C-sections (Cesarean Sections) are common and can be planned or unplanned. But they aren’t a small procedure. We want you to be confident in your recovery and the ability to exercise safely.

RECOVERY IN EARLY WEEKS

In the first six weeks, allow yourself to get as much help as possible. Breathe, relax, and move rather than staying completely off your feet. When getting in or out of bed, lie on your sides, and use upper body strength to sit up. Use restorative breathing and reprogram your core to function from the diaphragm down to pelvic muscles while breathing thoroughly. Look to C-Section Recovery Center for a postpartum recovery therapist to help you with anything you don’t understand or while returning to your training routine.

CLEAR FOR EXERCISE IN SIX WEEKS?

A C-section isn’t the gentlest procedure on your body and its organs. Adequate rest and recovery are essential. Don’t push through but be patient. Completely heal now and save yourself any problems in the future. Your doctor may clear you for exercising in six weeks, but this means only light exercises, the type that don’t exert much pressure on your body.

Your scars might begin fading, but your body inside is still healing. The deeper layers need more time. It’s a life-changing period for new moms. You’ll go through emotional turmoil and a lot of body changes and your focus must be on breathing and reconnecting exercises rather than something high-impact. Exercising, as you knew before, may be very different. Once your core has healed, you can start practicing appropriate postpartum exercises.

LOW-RISK EXERCISES

Pelvic tilts, modified planks, and wall sits are great abdominal workouts.

Light stretches, breathing exercises, walking, postpartum yoga, and Kegel exercises do well in the initial six weeks.

Swimming, aqua aerobics, cycling, walking, and lightweight training are some suitable cardio activities to perform as you slowly build your stamina after a C-section

The healing time can be anywhere between 6 to 12 months after your C-section delivery. If you return too early to your workout routine, it can reopen the incision or lead to other complications. Therefore, C-Section Recovery Center specialists always suggest new moms heal, recover, and then exercise.

However, walking is something you must start right after. Being stuck in bed for too long isn’t ideal, but building a walking routine is. So, start small, slow, and steadily increase the time and distance. Respect that you’re recovering, and you do not want to jump straight into a rigorous training program.

The right fitness plan will get you to strengthen your abdominal muscles, protect your spine, and maintain a posture. Strengthening your core is essential as that helps you with most of your daily movements like bending, moving, pushing, pulling, sitting, and twisting. Its recommended that you wait until after your postnatal check-up to commence with a more intensive routine.

EXERCISES TO AVOID

Some core exercises should be avoided as these separate the abdominals preventing you from a thorough recovery. Build your core first and progress to more rigorous routines over time.

We suggest avoiding crunches, jumping, leg raises, sit-ups, twisting movements, or planks in the initial 12 weeks. Be kind to yourself. Accept that it’ll take time, and wrong moves will lead to a delay in your recovery.

THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND

You might have found the best dos and don’ts resources, but here are things worth mentioning one more time. Things that’ll help you recover and exercise with more confidence.

It’s about HOW you’re doing than WHAT you’re doing – You may not want to get to more intensive routines before strengthening the groundwork. So, focus on how you’re doing the exercises. If your alignment isn’t in check, even the C-section safe activities will do no favors to your body. The strategies you use in the initial weeks will help you heal faster.

Scar tissue makes things uncomfortable – It gives you pelvic pain, digestive issues, incontinence, and can cause intercourse to be painful. Scar tissue is no joke, so it will help to go for regular massages. Connect with a professional or ask your partner if you’re having a tough time touching or looking at your scar tissue.

Healing takes time – The scars may appear healed on the outside, but the external skin is only a part of what may be going around with the surrounding areas or internally. The scar tissue can take years to build up after a cesarean delivery. Our point here is to help you understand that healing takes time. It may look good on the outside, but you’re still at the risk of getting injured while exercising too early or intensely.

Pelvic floor needs tender love and care – Not having to go through a vaginal birth may exert a little less pressure on your pelvic floor muscles, but you’ve still endured your pregnancy, and that’s incredibly challenging. Take care of your pelvic floor even after C-sections, as this might necessitate some professional help.

TAKE A DEEP BREATH – LET C-SECTION RECOVERY CENTER SPECIALISTS HELP YOU

It may be an overwhelming phase: so many things to consider, so many emotions to deal with. Let alone the responsibilities of nurturing an infant. So, take a deep breath and remember you don’t have to be perfect every day! Start somewhere and keep up with the pace. Pick one thing at a time, focus on it, add on gradually and embrace the bigger picture.

C-section recovery isn’t a comfortable, overnight journey, but you can get back to exercising feeling great. C-Section Recovery Center experts can help you heal and get back to feeling like yourself again. Call us at (972) 612-3399 to know how we can help you restore your body’s ability to heal and free from C-section-associated discomforts.