The Hidden Journey of Postnatal Recovery – What Every Mother Deserves to Know

Dominique
Jun 26
4 min read

Postnatal recovery is not about “bouncing back”—it’s about reclaiming your body, rebuilding strength, and honouring the profound transformation you’ve just been through. Yet, many women aren’t given enough information or support in the months—or even years—after childbirth.

As a women’s wellness coach trained in postnatal core restore, functional movement, and pelvic health, I’ve seen firsthand how empowering the right knowledge can be. In this article, we’ll walk through the phases of postnatal recovery, explore what the body truly endures, and outline realistic, research-informed strategies to rebuild health and confidence from the inside out.

The Weight of Motherhood

To appreciate what the body goes through, let’s start with the literal load carried during pregnancy (source: BabyCentre.com.au):

Baby: 3.3 kg
Placenta: 0.7 kg
Amniotic fluid: 0.8 kg
Uterine lining: 0.9 kg
Total: 5.7 kg

This doesn’t even account for increased blood volume, or water retention. It’s a remarkable feat—nearly 6kg.. or more, hello twin Mamas.. and recovery takes time whether you birthed vaginally or not.

Holding a pregnancy is a challenge on the musculo-skeletal system with all that focused weight on your abs and pelvic floor. Bub pushes your ribs around, your pelvis tilts and those muscles are stretched.

6 weeks is not a YES to return to what you did before pregnancy. It is a health sign-off that there are no complications to healing.

Postpartum recovery goes far beyond a 6-week check-up. Here’s a partial list of what many new mothers may experience:

Soreness, stitches, surgical wounds (e.g. C-section)
Diastasis recti (abdominal separation)
Episiotomy or natural tearing
Pelvic girdle pain (PGP), SIJ instability
Incontinence (urinary or fecal)
Prolapse or heaviness of the vagina protruding outside the body
Mastitis and breast pain
Hormonal fluctuations, night sweats
Anxiety, emotional trauma, or disconnection from the body
Back pain, coccyx discomfort, sleep deprivation

These issues are not minor—they’re significant. Bleeding finishes, healing of wounds and tissues is checked up on at 6 weeks, but the musculo-skeletal challenges a woman faces don't just disappear.

Mamas deserve a structured, compassionate recovery process - including proper rest!

The First 6 Weeks: The “Fourth Trimester”

This is a time for rest, reconnection, and gentle reactivation.

What Helps:

Pelvic floor reconnection: very gentle awareness exercises
Toileting strategies: minimise strain on the perineum
Rolling out of bed: protect abdominal wall and spine
Nutrition and hydration: critical for tissue repair and energy
Gentle mobility: e.g. 5-minute walks every 2 hours, especially after C-section
Optional abdominal support: wraps & support garments can aid comfort and mobility

This is not the time for traditional workouts. The goal is recovery, not performance.

Diastasis Recti: More Than Just a "Mummy Tummy"

Abdominal separation - otherwise known as Diastasis Recti - affects abdominal strength, stability, and posture and is common in mamas. Research published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine (Sperstad et al., 2016), which studied a cohort of postpartum women found 60% had diastasis recti at 6 weeks postpartum & the prevalence decreased to 32.6% at 12 months postpartum. You can make a difference to your outcomes with appropriate core and pelvic floor rehabilitation.

Some diastasis resolves by 8-10 weeks with the body's natural healing mechanisms, beyond that targeted core rehab is absolutely essential
Abdominal binding can assist healing and improve mobility in the early weeks
You don't want to strain your abs and pelvic floor when healing - gentle challenge to restructure muscles, yes - strain, no. If symptoms worsen regress your movements & seek support.

Months 2 to 6: From Healing to Rebuilding

By month two, many of the initial wounds are healing, but posture is still affected by breastfeeding and daily infant care. Ligaments remain more relaxed due to ongoing hormonal changes, particularly if breastfeeding.

Month 2 Focus:

Daily functional movement without strain
Postural correction and awareness
Gentle lifting (e.g. baby), with core bracing
Basic pelvic floor and core restore exercises
Side bends, neck and shoulder stretches, TA activation

Months 4 to 6:

Core strength is still returning
Hormones may delay pelvic girdle closure and joint stability
1 in 14 women still experience Pelvic Girdle Pain at 3+ months postpartum

At this stage:

Reintroduce light exercise (bodyweight or 1 kg hand weights)
Continue pelvic floor training and abdominal bracing
Walk regularly, try lighter exercise, dancing, swimming, post partum pilates and assess readiness for higher-impact movement as you go.
Increase challenge slowly and regress exercises if any symptoms return/worsen
Go for regular check-ups with your pelvic floor physiotherapist to make sure you are on track with healing prolapse, ab separation and pelvic issues.

The Long-Term Reality: Pelvic Floor, Prolapse & Strength

Some issues don’t fully appear until months—or years—later. Pelvic floor dysfunction, for example, can remain hidden until women resume exercise, return to intimacy, or age.

Key Stats:

Up to 37% of women experience urinary incontinence postpartum
12.9% report fecal incontinence
50% of women over 40 have some form of prolapse—many starting in early motherhood
Vaginal birth increases risk, but C-section does not eliminate it

Rehab Works:

Pelvic floor exercises reduce urine leakage in 50–69% of women
Consistency matters: 3x/week for long-term results
Start around 6 weeks postpartum, once the mental and physical load stabilises

A 1–2 Year Perspective: Real Tissue Healing Takes Time

Tissue repair and collagen remodelling can continue for up to two years postpartum. During this time, women benefit most from:

Ongoing core and pelvic floor training
Postural reintegration to prevent chronic pain
Functional movement training to reduce compensations
Emotional support as your identity and roles shift

Life Beyond the Baby

Women are not just mothers—they’re whole beings. Leaders. Partners. Creatives. Athletes. Too often, they’re expected to "snap back" when their body is still in recovery mode.

Let’s offer women realistic expectations, personalised movement rehab, and compassionate education that honours what they’ve just achieved.

Want to learn more about postnatal recovery, pelvic floor health, or rebuilding strength after birth? Follow for more, or take a look at my on-demand programs for mamas.