How to begin running after birth
Taryn Gaudin Women’s Health Physio
How to begin running after birth
don’t risk unnecessary injury or prolapse – run safely after birth –
What happens if I begin running too soon after birth?
The pelvic floor muscles are a group of muscles that form a sling that creates the floor to our pelvic ring and the base of our pelvic bowl. The muscles of the pelvic floor attach from the pubic bone at the front, to the coccyx (tail bone) at the back, and to the ischial tuberosity (sit bones) on the left and right of the pelvis. There are two layers of muscles that make up the pelvic floor muscles; the deep pelvic floor muscular layer that makes up the internal muscles of the pelvic floor and the superficial layer that make up the external layer of the pelvic floor. The deep pelvic floor muscles are responsible for providing ‘lift’ to the pelvic organs and supporting the connective tissue of the pelvis. The superficial muscles help to give added closure to the vagina and the anus.
Physically the pelvic floor has a significant role in:
- Maintaining continence – stopping leakage from the bladder and bowel
- Sexual pleasure – orgasm
- Supporting the pelvic organs – bladder, bowel, uterus in place
Physiotherapists often talk about ‘running safely after birth’ and not running too soon after birth. But what is it that women are actually risking if they begin running too quickly after delivering a baby? Returning to high impact exercise too soon after birth can put increased pressure onto our pelvic floor, and can put our body at risk of developing Pelvic Organ Prolapse, worsening incontinence, and creating other secondary musculoskeletal issues like back pain and pelvic pain. In order to minimise risk, and to create an enjoyable postpartum running journey, a gradual progression towards running needs to take place. Building pelvic stability and deep core strength, and allowing the body time to heal naturally is part of this gradual progression.
How do I know if I am ready to run after birth?
Often, women are told at that their postpartum 6 week check if they are ‘ready to return to exercise’. However, your ‘6 week check’ tells you very little in regards to your ‘readiness’ to return to exercise. One of the biggest considerations for returning to running is the condition of your core and pelvic floor.
To understand the strength and condition of your pelvic floor, I recommend a detailed INTERNAL vaginal pelvic floor examination from a Pelvic Floor Physiotherapist. A pelvic floor physiotherapist can give you an indication of the strength, co-ordination, and endurance of the pelvic floor muscles; along with the pelvic organs are sitting, and the condition of the fascia and ligaments that support the pelvic floor organs.
Some women don’t have access to a Women’s Health Physiotherapist, and some women don’t want to have this assessment done. That’s OK! In the Run Mama program I will give you all the details of how you can tell if you are able to contract your pelvic floor muscles using multiple ‘self assessment techniques’.
I also recommend having a therapist who knows running! Having a Pelvic Floor therapist check the condition of your pelvic floor is a quite separate thing to having someone guide your return to running after birth. You want both a therapist who understands postnatal pelvic floor health, and running!
Evidence based clinical guidelines suggest that before beginning running women should be able to:
- Walk at least 30 minutes comfortably
- Contract the pelvic floor muscles fully for 6-8 seconds, for 8-12 contractions
- Perform 10 single leg squats in a row on each leg, stand on one leg for 10 seconds comfortably (left & right), and do
- Perform a sub-maximal (half way lift) pelvic floor contraction for at least 60 seconds
- Run on the spot comfortably for 1 minute
Building strength and stability with running in mind
How soon after birth can I begin running?
Warning signs to look out for

How else do I care for my pelvic floor?
IMPROVE YOUR TOILET POSTURE:
- Sit with the knees higher than the hips, preferably by using some kind of stool/foot support. The neural pathways that help us to press up onto our toes are the same as those that help to maintain continence. Think about young children who dance on their tip-toes when they need to use the bathroom – this is one of our body’s natural ways to stop us from leaking. This is why a stool is preferred so that we don’t have to work against this natural neural pathway.
- Have the knees slightly wider than the hips to allow for a gentle lean forward from the hip joint and an open outlet.
- Keep the back relatively straight to avoid compression on the abdomen.
- Allow the belly to soften and bulge.
- Don’t push, simply allow the bowel motion to fall away naturally.
MAINTAIN ADEQUATE HYDRATION
- Enure you are well hydrated so that your bowel motions are soft and easy to pass
- You can tell by the colour of your urine if you are well hydrated – a pale straw coloured urine indicates good levels of hydration. Anything darker, you can drink more fluids. Anything lighter is not a problem, but you can drink less if you like.
LISTEN TO YOUR BODY DURING EXERCISE
If you are feeling prolapse symptoms either during exercise, or after exercise, it is recommended that you stop and modify that exercise in some way. In some instances you may need to take a break from a particular exercise and slowly build up to it again. Some of the most challenging exercises that women find aggravate prolapse symptoms include:
- High impact exercises like running
- CrossFit
- Weighted exercises like gym classes or free weights, and
- Strong deep core exercises like sit-ups, V-sits and some pilates style exercises