When can I Plank after Pregnancy? Guidelines

After giving birth, most women want to know “when” they can return to exercise. But very few actually know “how” to do that and jump straight back into their favorite activities. After all, they’ve been cleared to resume exercising, right! So why not just pick up where they left off?

A lack of strategy and guidance can often lead new moms to unknowingly do much more harm than good in the first few months after giving birth. Diastasis Recti, pelvic floor dysfunction, back pain, pelvic pain are so common after giving birth that there’s a good chance that you have experienced one of these issues.

Here are the statistics:

  • 100% of women at birth have some degree of abdominal separation

  • Approximately 40% of women have diastasis recti at 6 months after baby

  • Over 50% of women with diastasis have some form of pelvic floor dysfunction

  • 67% of women experience postpartum back pain immediately after giving birth, and 37% still have it a year later

  • 50% of postpartum women have some degree of prolapse

All these things can be prevented, improved, or corrected with the right strategy and exercises.

However, it's important to remember they can all be made worse with the wrong approach and by doing too much too soon!

The problems with front planks after pregnancy


1. After baby, your core is nothing like it used to be.

Front planks after pregnancy – problem #1

While going through pregnancy and having a baby is the biggest physical accomplishment a woman could ever have, it’s also a massive disruption on the body (from the inside out!)

As we saw in the previous article about planks and pregnancy, your body adapts to allow your baby to grow:

  • your rectus abdominis (6-pack muscle) stretches around 15 cm (6 inches) by the end of the pregnancy

  • the connective tissue of the abdominal midline (linea alba) thins and stretches

That’s just scratches the surface of all the changes that happened during pregnancy.

Once baby arrives, your abdominal muscles don't just snap back into place. Your abs and pelvic floor are stretched and weakened. Your core is still compromised. 

This weakness may be temporary, but you’ll need to be proactive to relearn how to manage the intra-abdominal pressure, balance your core muscles, and regain core strength.


2. A plank is a core exercise that puts a great deal of pressure on our abdominal wall. 

Front planks after pregnancy – problem #2

Diastasis recti or not, the front plank position puts a lot of pressure on your stretched ab midline and connective tissue. 

This creates an unsafe challenge for anyone with a compromised core, and which can be harmful if performed too soon or improperly.

It could: 

  • prevent your ab midline from healing,

  • develop a diastasis recti or worsen one,

  • prevent your pelvic floor from healing or worsen issues,

  • lead to back and pelvis injury,

3. Front planks are advanced exercises. No amount of time you wait will allow you to jump back into a full plank. ⁠ ⁠ 

Front planks after pregnancy – problem #3

Front planks are fantastic advanced full-body exercises, but they should be approached with caution after having a baby.

Planks can improve your stability and core function IF your body is ready to handle them. 

Simply waiting doesn’t prep your body to resume this kind of exercise. You need to restrengthen your core from the inside out, and have a strategy to return to plank safely after baby.

Let’s explore this route!

The solutions to resume front planks after pregnancy


1. First, you need to re-build your core foundation with a core rehab program based on abdominal breathing exercises.

Front planks after pregnancy – solution #1

When functioning correctly, your inner core system (made of your pelvic floor, transverse muscle, back stabilizers, diaphragm) works automatically.

Remember pre-baby, when you didn’t have to think of your pelvic floor before sneezing? 

During and after pregnancy, the ability of this system to work as it was intended becomes compromised. 

  • Your breathing pattern may be out of whack

  • Your core elements may not be synched anymore

  • Your pelvic floor and lower TA may be turned off

  • Your whole core system is out of balance

Your inner core is the foundation of every exercise or move that you do.

When you just had a baby, you will probably find that almost everything feels more challenging and more awkward because your core isn’t functional. It needs rehab.

New moms have to be proactive to reconnect, restrengthen and override the whole core system to regain, strengthen, and resync the entire system progressively.

Our breath is what connects our inner core system: pelvic floor, diaphragm, deep abs, and back muscles. That’s why to me, performing core exercises based on abdominal breathing is the best thing you can do to restrengthen your core strength and function after baby.


2. PROGRESSIVELY increase the load 

Front planks after pregnancy – solution #2

Front plank progression can begin once you learn to activate and connect your core.

Here’s a suggested progression - start with wall planks and work your way down this list:

  • Wall plank

  • Kitchen counter plank

  • Chair plank

  • Knee plank on your hands

  • Knee planks on your forearms

  • Full plank on your hands

  • Full plank on your forearms

Remember that quality and control are more important than duration, and it’s essential that you master each step before moving on to the next one. 

If you advance too quickly, then your core system may not be ready, and problems can arise.


3. Keep self-monitoring your core engagement and form

Front planks after pregnancy – solution #3

Helping women understand their bodies to be proactive and make informed decisions for themselves is how I work. 

Learning self-monitoring is critical to exercise safely after baby. 

Tune in, and keep asking these questions to yourself when exercising:

  • Can I breathe?

  • Do I see changes on my belly (coning/doming)?

  • Do I feel pressure or pain at the c-section incision?

  • Do I feel pressure or pain in my pelvic floor?

  • Do I feel pressure or pain in my back?

  • Is my form and core engagement correct?


4. What to do if you see coning or bulging while performing a plank

Front planks after pregnancy – solution #4

You can use a mirror or your phone on the mat under your tummy to check for any coning along your ab midline. 

  • Initially, engage your inner core (pelvic floor and TA) as you get in position.

  • your belly should flatten out as you hold the position

  • If your belly bulges or cones (turtle shell shape, or triangle shape), this is a sign your inner core is no longer engaged properly.

Here’s what should you do if you see bulging or coning while performing an exercise with proper form:

  • Don’t panic!

  • Restart, reset & be sure to activate your inner core first. If your superficial ab muscles fire first, then you can’t re-engage the correct muscles while holding a pose.

  • Breathe. Never hold your breath when holding the pose.

If you cannot correct bulging or coning, it means that this exercise is too advanced for your core. 

When this happens, just back off to the last known level that you can control it (see the suggested progression above)

Always choose a position that enables you to create a proper core connection and maintain it.

If your core isn't functional in one position, don't get disheartened. Instead, simply back off to the last known level that you can control it (see the suggested progression above).

You have to work smartly and know that eventually, you will regain your strength.

So, when is it ok to hold a front plank postpartum?


Everyone is different - there’s no timeline. Instead, you need to use a gradual progression to work your way back to front planks safely.

Your ability to hold a plank exercise depends on:

  • Where you are in your postpartum recovery journey

  • The exercises themselves (wall plank are less challenging than sphinx plank)

  • Your overall strength

  • The breathing technique you use

  • Your ability to perform the exercise with proper form

  • Your ability to engage your inner core properly and create tension along your ab midline (linea alba)

  • Your ability to manage intra-abdominal pressure.

Don’t rush your way back to advanced exercises such as full planks or sphinx planks. Respecting the healing process and increasing the challenge based on how you respond to the exercises is the fastest way you will get back to front planks.

Let’s think of the green light to resume exercising as a yellow light, and return to exercises smartly and PROGRESSIVELY. 

Rehab first, and safely train your body to do the things you love ✨

Postpartum programs: