#95: You’ve Tried Pilates, Clean Eating, and Rest… So Why Are You Still Exhausted?
“We need to do a better job of putting ourselves higher on our own ‘to do’ list.”
You’re not just tired. You’re carrying something.
Not in your hands — in your breath, your scar, the way your shoulders quietly tense when the house goes quiet (or too loud). It’s the mental to-do list you didn’t write, the emotional weight no one sees, and the silent feeling that your body still isn’t quite your own.
And yet... you keep going. School runs. Work calls. Grocery lists. You do what needs to be done — even as the tiredness sinks deeper. The kind of fatigue that doesn’t lift with a nap or a night off. The kind you can’t explain, even to yourself.
And when you try to explain it — to your GP, your partner, or even a well-meaning friend — you’re often met with blank stares or quick fixes. "Get some rest." "Try Pilates." "It’s just motherhood, isn’t it?" So you stop talking about it. You smile, nod, and keep going — even when your body is quietly begging for a different approach.
It’s easy to think it’s just stress. Or hormones. Or that this is just what motherhood feels like. But there’s more to it — especially if your baby came via C-section.
This kind of exhaustion has layers.
There’s the invisible load of life. But there’s also the quieter imprint of surgery, scar tissue, disrupted core function, and a nervous system that never really stood down. It all weaves together — and without knowing it, you’ve been adapting around it.
This isn’t about fixing everything at once. It’s about recognising what’s really happening inside your body — and finding a way forward that feels like you. A way that doesn’t ask you to push harder, but helps you reclaim energy in a way that actually sticks.
How the Invisible Load Shows Up in Your Body
This kind of fatigue is clever. It hides in places you don’t expect:
Waking up foggy, even after seven hours of sleep
Shoulders like bricks by 3pm
A belly that feels puffy or "not yours"
The constant need to brace, clench, hold it all together
Often, you’re not just tired from the day. You’re tired from years of compensation. Of a core that never fully reconnected after surgery. Of scar tissue subtly pulling on your posture and breath. Of a nervous system still stuck in survival mode.
And when your system is wired to survive, it doesn’t prioritise joy, digestion, or deep rest.
Why This Kind of Tired Isn’t Solved With a Workout
Many mums try to fight fatigue by doing more. More stretching, more Pilates, more YouTube workouts.
But when your core hasn’t been gently reintegrated — when your breath is shallow and your nervous system is on edge — even the "right" exercises can backfire.
This isn’t about laziness or lack of willpower. Your body is protecting you. It’s bracing, gripping, compensating — because that’s what it’s had to do.
What helps instead is gentler, but deeper:
Movement that calms the nervous system first
Exercises that reawaken the brain-core connection
Scar work and posture support that feel nourishing, not punishing
Breathwork that feeds energy back into your system
Small Shifts, Real Relief
Here are a few places to begin:
Sit on a Swiss Ball for five minutes. Let your breath find your belly.
Lie down with your legs up, hands on your belly or scar. Invite softness.
Notice your shoulders during the day. Let them drop, without forcing.
Try gentle pelvic tilts or hip circles on the ball — not to "work out," but to feel.
These small acts matter. They tell your body: it’s safe to relax. It’s safe to reconnect.
And if you’re ready for deeper guidance...
Download my free C-Section Core Recovery Guide — it’s designed for mums like you who feel stuck, scattered, or unsure where to start.
You Deserve to Feel Like You Again
This isn’t about bouncing back. It’s about moving forward — gently, consciously, with support.
Because you are not broken. You are brilliant.
And you deserve energy that lasts beyond coffee. A core that supports you. A breath that feels free.
Let’s begin there.
With Love,
Karo