Up to Date evidence
Postpartum Exercise Just Got a Major Update — And It’s About Time
Davenport, M. H., Ruchat, S.-M., Jaramillo Garcia, A., Ali, M. U., Forte, M., Beamish, N., Fleming, K., Adamo, K. B., Brunet-Pagé, É., Chari, R., Lane, K. N., Mottola, M. F., & Neil-Sztramko, S. E.
(2025). 2025 Canadian guideline for physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep throughout the first year postpartum.
For years, postpartum women have been told to “wait,” to “rest,” and to avoid exercise until their 6-week check-up — and even then, only with caution. But thanks to the tireless work of researchers like Dr. Marty Davenport and her team, we now have clear, evidence-based guidelines that finally support what we’ve known intuitively all along: movement is medicine — even after birth.
These newly published guidelines are a game-changer for how we support women in the weeks and months after giving birth. They challenge outdated restrictions and shift the focus toward encouraging physical activity — safely, progressively, and early.
So what does the evidence actually say?
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Move sooner, feel better
Reducing sedentary time and encouraging appropriate movement in the early postpartum period is now recognised as having significant physical and mental health benefits. This includes better healing, more energy, and improved ability to care for your baby and yourself.
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120 minutes a week is meaningful
The recommendation? Aim for at least 120 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week in the early postpartum phase (within the first 12 weeks). This isn’t about smashing workouts — it’s about gradually collecting movement over time. The benefit? Measurable reductions in perinatal mood disorders, improved sleep quality, and enhanced mental health.
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Resistance training and running? Yes — with guidance.
Return to strength training or running is considered safe once incisions or perineal tears are healed and vaginal bleeding is stable. It should still be individualised, symptom-aware, and gently progressed — but the fear-based avoidance model is no longer supported by evidence.
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It’s about healing — not restrictions.
This doesn’t mean ignoring your body or pushing through pain. If symptoms worsen with movement, further screening with your GP or pelvic floor physio is essential. But in the absence of complications, the message is clear: you are allowed to move. In fact, you’re encouraged to.
What This Means for You at Strong Foundations Physiotherapy
This is the kind of change we love to see — because it aligns with what we already offer:
- Holistic, tailored care that recognises physical, emotional, and mental health as interconnected.
- Supportive guidance through safe, evidence-based return to movement — not restriction or fear.
- Realistic, mum-life-aware plans that fit around your baby, your sleep, and your energy.
As a women’s health physiotherapist and mum myself, I know how confusing and isolating the postpartum period can feel. These new guidelines give us the green light — not just to move, but to move with confidence, purpose, and support.
You don’t need to bounce back.
You don’t need to wait in limbo.
You just need someone to walk alongside you — with knowledge, compassion, and a plan.
Let’s rebuild your strength — not only because you want to feel good again, but because you deserve to.
Resistance Training in Pregnancy: What the Latest Evidence Tells Us
Prevett, C., Gingerich, J., Sivak, A., & Davenport, M. H. (2024). Resistance training in pregnancy: Systematic review and meta-analysis of pregnancy, delivery, fetal and pelvic floor outcomes and call to action. Journal of Women's Health & Physical Therapy.
We’ve long known that movement during pregnancy is beneficial, but new research is now shining a spotlight on the power of resistance training as a standalone or combined intervention for improving both maternal and fetal outcomes. And the results are exciting.
What the Research Shows:
A recent systematic review of over 70 studies looked at resistance training during pregnancy, either on its own or as part of a broader physical activity program. Here’s what they found:
Reduced risk of gestational hypertension
Lower rates of perinatal complications
Reduced incidence of cesarean delivery
These benefits mirror what we’ve seen in the aerobic training literature, but now we’re seeing similar outcomes with targeted resistance-based interventions. This is a massive step forward for empowering women to train safely and effectively during pregnancy.
But There’s a Catch And It Matters
While the outcomes are promising, the quality of resistance training interventions in the studies was… underwhelming.
Most programs used low to low-moderate intensity exercises.
Progression of load or challenge was almost non-existent, only one study described increasing resistance, and that was just tightening a theraband.
There was very little detail on actual exercise selection, form, or prescription, making replication or clinical translation difficult.
In many cases, the exercise stimulus was so low it wouldn’t reasonably create musculoskeletal adaptation, the type needed to support strength, posture, and pelvic health in the perinatal period.
This reveals a major gap: we desperately need well-designed studies using appropriately dosed, progressive resistance training in pregnant populations, especially ones that explore moderate to high intensity programs, safely and under supervision.
What About the Pelvic Floor?
Despite the strong assumptions made in clinical practice, there is little to no direct evidence in this review about how resistance training affects pelvic floor dysfunction. This is another area calling for further research, not assumptions.
What It Means for Mums at Strong Foundations Physiotherapy
At Strong Foundations, we don’t just encourage resistance training , we specialise in it.
As a women’s health physiotherapist, I design safe, individualised, and progressive strength programs for pregnancy and postpartum that:
Support pelvic floor and core function
Build strength for labour, birth, and recovery
Reduce the risk of common complications
Improve energy, sleep, and confidence
Prepare your body for the demands of motherhood
We're not here to wrap women in bubble wrap. We're here to help you train smart, move well, and feel strong, because your body is capable of amazing things.
We’re also strong believers that we’re all older adults in training. Building strength now pays off for decades to come, from pregnancy through to active ageing.
If you're pregnant or postpartum and want to move with confidence and expert support, we’d love to help.
What Needs to Change in Diastasis Recti (DRA) Rehab in 2025
Beamish, N. F., Davenport, M. H., Ali, M. U., Gervais, M. J., Sywed, T. N., Bains, G., Sivak, A., Deering, R. E., & Ruchat, S.-M. (2024). Impact of postpartum exercise on pelvic floor disorders and diastasis recti abdominis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
The way we assess and treat DRA in postpartum women is evolving, and for good reason. Outdated methods are giving way to more functional, strength focused approaches. Here are three shifts we’re embracing at Strong Foundations Physiotherapy:
1. Let Go of the Finger Gap Obsession
Traditional DRA assessments often focus solely on the number of finger widths between the rectus abdominis muscles using a “head lift test.” But here’s the truth:
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That measurement tells us very little about real world function.
What matters more is how well the abdominal wall loads, supports, and transmits force — not just what it looks like at rest. That’s why we focus on functional core strength, control, and tension, not just the space between your abs.
2. Stop Getting Stuck in Deep Core Activation
Yes, activating the deep core (like transversus abdominis and pelvic floor) is important, especially early in rehab. But we often stay here too long.
👉 Research is now showing that true strength and coordination of the entire core system matters more than just isolated deep core “engagement.”
At Strong Foundations, we move beyond the basics and progress our clients toward real world strength, lifting, and dynamic movement, safely and confidently.
3. Embrace Progressive Overload
The core is like any other muscle group, it needs progressive loading to adapt.
We now know that women with DRA can and should be guided into appropriately challenging, progressively overloaded strength work, especially in the postpartum period.
No more fear based restrictions. It’s time to train smart, with intention and progression.
And Yes — Kegels Still Have Their Place
There’s been a lot of noise online about whether Kegels are “outdated” or unnecessary. But the research continues to back their importance — when done appropriately.
A recent systematic review (2024) looked at 23 RCTs on pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) in the first year postpartum. It found that:
PFMT reduced urinary incontinence symptoms by 37%
PFMT reduced subjective symptoms of prolapse by 56%
👉 That’s significant.
Kegels are not the full story, but they are a critical foundation, especially in the early months after birth, and they support safe return to lifting, running, and all the other things mums want (and need) to do.
Our Approach at Strong Foundations Physiotherapy
We combine:
Functional core training that reflects how you move in real life
Pelvic floor muscle training that’s tailored, not templated
Progressive loading that builds confidence, not fear
A strong belief that your body is capable, adaptable, and not fragile
Whether you’re newly postpartum or months (or years) down the track, we’re here to help you rebuild strength, not limitations.