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How Can You Safely Return to Exercise with Your Baby? 

 

Discover safe, physiotherapist-designed mum and baby workouts that help you rebuild strength, support your recovery, and bond with your baby.

 
Start My Postnatal Pathway

Just 20 minutes a day. Created by pelvic health physiotherapists and pregnancy exercise specialists.

Is It Safe to Exercise with Your Baby?

 

Yes, exercising with your baby can be a safe and enjoyable way to return to movement after birth when you're ready. Before starting, it's important to have built a foundation of postnatal recovery, including good core and pelvic floor function, and to choose exercises that are appropriate for your stage of recovery. Always ensure your baby is securely supported, comfortable, and supervised throughout your workout.

Benefits of Mum and Baby Exercise include:

  • Rebuilding strength and improving overall fitness.
  • Strengthening your core and pelvic floor safely.
  • Creating meaningful bonding time with your baby.
  • Boosting your mood, energy, and confidence.
  • Making it easier to fit exercise into your daily routine as a new mum.
Discover More

This Page is for you if...

You still leak when you move

You still leak when you move

You want to return to running, jumping or lifting without ignoring bladder symptoms.

You have heaviness, pressure or prolapse symptoms

You have heaviness, pressure or prolapse symptoms

You want to understand what is safe and how to progress without fear.

You have abdominal separation or core weakness

You have abdominal separation or core weakness

You want to reconnect with your core and rebuild strength properly.

You feel stuck in beginner postnatal exercise

You feel stuck in beginner postnatal exercise

You're ready for more, but you're not sure what your body can handle.

You want to return to running, lifting or sport

You want to return to running, lifting or sport

You need a pathway that bridges the gap between rehab and real training.

You want to feel like yourself again

You want to feel like yourself again

You want confidence, strength and trust in your body after birth.

Watch: How to exercise safely in the early postpartum period

 

Recovering after birth is a gradual process, and the right exercise can help support healing, rebuild strength, and boost your confidence.

In this video, EMP founder and pelvic health physiotherapist Lyz Evans shares simple guidance to help you return to movement safely in the early postpartum weeks.

See the EMP Postpartum Recovery Pathway
 

How Mum and Baby Workouts Benefit Both Mother and Baby

 

What is the EMP approach to early postpartum exercise?

In the EMP Mum and Baby Workouts, both mothers and babies benefit through gentle, supportive exercises that promote strength, recovery, and connection. These sessions help mums regain core stability and energy while encouraging their babies’ growth, coordination, and bonding making fitness a shared, joyful experience.

Building Connection in the Chaos

The early months can feel all-consuming; feeding, settling, trying to rest, and somehow remembering to eat. Finding time for yourself can feel impossible. Mum and Baby workouts create space to move, connect, and breathe together. Gentle touch, voice, and movement stimulate oxytocin, helping both you and your baby feel calm and connected.

Studies show that mothers who engage in interactive physical activity with their infants report stronger attachment, greater self-efficacy, and lower anxiety (Field, 2010; Bell et al., 2020). For your baby, these moments create emotional security, rhythm regulation, and familiarity with your voice and touch.

 

pregnancy pelvic girdle pain safe exercise
pregnancy pelvic girdle pain safe exercise

Building Connection in the Chaos

The early months can feel all-consuming; feeding, settling, trying to rest, and somehow remembering to eat. Finding time for yourself can feel impossible. Mum and Baby workouts create space to move, connect, and breathe together. Gentle touch, voice, and movement stimulate oxytocin, helping both you and your baby feel calm and connected.

Studies show that mothers who engage in interactive physical activity with their infants report stronger attachment, greater self-efficacy, and lower anxiety (Field, 2010; Bell et al., 2020). For your baby, these moments create emotional security, rhythm regulation, and familiarity with your voice and touch.

pregnancy pelvic girdle pain safe exercise

Supporting Baby's Development

Movement is one of the first ways your baby learns about the world. Gentle rocking, rolling, and tummy-time transitions stimulate the vestibular system (balance) and proprioception (body awareness).

Research highlights that infants who experience frequent interactive movement develop earlier control of head, trunk, and limb coordination (Adolph & Franchak, 2017).

Every time you sway, lift, or change position, your baby’s brain maps new patterns of stability and coordination - essential for milestones like rolling, sitting, and crawling. 

pregnancy pelvic girdle pain safe exercise
pregnancy pelvic girdle pain safe exercise

Storing Strength and Confidence for You

Our classes rebuild the foundations of your body, core, pelvic floor, and posture, using gentle, progressive loading and breath-based activation.

But just as importantly, movement helps you feel good again. Regular physical activity in the postnatal months is linked with improved sleep quality, lower fatigue, reduced depressive symptoms, and better stress resilience (Daley et al., 2019).

When you move with your baby, you’re not only strengthening your body, you’re strengthening your connection, confidence, and calm.

pregnancy pelvic girdle pain safe exercise

Feel confident what to do in every trimester

Physio-led evidence-based workouts for pregnancy and postnatal health

Week by Week Pregnancy Programs

Know what to do, what to modify and when to scale back as your body changes

Week-by-week pregnancy programs and postnatal recovery

Support your core and pelvic floor

Learn more than 'just do your kegels' with pregnancy-specific pelvic floor and deep core guidance led by pelvic health experts.

Variety of workouts for pregnancy and postnatal fitness

Prepare for birth and recovry

Build strength, mobility, breath awareness and confidence as your pregnancy progresses.

Trusted pregnancy fitness program recommended by healthcare professionals

Support for postpartum

Transition into postnatal recovery with clear expert-led postnatal programs that start from birth.

What is the EMP approach to early postpartum?

pregnancy pelvic girdle pain safe exercise

In the Empowered Motherhood Program, we recognise that postpartum recovery isn’t linear. Some days you’ll feel strong; other days simply getting dressed is a win. Our physiotherapist-led approach respects your body’s healing timeline, emotional needs, and the unpredictable rhythm of new motherhood.

We focus on:

  • Reconnection before intensity: Breath, alignment, and gentle activation of the core and pelvic floor.
  • Inclusion of baby: Movements that naturally integrate your baby’s presence and developmental play.
  • Progressive recovery: Structured stages (0–6 weeks, 6–12 weeks, 3–6 months, etc.) with safe progression.
  •  Holistic support: Addressing posture, strength, mobility, and emotional wellbeing.
  •  Evidence-based safety: Following the latest RANZCOG and APA guidelines on postnatal return to exercise.

In the Empowered Motherhood Program, we recognise that postpartum recovery isn’t linear. Some days you’ll feel strong; other days simply getting dressed is a win. Our physiotherapist-led approach respects your body’s healing timeline, emotional needs, and the unpredictable rhythm of new motherhood.

We focus on:

  • Reconnection before intensity: Breath, alignment, and gentle activation of the core and pelvic floor.
  • Inclusion of baby: Movements that naturally integrate your baby’s presence and developmental play.
  • Progressive recovery: Structured stages (0–6 weeks, 6–12 weeks, 3–6 months, etc.) with safe progression.
  •  Holistic support: Addressing posture, strength, mobility, and emotional wellbeing.
  •  Evidence-based safety: Following the latest RANZCOG and APA guidelines on postnatal return to exercise.
pregnancy pelvic girdle pain safe exercise

 Your pathway from postnatal rehab to advanced strength

No random workouts. No scrolling for modifications. EMP gives you a clear, physio-led pathway that meets you where you are and grows with you.

Created by experts who understand pregnancy, birth and recovery

 

 

EMP was created by a physio and postnatal specialist after six pregnancies and supporting thousands of women.

You also get expert education from leading maternal health professionals including obstetricians, midwives, psychologists, naturopaths and dietitians - all inside the app.

Because pregnancy advice online can feel confusing fast

 

Get clear guidance you can trust, with workouts and education designed for every stage of your pregnancy.

Trusted by postnatal mothers and recommended by health care professionals. 

 

Thousands of mothers are rebuilding strength and confidence with the EMP

pregnancy pelvic girdle pain safe exercise

 

"I'm so grateful for your program"

I am so grateful for your program as physio myself, your guidance was amazing.

Emma Keady - EMP Member

 

"The EMP helped me stay positive through my recovery" 

The EMP really helped me stay positive during some dark times in my postnatal recovery with prolapse. The prolapse safe program was incredible and helped me understand that I could still live an active life. Kimmy and Lyz give off such a positive and vibrant energy (yes even through an app!) that even a quick workout can set me up for the day.

Sarah M. - EMP Member

 

 

 

"I'm so grateful for your program"

I am so grateful for your program as physio myself, your guidance was amazing.

Emma Keady - EMP Member

"The EMP helped me stay positive through my recovery" 

The EMP really helped me stay positive during some dark times in my postnatal recovery with prolapse. The prolapse safe program was incredible and helped me understand that I could still live an active life. Kimmy and Lyz give off such a positive and vibrant energy (yes even through an app!) that even a quick workout can set me up for the day.

Sarah M. - EMP Member

What’s included in your postnatal pathway

  • 3 key postnatal workouts each week
  • 2 bonus workouts each week for when you have more time
  • Weekly expert education tutorial
  • Specialised programs for common complications
  • Pelvic floor & core support
  • Monthly Expert Live Q+A

Full Journey Membership

Single Payment or 6 Easy Payments 

  • The complete EMP Program with expert-led support through pregnancy, birth recovery and postpartum.

  • Specialised pathways designed to help you move safely, heal confidently and rebuild strength over time. 

  • Includes pregnancy, pelvic floor and core, early postnatal, C-Section recovery, prolapse safe programs and advanced postnatal. Includes Free Equipment Pack for Australian residents. 

  • Choose the commitment option that feels right for you. Yearly or Six Monthly Payment Options

  • Free 7 Day Trial 

Start your Free Trial

All Your Questions, Answered:

Feel confident at every stage - from early pregnancy to postnatal recovery. 

Feel strong and move safely through each trimester with our physio-led week by week program. Pregnancy safe workouts combined with expert education and real life support. 

Pregnancy Program

Create the birth you deserve: positive, informed and supported. The latest research and evidence, combined with physio-led classes and personalised support. 

Birth Preparation

Heal your body safely after birth and by guided by the experts as you progress from early rehab to advanced fitness and running with our motivating week-by-week program. 

Postnatal Program

We created the Empowered Motherhood Program with a simple mission: 

To ensure that all mothers have access to expert-led exercise and education. 

Start your Empowered Motherhood

The Empowered Motherhood Program acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.

The Empowered Motherhood Program acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.