Most certified trainers didn't get postpartum-specific education — general certs don't cover it. That gap is costing clients (and creating liability).

Here are 3 movements we see programmed way too early in postpartum return-to-training, and what to check first instead:

1. Loaded overhead pressing (e.g. barbell OHP) before rib cage / breath assessment

Postpartum breathing mechanics often shift into a rib-flare, breath-holding pattern. Loading overhead before restoring a 360-degree breath pattern loads directly through an unstressed linea alba and pelvic floor. Fix: teach a 90/90 breathing reset and confirm exhale-driven rib depression before adding overhead load.

1. Running/plyo reintroduced purely on a time-based (e.g. "6 weeks") timeline

Time since birth tells you nothing about tissue readiness. Fix: use a load-based readiness check — single-leg bridge x10 no leak/no bulge, single-leg squat to depth without pelvic shift, and a 10x hop test without pain/leaking — before any running or jumping.

1. Front-loaded core "crunch" work (sit-ups, standard planks) before a diastasis/pelvic floor screen

If there's an unmanaged diastasis recti or pelvic floor dysfunction, sit-ups and long-hold planks (bulging or coning at the midline) can worsen intra-abdominal pressure management. Fix: screen for doming/coning first, and regress to breath-connected anti-extension work (dead bugs, bird dogs with exhale bias) until the midline holds under load.

The throughline: postpartum programming isn't "modify the exercise," it's "screen first, then load." That screening protocol — plus how to price and sell it as a premium specialty instead of a free add-on — is what we teach inside Coach Certification Lite.