When can you start exercising after giving birth?

What does the evidence say about exercise after birth during pregnancy?

1. Gentle walking is generally appropriate within the first two weeks after an uncomplicated vaginal birth, while higher-impact activity like running is typically staged in around 13 weeks postpartum using a structured, gradual return protocol. 1
2. The pelvic floor stretches to about 250% of its resting length during labor and can take up to six months to fully recover, which is a key reason impact activity is added back gradually rather than all at once. 1
3. After a cesarean birth, one study tracking daily steps and pain found it took an average of about 57 days for women to return to their pre-pregnancy level of daily activity, with each one-point increase in same-day pain linked to roughly 119 fewer steps that day. 2
4. Worsening vaginal bleeding, uterine or abdominal pain, or a noticeable increase in lochia (postpartum bleeding) during or after activity are signs to stop and get evaluated before continuing a return-to-exercise routine. 3
5. Extending postpartum leave from 6 to 12 weeks did not change fitness test outcomes in one study of servicewomen, suggesting that gradual, individualized reconditioning matters more than the exact amount of rest time, and that fitness continues improving for months after birth for most women. 4

Is exercise after birth safe in each trimester?

• First trimester. In the first couple of weeks after an uncomplicated vaginal birth, gentle walking and pelvic floor activation are generally fine as soon as you feel ready, often within the first days. After a cesarean birth, this stage is about short walks to support recovery and lower the chance of complications like blood clots, not structured exercise, and lifting anything heavier than your baby is usually off the table.
• Second trimester. The six-week postpartum visit is the traditional checkpoint for medical clearance before resuming a structured routine, though recovery is individual: one study of cesarean recovery found it took an average of about 57 days for activity levels to return to baseline, with more pain on a given day tracking with noticeably fewer steps that day. This is a reasonable point to add light strength and core work if your provider has cleared you and nothing feels wrong.
• Third trimester. Higher-impact activities like running are typically staged in gradually, often starting around 13 weeks or later with a structured, walk-run style progression rather than jumping back in all at once. The pelvic floor stretches significantly during labor and can take up to six months to fully recover, which is part of why impact activity is built up in stages instead of resumed all at once.