Core Weakness Archives -

Diastasis Recti and Pelvic Floor Dysfunction: The Missing Connection Most Women Don’t Know About

If you’ve had a baby, you’ve probably heard someone talk about diastasis recti.

Maybe you’ve checked for an abdominal separation yourself.

Maybe you’ve searched online for the best exercises to “close the gap.”

Or maybe you’ve been told that your core will never be the same after pregnancy.

The problem is that most conversations about diastasis recti focus almost entirely on your abdominal muscles while ignoring another critical piece of the puzzle:

Your pelvic floor.

Most women were never taught this.

Your core and pelvic floor are designed to work together.

When one system isn’t functioning well, the other often feels the effects.

That’s why many women dealing with diastasis recti also experience symptoms such as leaking, pelvic pressure, difficulty exercising, or feeling disconnected from their core.

The good news?

Your body is not broken.

Understanding the relationship between your core and pelvic floor can help you stop chasing random exercises and start building true strength.

What Is Diastasis Recti?

Diastasis recti is the separation of the abdominal muscles that commonly occurs during pregnancy.

As your baby grows, the connective tissue between your abdominal muscles stretches to accommodate the expanding abdomen.

This connective tissue is called the linea alba.

The linea alba runs from the bottom of your rib cage down to your pubic bone and serves as the center seam connecting the right and left sides of your abdominal muscles.

During pregnancy, those muscles naturally move apart.

This process is normal.

In fact, most pregnant women experience some degree of abdominal separation.

The question isn’t whether separation occurred.

The question is how your body functions afterward.

Why the Gap Isn’t the Whole Story

One of the biggest misconceptions surrounding diastasis recti is that the size of the gap determines everything.

In reality, two women can have similar separations and completely different symptoms.

One woman may feel strong and capable.

Another may struggle with leaking, pressure, or exercise intolerance.

Why?

Because function matters more than the gap alone.

This is where the pelvic floor enters the conversation.

How Your Pelvic Floor and Core Work Together

Think of your core as a pressure management system.

Your core includes:

Your diaphragm at the top
Your abdominal muscles in the front
Your back muscles in the back
Your pelvic floor at the bottom

These structures constantly work together.

When you lift a child.

When you carry groceries.

When you exercise.

When you cough or sneeze.

When pressure increases inside your abdomen, all parts of the system must coordinate effectively.

If one area struggles, the entire system can become less efficient.

This is why pelvic floor symptoms often show up alongside diastasis recti.

The Role of Pressure Management

In Polly’s podcast episode, she explains that women with diastasis recti often struggle with pressure management.

This is one of the most overlooked aspects of postpartum recovery.

Pressure itself is not bad.

Your body creates pressure all day long.

The challenge occurs when pressure isn’t managed effectively.

When pressure repeatedly pushes downward or outward without proper support, symptoms can develop.

These symptoms may include:

Urine leakage
Pelvic heaviness
Difficulty engaging your core
Abdominal doming or bulging
Feeling weak during exercise
Persistent postpartum discomfort

Root-cause healing matters.

Rather than focusing exclusively on closing a gap, it’s important to understand how your entire system is functioning.

Why Kegels Alone Aren’t the Answer

Many women assume that pelvic floor dysfunction automatically means they need more Kegels.

But the relationship between the pelvic floor and core is more complex than that.

Some women need strengthening.

Others need coordination.

Some need improved breathing mechanics.

Others need help learning how to manage pressure during movement.

This is one reason why generic postpartum exercise programs often fall short.

The goal isn’t temporary relief—it’s long-term strength.

And long-term strength requires understanding what your body actually needs.

Common Signs Your Core and Pelvic Floor Need Support

If you have diastasis recti and experience any of the following symptoms, it may be beneficial to have your pelvic floor assessed:

Leaking During Exercise

Leaking when running, jumping, coughing, or sneezing is not something you should ignore.

Difficulty Returning to Workouts

Many women feel like every exercise is either too hard or too easy.

This can sometimes indicate issues with pressure management and muscle coordination.

Persistent Core Weakness

Feeling disconnected from your abdominal muscles months or years after childbirth may indicate underlying dysfunction.

Pelvic Pressure or Heaviness

A sensation of pressure can signal that your body isn’t managing forces efficiently.

Back, Hip, or Pelvic Pain

The core and pelvic floor contribute to stability throughout the body.

When those systems struggle, discomfort can appear elsewhere.

Myth-Busting: Diastasis Recti Means You’ll Never Have a Strong Core

This myth keeps many women stuck.

The truth is that many women with diastasis recti go on to build incredible strength.

They run races.

Lift weights.

Play sports.

Chase toddlers.

And feel confident in their bodies.

The key isn’t obsessing over perfection.

The key is improving function.

You deserve better than fear-based advice that tells you your body is permanently damaged.

Your body is adaptable.

Your body is resilient.

And your body can continue improving long after childbirth.

Practical Steps You Can Take Today

1. Stop Focusing Only on the Gap

A smaller gap doesn’t automatically mean better function.

Focus on how your body feels and performs.

2. Learn Proper Breathing Strategies

Breathing plays a significant role in pressure management and core function.

3. Strengthen the Entire System

Your core is more than your abs.

Include exercises that support pelvic floor function, breathing, and full-body strength.

4. Get Assessed

A pelvic floor assessment can help determine whether symptoms are related to pressure management, muscle coordination, scar tissue, weakness, or another underlying issue.

5. Be Patient

Healing is rarely linear.

Progress happens through consistency and understanding—not perfection.

The Path Forward

Diastasis recti is often discussed as an abdominal issue.

But in reality, it’s part of a much larger conversation about how your body functions after pregnancy.

Your pelvic floor, core, breathing mechanics, and movement strategies all work together.

When one piece struggles, other areas may compensate.

This is why so many women continue chasing symptoms without addressing the root cause.

Understanding your body creates confidence.

And confidence creates better decisions about your recovery.

You don’t need to fear movement.

You don’t need to fear exercise.

And you don’t need to accept symptoms as your new normal.

There are answers.

If you’re tired of conflicting advice online and want a clear roadmap, explore the No Kegels University® Method and learn how to build lasting strength and confidence.

Not sure what your next step should be?

Complete Your Core’s Next Step form and receive personalized guidance for your recovery journey:

Pelvic Floor Next Step

For additional evidence-based information, visit:

Mayo Clinic: https://www.mayoclinic.org
Cleveland Clinic: https://my.clevelandclinic.org
APTA Pelvic Health: https://www.aptapelvichealth.org

Healing isn’t about perfection. It’s about understanding, consistency, and progression. If you’re ready for support, I’d love to help.

September 27, 2026/0 Comments/by bthevwomenshealth

Why Returning to Exercise After Having a Baby Feels So Hard (And What Your Pelvic Floor Has to Do With It)

Postpartum Recovery

Returning to exercise after having a baby should feel empowering.

Instead, many women feel frustrated.

You start a workout program, only to discover that everything feels harder than expected. Maybe running causes discomfort. Maybe strength training feels impossible. Maybe you’re leaking when you exercise, experiencing pressure, or wondering why your body isn’t responding the way it used to.

If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone.

As a pelvic floor physical therapist, one of the most common things I hear from women is:

“I started exercising again, but everything feels hard.”

Or:

“I don’t know where to start.”

Or even:

“Everything I try feels either too aggressive or too easy.”

Most women assume they’re out of shape, getting older, or simply need to push harder.

But often, the real issue is something that hasn’t been addressed since pregnancy or childbirth.

Your body is not broken.

Most women were never taught this: difficulty returning to exercise is often connected to pelvic floor dysfunction, core dysfunction, scar tissue restrictions, or unresolved postpartum recovery challenges.

Understanding your body creates confidence—and confidence creates progress.

Why Exercise Feels Different After Pregnancy

Pregnancy changes your body.

Your abdominal muscles stretch.

Your pelvic floor supports a growing baby for months.

Your posture shifts.

Your breathing patterns change.

Your connective tissue adapts.

Then childbirth—whether vaginal or cesarean—places additional demands on your body.

Yet many women receive little guidance about how to rebuild strength afterward.

Instead, they’re often cleared for exercise at six weeks and left to figure things out alone.

The goal isn’t temporary relief—it’s long-term strength.

That means understanding what may be limiting your recovery.

The Pelvic Floor’s Role in Exercise

Your pelvic floor is a group of muscles that sits at the bottom of your core.

These muscles help:

Support your organs
Manage pressure inside your abdomen
Maintain continence
Stabilize your body during movement
Work alongside your abdominal muscles and diaphragm

When these muscles aren’t functioning well, exercise can become difficult.

You may experience:

Urine leakage during workouts
Pelvic heaviness or pressure
Core weakness
Difficulty progressing exercises
Back pain
Hip pain
Reduced endurance

According to the American Physical Therapy Association Pelvic Health Section, pelvic floor dysfunction can significantly impact physical activity and quality of life.

Learn more here: APTA Pelvic Health

The Hidden “Leftover Issues” From Pregnancy

Many women may be dealing with “leftover issues from pregnancy.”

These issues aren’t always obvious.

Sometimes the pelvic floor muscles aren’t activating when they’re supposed to.

Other times the muscles may be overworking, underworking, or struggling to coordinate with the rest of the core.

This can create a situation where every workout feels harder than it should.

You may constantly feel like you’re starting over.

Or you may plateau despite your best efforts.

Root-cause healing matters.

Rather than simply modifying workouts forever, it’s important to understand why your body is struggling in the first place.

The Connection Between Your Core and Pelvic Floor

Many women focus entirely on abdominal exercises after having a baby.

But your core is more than your abs.

Your core includes:

Diaphragm
Deep abdominal muscles
Pelvic floor
Back muscles

These systems work together to manage pressure and create stability.

When one part isn’t functioning well, the entire system can become less efficient.

This is especially important if you’ve experienced diastasis recti.

Diastasis recti occurs when the abdominal muscles separate during pregnancy.

While many conversations focus only on the gap itself, the bigger issue is often pressure management.

If pressure isn’t being managed effectively, your pelvic floor may compensate.

That can contribute to symptoms during exercise and daily life.

The Cleveland Clinic offers a helpful overview of diastasis recti and postpartum recovery:

Cleveland Clinic: Diastasis Recti Overview

How C-Section Recovery Can Affect Exercise

Many women are surprised to learn that a C-section can affect exercise years later.

A cesarean birth involves multiple layers of tissue being surgically opened and repaired.

The body responds by creating scar tissue.

Scar tissue is important because it helps close and heal the surgical site.

However, scar tissue doesn’t always stay localized.

In clinical practice, women frequently experience restrictions that affect how abdominal muscles move and activate.

This doesn’t mean something is wrong.

It simply means your body may need support.

The goal isn’t temporary relief—it’s long-term strength.

When scar tissue limitations are addressed appropriately, women often notice improvements in movement, exercise performance, and overall confidence.

Myth: If It’s Been Years Since Baby, It’s Too Late

One of the biggest misconceptions women believe is that postpartum recovery has an expiration date.

It doesn’t.

Many women seek help:

Two years postpartum
Five years postpartum
Ten years postpartum
Even longer

And they still make meaningful progress.

Your body remains adaptable.

Strength can improve.

Movement can improve.

Symptoms can improve.

You deserve better than fear-based advice that tells you to simply accept discomfort as your new normal.

Signs You May Benefit From Pelvic Floor Assessment

Consider seeking support if you:

Experience leakage during exercise

Whether it’s a few drops or a larger amount, leakage is a sign that your body may need support.

Feel pressure or heaviness

A sensation of heaviness during workouts should not be ignored.

Can’t progress your workouts

If every exercise feels too hard or causes symptoms, there may be an underlying issue worth addressing.

Have a history of C-section, tearing, or episiotomy

Scar tissue and healing patterns can influence long-term function.

Feel confused about where to start

You don’t need to guess your way through recovery.

Understanding your body creates confidence.

Practical Steps to Rebuild Strength

1. Stop judging yourself

Your body has been through tremendous changes.

Recovery is not a reflection of your worth.

2. Focus on quality movement

More exercise isn’t always better.

Better movement often produces better results.

3. Address symptoms early

Leaking, pressure, pain, and difficulty progressing are signals worth investigating.

4. Get professional guidance

Pelvic floor physical therapy can help identify the root cause of symptoms and create a plan tailored to your goals.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has published extensive research supporting pelvic floor muscle rehabilitation for women experiencing pelvic floor dysfunction:

National Institutes of Health (NIH) Research Library

The Bottom Line

If returning to exercise feels harder than it should, don’t assume you’re failing.

And don’t assume your body is broken.

Many women are unknowingly dealing with pelvic floor dysfunction, scar tissue restrictions, pressure management challenges, or other postpartum recovery issues that were never fully addressed.

This is about more than symptom management.

It’s about helping your body function the way it was designed to.

There are answers.

There is a path forward.

And you don’t have to figure it out alone.

If you’re tired of conflicting advice online and want a clear roadmap, explore the No Kegels University® Method and learn how to build lasting strength and confidence.

Not sure what your next step should be?

Complete the Your Pelvic Floor’s Next Step form and receive guidance tailored to your current symptoms and goals:

Pelvic Floor Next Step

Healing isn’t about perfection. It’s about understanding, consistency, and progression. If you’re ready for support, I’d love to help.

September 26, 2026/0 Comments/by bthevwomenshealth

Why is No One Talking About Postpartum Recovery? What to Really Expect

Postpartum Recovery

If you’ve ever sat on your living room floor, laughed a little too hard, and realized you leaked a bit, you’ve probably heard a friend or family member say, “Oh, that’s just what happens after you have kids.” You might look around at your group of mom friends, see everyone nodding along to jokes about wearing dark pants or avoiding trampolines, and think you just have to accept this as your new reality.

It can be incredibly frustrating to feel like you aren’t supported in your journey or validated in your struggles. You listen to women wonder why no one talks about leaking, or how they should properly recover after having a baby, and it makes you feel entirely isolated.

Here is the honest truth: Just because a symptom is common does not mean it is something you have to accept as your new normal.

Your body is not broken. Most women were never taught this, but you do not have to just live with physical discomfort, leaking, or pain just because you brought a beautiful life into the world. You deserve better than fear-based advice or silence from the medical community.

Let’s break down what true postpartum recovery looks like and what you should actually expect when it comes to your pelvic floor health.

Understanding Your Pelvic Floor and Postpartum Recovery

To understand your recovery, we have to look at the anatomy that did the heavy lifting for nine months. The pelvic floor is a bowl-shaped group of muscles sitting at the base of your pelvis. It supports your bladder, uterus, and bowel, plays an important role in core stability, and directly impacts intimacy.

During pregnancy, these muscles experience increasing pressure and major physical changes, and childbirth can place additional stress on them.

APTA Pelvic Health explains that stress placed on the pelvic floor during pregnancy and childbirth can contribute to urinary or bowel leakage, pelvic pain, constipation, and painful sex postpartum. Pelvic-floor-trained physical therapy may be recommended when these symptoms continue after birth. (APTA Academy of Pelvic Health)

Yet, the standard medical model may offer limited guidance on how to actually rebuild muscle coordination and function after pregnancy.

True postpartum recovery is a comprehensive process that connects your physical base, your nervous system, and your overall women’s wellness. Understanding your body creates confidence, and that confidence is the first step toward reclaiming your strength.

Myth-Busting: The Lies Keeping Moms Stuck

There is a massive amount of misinformation floating around the internet regarding women’s health after childbirth. Let’s clear up a few of the most common myths:

Myth 1: Leaking is just a natural part of motherhood. Urinary leakage is common postpartum, but it can also be a sign that your pelvic floor needs support and rehabilitation.
Myth 2: If you didn’t have a vaginal birth, your pelvic floor is fine. Pregnancy itself changes posture, pressure management, abdominal function, and the demands placed on your pelvic floor regardless of how you delivered.
Myth 3: You just need to give it more time. Healing does take time, but persistent muscle weakness, tightness, poor coordination, or leaking may benefit from targeted rehabilitation rather than waiting indefinitely.

The Root Cause of Postpartum Pelvic Floor Dysfunction

Why do these symptoms happen in the first place?

Often, the problem involves how the pelvic floor coordinates with the rest of your core and manages pressure inside your abdomen.

When you breathe, lift your baby, or exercise, your core muscles—including your diaphragm, abdominals, and pelvic floor—need to work together like a synchronized system.

If your pelvic floor muscles remain tight and guarded, they may struggle to respond appropriately to movement and pressure. Conversely, if they are weak or poorly coordinated, they may have difficulty supporting your organs or controlling pressure during activities like coughing, jumping, or lifting.

This pressure-management piece can contribute to symptoms such as leaking and feelings of instability.

This is about more than symptom management. The goal isn’t temporary relief—it’s long-term strength. To heal, we have to address how these muscles function as a unit.

Practical Action Steps for True Healing

You don’t need a grueling workout routine to start supporting your recovery. Begin with these foundational shifts:

1. Stop Gripping Your Stomach

Many moms constantly hold their breath or suck in their stomachs out of habit or body-image insecurities.

Practice allowing your abdomen to relax as you breathe rather than keeping your core braced all day.

2. Tune In to the Piston Breath

Sit comfortably and place your hands on your lower ribs.

Inhale slowly, allowing your ribs and abdomen to expand. Notice whether your pelvic floor can soften with the inhale.

As you exhale naturally, feel your ribs and abdominal wall gently recoil.

The goal isn’t to force movement—it’s to rebuild awareness and coordination.

3. Assess Your Lifting Habits

When you pick up your baby, car seat, or groceries, notice whether you automatically hold your breath.

Try exhaling through the hardest part of the lift instead. This can help your core and pelvic floor coordinate pressure more effectively.

You Deserve Root-Cause Healing

Navigating life after having kids is a beautiful, chaotic, and demanding season. It is incredibly easy to lose yourself in motherhood and forget to care for the very body that carried you through it.

Please hear me: your health, your comfort, and your physical confidence matter.

Understanding how your body functions is an empowering journey, and you do not have to walk it alone or in silence.

If leaking, pelvic pain, pressure, painful intimacy, or difficulty returning to exercise continues postpartum, consider talking with a pelvic floor physical therapist who can evaluate what your specific body needs.

If you’re ready to stop guessing and start understanding your body, schedule an appointment to create a personalized plan that addresses the root cause—not just the symptoms.

Pelvic Floor Next Step

September 23, 2026/0 Comments/by bthevwomenshealth

Why Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy Should Be Standard After Childbirth

Postpartum Recovery

After childbirth, many women are left dealing with symptoms like:

Leaking urine
Pain with intimacy
Pelvic pressure
Core weakness

And yet, most are never referred to pelvic floor physical therapy.

This creates a gap between what your body needs and what care is actually provided.

Most women were never taught that this support exists—but it absolutely should.

What Standard Recovery Looks Like in Other Conditions

In nearly every orthopedic case:

Physical therapy starts immediately
Movement is guided and progressive
Milestones determine readiness for activity
Symptoms are monitored closely

After surgery, rehab is not optional—it’s standard.

But postpartum recovery often lacks this structure.

Even though the body has experienced:

Surgical-level healing (C-section)
Muscle and tissue trauma
Nervous system adaptation
Major biomechanical changes

Why Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy Matters

Pelvic floor physical therapy addresses:

Muscle coordination
Core integration
Pressure management
Scar tissue mobility
Strength and endurance balance

Without it, symptoms can persist for years.

The Cleveland Clinic recognizes pelvic floor dysfunction as a common condition affecting bladder, bowel, and sexual function:
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/14400-pelvic-floor-dysfunction

Why So Many Women Go Untreated

The average delay for pelvic floor treatment is 7–8 years.

Why?

Symptoms are normalized after birth
Women are told to “wait it out”
Lack of postpartum screening
Limited referral systems

But when the pelvic floor is not rehabilitated:

Compensation patterns develop
Symptoms become chronic
Confidence decreases over time

Understanding your body creates confidence and control again.

Action Steps

Ask about pelvic floor PT during postpartum visits
Don’t wait for symptoms to worsen
Seek evaluation early (even if symptoms feel “mild”)
Learn what normal recovery should feel like
Advocate for yourself in healthcare settings

Pelvic floor physical therapy should not be optional—it should be standard.

You deserve care that matches what your body has been through.

If you’re ready to stop guessing and start understanding your body, fill out your next step form:
👉 https://www.beyondthevbypauli.com/nextstep

You don’t need more random exercises. You need a strategy. Book an appointment and let’s create a plan designed specifically for your body and goals.

August 26, 2026/0 Comments/by bthevwomenshealth

Work vs. Worth: A Christian Mother’s Guide to Pelvic Healing and Self-Care

Faith & Healing

As Christian mothers, it is incredibly easy to confuse our sacred calling with a sentence to total self-extinguishment.

We read descriptions of the virtuous woman and picture a superhero who never sleeps, works around the clock, feeds her household from scratch, and handles every crisis with a flawless smile. We internalize the belief that if we aren’t constantly serving, sacrificing, and performing manual labor for our families, we are somehow falling short of our divine purpose.

This structural twist creates a devastating pattern in women’s health.

When a Christian mom begins experiencing debilitating postpartum symptoms—such as urinary incontinence, core separation, or a lack of pleasure and intimacy in marriage—she often buries it. She convinces herself that suffering in silence is just part of her cross to bear. She treats her body like an old workhorse, expecting it to continuously show up and perform while denying it the essential care, rest, and rehabilitation it desperately needs.

But I want to tell you something you may have never heard inside the walls of your church: Your body is not broken, and your work does not equal your worth.

Your Value Was Settled on the Cross

As a women’s health expert and pelvic floor physical therapist, I frequently have to step outside the purely clinical realm to address the spiritual mindsets keeping women trapped in physical dysfunction.

Many years ago, I had to confront this exact barrier in my own life. I was raised in a lineage of incredibly hard-working women who knew how to sacrifice. I naturally tied my value to my productivity. During a season where I was intensely pregnant, preparing for a holiday, and running multiple family businesses, my life coach asked me a question that felt like a physical slap in the face:

“Pauli, do you know that your value wouldn’t change if you decided to lay on the couch all day?”

My whole soul rebelled against that idea. Lay on the couch? Do nothing? That sounds like laziness, not holiness.

But the biblical truth is clear: Your worth is an immutable, unchanging reality established by God. You are an heiress and a queen, created intentionally in His image. Your value was fully settled on the cross. It does not increase when you bake perfect treats, and it does not decrease when your body requires you to stop, rest, and receive medical care.

Myth: Prioritizing Your Healing Is Selfish

Let’s dismantle a pervasive myth keeping Christian women stuck: Taking time to heal your pelvic floor or core is a selfish vanity project.

This couldn’t be further from the truth. According to clinical foundations taught by leading institutions like the Herman & Wallace Pelvic Rehab Institute, pelvic floor dysfunction significantly diminishes a woman’s quality of life, impacting her mental health, physical capabilities, and marital relationship.

Taking care of your physical vessel isn’t selfish; it is a matter of stewardship. God designed your body to be powerful, resilient, and capable of experiencing joy. When you refuse to address physical symptoms out of a false sense of martyrdom, you are denying yourself the vibrant health required to fully live out your calling. This is about more than symptom management—it is about honoring the design of your Creator.

Root-Cause Healing and Marital Intimacy

We cannot talk about women’s health in Christian motherhood without addressing the sacred space of marriage.

Many women suffer from painful intimacy after childbirth or feel intense shame because pelvic floor trauma has stripped away their physical pleasure. This creates a painful barrier to emotional and physical intimacy in marriage, leading to isolation, guilt, and marital strain.

Intimacy is a beautiful, God-given gift designed to bind a husband and wife together. If pain or leaking has stolen that gift, your body is not broken—it is simply crying out for targeted, root-cause pelvic floor physical therapy.

You deserve better than fear-based, dismissive advice that tells you to just accept a sexless or painful marriage as your new normal. Understanding your body creates confidence, and that confidence directly translates into a restored, joyful connection with your spouse.

How to Honor Your Body Today

The goal isn’t temporary relief—it’s long-term strength. If you are ready to step onto the journey of true, root-cause healing, start with these three faithful actions:

Practice Holy Rest: Intentionally carve out 10 minutes today to lie down and let your core relax. Remind yourself that the world will keep turning while you rest in His grace.
Audit Your Roles: Look at your duties as a mom and wife. Identify the parts you genuinely enjoy—like baking with your kids or reading together—and focus on the joy of those moments, rather than viewing them as a checklist to earn your worth.
Invest in Specialized Care: Stop ignoring the leaking, the heavy pressure, or the pain. Treat your body with the respect a temple of the Holy Spirit deserves by seeking specialized, root-cause physical therapy.

You are on a journey, and you don’t have to walk it alone. Your sisters, your friends, and the women standing next to you in the carpool lane are all navigating these exact same pressures. I am cheering you on every single step of the way.

You don’t need more random, generic exercises you found on social media. You need a comprehensive, evidence-informed strategy designed specifically for your unique body. If you’re ready for support, I’d love to help. Take the first step by filling out our brief assessment form today.

->Fill Out Your Core & Pelvic Floor’s Next Step Form

August 22, 2026/0 Comments/by bthevwomenshealth

Why Returning to Exercise After Having a Baby Feels So Hard (And the Surprising Role Your Pelvic Floor Plays)

Postpartum Recovery

Returning to exercise postpartum should feel empowering.

Instead, many women feel frustrated.

You start a workout program, only to discover that everything feels harder than expected. Maybe running causes discomfort. Maybe strength training feels impossible. Maybe you’re leaking when you exercise, experiencing pressure, or wondering why your body isn’t responding the way it used to.

If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone.

As a pelvic floor physical therapist, one of the most common things I hear from women is:

“I started exercising again, but everything feels hard.”

Or:

“I don’t know where to start.”

Or even:

“Everything I try feels either too aggressive or too easy.”

Most women assume they’re out of shape, getting older, or simply need to push harder.

But often, the real issue is something that hasn’t been addressed since pregnancy or childbirth.

Your body is not broken.

Most women were never taught this: difficulty returning to exercise postpartum is often connected to pelvic floor dysfunction, core dysfunction, scar tissue restrictions, or unresolved postpartum recovery challenges.

Understanding your body creates confidence—and confidence creates progress.

Why Exercise Postpartum Feels Different

Pregnancy changes your body.

Your abdominal muscles stretch.

Your pelvic floor supports a growing baby for months.

Your posture shifts.

Your breathing patterns change.

Your connective tissue adapts.

Then childbirth—whether vaginal or cesarean—places additional demands on your body.

Yet many women receive little guidance about how to rebuild strength afterward.

Instead, they’re often cleared for exercise at six weeks and left to figure things out alone.

The goal isn’t temporary relief—it’s long-term strength.

That means understanding what may be limiting your recovery.

The Pelvic Floor’s Role in Exercise

Your pelvic floor is a group of muscles that sits at the bottom of your core.

These muscles help:

Support your organs
Manage pressure inside your abdomen
Maintain continence
Stabilize your body during movement
Work alongside your abdominal muscles and diaphragm

When these muscles aren’t functioning well, exercise can become difficult.

You may experience:

Urine leakage during workouts
Pelvic heaviness or pressure
Core weakness
Difficulty progressing exercises
Back pain
Hip pain
Reduced endurance

According to the American Physical Therapy Association Pelvic Health Section, pelvic floor dysfunction can significantly impact physical activity and quality of life.

The Hidden “Leftover Issues” From Pregnancy

In Polly’s words, many women may be dealing with “leftover issues from pregnancy.”

These issues aren’t always obvious.

Sometimes the pelvic floor muscles aren’t activating when they’re supposed to.

Other times the muscles may be overworking, underworking, or struggling to coordinate with the rest of the core.

This can create a situation where every workout feels harder than it should.

You may constantly feel like you’re starting over.

Or you may plateau despite your best efforts.

Root-cause healing matters.

Rather than simply modifying workouts forever, it’s important to understand why your body is struggling in the first place.

The Connection Between Your Core and Pelvic Floor

Many women focus entirely on abdominal exercises after having a baby.

But your core is more than your abs.

Your core includes:

Diaphragm
Deep abdominal muscles
Pelvic floor
Back muscles