Hypopressive Exercise for Early Postpartum Healing
Post Partum Mini Series
Part One: How to Speed Up Postpartum Recovery
Part Two: Hypopressive Exercises for Early Postpartum Healing
Part Three: When Can I Start Running Postpartum?
Part Four: How to Relieve Neck Pain From Breastfeeding
Ah, the early post partum phase: Your abs are still open, you’re still leaking when you cough or sneeze, your vagina still feels weird like something could fall out of it, you’re longing to wear your pre pregnancy clothes again, sex hurts, and your back aches… yet you ignore all of that and pretend it’s not happening as you pour every ounce of your energy into being a mom and taking care of everyone else.
Your kid(s) want your attention at all times, you have a million errands to run, the house is a mess, and work is piling up faster than you can say “where did the day go?!”
Are you putting off investing in your health because you’re afraid you won’t find the time to follow through?
Sound familiar?
Here’s the thing: Small frequent “mini workouts" a few times per day will lead to BIG RESULTS over time, when done consistently. It doesn’t have to be perfect, and it can look different every day.
What do these small frequent "mini workouts" entail? It's called Hypopressive Training. Combining specific breath work with various postures to trigger involuntary activation of your deep core muscles is a game changer for postpartum healing.
Let’s talk about what your postpartum body actually needs in order to heal properly. She needs a reduction in abdominal pressure, she needs her pelvic organs to lift, she needs her abdominal fascia to tighten, and she needs her spine to decompress. All of this can be achieved through 2-5 min sessions of Hypopressive Training, that occur a few times per day. You can do this with your baby and no, you don't need to schedule a big chunk of time to exercise. In the early postpartum phase, small frequent mini sessions actually lead to better results than one longer daily session.
The early postpartum phase lasts for about four months after giving birth and it’s one of the most vulnerable times for your body. After carrying a baby for 10 months and going through birth, your core and pelvic floor have been stretched to their limit. The strength you need to feel stable again often doesn’t just come back on its own—you have to rebuild it, and how you go about this rebuilding process matters a lot. And the sooner you start, the better.
Here’s the truth: the exercises most moms jump into during this time—like crunches, running, or jumping—can actually do more harm than good. They increase abdominal pressure, putting strain on your core and pelvic floor before they’re ready. That strain can lead to injuries like diastasis recti, pelvic organ prolapse, or chronic back pain.
So, what should you do instead? Focus on exercises that reduce pressure in your abdomen, decompress your spine, lift your pelvic organs, and gently reawaken your deep core muscles. Practicing hypopressive exercise postpartum is the most effective healing method I've found in my personal and professional experience.
Why Hypopressive Training is the Best Exercise for Postpartum Recovery
Hypopressive Training is not your typical workout. It's a technique that combines specific breathing patterns and postures to reflexively activate your deep core muscles. Instead of “pushing harder” or “feeling the burn,” you can learn to work smarter—using your breath and body positioning to heal your core and pelvic floor from the inside out. Hypopressive Training is an incredibly effective technique no matter how far postpartum you are. But if you start it in early postpartum phase, you will heal so much faster.
Here’s what Hypopressive Training does for the postpartum body:
- Tightens your abdominal fascia for a slimmer waist and toned abs
- Decompresses your spine (a must after pregnancy!)
- Lifts and re-centers your pelvic organs (to prevent or resolve prolapse)
- Boosts whole-body circulation
- Regulates your nervous system and builds stress tolerance
- Strengthens and closes your abdominal muscles
- Heals your pelvic floor
Building functional strength postpartum through Hypopressive Training allows you to lift your kids confidently, feel steady in your body, get to the bathroom time, stay dry without leaking, and prevents long-term issues like prolapse and back pain. And yes, you'll feel amazing in your old jeans too!
My Favorite Hypopressive Positions for Early Postpartum
During your first four months after giving birth, there are specific hypopressive positions that support healing the most, while keeping you comfortable. I have five favorite hypopressive positions based on working with hundreds of postpartum moms—they're gentle yet powerful for healing and strengthen your deep core muscles like nothing else!
Simply choose a position and perform 3-5 rounds of hypopressive breathing in it. Repeat in a few other positions 3-4 x/day. When I was early postpartum, I would practice a few rounds of hypopressive breathing in a single position right before meals, my daughter's naptime, and her bedtime. Sometimes she was on the floor next to me, sometimes she was sleeping in her crib. Either way, I made sure to get it in every day, and it made all the difference for me.
Here are my five favorite postpartum hypopressive positions:
- Laying on your back with arms over chest - perfect when you're tired and need to lay down.
- Laying down with arms in 'Y' - adds a gentle upper body stretch, great to reverse the effects of breastfeeding
- All fours on forearms - helps decompress your spine and lift your organs.
- All fours (aka Quadruped) - takes pressure off your pelvic floor, try with baby underneath you.
- Seated with legs crossed - ideal to strengthen your spine and activate lower abs
These positions work for every body type and recovery stage. You can practice them between feedings, during naptime, or whenever you have a few minutes to yourself. The key is starting slow and listening to your body.
See examples of all these exercises in real time, along with other great early postpartum exercises here.
Note: if you had a c-section, please wait 3 months to perform apnea. You can still do these hypopressive exercises after a c-section, simply just focus on the decompression breathing without apnea.
Real Results from Real Moms
Professional athlete and mom of two, Alana Blanchard, credits Hypopressive Training with transforming her body postpartum, speeding up her recovery, and improving her performance as a pro surfer. She’s not the only one.
“I have lost a total of 8 inches from my waist and stomach, healed my diastasis and bladder issues and am having greater sex. I am 9+ months postpartum and I am thrilled with my results. Angie has so many great resources between her sessions, videos, Instagram and website. Her teachings have completely changed the way I look at fitness and health.”— Brooke A.
You don’t need to guess your way through postpartum recovery.
I’ve taught hypopressive exercise for over a decade, and I’ve seen this technique change lives. Hundreds of women have healed their core, strengthened their pelvic floor, and reclaimed confidence in their bodies. And I’ve experienced these results firsthand in my own postpartum journey.
Inside The Core Recovery Method®, I teach you step-by-step how to safely practice hypopressive exercise postpartum so you can heal at home, on your schedule.
Remember, the first four months postpartum aren’t the time to “push through” or rush back into high-impact workouts. The pressure from crunches, sit-ups, running, and jumping can delay your recovery—or worse, cause lasting injuries.
Instead, focusing on "mini workout sessions" using techniques like hypopressives help to rebuild your strength from the inside out. Hypopressive exercise safely targets the areas that need it most—your abdominals and pelvic floor—so you can get back to having a body that functions, feels and looks the way you want.
