Wake Up the Mum Bum, Gently
Bridges, squats and simple progressions that rebuild your glutes at home, no equipment needed.
A postpartum booty workout rebuilds the glute strength pregnancy quietly switched off, using simple moves like glute bridges, squats to a chair and side-lying leg lifts that need zero equipment. Two to three short sessions a week are enough to rebuild strength and shape over weeks not days, right from your living room floor. Here is why the mum bum happens, the exact moves that bring it back, and how to progress them safely.
Quick answer
The best postpartum booty workout starts with waking up your deep core and pelvic floor, then loads your glutes progressively with glute bridges, clamshells, side-lying leg lifts, squats to a chair and standing kickbacks. Train two to three times a week for around 15 minutes, adding reps first and harder variations later, like single-leg bridges. You do not need a gym or weights to start; your own bodyweight is plenty for the first couple of months. Strength builds in weeks not days, shape follows strength, and results vary from mum to mum.
Why your bum flattens after pregnancy (the mum bum, explained)
During pregnancy your pelvis tips forward under the weight of your bump, which leaves your glutes lengthened and underused while your lower back and hip flexors do the heavy lifting. Add months of sitting to feed, carrying a baby on one hip, and hormones that soften your connective tissue, and your glutes essentially go quiet. Physios sometimes call it gluteal amnesia; most mums just call it the mum bum.
The good news is that muscle responds to training at any stage. Your glutes have not gone anywhere, they have simply stopped being asked to work. Weak glutes also contribute to back pain, hip niggles and pelvic instability, so a postpartum booty workout is as much about feeling better as looking better.
Wake up your core before you load your glutes
Your glutes, deep core and pelvic floor work as a team to manage pressure every time you squat or lift. So before any glute session, spend two minutes reconnecting: inhale and let your ribs and belly expand, exhale and gently draw your lower belly in while lifting your pelvic floor. Carry that exhale-and-engage pattern into every rep that follows.
If your tummy domes into a ridge during any exercise, or you feel heaviness or leaking, the move is too much for today; make it smaller or swap it out. It is also worth doing a quick diastasis recti self-check first, because a wide midline gap means you should keep floor work extra gentle while your core catches up.
The 6 best postpartum booty moves (no equipment)
Glute squeeze. Standing or lying, simply squeeze your bottom hard for three seconds, then fully relax. Ten reps. It sounds silly, but it re-teaches the mind-muscle connection everything else builds on.
Glute bridge. On your back, knees bent, feet hip-width. Exhale, tuck your pelvis slightly and lift your hips by squeezing your glutes, not arching your back. Pause at the top, lower slowly. Eight to twelve reps.
Clamshell. Lie on your side, knees bent, feet together. Keeping your pelvis still, lift the top knee like a clam opening, pause, lower with control. Ten to twelve per side. You should feel it in the side of your bum.
Side-lying leg lift. Same position but with the top leg straight. Lift it in line with your body (not forward), pause, lower. Ten per side.
Squat to a chair. Stand in front of a sturdy chair, exhale and sit back until you lightly touch the seat, then drive up through your heels and squeeze at the top. Knees track over toes, chest proud. Eight to ten reps.
Standing kickback. Holding the bench or pram for balance, exhale and sweep one leg behind you by squeezing the glute, without arching your lower back. Ten per side, slow and controlled.
Your 6-week progression plan
Progress by adding reps first, then slowing the tempo, then moving to harder single-leg variations. Here is a simple roadmap once you have clearance to exercise.
| Move | Weeks 1-2 | Weeks 3-4 | Weeks 5-6+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glute bridge | 2 sets of 8 | 2 sets of 12 with pause | Single-leg bridge, 2 sets of 6 per side |
| Squat to a chair | 2 sets of 8 | 3-second lower, 2 sets of 10 | Squat with pause, no chair |
| Clamshell | 2 sets of 10 per side | Add 2-second hold at top | Side-lying leg lift circuit |
| Standing kickback | 2 sets of 8 per side | 2 sets of 12 per side | Slow step-ups onto the bottom stair |
Move to the next column only when the current one feels controlled and symptom-free. If a week goes badly (sick baby, no sleep), simply repeat it. The plan bends around your life, not the other way round. For the bigger picture on rebuilding this area, our free guide to rebuilding your booty after pregnancy without a gym pairs perfectly with this plan.
Want every session written out for you?
The Postpartum Booty Builder turns these moves into a complete week-by-week plan with photos, reps, rest days and progressions, built for nap-time sessions. It is a $15 digital download you keep forever.
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How often, how many reps, how hard?
Two to three sessions a week with a rest day in between is the sweet spot; glutes grow between sessions, not during them. Work at an effort where the last two reps feel challenging but you could still hold a conversation. On a wrecked-sleep day, do the light version rather than skipping entirely: one round of bridges and clamshells still counts.
Expect strength to come first, in weeks, and visible shape to follow over the months after that. Muscles respond to consistent, progressively harder work, and results vary from mum to mum depending on sleep, starting point and genetics. Weeks not days is the honest timeline for any postpartum booty workout, so judge your progress month to month, not mirror check to mirror check.
sessions a week is all your glutes need
equipment required to start rebuilding
minutes per session, nap-time friendly
Do you need weights or a gym? (honest answer)
Not for the first couple of months, and possibly not at all. Bodyweight progressions like pauses, slower tempos and single-leg work keep challenging your glutes long before you need external load. When you do want more, a backpack with a few books, a resistance band or a toddler on your hips (the original progressive overload) all work at home for free.
A gym membership is a lovely option later, but it is not the entry fee. A structured home plan costs a fraction of one month's membership and removes the biggest barrier of all: leaving the house with a baby.
When to slow down and see a physio
Stop and scale back if you feel pain at the front of your pelvis or in your lower back, heaviness or dragging in your pelvic floor, or any leaking during squats or kickbacks. These are signs your body is not ready for that load yet, not signs to push harder. A women's health physiotherapist can assess you properly and tailor the plan; one appointment is a genuinely good investment if anything feels off.
Frequently asked questions
When can I start a postpartum booty workout?
After your six week check, once your GP or midwife has cleared you for exercise. C-section mums should wait for explicit clearance and build up more slowly. Gentle glute squeezes are usually comfortable earlier, but save the full plan for after clearance.
Why did my bum disappear after pregnancy?
Pregnancy posture tips your pelvis forward and leaves your glutes lengthened and underused, while months of sitting and hip-carrying switch them off further. It is extremely common and very trainable; the muscle is still there, it just needs consistent work again.
Are squats safe for my pelvic floor after birth?
For most mums yes, when they are breath-led: exhale as you stand, keep the depth comfortable, and never hold your breath. Stop if you feel heaviness or leaking and see a women's health physio, who can check your technique and readiness.
Can I really rebuild my glutes without weights?
Yes, especially in the early months. Adding reps, pauses, slower tempos and single-leg variations provides plenty of challenge. Later you can add a loaded backpack or a resistance band at home if you want more.
How long until I see results from glute training?
Most mums feel stronger within a few weeks of consistent sessions, while visible shape changes take longer, typically months of steady work. Progress comes in weeks not days, and results vary from mum to mum.
Rebuild it properly, from home
The Postpartum Booty Builder gives you the complete plan for $15, photographed move by move. Or grab the Complete Postpartum Reset Bundle, every Mumma Glow guide for $50, and rebuild your core, belly and booty together.
Get the Postpartum Booty Builder and take 20% off with code GLOW20.
Sources: NHS postnatal exercise guidance; ACOG (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) Exercise After Pregnancy guidance; women's health physiotherapy practice on postnatal strength training and pelvic floor safe loading.
This article is general education and not medical advice. Every postpartum recovery is individual and results vary from mum to mum. Check with your GP, midwife, or a women's health physiotherapist before starting new exercise, especially after a c-section or if something does not feel right.