<![CDATA[Cesarean section (CS) is associated with various postpartum recovery problems, including sleep disturbances, postoperative pain, and limited mobility. These conditions may delay maternal recovery and adaptation to maternal roles. This study aimed to determine the effect of postpartum exercise on sleep quality, pain intensity, and early mobilization among mothers following CS. This study employed a pre-experimental one-group pretest–posttest design with repeated measures and was conducted at BLUD Konawe Selatan Regional Hospital from January to June 2026. Thirty-four primiparous post-CS mothers who met the inclusion criteria were recruited. Postpartum exercise was performed once daily for 30 minutes from day 1 to day 7 postpartum. Sleep quality was assessed using PSQS, pain intensity using NRS, and early mobilization using an observation checklist. Measurements were conducted on postpartum days 1, 3, and 7, analyzed using the Friedman test. The findings showed that the proportion of mothers with poor sleep quality decreased from 70.6% on day 1 to 5.9% on day 7, while the proportion with good sleep quality increased from 8.8% to 70.6%. Moderate-to-severe pain decreased substantially, and 79.4% of mothers reported only mild pain by day 7. Early mobilization improved, with the proportion of mothers achieving good mobilization increasing from 2.9% on day 1 to 76.5% on day 7. The Friedman test demonstrated significant differences in sleep quality, pain intensity, and early mobilization across all measurement periods (p < 0.001). Postpartum exercise significantly improved sleep quality and early mobilization while reducing pain intensity among post-cesarean mothers during the first postpartum week.]]>
