GROWCO Postnatal Rehab: What It Involves & Who It's For

Returning to exercise after having a baby is not simply a matter of waiting six weeks and resuming your old workouts. Pregnancy changes how your abdominal wall, pelvic floor, diaphragm, hips and spine manage pressure and load. Vaginal birth, C-section recovery, feeding demands, disrupted sleep and the physical work of caring for a baby then shape what your body can tolerate.

That is the gap GROWCO postnatal rehab is built to close. Instead of handing every new mom the same workout, Anchor Health & Fitness combines an individual clinical starting point with coached, progressive exercise in a small-group setting at our Keswick clinic and fitness studio.

What Is the GROWCO Postnatal Rehab Program?

GROWCO is a clinically informed postnatal core and pelvic floor rehabilitation program. It combines functional training, mobility, Pilates-based movement and pelvic health rehabilitation to help moms rebuild coordination and strength after birth.

The word rehabilitation matters. This is not a high-intensity bootcamp, a rapid weight-loss challenge or a class that treats postpartum symptoms as something to push through. The program starts with what your body can do now, then builds capacity in a controlled sequence.

The 2025 Canadian postpartum movement guideline recommends an individualized, gradual and symptom-based progression back to moderate-to-vigorous activity. It also recommends daily pelvic floor muscle training and notes that instruction from a pelvic floor physiotherapist supports proper technique.1 GROWCO applies that same progression-first logic in a coached local program rather than leaving you to interpret generic online workouts alone.

Explore the GROWCO program page for current levels, registration information and class dates.

Who Is GROWCO For?

GROWCO is for moms who want a structured return to exercise after birth. You do not need to be athletic, pain-free or already confident in the gym. You need a clinical starting point and the ability to participate in an appropriately modified small-group class.

Level 1 is built for moms from approximately six weeks to 12 months postpartum. It is especially relevant if any of the following apply:

• You feel weak, disconnected or unsupported through your core.
• You notice abdominal doming or have been told you have diastasis recti.
• You leak urine when coughing, sneezing, lifting, running or jumping.
• You feel pelvic heaviness, pressure or a dragging sensation.
• You have back, hip or pelvic discomfort when feeding, carrying or exercising.
• You are recovering from a vaginal delivery or C-section and do not know how to progress safely.
• You want to return to lifting, running, HIIT, spin or recreational sport without guessing.
• You need a baby-friendly program so childcare does not block your recovery.

The program also serves moms who have no major symptoms but want to rebuild properly before returning to regular training. Symptoms are a reason to seek guidance, not a prerequisite for taking rehabilitation seriously.

If you are more than 12 months postpartum, the issue does not become irrelevant. Book an assessment and Anchor's team will direct you to GROWCO, pelvic floor physiotherapy, general physiotherapy or another appropriate pathway based on your current function rather than the date on a calendar.

What Happens Before Your First GROWCO Class?

Every participant requires a chiropractic initial assessment or a recent postnatal follow-up before starting. This is the program's safety and personalization layer.

Your birth history matters. So do incision healing, perineal healing, pelvic floor symptoms, abdominal wall function, pain, bleeding, sleep, previous training and what you want to return to. The assessment gives your clinician enough information to identify what requires modification and what can be progressed.

The goal is not to “pass” or “fail” a postpartum body. The goal is to establish a usable baseline. For someone with good healing and no symptoms, that baseline may support a faster progression. For someone with leaking, pelvic pressure, pain or poor pressure control, the plan starts more deliberately and may include parallel pelvic floor physiotherapy in Keswick.

You should seek medical guidance before moderate-to-vigorous exercise if you have severe abdominal pain, unexplained vaginal bleeding, calf pain or swelling, chest pain, shortness of breath at rest, dizziness, loss of consciousness, an acute infection or C-section symptoms that worsen with activity.1 A class cannot replace medical clearance when warning signs are present.

What Does a GROWCO Session Involve?

A GROWCO session blends several training methods because postnatal recovery is not one muscle and one exercise. Your diaphragm, abdominal wall and pelvic floor must coordinate while the rest of your body regains mobility, strength and tolerance for daily load.

Program component	What you work on	Why it matters after birth
Breathing and pressure management	Coordinating the diaphragm, deep abdominals and pelvic floor during effort	Helps you manage pressure during lifting, carrying, coughing and exercise
Deep-core retraining	Controlled activation without excessive bracing, bulging or doming	Rebuilds trunk support and load transfer through the abdominal wall
Pelvic floor rehabilitation	Contraction, relaxation, timing and coordination	Supports bladder and bowel control, pelvic organ support and confident movement
Mobility	Hips, thoracic spine, pelvis and movement patterns restricted by pregnancy or infant care	Restores positions needed for squatting, reaching, feeding and training
Pilates-based movement	Precise, low-impact control through a manageable range	Connects breathing, alignment and trunk control before load increases
Functional strength	Progressive squats, hinges, pulls, carries and resistance work	Prepares your body for babies, car seats, stairs, work and regular workouts

Exercises are adjusted to the person in front of the coach. A participant managing a C-section incision, another dealing with pelvic heaviness and another returning from an uncomplicated vaginal birth should not receive identical loading. They can train in the same room while using different ranges, resistance, tempo and exercise variations.

The Canadian guideline identifies meaningful health benefits from postpartum physical activity and recommends building toward at least 120 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity per week across four or more days, using both aerobic and resistance exercise.1 That is a direction of travel—not a demand to hit the full target in your first week. GROWCO builds the base that makes broader activity realistic.

GROWCO Level 1 vs. Level 2

GROWCO uses two levels so participants are not trapped between rehabilitation exercises that have become too easy and mainstream classes that are still too demanding.

Level	Best fit	Main focus	Entry requirement
Level 1	Moms approximately 6 weeks to 12 months postpartum	Reconnection, breathing, core and pelvic floor coordination, mobility and foundational strength	Chiropractic initial assessment or recent postnatal follow-up
Level 2	Graduates of Level 1 who are ready for more load	Continued postnatal rehabilitation with greater strength and muscular endurance	Completion of Level 1 and a follow-up with the referring chiropractor before the class start date

Level 2 is not a finish line. You can repeat either level as many times as needed. Repetition is useful when symptoms are improving but higher-impact exercise, heavier lifting or sustained endurance is not yet comfortable. The correct progression is the one your body can control without leaking, pelvic pressure, pain, increased bleeding or prolonged symptom flare-ups.

GROWCO After a C-Section, Diastasis Recti or Pelvic Floor Symptoms

GROWCO is designed to accommodate different birth and recovery experiences, but a group program is not a substitute for one-to-one clinical care when a specific condition needs assessment or treatment.

After a C-section

A C-section is abdominal surgery. Progression depends on incision healing, pain, bleeding, abdominal wall function and overall recovery—not a generic deadline. The Canadian guideline supports early light activity and a gradual return to greater intensity once incisions have sufficiently healed and vaginal bleeding does not increase with activity.1 Anchor also offers C-section scar release therapy when scar mobility, sensitivity or abdominal coordination needs additional attention.

With diastasis recti

Diastasis recti is not judged by gap width alone. Tension through the midline, pressure control, doming, symptoms and your ability to transfer load all matter. GROWCO teaches you how to coordinate breathing and trunk tension before progressively increasing resistance. Read our diastasis recti guide for the full explanation.

With leaking, pelvic heaviness or pain

These symptoms are common after birth, but they should not be normalized or trained through blindly. A pelvic floor physiotherapy assessment can determine whether the muscles need strength, relaxation, better timing or a different strategy altogether. Daily pelvic floor muscle training reduces the risk of postpartum urinary incontinence, but correct technique matters.1

Stop an exercise and tell your clinician or coach if it causes pain, vaginal heaviness, leaking, abdominal bulging you cannot control, dizziness, unusual shortness of breath or increased bleeding. Exercise should build capacity, not require you to hide symptoms.

GROWCO vs. Fit Mom Club: Choose the Right Starting Point

Anchor offers both GROWCO and Fit Mom Club, and they solve different problems.

Choose GROWCO when…	Choose Fit Mom Club when…
You are newly postpartum or returning after a difficult recovery	You are ready for a general child-friendly fitness class
You have leaking, heaviness, pain, diastasis recti or low confidence with exercise	You can manage full-body strength and cardio without postpartum symptoms
You need a staged core and pelvic floor rehabilitation plan	Your priority is ongoing fitness in a setting where kids can attend
You want clinical screening before group exercise	You no longer need a rehabilitation-first entry point

If you are unsure, start with the assessment. Choosing rehabilitation first does not slow your return to fitness. It reduces guesswork and gives you a clearer route into regular strength, cardio and studio classes.

When Can You Start—and What About Babies?

Anchor generally recommends waiting six weeks after birth before starting GROWCO. Some patients with an uncomplicated vaginal delivery feel ready earlier, but that decision belongs in the postnatal assessment. ACOG similarly states that people with a healthy pregnancy and uncomplicated vaginal delivery can often begin light activity within days as they feel ready, while those recovering from a C-section or complications should ask their obstetric care provider when exercise is safe.2

Babies and children are welcome to accompany mom to class. That feature is not cosmetic. Childcare is a real barrier to postpartum care and consistency. Removing it makes a complete program more practical for Georgina families.

Bring water, comfortable clothing, any feeding supplies you need and the information your clinician gave you at assessment. If you are breastfeeding, ACOG recommends feeding your baby or expressing milk before exercise for comfort, wearing a supportive bra and staying hydrated.2

Are GROWCO Classes Covered by Benefits?

GROWCO classes may be eligible for reimbursement under chiropractic or pelvic floor physiotherapy benefits. Coverage is controlled by your insurer and your individual policy, not by the clinic.

Before registering, confirm:

1. Whether your plan covers the practitioner category attached to your class.
2. Whether a referral is required under your policy.
3. Your annual maximum and remaining balance.
4. Whether group rehabilitation or exercise-based care is eligible.
5. What receipt or documentation the insurer requires.

Anchor offers direct billing where possible for many clinical services. Contact the clinic at (905) 535-4449 if you need help understanding what information to ask your insurer for.

Why the Clinic-and-Studio Model Matters

Postnatal rehab often breaks down at the handoff. A clinician identifies what needs work, but the patient is then expected to translate that advice into safe exercise alone. Or a fitness class delivers movement without access to the clinical context behind pain, leaking, scar symptoms or abdominal dysfunction.

Anchor's clinic and fitness studio operate under one roof in Keswick. Your GROWCO pathway can connect chiropractic care, pelvic floor physiotherapy, physiotherapy and progressive exercise without forcing you to rebuild the plan with disconnected providers.

That connection is the core value of GROWCO. You are not being told to rest indefinitely, and you are not being pushed into exercise your body is not ready to manage. You get a defined starting point, coached progression and access to additional care when symptoms require it.

Start GROWCO in Keswick

GROWCO is for postpartum moms who want more than a generic workout. It is a structured route from recovery into strength, built around assessment, core and pelvic floor function, progressive loading and the realities of caring for a baby.

Review the current GROWCO levels and registration options, then book your initial postnatal assessment. Anchor Health & Fitness is located at 443 The Queensway South, Unit 70 in Keswick, serving Georgina, Sutton, Jackson's Point, Pefferlaw and surrounding Lake Simcoe communities. Get directions and clinic details.

References

1. 2025 Canadian Guideline for Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour and Sleep Throughout the First Year Postpartum
2. Exercise After Pregnancy: Frequently Asked Questions