Conditions / Life stage

First year postpartum

Return to activity is graded by healing and symptoms, not by a fixed number of weeks. The weekly target is lower than the general adult one.

At least 120 minutes per week of moderate-to-vigorous activity over four or more days
Start with light mobilisation such as gentle walking and pelvic floor work
Progress to harder work once incisions or tears have healed
Daily pelvic floor muscle training, ideally taught by a pelvic floor physiotherapist
Refer for assessment if there is leaking, heaviness, or abdominal doming

Progressing when vaginal bleeding increases with activity - that is the signal to back off
Treating a caesarean birth as a shorter recovery than a vaginal one
Heavy loading or impact before pelvic floor symptoms are assessed
Applying a fixed six-week clearance as if it were a green light for everything

How the generator handles this

CSEP (Davenport et al., BJSM) (2025). 2025 Canadian Guideline for Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour and Sleep throughout the First Year Post Partum. Source
At least 120 minutes per week of moderate-to-vigorous activity over four or more days, daily pelvic floor muscle training, and early light mobilisation progressing to harder work once incisions or tears have healed and lochia does not increase with activity.
Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology (2021). Get Active Questionnaire. Source
The current Canadian pre-participation screening tool, replacing the PAR-Q. Any YES answer directs the client to the Reference Document and, where indicated, to a physician or Qualified Exercise Professional before progressing.