limited overhead mobility
• Tension through the mid back or lower ribs, particularly during breathing

But freeing the lats is not simply about stretching. It is about restoring their relationship with the ribcage, the breath, and the rest of the core system.

During the inhale, the diaphragm descends, the ribs expand, and the lats should lengthen slightly to allow the back and sides of the ribcage to open fully. During the exhale, they help guide the ribs back toward centre, supporting a controlled return to neutral. When the lats lose this rhythm, pressure distribution through the trunk becomes disrupted and this can show up as core disconnection, back tightness, or pelvic floor tension over time.

Exercise: Supine band pullover

Starting on the back with the ribcage grounded against the floor creates an immediate feedback mechanism — the moment the lats lose control and the ribs flare, you feel it. As the arms move overhead and return, the lats are required to work eccentrically on the way down and concentrically on the return, all while the trunk maintains its position. It is a straightforward exercise, but the combination of upper body movement and trunk stability demand makes it a highly effective way to restore the lat-ribcage relationship in the early postpartum period.

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5. Serratus Anterior: Restoring Rib Cage Control

The serratus anterior is consistently one of the most overlooked muscles in postpartum rehab yet it plays a powerful role in both core function and full body movement.

It is a fan shaped muscle that wraps around the upper ribs and attaches to the inner border of the scapula. Its primary role is to protract and stabilise the shoulder blade, particularly during reaching, pushing and overhead movements. But its relevance in postpartum recovery goes well beyond shoulder health.

Here is why the serratus matters so much in this context:

• Rib position and breathing mechanics. The serratus helps anchor the ribs and improve ribcage movement, which directly supports diaphragmatic breathing. Given that breath underpins the entire core pressure system (and therefore pelvic floor function) anything that improves ribcage mechanics has a meaningful downstream effect on core coordination.
• The core-shoulder connection. During pregnancy, compensatory movement patterns develop as the body adapts to increasing load and postural change. One of the most common disconnections that persists postpartum is between the core and upper body. Training the serratus helps rebuild this chain by teaching the body to stabilise from the ribcage upward, not just from the abdomen downward.
• Scapular stability and posture. Many people experience rounded shoulders and forward head posture postpartum a natural consequence of feeding, carrying and nursing in flexed positions for extended periods. Serratus strength helps reposition the scapula, improving shoulder mechanics and reducing tension through the neck and upper back.

Exercise: Quadruped serratus push-up with iso adductors

In the quadruped position, the hands press into the floor and the upper back gently rounds as the shoulder blades glide around the ribcage. This is the hallmark movement of serratus activation. Adding an isometric adductor squeeze between the knees throughout the movement is a small addition that has a significant effect: it engages the pelvic floor and inner thighs, connecting the lower half of the body to the upper body work and reinforcing the integrated pressure system that postpartum recovery depends on.

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6. Obliques and Hips: Rebuilding Lateral Stability

When people think about core strength, the focus almost always goes to the front of the abdomen. But the obliques, running along the sides of the torso, are among the most important muscles for restoring coordination between the ribcage and pelvis and they are frequently undertrained in early postpartum recovery.

During pregnancy, the ribcage expands and the abdominal wall stretches to accommodate the growing uterus. This changes how the obliques function and often leads to persistent patterns like rib flare and upper abdominal gripping even after birth. The obliques play a central role in bringing the ribcage and pelvis back into a more balanced relationship.

When functioning well, they help:

• Control trunk rotation and resist unwanted movement
• Stabilise the spine during loading
• Regulate intra abdominal pressure
• Reduce excessive strain through the abdominal wall during movement

The lateral sling — the connection between the obliques and the hip musculature — is also critical for pelvic stability, particularly in single-leg activities like walking, running and climbing stairs. Restoring this connection is essential for any return to higher-demand activity.

Exercise: Short lever side plank with forward reach

The short lever position reduces the overall load through the lateral chain, making this accessible in early recovery while still creating a meaningful challenge. Reaching the top arm forward rather than stacking it overhead shifts the demand significantly: the obliques must resist both lateral collapse and rotation simultaneously, while the serratus of the reaching arm is recruited to stabilise the shoulder and ribcage. It is a deceptively demanding combination that trains the lateral system and upper body connection in a way that very few exercises replicate.

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7. Rib Mobility: Freeing the Thoracic Spine

Thoracic mobility — the ability of the mid-back and ribcage to rotate and extend — is a key piece in postpartum recovery programs.

During pregnancy, the ribcage expands and flares as the uterus grows. Sustained positions during feeding, nursing and carrying can further limit thoracic rotation and extension postpartum. A stiff thoracic spine directly affects core function because it limits how well the ribcage can move with the breath and it places additional demand on the lower back and hips to compensate.

When the thoracic spine moves well, it:

• Allows for better ribcage mechanics during breathing
• Reduces compensatory strain through the lumbar spine
• Improves shoulder mobility and upper body function
• Creates better conditions for the serratus and lats to function effectively

Exercise: Banded open book

The open book is a well-known thoracic rotation drill, but adding a band changes it meaningfully. As the top arm rotates open, pulling against the band’s resistance encourages active engagement through the posterior shoulder and mid back rather than passively flopping into the available range. This makes it both a mobility and a motor control exercise. You are not just moving into rotation, you are learning to control it. The side-lying position keeps the lumbar spine relatively still, directing the movement specifically through the thoracic spine and ribcage where it is needed most.

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8. Glutes: Power and Pelvic Stability

The glutes are often discussed in terms of aesthetics or athletic performance but in the context of postpartum recovery, they are fundamental to how the entire system functions.

The glute complex made up of the gluteus maximus, medius, and minimus anchors the pelvis, directs how force is absorbed and transferred through the hips, and provides the stable base upon which the spine, abdominal wall and pelvic floor all depend. When the glutes are weak or not firing effectively, other muscles compensate. Typically, this means the pelvic floor and abdominal wall start to grip or tighten in ways they were not designed to sustain. Over time, this can present as leaking during exercise, a sensation of heaviness or pressure, hip and lower back tightness, or disrupted core coordination.

Each part of the glute complex serves a specific function:

• Gluteus maximus is primarily responsible for hip extension pushing off during walking, standing from a squat, climbing stairs
• Gluteus medius stabilises the pelvis during single leg activity. Without adequate medius function, the pelvis drops or shifts with every step, placing increased strain on the core and pelvic floor
• Gluteus minimus works with the medius to control internal rotation and side-to-side hip stability

When the glutes are strong and coordinated, the pelvis stays neutral, the hips share load evenly, and the pelvic floor and core can focus on their primary roles — managing pressure, responding to load, and coordinating with the breath.

Exercise: Hip hinge with isometric band pull

The hip hinge pattern is one of the most fundamental movement patterns for rebuilding posterior chain strength. Adding an isometric band pull throughout the hinge creates tension through the upper back and lats simultaneously, encouraging the trunk to stabilise against the pull while the glutes and hamstrings drive the hinge. This integration of upper and lower body in a single movement reflects how the body actually functions during real life loading — not as isolated parts, but as a connected system working together.

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None of these eight movements exist in isolation. The reason they work is precisely because they are connected.

When breathing mechanics are restored, the deep core can begin coordinating reflexively. When the hamstrings and adductors support pelvic positioning, the glutes and pelvic floor can do their jobs more effectively. When the serratus and lats are functioning well, the ribcage moves freely and the upper body reconnects to the core. And when the thoracic spine has adequate mobility, the diaphragm has room to move and the entire chain operates with less compensation and more efficiency.

This is what distinguishes genuine postpartum recovery from simply returning to exercise. It is about rebuilding the right things in the right order, so that each piece supports the next.

Over time, this foundation is what allows you to progress safely back to strength training, running, and higher impact activity with greater confidence and a significantly reduced risk of pelvic floor symptoms.

If you are ready to build on these foundations with a structured, progressive program, my Return to Strength program inside the Lift with Emily app is designed specifically for this. It takes you from these early building blocks through to full body strength training, at a pace that works for your body.

Start your 7-day free trial here.