C Is for Core: Why Engaging Your Deep Core Matters for Moms

October 12, 2025

If the word "core" immediately makes you think of crunches, planks, and chasing a six-pack… we get it. That’s what most fitness culture has taught us.


But mama, we’re here to blow the lid off that outdated definition.



Your core is not just your abs and it's definitely not something to "snap back" or flatten after baby. Your core is a deep, powerful system of muscles that stabilize your entire body, support your spine and pelvis, and connect your upper and lower halves. And for moms? It’s mission critical.


Let’s dive into what your core really is, why it matters so much in motherhood, and how to rebuild it smarter (not harder).

Your Deep Core: The Real MVP

Your deep core is made up of several muscles that work together to create support, pressure management, and functional movement. These include:


  • Transverse Abdominis (TVA): Your body’s internal corset, wrapping around your midsection to stabilize from the inside out.
  • Pelvic Floor: Supports your organs and controls things like leaking and pressure.
  • Diaphragm: Works with your breath to create core pressure and regulate your nervous system.
  • Multifidus: Deep spinal stabilizers that help keep your back supported and safe.

These muscles all talk to each other, and when one part isn’t functioning well (like a weakened pelvic floor or disconnected breath), the entire system can feel off.

Why Core Function Matters for Moms

Your core isn’t just about movement. It’s about everything you do daily:


  • Picking up your baby (and their car seat and that gigantic diaper bag)
  • Getting out of bed without rolling like a cinnamon roll
  • Sneezing without leaking
  • Carrying groceries, chasing toddlers, and standing tall when you’re exhausted

When your core is strong and functional, it supports you. When it’s not? You might feel unstable, sore, leaky, or like your body just isn’t working the way it used to.



And no, this doesn’t mean doing 1,000 crunches or jumping into HIIT workouts at 6 weeks postpartum. (Please don’t.) It means starting small, going deep, and rebuilding the system from the inside out.

Core Myths We’re Leaving Behind

Myth 1: If you have a flat stomach, you have a strong core.
Nope. Flat doesn’t equal functional. Your core can be strong, supported, and curvy. Folks can also have a flat stomach and still be lacking actual core strength. 


Myth 2: Crunches are the fastest way to rebuild.
Wrong again. Crunches often create pressure in all the wrong places (especially if you have diastasis recti).


Myth 3: If you're not leaking, your core is fine.
Leaks are just
one signal. If you're feeling weak, unstable, or disconnected, your core might still need attention. If you’ve had chronic or maternity back pain (that’s not from an injury) that can also be signs of a weak core. 


Kristie here (I hate calling our core weak because it really does so much for us all day long… it just needs a little extra love and attention right now)

What Core Work Looks Like in the ABC Fit Virtual Gym

We don’t just say “engage your core” and move on. We teach you how.


Every ABC Fit program is built on our ABC Method: Alignment, Breath, and Core. That means every movement; from warm-up to strength training, is designed to:


  • Teach you how to activate your deep core muscles

  • Use breath to support your pelvic floor

  • Improve posture and reduce pain

  • Integrate core engagement into everyday movement

From Core Restore to Back on Track to trimester-specific workouts, everything we do starts with smart, supportive, functional movement for moms.


Because we don’t want you to just "look fit." We want you to feel strong as a mother.

Try This: Core Connection Exercise

Here’s one of our go-to foundational moves you can try right now:

360 Breath with Gentle TVA Activation


  1. Sit or lie down with your spine in neutral.
  2. Inhale deeply into your ribcage and belly (feel expansion in all directions).
  3. Exhale slowly, and gently draw your belly in toward your spine (like tightening a seatbelt low and wide).
  4. Hold for 2–3 seconds, then release.

That’s the kind of subtle, powerful engagement we build from.

The Bottom Line

Your core isn’t about how you look. It’s about how you live.

Whether you're 6 weeks postpartum or 6 years into motherhood, it’s never too late to reconnect with your core and rebuild strength that supports you every single day.


Inside the ABC Fit Virtual Gym, we give you the step-by-step tools to do exactly that. With expert guidance, mama-tested programs, and a community that gets it, you don’t have to figure it out alone.


Start from your core. Build strength for life.

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