Pregnancy is a journey that itself is a sort of hurdle race, wherein you as a mother have to face and overcome a number of obstacles daily. Making it more adverse comes the likelihood of a C-section—a procedure involving surgery through which a mother delivers the baby. While you might be praying hard to not undergo this operation as a means of welcoming your baby to this world, the luck might not always be in your favor, leaving you no other alternative than the C-section itself. While light activity might help your postpartum recovery, exercising plays a key role in defining how fast you fully recover to your old self. But when to start exercising and what exercises can I do? These questions might test your patience. But worry not! We’re here with a guide to help you get started with your exercise routine. Ranging from briefing when to begin exercising and what all postpartum period exercises are safe for you, we’ve covered everything.
When Is It Safe To Start Exercising After A C-Section?
A C-section, as an invasive procedure, involves incisions and cuts to be made through the abdominal wall before the baby can be secured safely. This results in the mother requiring substantial time for recovery before she can begin with her old self-regime. Moreover, the abdominal and pelvic floor muscles are more susceptible to an injury when the C-section is being performed, requiring special attention and care to be given for the recovery period. Activating and strengthening this muscle group aids her in making a full postpartum recovery.
Going by the general recommendation of obstetricians, a woman after undergoing a cesarean section, as an abdominal surgery, should wait at least 6-8 weeks before she can start with any exercise. It’s suggested for her to get the postnatal check-up done to ensure that she is free from any possible complications. To get started with the exercises, it is mandatory to do only low-impact exercises such as walking, swimming, yoga, gentle jogging, or pilates. Moms can even wear a post c section belly band that would aid their abdominal muscles and the incision site to heal properly while promoting a good posture.
Exercises To Get Back In Shape After A C-Section
Typically, your midwife or the general practitioner would guide you on how to proceed with exercises and what safety precautions to take while doing so. In case they don't, you can take advice from pregnancy support groups that include in-person, online, and digital groups. With them, you can share your concerns and queries about how to get started with exercising after such a significant surgery. Irrespective of your exercise choice, make sure to carry on with all these exercises in a deliberate manner, as neglecting the safety measures could even result in you facing negative consequences. Following are the types of exercises that you can do in your postpartum period.
Breathing Exercises
Breathing exercises are the first and most important set of exercises that you need to begin doing after undergoing a C-section. You can start doing them just a couple of days after the c-section. Doing so will benefit both your mental as well as physical health. This group of exercises targets the core of your body and helps strengthen its muscles, helping you recover soon. Regularly doing these exercises also helps you keep the risk of developing pneumonia and other chest infections at bay, which are common after a cesarean section. Here’s how you can do different breathing exercises:
Belly Breathing
Lie down on your back, put your hands on your abdomen, and take deep breaths using your nose. With your hands, feel your belly expanding and exhale through your mouth. Do 5-10 rounds of this exercise around 3 times a day.
Diaphragmatic Breathing
Sit or lie down in a position you find comfortable. Put one hand on your chest and the other on the abdomen, just below the rib cage. Start breathing slowly via your nose and feel your belly expanding. Hold this position for a couple of seconds. Now exhale slowly using your mouth. Do 3-5 repetitions of this exercise 3-8 times a day.
Pelvic Floor Exercise
Although you can begin with pelvic floor exercises a few weeks after your c-section, it’s advised to first consult your physician whether it’s safe for you at the moment or not. As a general rule, you can start with them when you feel comfortable enough to proceed. Pelvic floor exercises target the muscles linked to the bladder, bowels, and uterus and help strengthen them. Despite not giving a vaginal birth, it's crucial to retrain them to bring back to their old power as they had been supporting the weight of the baby. Following are some pelvic floor-related exercises that you can incorporate into your exercise regime.
Wall Sit
Stand and lay your back still against the wall. Ensure keeping your feet 1 to 2 feet away from the wall. Lower yourself in a way that your knees and hips align at a 90-degree angle. Try holding this position for at least 1 minute or as long as you can. And while doing so, use your core to feel your belly pushing into the wall while exhaling breaths. To make it more strenuous, you can try contracting your pelvic floor muscles while holding this position. Repeat this process around 5 times.
Kegel Exercise
contraction for a few seconds and try to increase the hold time as you progress. Do 10 reps of it 2-3 times a day. Over time, as you get stronger, try increasing the repetitions and the hold time.For it, you can opt for any of the three variations. i.e., Kegels while sitting, lying down, or standing. No matter which alternative you go with, it’s all about training and strengthening the pelvic floor muscles. Start by finding your pelvic floor muscles. For it, try stopping your urine flow while urinating. Now, begin by contracting and releasing your pelvic floor muscles. Aim for doing it around 25-40 times at the beginning. Once you get a hold of it, you can try holding the
Happy Baby Yoga Pose
Lay down on a mat with your back facing the floor. Curve your knees towards the chest such that they form a 90-degree angle. Gradually widen your knees outward while holding your feet or ankles with your hands. Now try bringing the bottoms of your feet all the way up. Ensure your tailbone remains adjoined to the ground and take deep breaths. Hold this position for a while as you take deep breaths.
High-Impact Exercises
Going by the expert recommendation, a woman needs to wait for around 12 weeks after a c-section before she can begin doing high-impact exercises like aerobics, running, weight training, plyometrics, and high-intensity interval training. For weight training, start by lifting low weights and progress gradually as you feel comfortable doing so. No matter how recuperated you find yourself, it’s best to progress gradually without putting too much pressure on the body.
SNUG360’s Belly Binder: Your Postpartum Exercise Partner
For faster recovery in your postpartum period, you can trust SNUG360’s belly binder after c section. The benefits you will get after wearing this are numerous, including faster incision site healing, pain relief, better posture maintenance, and more strength in the belly, among others. Made using soft and high-grade material, this belly band is quite flexible to wear and can be adjusted up to 9 inches with its adjustable hook. The lightweight and cooling fabric used makes it a comfortable choice of medical garment to be worn under clothing. Its gentle compression provides adequate relief from all discomforts that you might face during pregnancy and after childbirth.
Closing Thoughts
Although cesarean delivery does seem daunting, actually it acts as a lifesaver in a multitude of circumstances wherein the mother can’t deliver the baby vaginally. Doing exercise daily as a part of the fitness routine fastens your recovery, making it easier for you to attain your old physique and health. We at SNUG360 are fully committed to providing pregnant women with the best-in-the-industry maternity care products that they can use for caring for themselves.