Gentle Stretching Routines to Aid in Postpartum Recovery

5 May 2025

Let’s be real—postpartum recovery is basically like the Olympics for your body… only without the cheering crowds, gold medals, or even a decent nap. Your body literally made a human (bravo, by the way), and now it’s asking for just a smidge of TLC. But you can’t exactly sprint back to your old workout routine. Oh no. What you need are soft, gentle, and frankly, non-terrifying stretches to help you heal, regain strength, and maybe—just maybe—feel like a semblance of yourself again.

Grab your yoga mat (or that questionable towel you’ve been pretending isn’t covered in baby spit-up), and let’s talk about how to stretch your way toward recovery without breaking a sweat—or your sanity.

Why Stretching Postpartum is a Big Deal

Here’s the thing: childbirth is no joke. Whether you delivered vaginally or via C-section, your body just went through a WWE-worthy performance. Your pelvic floor muscles might be giving you the silent treatment, your back is throwing passive-aggressive fits from all the baby holding, and don’t even get me started on your poor abs.

Stretching helps increase blood flow, release tension, and improve flexibility. Think of it as giving your body a big, gentle hug. Plus, it can help you avoid feeling like Frankenstein when you shuffle out of bed at 2 a.m. for the tenth time. (Seriously, do babies even sleep?)

Before you dive in, though, remember to consult with your healthcare provider to make sure your body’s ready for some movement. And no, “running after a toddler” does not count as a warm-up.

Stretching Safety 101

Before we jump into the fun stuff, let’s cover the boring-but-important rules for stretching postpartum.

1. Take it Slow: 'Slow and steady wins the race' isn’t just your toddler’s motto for eating peas. Start small and gentle—your body’s been through enough trauma.

2. Listen to Your Body: If it hurts, stop. Your body isn’t playing hard to get; it’s telling you to back off.

3. Breathe, for the Love of All That’s Holy: Don’t turn into a human pretzel while holding your breath. Inhale and exhale deeply to help your muscles relax.

4. Consistency Over Intensity: Doing a little stretching every day is way better than one epic session that makes you question your life choices.

Gentle Stretching Routines for Postpartum Recovery

1. Cat-Cow Stretch: Because Your Back Deserves Better

This one’s for that poor back of yours. All the breastfeeding, baby rocking, and awkward sleeping angles have probably turned your spine into a bundle of knots. Enter the Cat-Cow Stretch, your new best friend.

How to Do It:
- Get on all fours (pretend you’re a toddler—it’s not a stretch for your imagination).
- Inhale as you arch your back and lift your head and tailbone. (This is the “cow” part, not the insult.)
- Exhale as you round your back, tuck your chin, and pull your belly button toward your spine (hello, “cat”).
- Repeat 5–10 times, or as long as the baby isn’t crying.

Why It’s Amazing: This stretch improves flexibility in your spine and releases tension in your back. Bonus: It feels ridiculously good, like your back just got a spa day.

2. Child’s Pose: Your Moment of Zen (and Sanity)

Ironically, this stretch has nothing to do with children behaving. But it’s a heavenly way to stretch your lower back, hips, and thighs without requiring Cirque du Soleil-level flexibility.

How to Do It:
- Kneel on the floor, sit your hips back onto your heels, and stretch your arms forward on the mat.
- Rest your forehead on the mat (or just think about how much you miss sleep).
- Hold for 30 seconds or longer—because let’s face it, you deserve a break.

Why It’s Amazing: This pose gently stretches your body while also giving you a moment to breathe and pretend you’re on a beach somewhere.

3. Pelvic Tilts: Your Core’s Gentle Comeback

Think of pelvic tilts as your post-baby core’s version of dipping its toes into the water. You’re not doing crunches (heaven forbid), but you’re giving those abdominal muscles a kind reminder that they exist.

How to Do It:
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
- Inhale to prepare.
- Exhale as you tilt your pelvis upward, gently pressing your lower back into the floor.
- Inhale as you return to the starting position.
- Repeat 10–15 times, feeling like the fitness goddess you are.

Why It’s Amazing: It’s the ultimate low-impact move to help strengthen your pelvic floor and lower abs without making you wince.

4. Seated Forward Fold: The Hamstring Whisperer

Those tight hamstrings from all the sitting (or collapsing) you’ve been doing? Time to give them some love.

How to Do It:
- Sit on the floor with your legs extended straight out in front of you.
- Gently hinge forward at the hips (no rounding your back, please).
- Reach your hands toward your feet—don’t worry if they don’t actually get there. Your toes will forgive you.
- Hold for 20–30 seconds, or until you’re questioning why you ever stopped stretching in the first place.

Why It’s Amazing: Stretching your hamstrings can take some of the pressure off your lower back. It’s like giving your whole body a reset button.

5. Happy Baby Pose: Because Aren’t All Babies Happy? (LOL)

This pose is as ridiculous as it sounds, but it’s great for loosening up your hips and lower back.

How to Do It:
- Lie on your back and bring your knees toward your chest.
- Grab the outsides of your feet (or your ankles, if you’re not quite there yet).
- Gently pull your knees down toward the floor, keeping your feet flexed.
- Rock side to side if you’re feeling fancy—just don’t roll into your laundry pile.
- Hold for 30 seconds or longer, or until someone inevitably interrupts you.

Why It’s Amazing: It stretches your hips, groin, and lower back while making you feel like a carefree toddler again… if only for a moment.

6. Neck Stretch: Because You’ve Been Looking Down at That Baby for Hours

Neck pain from staring at your adorable bundle of joy (or your phone at 3 a.m.) is no joke. Let’s fix it.

How to Do It:
- Sit or stand up straight (bonus points if you’re not holding a baby while doing this).
- Gently tilt your head to one side, bringing your ear toward your shoulder.
- Hold for 10–15 seconds, then switch sides.
- For an extra stretch, gently press your hand on the side of your head.

Why It’s Amazing: It relieves neck and shoulder tension, which is basically a gift straight from the gods after carrying a baby—or diaper bag—all day.

Tips for Staying Consistent

Let’s face it—life postpartum is chaotic at best and a circus act at worst. So how do you actually carve out time for these stretches?

- Multitask Like a Boss: Do some stretches while the baby naps or during tummy time. (Who says moms can’t multitask?)
- Set a Timer: A quick 10-minute stretching session is all it takes.
- Forgive Yourself: Didn’t stretch today? That’s okay. Your body’s not keeping score.

Final Thoughts

Postpartum recovery isn’t about bouncing back—it’s about stepping forward (albeit slowly and with a lot of caffeine). Gentle stretching can help you rebuild strength, improve flexibility, and feel a little more like yourself again. And hey, it’s also a great excuse to tell your partner, “I’m busy taking care of me, so can you handle diaper duty?”

Now, go grab that yoga mat or spot on the floor that doesn’t have toys all over it, and take some time to honor the amazing, life-giving superhero that you are.