It feels like my core has gone missing, where did it go?

After pregnancy, many women tell me:

“I can’t find my tummy muscles.”

“My body doesn’t feel like mine anymore.”

And honestly, I know exactly how that feels.

After my first pregnancy, I had a difficult birth and a long recovery.

My baby had trouble sleeping, and all my energy went into looking after him. I didn’t think about my own healing. And here’s the funny part: I’m a physiotherapist, so I actually do know what to do… but somehow it’s a whole different story when you have to apply it to yourself.

It turns out that even physios are human. Helping yourself is hard when your focus is 100% on your little one.

So instead of treating my body, I ignored it.

And before I knew it, two and a half years had passed. Two and a half years of living in a body that felt like it had been rented out, lovingly, of course, but at some point you want it back.

 

What happened to my pelvic floor?

By the time I had my second baby, I’d decided: not again.

I wasn’t going to wait years to feel like myself. The birth was still challenging, but the recovery was completely different, because I took small, intentional steps.

I started with my breath. I reconnected with my pelvic floor. I gave myself time to feel those deep stabilizing muscles waking up again. Not the big six-pack muscles that look impressive but tire quickly, I mean the hidden heroes, the muscles that hold you together quietly all day long.

And here’s the thing: it’s not a taboo to say your pelvic floor isn’t working the way it used to.

It happens.

A lot.

And the more we talk about it, the easier it gets to do something about it.

We just need to help ourselves and sometimes help each other, to get back on track.

 

Why can’t I just start running again?

I used to think I could just lace up and go.

After my first birth, I didn’t run for years.

After my second, I built myself up step by step and within a year, I was running a half marathon.

The difference wasn’t luck. It was patience, a clear plan, and the decision to start at the right level. Breathing, awareness, simple movements that gradually built into strength and control.

Nothing flashy, nothing extreme at first, just consistent, inside-out work that made my body trustworthy again.

 

From rented out… to truly yours again

I’ve lived both sides: not knowing what to do (even as a physio!) and knowing exactly how amazing it feels to reclaim your body.

That’s why I want to remind you: this isn’t about shame, and it’s not about going back to how you looked before. It’s about feeling strong, supported, and free to do what you love again.

Your body may feel like it’s gone missing, but it hasn’t.

It just needs the right kind of attention. And once you give it that, the progress can be surprisingly fast.

Whether your goal is a gentle jog, a 5k, or a marathon, you can get there.

Step by step, you can go from “I can’t find my tummy muscles” to “I run again with confidence.”

Astrid ❤️