Returning to running after birth can feel surprisingly...emotional.
Even for experienced athletes, the postpartum period often comes with a strange mix of gratitude, impatience, grief, identity shifts, exhaustion, fear, and pressure to “bounce back” before your body or nervous system is actually ready.
As a run coach, mental performance consultant, and new mom, I’ve seen and experienced how important it is to support the whole athlete during this phase and not just with mileage or fitness, but recovery, stability, confidence, nervous system regulation, sleep, nourishment, and self-trust.
This list is a collection of products I’ve either personally found helpful, recommended to athletes, or consistently seen make a meaningful difference during the return-to-running process after birth (especially after a C-section).
None of these products are magic fixes, obviously. They’re simply tools that can make the process feel more supported,and actually sustainable.
Pro-Tec Athletics Resistance Bands by REI — Used in tandem with the Natal app, I used so many of these bands to help rebuild hip stability, glute activation, and foundational strength before returning to impact. A lot of postpartum athletes want to jump straight back into running volume (so did I), but rebuilding stability first tends to create a much smoother return. These are especially helpful for folks dealing with hip instability, pelvic heaviness, or feeling “disconnected” from their stride.
Pro-Tec Athletics The Orb Massage Ball Blue 5 In by Pro-Tec Athletics — I use this thing every.single.day. After a few weeks of return-to-run with lots of walk/runs I noticed weird niggles in my glutes, my hamstrings, my calves and all those awkward places that are hard to get to with a normal-sized foam roller. This was the perfect middle ground for me. Pro tip: put it up against a wall and lean into it with manage pressure better than just sitting on it with your full body weight!
9" Squishy Ball - Lilac by Reformer Loops — I use my Pilates ball almost every day alongside the Natal app, and honestly, I’ve been shocked by how many ways it can be used. It helps me reconnect to muscles that felt completely offline after birth, especially my deep core and hamstrings.
rabbit Women's Speed Leggy 4" Shorts Black XS by rabbit — This sounds small, but postpartum running felt so much better once I found leggings and shorts that didn’t dig into my abdomen or irritate my scar.
I personally gravitated toward high-waisted options because they made me feel more secure and held together during the early return-to-run phase. There’s also something mentally comforting about not constantly adjusting your waistband or feeling exposed while your body is still healing and changing.
Janji Women's Groundwork Long Bra Black M by Janji — I don't think I fully appreciated how much a good sports bra affects the entire running experience postpartum until I wore a bad one.
Your body changes so much after pregnancy and birth, even if you aren’t breastfeeding anymore and the wrong (or lack of any) support can make running feel way harder than it should.
This bra helped reduce tension in my shoulders and upper back and honestly just made me feel more comfortable moving again.
Magnesium Glycinate by Thorne — Between fluctuating hormones, sleep disruption, nervous system overload, physical recovery, and the emotional side of adjusting to a completely new version of life, it’s REALLY easy to feel chronically depleted.
Magnesium glycinate has been one of the simplest things that consistently helps me feel better overall, especially with sleep quality, muscle tension, stress regulation, and recovery.
I personally like Thorne because it’s third-party tested, gentle on my stomach, and a brand I generally trust for endurance athletes. I also appreciate that it doesn’t feel overly “wellness influencer” marketed. It's just a solid, reliable supplement that supports recovery during a phase where we're carrying way more stress (physically and emotionally) than we realize.
Mental Performance Coaching by Unknown — One of the biggest surprises postpartum is how psychological the return-to-running process can be.
A lot of athletes expect the challenge to be physical, but what often catches people off guard (myself included) is the emotional side of it all. Feeling disconnected from your body. Comparing yourself to your previous fitness. Feeling pressure to “bounce back.” Losing confidence. Struggling with motivation. Feeling guilty for wanting time for yourself again.
Mental performance work can help athletes navigate all of that with more self-awareness, self-compassion, and emotional resilience. And, sometimes the hardest part of returning to running isn’t the running itself — it’s learning how to trust yourself and your body again in this new season of life.
1:1 Monthy Run Coaching by Integrated Stride Coaching — One of the hardest parts about returning to running after birth is figuring out how to balance patience with ambition.
A lot of athletes are used to pushing through discomfort, chasing goals, and relying on discipline. But postpartum training often requires a completely different approach. We need someone to oversee and account for recovery, stress load, sleep deprivation, hormonal changes, healing timelines, and the reality that your body may need something different than it did before.
Hiring a coach who sees you as a human before an athlete is the best way to do that. Bonus points if they have an applied sport psychology degree and can help align your new phase of training to your core values.
Trigger Point Performance GRID Foam Roller Black by Trigger Point Performance — A lot of postpartum soreness/discomfort had nothing to do with running for me. It came from feeding positions, carrying a baby, weird sleep positions, and spending hours in the same posture.
Simple recovery tools helped me feel less stiff and more comfortable in my body again — especially through my upper back and hips.
Mountaineers Books Campfire Stories Deck: Prompts for Igniting Stories by the Fire by Mountaineers Books — One thing I’ve realized postpartum is that it’s really easy to isolate yourself without even meaning to. Training changes. Energy changes. Social dynamics change. Sometimes just getting out the door can feel overwhelming.
This deck became a reminder that outdoor connection doesn’t have to mean a huge camping trip or all-day adventure. Sometimes it’s just meeting a friend at a park with your baby, sitting outside after dinner, or bringing people together around a fire pit for an hour.
The prompts are simple but surprisingly meaningful, and they tend to create the kind of conversations that help people feel more connected and human again — especially during seasons of life that can feel lonely or identity-shifting.
I also love that it encourages storytelling and reflection in a way that feels natural instead of forced!
