The three months after childbirth are considered the “fourth trimester” because the body is still undergoing major changes as it recovers from such a dramatic event — physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. In addition, this period is when your newborn is just starting to navigate life outside of the womb, making for a significant transition as parent(s) and baby adjust to a new reality.
We want to help guide you during this unique stage with effective and purposeful training so that you can redevelop a healthy connection with your body as well as manage the challenges of moving through life with your new BFF😊.
Read on to learn:
- Key physical changes that occur in the early postpartum period
- General guidance for exercise in the fourth trimester
- Best training strategies and exercises for the fourth trimester
- Additional fourth trimester workout resources
Key Physical Changes that Occur
As you adjust to life as a new parent and your baby is adjusting to life outside the womb, you are (both) likely to have “big” feelings. You are no longer responsible for just yourself, but you have another human being who, literally, depends on you for survival. That new reality can bring about many physical, emotional, and psychological challenges.
Physically, the body’s tissues are healing (at different rates), from the uterus shrinking to skin remodeling. Weight loss, typically one of the most desired consequences of being postpartum, takes time, as does the reconnection to the core and pelvic floor. In addition, there may be tearing or scar recovery, depending on whether you had a vaginal or C-Section delivery, which also needs time to heal.
It’s important to note that hormonal levels will be fluctuating quite a bit, and that can contribute to emotional and psychological changes, including mild symptoms common to Baby Blues, or more serious symptoms that could indicate a Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorder (PMAD). Take some time to learn if what you are feeling is the very common “Baby Blues” or if it’s something else so that you can get the support you need during this challenging time.
General Guidance for Exercise in the Fourth Trimester
Your initial priority after having baby is to recover. Even though you will likely be on 24/7 baby duty and entirely focused on caring for someone else, you need TLC. This is not the time to try to rush back into “exercise.” Recovery requires patience and this is the time to honor your body’s need to heal. When early, thorough recovery is glossed over in favor of higher intensity training, the fragile body is not typically ready to handle those stresses, and that’s when injuries can occur, ultimately slowing recovery. So, embrace the mantra: slow IS fast.
During these first few weeks postpartum, there are some great strategies and techniques that you can do to expedite your recovery and begin re-establishing connection with your deep core (as we’ll get into in the guidance below).
After 2-4 weeks (or maybe more, depending on your labor and postpartum experience), you may feel ready to begin more structured workouts. We recommend that you get clearance from your medical provider before beginning, to ensure that all stitches have healed, bleeding has ceased, and other medical markers have been cleared.
When first resuming exercise, you want to keep the intensity low while reorienting yourself to a body that has undergone such tremendous change. In addition, the hormones of pregnancy remain in your system for months into postpartum (longer if you are breastfeeding or pumping), so you want to tune into your movements to learn how they might be similar, or different, to what you remember.
Slow IS fast when it comes to getting back into the groove and when considering increasing intensity. Let your intuition, and form, guide your progress.
Best Training Strategies and Exercises for the Fourth Trimester
The initial postpartum period can feel overwhelming and make it hard to focus on your training, or even carve out the time to do so if you are inspired. So, take your time finding, and getting back into, your workout groove.
1. Care for Yourself
While self-care may seem intuitive, it is actually harder to achieve in reality. That is because there are so many forces – both internal and external – that can preclude new parents from providing the nourishment and care to themselves they so desperately need. One such insidious force is “bounce back” culture; the idea that, within a few weeks, you “should” look and move like someone who hasn’t had a baby. Social media can add pressure by showing orderly and well-balanced new parents handling the demands of this period with grace and whimsy. However, new parents who are not cleaning up their homes and hair for the camera can attest that is not reality.
Consider it a win to shower every few days or find time and brain cells to remember other elements of personal hygiene. When baby is attached to you, for what seems like every moment, you can feel overwhelmed by the need to care for someone else. And you get left behind. While this is incredibly common, try to carve out small slices of time to do something for yourself. Whether it’s performing breastfeeding stretches, taking the trash out for a breath of fresh air, going for a more substantial walk (preferably without baby), or slipping into a podcast or music, any time for yourself can help nourish the physical and psychological support you deserve.
2. Practice Neutral Alignment
One of the biggest and most underrated strategies to expedite your recovery doesn’t even involve exercise. Instead, it has to do with the way you position, or “align” your body throughout the day — while sitting, standing, and performing daily tasks. When standing, keeping your body in neutral alignment will reduce stress on your soft tissues, allowing them to heal faster.
When sitting, try to focus on maintaining a straight line between your ear-shoulder-hip, as pictured below. We appreciate that this can be challenging when you are physically exhausted. To help, try to set up the place where you feed your baby with ample support to help you comfortably maintain good alignment.
When bending over, try to keep that same ear-shoulder-hip alignment. This helps your core heal faster and also minimizes low back pain.
3. Restore Strength to Your Deep Core
As we stated earlier, you can begin your deep core recovery work as soon as you feel comfortable. In fact, the sooner, the better. The first technique to focus on is 360° Breathing (which we refer to as the #1 most effective core exercise). 360° Breathing not only forms the foundation for strengthening your deep core, but it also has a systemic effect on every system in your body, including your central nervous system. This is why 360° Breathing can also improve your overall health. Take a look at the video below to learn how to perform 360° Breathing.
The other element of the core that needs special attention is the pelvic floor, as this area has undergone a lot of stress over the months of pregnancy and delivery (regardless of delivery method). We recommend practicing Pelvic Floor Activations (PFAs), which you can learn from the video below.
4. Balance Strength Training Across 5 Categories
When you do begin strength work, you want to incorporate moves from 5 strength training categories, to create balanced, total-body workouts. Here are the 5 categories. When doing any exercise, be sure to incorporate 360° Breathing by exhaling on the effort.
- Upper Body Push: Moving weight away from your body (or moving your body away from an object). Some examples are overhead presses, Baby Lifts, and incline pushups.
- Upper Body Pull: Pulling weight toward the body (or the body toward an object). Some examples are standing rows, reverse flyes, and straight-arm pulldowns.
- Lower Body Bilateral: When both legs perform the same movement at the same time, such as squats, deadlifts (or ground pickups), and crib reaches.
- Lower Body Unilateral: When one leg performs a movement while the other performs a different function, such as reverse lunges, step-ups, and single-leg deadlifts.
- Core: Moves that target the core while maintaining neutral alignment, such as Turkish getup bridges, kneeling side planks, and trunk rotations.
✓NOTE: Given the flexed position that nursing and (chronic) baby carrying encourages, pulling movements are especially important to prioritize.
*Aim for 2-3 sets of 10-15 reps of each move (time-permitting) at low-moderate intensity initially, then slowly progress to heavier weights as long as you can maintain good form.
5. Incorporate Exercises Specific to Your Daily Tasks
One of the best ways to prevent aches and pains and allow you to move more easily throughout your day is to practice exercises that mimic the Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) you do every day as a new parent (think baby lifts, ground getups, ground pickups, bath time kneels, etc.). Practicing these movement patterns strengthens your body to handle their stresses more effectively, which translates to easier movement and fewer aches and pains. Begin with a lighter load, then gradually add more resistance to mimic your adorable “load” that continues to grow.
Resources for Creating a Fourth Trimester Workout Plan
If you’re looking for a structured program to help you recover, build strength, and get back to doing what you love (and perhaps more), explore our self-guided programs below:
- Core Recovery Program: Beyond the 2 techniques you learned above, this self-guided program helps you rebuild your core from the inside out in less than 10 minutes a day.
- Postpartum Workout Program: This program includes the Core Recovery program plus safe & effective total body workouts and nutrition guidance
Or, if you’re looking for an expert coach to work with, explore our Find a Coach directory to find a ProNatal Certified Coach to work with in-person or virtually.
Interested in Becoming a ProNatal Certified Coach?
Are you a health & fitness professional interested in training pregnant and postpartum clients? Explore our comprehensive Pre & Postnatal Fitness Specialist Certification to get the education, resources, and support you need to thrive as a pre & postnatal coach.