A Cesarean-section birth is a major operation that will result in pain, tenderness and difficulty moving. However, you will be encouraged to get out of bed and start postnatal exercises within 24 hours of surgery to aid recovery and prevent stiffness, says BabyCentre.co.uk.
Post-pregnancy Abdominals
Your belly doesn’t immediately bounce back to its previous shape after your have given birth. The skin has stretched over nine months, so it will take time to return to normal, says Catherine Ann Rauch of BabyCenter. It’s important to give your body time to recover from pregnancy and childbirth, but starting a regular exercise program as soon as you are able can speed up this process and help you lose excess weight and tone your abdominals. The transverse-abdominal and pelvic-floor muscles are the main ones to target.
Pelvic-floor Exercise
Your pelvic-floor muscles form a sling from your pubic bone at the front, between your legs to the bottom of your spine. Start strengthening this muscle group as soon as you can after your surgery to reduce swelling and help your scar to heal, says BabyCentre.co.uk. Take a deep breath in and, as you exhale, contract your pelvic floor muscles by pretending you are stopping yourself from passing urine. You may feel a slight tightening in your lower stomach, but this should be barely noticeable and should not extend to your upper abdominals. Start by holding the contraction for about five seconds and gradually increase the duration as your strength improves.
Basic Abdominals Exercise
About four weeks after surgery, you can start more advanced abdominal exercises, says Lisa Stone on the SheKnows website. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Place your fingertips against your temples and keep your elbows pointing out to your sides as you lift your head a few inches off the floor. As you lift, gently curl your pelvis under so your lower back presses into the floor. Breathe out as you lift and inhale as you lower. You can make this exercise even more challenging by lifting both your head and shoulders off the floor.
Advanced Abdominals Exercise
Only progress to this exercise once you can comfortably perform both versions of the basic exercise. Start in the same position but lift your feet off the floor and bend your knees so your lower legs are parallel to the floor and your thighs are at right angles to it, says Stone. Tuck your pelvis under and use your lower abdominals to lift your butt a few inches off the floor. Aim to do about 10 repetitions. Keep your head and shoulders on the floor to begin with, but as your strength increases, you can lift them as you lift your buttocks and gradually add more repetitions.
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