6 postpartum exercise tips to get you moving again, safely - straight from the experts

Postpartum exercise can be seriously overwhelming, no matter how fit and strong you were before having a baby. In fact, it can often feel like doing nothing is the safest option, especially considering there's so much conflicting information out there. So, as we love to do here at WH, we asked the experts to break it down for us. Here's everything you need to know about postnatal exercise, from when to get back to it, to the best postpartum workouts.

Big stat alert: 624,828 babies were born in the UK in 2021. First time parent or not, that means there were also 613,936 women navigating the after-effects of giving birth. It also means congratulations are in order for you 624,828 (and everyone else who has joined the new mum club, since). You've grown and birthed a whole human: proof your body is an amazing thing.

We know that feeling proud is sometimes easier said than done, though. Research conducted by WH as part of our Project Body Love campaign confirmed that the post-pregnancy period can be a difficult time for reasons other than cementing feeding routines and sleep schedules: 43% of women surveyed said becoming a mum had a significant impact on their body confidence.

‘It was a massive shock to the system, going from being someone who identified as fit, strong and positive to not feeling any of those things,’ says Connie Simmonds, influencer and author of Healthy Forever, who’s charted the ups and downs of pregnancy and motherhood on Instagram since having her daughter Macie in April 2019.

As much as she adores Macie, adjusting to life as a mum without having the outlet of the gym has been tough. ‘For the first few weeks, I didn’t really recognise myself at all,’ says Connie. ‘It was difficult to know where to start when it came to getting back into fitness.’

Advice around postpartum exercise can be confusing, but there are a few clear-cut fitness rules to follow. Here's what you need to keep in mind.