Postpartum Flat Butt & Lower Back Pain: Why It Happens & What You Can Do
If you are postpartum and feel like no matter how many squats you do, your glutes just won’t engage the way they used to.
If you are dealing with lower back pain, tight hips, feelings of heaviness in your pelvic floor, or even some incontinence, then I suggest you keep reading.
A client recently came to me with these exact concerns. Here’s what I told her:
1) Book an appointment with a pelvic floor physio – This is key in figuring out what’s going on with your body so we can work with, not against, your recovery.
2) Assess lifestyle & movement changes – She had just returned to work after being on mat leave and was sitting a lot more. I also noticed she was clenching her glutes during movements, a common compensation pattern postpartum.
3) Introduce targeted mobility & awareness – I gave her two key exercises to release tightness and coached her to catch herself when clenching her butt (while standing, holding her toddler, brushing her teeth, etc.).
So here’s a PSA for you:
STOP CLENCHING YOUR BUTT CHEEKS.
It’s not helping your pelvic floor, hips, lower back, or core function.
Why This Happens Postpartum
During pregnancy, your growing belly shifts your posture, causing an anterior pelvic tilt. As the baby grows, it becomes more challenging to engage your core, your lower back tightens, and you start compensating by clenching your glutes to stabilize.
Fast forward to early postpartum—your core is weak, you’re likely sitting more, and that butt-clenching habit sticks around. Over time, this leads to:
🚨 Weak glutes & core
🚨 Tight lower back & hip flexors
🚨 Pelvic floor dysfunction (incontinence, prolapse, pain, instability)
This combination is known as Lower Cross Syndrome (LCS). This combination of certain muscles becoming overly tight while others become weak, creates a chain reaction of movement dysfunction. It’s called “cross” because the imbalances form an X-pattern across your body.
WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT- RELEASE & STRENGTHEN
Before focusing on glute-building exercises like squats and deadlifts, you need to retrain your core, hips, and glutes to work together- to restore their proper function.
1) Focus on releasing lower back & hip flexors with exercises like cat cows, half-kneeling hip flexor stretch, and the 90/90 Hip Opener.
2) Then focus on reconnecting to your deep core and reactivating and strengthening your glutes. Try exercises like table top athletic breathing, bear holds with ball squeeze, and sideplanks with a full clamshell.
Yes, strong glutes look great, but more importantly, they:
✅ Improve pelvic floor function – reducing incontinence, prolapse risk, and pain
✅ Enhance core engagement – giving you better overall strength and control
✅ Support posture & stability – helping you move through life and activites with less discomfort
I get it—these types of exercises aren’t always the most exciting. They’re not flashy, and they might not feel like an intense workout. But they are the foundation. When you commit to consistently releasing tight muscles, activating your core, and strengthening your glutes properly, you’re setting yourself up for so much more.
Think of it like this: A strong foundation means you can confidently step into the activities you love—whether that’s chasing your kids, lifting heavier, climbing, skiing, or simply moving through life without nagging back pain.
So don’t skip the “boring” stuff. It’s what allows you to show up stronger in everything else.
If this resonates with you, and you want expert guidance tailored for postpartum moms, my Strong Mom Collective programs give you structured workouts designed to rebuild function, strength, and confidence.
If a personalized pre and/or postnatal fitness experience with more accountability and support is the vibe you are looking for, then check out the SMC VIP. If you are not in need of a personalized experience but want guidance, support, and a postnatal recovery and strength program, then check out the SMC Postnatal.
