Recovery Progress

Week 7 postpartum: after clearance, adding one thing at a time

General guidance, not medical advice. Follow your own provider’s clearance. Read our Medical Disclaimer and Editorial Policy.

With clearance in hand, the useful discipline is adding a single new thing and seeing how the next day feels, rather than resuming several at once. Most setbacks at this stage come from doing everything available in the same week.

Pelvic floor symptoms — leaking, heaviness, a dragging feeling — are common enough to seem normal and are not something to accept. They respond well to assessment.

What is most worth attending to

One new movement or one longer session, not both.

Movement that is generally appropriate at week 7

This is what MatraBloom would draw on to build a session at this point in recovery. It differs by birth type because a caesarean is abdominal surgery, so anything loading the abdominal wall is held back longer.

After a vaginal birth

  • Breathing — Diaphragmatic Breathing, Cool-Down Breathing, Restorative Breathing
  • Gentle mobility — Neck & Shoulder Rolls, Ankle Circles, Heel Slides, Seated Spinal Twist, Standing Calf + Hamstring Stretch, Cat-Cow (Supported), Child’s Pose, Standing Side Stretch
  • Pelvic floor — Gentle Pelvic Tilts, Seated Pelvic Floor Squeeze, Wall Hip Hinge
  • Strength — Wall Slides, Glute Bridges, Standing Leg Lifts, Seated Rows (Towel), Wall Squats, Side-Lying Leg Lifts, Wall Push-Offs, Band Pull-Apart, Seated Band Row, Banded Glute Bridge, Supported Dumbbell Row
  • Light cardio — March in Place + Arm Circles, Seated Arm Reaches

After a caesarean

  • Breathing — Diaphragmatic Breathing, Cool-Down Breathing, Restorative Breathing
  • Gentle mobility — Neck & Shoulder Rolls, Ankle Circles, Heel Slides, Seated Spinal Twist, Standing Calf + Hamstring Stretch, Cat-Cow (Supported), Child’s Pose, Standing Side Stretch
  • Pelvic floor — Gentle Pelvic Tilts, Seated Pelvic Floor Squeeze
  • Strength — Wall Slides, Glute Bridges, Standing Leg Lifts, Seated Rows (Towel), Band Pull-Apart

What becomes available next

Core generally comes in at week 8 after a vaginal birth, and week 12 after a caesarean.

Worth a call this week

Leaking or heaviness during or after activity is a reason to ask for a pelvic health physiotherapy referral.

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