#105: Is It Too Late to Heal Your Core? (Spoiler: No.)
“Just because time has passed doesn’t mean your body has finished healing”
You might be years past your C-section — back at work, juggling family life, even squeezing in workouts when you can.
But despite doing what you were told was “right” — the breathing exercises, the gentle Pilates, the physio — something still feels off.
Maybe it’s the dull pull near your scar when you twist or stretch.
Maybe it’s the way your lower belly still feels disconnected — soft in a way that’s not just about fat, but function.
Or maybe it’s that quiet exhaustion that never really lifts, no matter how well you eat or how many supplements you try.
You’ve asked yourself: Shouldn’t I be further along by now?
And worse — Is it too late to fix this?
Let me say this clearly: it’s not too late. Not even close.
In fact, if you’ve been feeling like something’s still not right — like your core never truly came back online after birth — then this blog is for you. Because the problem isn’t your age, your willpower, or how long it’s been. The problem is that most postnatal advice simply wasn’t built for C-section recovery — especially not for tired, stretched-thin mums who’ve been carrying the load ever since.
The Lie of the “Postnatal Window”
We’re told — sometimes directly, sometimes just by what’s not said — that recovery happens within a fixed timeframe.
Six weeks.
Six months.
Maybe a year, if you’re really “taking your time.”
But after that, what’s still lingering — the leaking, the belly pouch, the unstable hips, the low-grade exhaustion — often gets brushed aside as just “your new normal.”
And you start to wonder if this is simply what motherhood feels like: a body that functions, but never quite feels like yours again.
But here’s the truth:
Healing doesn’t expire.
It’s not linear. It’s not limited to your maternity leave.
And it certainly doesn’t end just because you stopped bleeding, or your scar has closed.
If your C-section scar was never mobilised…
If your breath still catches around your ribs…
If your deep core was never re-integrated after surgery…
Then of course your body still feels off.
Not because you failed — but because your recovery was never fully supported to begin with.
Why Time Alone Doesn’t Heal the Core
After a C-section, your core isn’t just “weaker.” It’s interrupted.
The deep core system — including the diaphragm, transverse abdominis, pelvic floor, and spinal stabilisers — loses its natural rhythm. The fascia that holds your trunk together is cut and stitched. And the nervous system, sensing trauma, shifts into protection, not function.
This disconnection doesn’t just “fix itself” with time.
In fact, when it’s not fully addressed, your body quietly adapts in ways that feel off — even if you can’t put your finger on why. You begin to compensate:
You brace your belly without meaning to
You hold your breath while lifting, bending, or walking uphill
Your ribcage flares or locks down
Your glutes, neck, or shoulders do the job your deep core should be doing
You might not hear this at your six-week check-up. But your body has been trying to tell you.
Signs your core is still in protection mode — not function:
You feel unstable walking quickly or carrying your child — like your hips sway too much or your knees knock inward
You sense a disconnect in your belly — a kind of “dead zone” that doesn’t engage naturally
Your scar feels tight, numb, or strangely sensitive — especially when twisting or lying flat
You’re tired not just from lack of sleep, but from your body constantly overworking to stabilise itself
You get random aches — in your knees, back, hips, or shoulders — even though you haven’t done anything to “injure” them
Your posture feels collapsed or over-corrected — like you’re either slouching or rigid
You feel emotionally on edge: quicker to snap, cry, or second-guess yourself
Exercise feels more draining than energising — even when it’s gentle
Your belly still looks or feels “stuck” — not because of weight, but because of tension and internal pressure
These aren’t just quirks of motherhood. They’re clues from your nervous system.
Your body has been adapting to a missing piece in your core function — often for years.
As Paul Chek teaches, the deep core isn’t about crunches or planks.
It’s about pressure regulation, coordinated breath, and integrated movement.
When one link is broken — especially after trauma like surgery — the entire system compensates.
And until you rebuild that internal synergy, time alone won’t fix it.
Why You Might Still Feel Disconnected
Most postnatal advice is written with the average vaginal birth in mind. But a C-section isn’t just a different kind of delivery — it’s major abdominal surgery. And surgery doesn’t just affect the surface. It changes how your body breathes, moves, and feels — from the inside out.
Here’s what often gets missed:
Your fascia — the connective tissue that links your core, pelvis, spine, and breath — was cut. As it healed, it may have formed adhesions, pulling or restricting nearby tissues like your hip flexors, ribs, or pelvic floor.
Your nervous system likely shifted into a protective state — guarding the scar, limiting movement, and reducing sensation. You might not even realise how much you’re avoiding that part of your body — until you try to reconnect and feel… nothing.
The core “team” — your diaphragm, pelvic floor, deep abdominals, and spinal stabilisers — lost their natural coordination. They no longer fire in the right sequence, especially when you're under load (like lifting your toddler or twisting to put on a car seat).
These changes don’t correct themselves with time.
In fact, the longer they’re left unaddressed, the more deeply they’re wired in — like a default setting your body returns to under stress.
But here’s what’s powerful: none of this is permanent.
Your fascia can be remodelled.
Your nervous system can be soothed.
Your deep core can be retrained — not just to “activate,” but to stabilise and support you throughout your day.
Neuroplasticity doesn’t expire when your baby starts school.
Your body is always listening — and always capable of change.
You just need the right place to start.
One Gentle Step to Begin — Today
If your system is still running in a low-level state of protection — and for many post-C-section mums, it is — then the place to begin isn’t strength. It’s safety.
Because no matter how many exercises you’ve done…
If your body still feels like it’s bracing, avoiding, or disconnected from your scar,
then healing needs to start with awareness — not effort.
Here’s a simple, soothing practice to gently reawaken your core — not through force, but through presence.
The Belly Hold & Breath Reset
This isn’t about bracing or trying to "switch on your abs."
It’s a quiet invitation to reconnect with a part of your body that’s been protected — maybe even avoided — for a long time.
1. Lie down or sit somewhere supported.
Let your body rest fully. No holding yourself up.
2. Place one hand gently over your lower belly, and the other just above your scar.
No pressure. Just soft, steady contact.
3. Close your eyes and breathe slowly through your nose.
As you inhale, feel your belly rise gently into your hands.
As you exhale, imagine warmth or softness returning to the space under your palms.
4. Stay for 1–2 minutes.
Let your breath guide you. No rush. No performance.
You might feel nothing.
You might feel emotion rise — or a quiet shift, a tingling, a subtle awareness.
All of it is welcome.
This is not a core drill.
It’s a re-introduction.
A moment of nervous system safety — which is where all meaningful recovery begins.
The Core Is More Than Just Muscle
When most people talk about “healing the core,” the conversation tends to stop at planks, bridges, or being told to “engage your abs.”
But if you’ve had a C-section — if your abdominal wall was surgically opened, your fascia disrupted, your nervous system overwhelmed — then healing requires something far more intelligent and integrated.
True core recovery is not about flattening your stomach or chasing strength through repetition.
It’s about restoring function — which means:
Fascia that can glide, stretch, and communicate across the trunk
A diaphragm that moves freely with each breath, supporting internal pressure and pelvic floor response
A nervous system that feels safe enough to allow stability — not brace for it
A pelvis that is responsive, not locked or compensating under load
You don’t get these things from doing more reps or pushing through dysfunction.
You get them from listening.
From unwinding the tension you didn’t even know you were holding.
From re-sequencing your body’s deep patterns — breath, alignment, awareness, and stability.
And from starting where you are now — whether you’re six months or sixteen years postpartum.
Because your body is still listening.
And it’s capable of change, no matter how long it’s been.
You Haven’t Missed Your Chance
There’s this quiet fear many mums carry — especially after a C-section.
That if they didn’t heal “properly” in the first few months…
If their core still feels off, or their scar still feels strange…
If their energy never fully came back…
Then maybe they missed their window.
But here’s the truth I wish someone had told me sooner:
It’s still possible.
Not to go back — but to come back to yourself.
Gently. Fully. In a way that feels safe and strong, not forced or rushed.
You don’t need to be further along.
You don’t need to do more.
You just need a more complete — and more compassionate — way forward.
And I’d love to show you how.
Download your free guide: C-Section Core Recovery — Your Gentle Start to Rebuilding Strength
This isn’t a workout plan or a quick fix.
It’s a nervous system-informed, breath-led approach to core healing — built for real mums, with real fatigue and real lives.
Inside, you’ll find:
Two simple, expert-designed exercises to help you safely reconnect with your deep core
Guidance on how to perform them correctly — using a pressure cuff for feedback
Clear signs for when to progress — no guesswork, no overwhelm
You can begin today — even if it’s been five, ten, or fifteen years.
Because healing doesn’t expire.
And your strength isn’t lost — it’s waiting for the right invitation.
With Love,
Karo