3 Signs Your Core Needs More Rest Than Movement

Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional. This post shares my personal experience and what I learned during my own postpartum recovery. Always consult with your healthcare provider or a pelvic floor therapist for personalized guidance, especially if you're experiencing pain, heaviness, or other concerning symptoms.

I remember the first time I sneezed after giving birth. The sharp pain caught me completely off guard. I laughed it off at first, which literally made the pain worse. I still remember laying down in bed thinking that I would never again be able to enjoy a deep belly laugh with my partner or my little one. I was devastated.

I didn't realize that these everyday expressions—sneezing, coughing, laughing—were all made possible by my pelvic floor muscles. Nearly three years after giving birth, a visit with my pelvic floor therapist confirmed my hunch. She told me that the pain I was feeling after birth was because my pelvic floor muscles had done so much work without the proper preparation (because how can you adequately prepare to do the work it takes to push another human out of your hoo-ha, if you’ve never done it before), but they needed restorative care and patience and more of an understanding of what the pelvic floor actually is and does. I felt reassured and hopeful.

We see all the time, images of celebrities and influencers who have "bounced back" after baby, and we hardly see any mainstream media about taking time to recover and heal. I was so proud of my body for what I had done: literally grew a whole human being, and then pushed them out into the world. But my body was very different from what I had grown to know even over the past 9 months, and that required acknowledgement and tenderness.

The cultural pressure to "bounce back" often drowns out the quiet signals our bodies send us during recovery. But learning to recognize when your core needs rest rather than movement can be the difference between healing well and prolonging recovery. Here are three signs your body might be asking you to slow down.

Sign #1: You Feel Heaviness or Pressure in Your Pelvic Floor

This feeling can be hard to describe if you've never experienced it before. It might feel like pain in the vagina, a downward pressure, a sense that something is "falling" or not quite held in place, or even a dull heaviness that gets worse as the day goes on. Some people describe it as feeling like they're sitting on a ball, or like everything inside is pressing down.

Why this happens: Your pelvic floor muscles have been stretched, strained, and working overtime during pregnancy and birth. They support your bladder, uterus, and bowel, and when they're fatigued or weakened, they can't hold everything up as effectively. This heaviness is your body's way of saying, "I need support, not more work right now."

What to do instead: Rest doesn't mean lying down all day (though sometimes it does). Try lying on your back with your knees bent and feet flat, or on your side with a pillow between your knees. Focus on gentle breathing—inhale and feel your belly and pelvic floor gently expand, exhale and let everything soften. If this feeling persists or worsens, it's worth talking to a pelvic floor therapist who can assess what's happening and guide you toward exercises that actually support healing.

Sign #2: You're More Exhausted After "Gentle" Movement Than Before

There's a difference between the good kind of tired—the kind where you feel energized even though you worked hard—and the bone-deep exhaustion that makes you want to crawl into bed and not move. If a 10-minute postpartum yoga session or a short walk leaves you feeling more depleted than when you started, that's a sign.

Why postpartum energy is different: Your body is recovering from a major physical event while also running on interrupted sleep, adjusting to hormonal shifts, and possibly breastfeeding or pumping, which uses significant energy. What felt "easy" before pregnancy might now feel like running a marathon that never ends. Your nervous system is also working overtime, and exercise—even gentle movement—is a stressor on the body. If your body doesn't have the resources to handle that stressor, it will shut down instead of building up.

What to do instead: Honor where you are. Restorative practices like gentle stretching, seated breathing exercises, or even just lying on your back with your legs upright or braced against the wall can feel more supportive than pushing through a workout. And sometimes, rest means literally doing nothing. No guilt. No "I should be doing more." Just rest. Your body will tell you when it's ready for more.

Sign #3: Your Core Feels Disconnected or "Absent"

This is one of the most unsettling feelings in postpartum recovery: the sense that you can't feel your core muscles working, or that there's a "gap" where connection used to be. You might try to engage your abs and feel...nothing. Or you might notice that movements that used to feel controlled now feel wobbly or unstable.

Why forcing connection through exercise can backfire: When muscles are overstretched or weak, asking them to "turn on" through traditional core exercises can feel like shouting into a void. Crunches, planks, or even "gentle" core work can reinforce poor patterns, increase intra-abdominal pressure (which strains your pelvic floor), or simply frustrate you because your body isn't responding the way it used to. Connection has to be rebuilt slowly, and sometimes that starts with rest and awareness, not movement.

What to do instead: Start with gentle awareness practices. Lie on your back with your knees bent and place your hands on your lower belly. Breathe in and notice the subtle rise. Breathe out and feel the gentle engagement. You're not forcing anything—you're just noticing. Over time, this awareness rebuilds the mind-body connection that makes intentional movement possible. Patience is the practice here. Your core will come back, but it needs time to remember how.

What Supportive Rest Actually Looks Like

Rest doesn't mean giving up or doing nothing (though sometimes it absolutely does mean that, and that's okay). Supportive rest can include:

• Breath work: Five minutes of diaphragmatic breathing while lying down can calm your nervous system and gently engage your core without strain.

• Supported positions: Lying on your side with pillows between your knees, laying on your back with your legs braced up against the wall, or child's pose can relieve pelvic floor tension.

• Gentle stretching: Slow, mindful stretches that focus on releasing tension rather than building strength.

• Mental rest: Sometimes your body needs physical rest, but your mind also needs permission to stop planning, worrying, or optimizing. Both matter. Supportive rest isn't passive—it's intentional care. It's choosing to listen instead of override.

Recovery Isn't Linear—And That's Okay

Some days you'll feel strong. Other days, sneezing will remind you how much work your body is still doing. Both are normal. Both are part of the process.

Learning to recognize when your core needs rest instead of movement is one of the kindest things you can do for yourself in postpartum recovery. It's not giving up. It's not being weak. It's honoring the truth of where you are right now—and trusting that your body knows what it needs.

If you're looking for a way to track these patterns and notice what actually supports your recovery, I created a postpartum movement journal to help you pay attention without judgment. It's not about doing more—it's about doing what feels right for your body, on your timeline.