Why Pilates Is the Best Way to Regain Core Strength & Functional Movement Postpartum

If you’re a postpartum mom trying to rebuild core strength, you’ve probably heard all sorts of advice:
💬 “Do crunches!”
💬 “Avoid crunches forever!”
💬 “Lift heavy!”
💬 “Stick to gentle movement!”

It’s overwhelming. And most of it misses the point.

Here’s the truth: your core isn’t just weak—it’s been stretched, shifted, and reprogrammed. Pregnancy and birth change the way your body functions. That means you don’t just need to "get stronger"—you need to retrain your body from the inside out.

This is exactly why Pilates is one of the most effective ways to rebuild core strength, improve functional movement, and support long-term pelvic floor health after birth.

Why Pilates Works for Postpartum Recovery

A postpartum core isn’t like any other core—it’s been through a total transformation. Your deep abdominal muscles, pelvic floor, and stabilizers all need to learn how to work together again. Simply doing “core exercises” isn’t enough.

Classical Pilates is designed for this. It focuses on:

✅ Core Engagement That Matters: Pilates strengthens the deepest layers of your core, including the transverse abdominis—which acts like a built-in corset, supporting your spine and healing diastasis recti.

✅ Mind-Body Connection: Pregnancy and birth shift your movement patterns, posture, and muscle activation. Pilates helps you reconnect with your core and move in a way that supports, rather than strains, your body.

✅ Breathwork That Supports Your Core & Pelvic Floor: Your breathing affects everything—how you engage your core, manage intra-abdominal pressure, and support your pelvic floor. Pilates integrates intentional breathwork into every movement to help your muscles function at their best.

This is why nearly every diastasis recti healing protocol uses Pilates-based exercises—because they work.

The Difference Between Feeling Strong & Feeling Depleted

One of the biggest misconceptions about postpartum fitness is that harder is always better. If a workout leaves you feeling drained, achy, or disconnected from your body, it’s not helping you recover—it’s working against you.

Pilates is different.

A true classical Pilates session will leave you feeling better than when you started—more aligned, more connected, and more supported. Instead of pushing your body to exhaustion, Pilates helps you:

✔️ Strengthen without strain
✔️ Rebuild endurance in a way that feels good
✔️ Improve posture and mobility for everyday life

Unlike some workouts that leave you feeling depleted, Pilates gives you energy by helping your body work the way it was designed to.

Not All Pilates Is Created Equal—Choose the Right Teacher!

Pilates is an incredible tool for postpartum recovery, but only if it’s taught correctly. Unfortunately, not all Pilates-based workouts are designed with postpartum bodies in mind.

Here’s what to look for in a postpartum-safe Pilates class:
✔️ An instructor who understands core & pelvic floor health
✔️ A focus on breath, alignment, and deep core engagement (not just random “ab work”)
✔️ Exercises that improve how you move in daily life

Need more support? I've got you

If you’re ready to stop waiting for the perfect moment to move your body—and want short, feel-good workouts you can do while babywearing —join my free 5-day series:
The Babywearing Movement Reset