What Movement is Best 4 Weeks Postpartum?

4 weeks postpartum the focus is still on gentle restoration, not performance for a mother. Best practice at this stage involves consistency and body awareness rather than intensity or volume. The Restore Section in my programs is guided by these principles.

Here’s a research- and clinically-informed guide for frequency and type of movement at this early phase, aligned with your goal to mix restore and rebuild thoughtfully:

Frequency Recommendations (Week 4 Postpartum)

Pelvic Floor Exercises (PFEs)

• Daily – 1–3 times per day

• Focus on both slow holds (endurance) and quick flicks (reflex activation)

• Example:

  • 10 slow holds (5–8 seconds), rest between each

  • 10 quick flicks (1–2 seconds)

    
    

🧠 Tip: Pair with daily tasks like feeding or after going to the toilet to create habit loops.

Deep Core Activation (Transverse Abdominis / TA)

• Daily to every other day

• 5–10 minutes per session

• Focus on gentle TA activations with breath: e.g., exhale and gently “hug baby to spine”

🧘🏽 Combine with pelvic floor if possible — "lift and zip" coordination.

As you feel more comfortable with your abdominal control - start to Rebuild with deeper breathwork like we do in Core Rebuild. Adding Hypopressives to your regimen can help take pressure off of your pelvic floor and gain more neuro-connection to your deep transverse muscles that support your spine.

Postnatal Stretches & Mobility

• 3–5 days per week, short and frequent is ideal (5–10 minutes)

  
  

• Focus areas:

  • Upper back/shoulders (due to feeding posture)

  • Neck/side-body

  • Hip flexors and pelvic tilts

  • Side bends & cat-cow for spinal mobility

  • Under ribs to take stress out of diaghram and rebalance core

    
    

✨ Bonus: Include gentle rolling, spinal rocks, or pelvic tucks for nervous system regulation and posture retraining.

Sample Weekly Rhythm (Restore + Rebuild Combo)

Key Exercise Examples at 4 Weeks

• Pelvic tilts on back or all fours

• Heel slides with breath

• Supine TA activation with exhale

• Supported bridge with PF activation

• Gentle side-lying clams (if no Pelvic Girdle Pain - if so stay legs parallel)

• Cat-cow and thread-the-needle for spine

⚠️ Things to Watch For:

• Bulging or doming at the midline (diastasis)

• Leaking or heaviness (signs of pelvic floor dysfunction)

• PGP or SIJ pain

• Fatigue or emotional overwhelm – scale back if so

Final Thoughts

You're doing this beautifully — listening to your body, mixing restore and rebuild, and pacing yourself with compassion.

The goal isn't to "get back" but to move forward feeling stronger, more connected, and more whole.