Exercise & Recovery Tips for Athletes After Having a Baby

Key Takeaways

• • The postpartum period lasts 12 months and requires gradual, individualized return to sport.

• • Pelvic floor health, mental wellbeing, sleep, and nutrition directly affect recovery and performance.

• • Breastfeeding athletes need about 500 extra calories per day plus adequate hydration.

• • Moderate exercise supports mental health and overall recovery.

• • With proper fueling, support, and progressive training, athletes can successfully return to sport after childbirth.

The postpartum period begins right after childbirth and lasts through the first 12 months of the baby’s life. This time shapes long-term health for both mother and child. It is also one of the most complex transitions an athlete can experience.

Physically, the body is recovering from pregnancy and birth. Mentally, emotions and identity may shift. Socially, sleep, schedules, and priorities change overnight.

For a long time, having a baby was seen as the end of an athletic career. That idea is changing fast. Many athletes have returned to high-level performance after childbirth. But success is not automatic. Many women still struggle due to lack of guidance, pressure to return too quickly, and limited support.

Why Standard Exercise Advice Does Not Work After Childbirth

Historically, postpartum care involved a single medical visit around six weeks after birth, often followed by clearance to “resume normal activity.” That approach does not reflect reality for athletes.

Modern guidance recognizes the first 12 weeks postpartum as a “fourth trimester”, a time when women need more support for:

• • Fatigue and sleep loss

• • Mental health

• • Pelvic floor recovery

• • Breastfeeding

• • Identity and role changes

For athletes, these factors directly affect training, recovery, and performance.

What Changes in the Body After Pregnancy and Birth

Pregnancy changes nearly every system in the body. After birth, those changes reverse slowly and not all at the same speed.

Some cardiovascular adaptations from pregnancy may persist for months or longer, including changes in blood volume and heart function. These changes may help explain why some endurance athletes perform well postpartum, though research is still ongoing.

Hormones also change quickly. Estrogen and progesterone drop after delivery, while hormones involved in bonding and lactation rise. These shifts can affect mood, energy, and stress levels.

Mental health challenges such as depression and anxiety are common during this period and can affect training. Importantly, moderate physical activity in the first few months postpartum has been linked to better mental wellbeing and lower risk of depression, though athletes experiencing mental health concerns should always seek professional support.

Pelvic Floor Health and Exercise After Childbirth

Pelvic floor dysfunction is common after childbirth. One of the most frequent issues is stress urinary incontinence, or urine leakage during coughing, sneezing, or impact activities like running and jumping.

Athletes already have a higher risk of pelvic floor issues. After childbirth, that risk increases further.

Pelvic floor muscle training has been shown to reduce urinary incontinence after childbirth. For this reason, referral to a pelvic floor physiotherapist should be standard care for postpartum athletes.

Breastfeeding, Training, and Energy Needs for Athletes

Breastfeeding provides important benefits for infants and mothers, but it adds new challenges for athletes.

Producing milk requires about 500 extra calories per day. If athletes do not eat enough to support both training and lactation, recovery and milk supply can suffer.

Exercise itself does not reduce milk quality or quantity. However, low energy intake and poor hydration can.

Hydration is especially important because breastmilk is mostly water. Many lactating athletes need additional daily fluid. Monitoring thirst and urine color is a simple way to stay on track.

Bone health is another key concern. Bone density can decrease during pregnancy and lactation but typically recovers after breastfeeding ends. Weight-bearing exercise and adequate intake of calcium and vitamin D support bone health during this time.

Sleep, Recovery, and Fatigue After Having a Baby

Sleep disruption is one of the biggest challenges of the postpartum period. Poor sleep affects recovery, mood, energy, and overall health.

While lack of sleep is often seen as a barrier to training, research suggests that exercise can actually improve sleep quality and reduce fatigue and depressive symptoms postpartum.

Strong support from partners, family, and friends is essential to help postpartum athletes protect sleep and recovery whenever possible.

Is Exercise Safe After Childbirth?

Physical activity after childbirth is strongly linked to better health outcomes. Benefits include:

• • Lower risk of depression

• • Reduced risk of type 2 diabetes

• • Improved pelvic floor symptoms

• • Better weight management

Postpartum women are generally encouraged to aim for 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per week. Light movement, such as walking, can begin early and may help recovery.

Pelvic floor and gentle core exercises can also be introduced early unless medical complications are present.

Routine medical clearance is no longer required for all postpartum athletes. Instead, screening tools can help identify conditions that need medical input before progressing.

How Much Exercise Is Recommended After Childbirth?

There is broad agreement that return to sport after childbirth should be:

• • Gradual

• • Progressive

• • Based on symptoms and readiness

Factors that affect return include:

• • Type of delivery

• • Pregnancy complications

• • Time away from training

• • Sleep and childcare support

Many athletes feel pressure to return too quickly, which can increase injury risk and anxiety. Modern return-to-sport frameworks emphasize rehabilitation first, followed by step-by-step increases in training load.

While much of the existing guidance focuses on running, the same principles apply across sports: build capacity slowly, listen to symptoms, and adjust as needed.

Nutrition Basics for Athletes After Having a Baby

Fueling the postpartum athlete requires careful attention, especially during lactation.

Key priorities include:

• • Eating enough to support daily energy needs, training, and milk production

• • Staying well hydrated

• • Supporting bone health with adequate calcium and vitamin D

• • Monitoring iron status, especially for those with fatigue or poor recovery

Iron deficiency is common during and after pregnancy and can reduce exercise capacity. Athletes with ongoing fatigue should consider screening and treatment.

Why Policies and Team Support Matter for Athlete-Mothers

Supportive policies make a real difference. These include:

• • Protected time for recovery

• • Flexible return-to-sport timelines

• • Rank or position protection

• • Access to childcare and breastfeeding spaces

Equally important is culture. Normalizing motherhood in sport helps athletes stay engaged, reduces stigma, and creates role models for future generations.

Practical Tips for Exercise & Training After Having a Baby

• • Return to sport postpartum should be individualized and gradual

• • Pelvic floor, mental health, sleep, and nutrition all matter

• • Hydration and fueling are critical, especially during lactation

• • Strong support systems improve long-term success

• • Motherhood does not end an athletic career