If you’ve had a cesarean birth, be aware that the cesarean section operation is major abdominal surgery, so you may feel pain, soreness, gas pains, bladder issues, difficulty moving or sitting up, or a pulling sensation on your belly, so take care not to overdo anything.
Here’s how you can exercise after caesarean birth:
- Gentle but frequent movement is actually one of best recovery tricks you can do for your body, as it reduces swelling in the incision and gets the blood flowing to all your body parts. Remember to “RICE” - Rest, Ice, Compress, and Elevate.
- Deliberately and loudly cough, at least 10 x an hour, drawing your belly button towards your spine as if you trying to “staple” your belly button to your spine - this will help heal your transverse abdominals, the deepest and lowest part of your tummy - the part that was pulled aside when they made the incision.
- Another way to exercise after caesarean birth is to pull your belly to spine and squeeze your pelvic floor up to your belly as you say 10 “HUPS)” loudly. Again, 10 HUPS x an hour.
- If you are re-joining a regular fitness program or starting one up for the first time to exercise after cesarean birth, be sure to let your fitness instructor know, and get medical clearance from your provider no sooner than eight weeks after the birth. Begin at a very light intensity level.
- Pilates-based exercises are the absolute best at helping you recover your abdominal strength and shape, and your Pilates instructor can show you how to exercise after caesarean birth.
Simple Pilates exercises to do after caesarean birth:
1. Half roll-ups - Lie down with feet apart, under knees and arms flat at the side. Inhale and exhale as you lift shoulders off the floor and arms to the side of your thigh, drawing your belly button towards your spine. Lie back and repeat 10 sets.
2. Semi-crunch – In the same position, place hands behind head. Inhale and exhale as you lift head and shoulders off the floor. Remember to draw belly button in again, hold for 10 counts. Repeat 10 sets.
3. Single leg stretch – Lie back and bring knees up to 90 degrees. Place hands on knees. Inhale to prepare then exhale as you bring your head and shoulders up. Staying up, inhale and extend left leg out, exhale, bring it in and then extend right leg out, alternating legs. Repeat 10 sets.
4. Criss cross – Lie down with feet apart, under knees and hands supporting head. Inhale and exhale then lift head and shoulders off the floor, pointing your right elbow to your left knee. Rest down and repeat for the left side, pointing your left elbow to your right knee. Repeat 5 more sets. For a more advanced version, lift legs off the floor.
5. Belly to spine – Sitting up with knees together and hand resting lightly on knees. Keeping spine straight, inhale to prepare and exhale as you draw belly button in towards spine, rounding the spine. Repeat 10 sets.
Pearlin Siow is the author of e-book, The Essential Post-pregnancy Weight Loss Guide which features cutting edge weight loss techniques and energizing tips for new mums. For a free ebook sample, go to www.exercisepostpregnancy.com
A certified Pilates instructor with over 200 private and corporate clients, she has organized body wellness programs for Club Med Asia, and is a regular health and fitness contributor to SHAPE magazine.
She is also the best-selling author of motivational business book series, Boss of Me! (www.bossofmesingapore.blogspot.com) which profiles 20 successful entrepreneurs in Singapore. Boss of Me! is available for $15 on Amazon.com