Is it possible to exercise after cesarean section?

“When can we start exercising after C-section?” This is the question of many mothers; Mothers who are concerned about their health and fitness and are looking for an exercise to shrink their belly after cesarean section and childbirth. If you are a new mom who just brought your little angel into this world and now you are thinking about exercising after giving birth, congratulations!

It is true that pregnancy and childbirth change the physical condition of women, but by following the diet and doing proper exercise, you can achieve fitness and physical health. In this vitamin article, we will tell everything about exercise after cesarean section and explain the points related to it.

How long after natural delivery can I start exercising?

Childbirth is a difficult and painful experience, but it is magnificent and beautiful! Remember that your body went through a crisis with childbirth, so it needs time to get back to its normal state and recovery will take some time.

How long it takes to start exercising after a C-section depends on your previous fitness level, your current health, and the type of delivery you had; Because for different mothers, the time to return to sports is different. But it’s always the best idea to talk to your doctor about when to start exercising after a C-section.

How long after natural childbirth should we start exercising?

If you had an almost easy and uncomplicated natural birth and you are healthy, You can start light walking a week after giving birth! Light stretching exercises and walking are allowed as long as they do not put pressure on you. but It is better to wait until six weeks before lifting weights or running.

If your natural delivery was difficult and complicated, it is better to consult your doctor about the time to exercise after delivery.

When can we start exercising after cesarean section?

Caesarean section is a complex and heavy surgery and your body needs more time to recover after cesarean section. The general advice to most mothers is to devote the first two months after cesarean section to rest and after that, according to the physical condition and the doctor’s opinion, start exercising little by little.

Remember that up to 3 months after giving birth, you are still recovering from this surgery and you cannot do abdominal exercises (such as sit-ups and crunches) or go to weights and dumbbells. We suggest that you get a specific program suitable for your conditions from vitamin trainers!

Benefits of exercise after childbirth

Many times, with the arrival of a baby and multiple tasks, you are so tired that if you find time, you would like to spend that time resting! But we suggest that you look at light exercise as a form of rest. Exercise is very beneficial for your physical and mental health. Exercising after a C-section can help heal birthmarks, strengthen muscles, and improve your mood.

If you are tired and unmotivated, you don’t have to go to the gym and spend a lot of time exercising, you can do some yoga exercises at home or take a short walk around the neighborhood. Regular exercise after childbirth causes:

• strengthen your muscles (especially abdominal and pelvic muscles that are weakened during pregnancy);
• the complications of childbirth will be improved sooner;
• Your energy level will increase and you will become more lively and refreshed;
• reduce your stress and prevent depression;
• It will help you lose weight and get fit.

But don’t worry about how much you should exercise! Even 10 minutes of exercise is better than nothing.

What sports are suitable for cesarean section?

Cesarean delivery is a major surgery in which an incision is made in the abdominal wall to deliver the baby; Therefore, you should not expect to be able to easily return to hard sports after cesarean section! In choosing the type and amount of exercise, it is best to consult your doctor.

But in general, which exercise is appropriate to do after cesarean section? See below the exercises that are recommended to start after two months of cesarean section!

1. Light walking

Walking is a low-stress activity that helps improve blood circulation, prevent blood clots, and strengthen muscles without putting too much pressure on wounds. Start with short, leisurely walks and gradually increase the distance and time.

2. Gentle stretching exercises such as yoga and pilates

Light yoga will help you gradually strengthen your muscles again, relieve cramps, and also experience peace and relaxation. Of course, it means movements that do not put pressure on the stomach and stitches.

3. Kegel exercises

Kegel exercises help to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles to solve problems such as bladder weakness.

What sports should be avoided?

Any strenuous sport is prohibited for new mothers. Sports such as running, jumping, martial arts, ball and racquet sports put pressure on the stitches during the recovery period and cause you pain and discomfort. Also note that swimming is prohibited until you have vaginal bleeding.

Also, for the first two or three months (even sometimes more – according to the doctor’s opinion), you should avoid heavy bodybuilding and working with weights; Because it puts pressure on your stomach. During the exercise, be careful to avoid twisting movements of the trunk and bending forward, because it will put pressure on your back and abdomen and cause pain.

After three months, before doing bodybuilding exercises, you should test the strength of your pelvic floor! Try to cough with a full bladder, if there is no urine leakage, you are ready for light weight training. If your baby is three months old and older and you have urinary leakage, you need to see a physical therapist.

What is the relationship between exercise and breastfeeding?

Many new mothers worry about the effect of exercise on milk production and breastfeeding, but fortunately, research has shown that gentle exercise does not have a negative effect on the quality and quantity of milk and can be effective in improving your mood and increasing your energy so that you are fresh and energetic while breastfeeding!

Light or moderate exercise has no negative effect on the quantity or quality of breast milk. It’s just important that you stay hydrated and drink enough water to avoid dehydration. Keep a water bottle handy during your workout and drink plenty of fluids throughout the day.

Also, use the right sports underwear (which has enough support for the breasts), so that you are more comfortable in your training and prevent your breasts from sagging.

final word

To start exercising after a cesarean section, you should consider various factors such as your previous fitness level, current health, and the type of delivery. It is not possible to make one prescription for all mothers. The return time is not the same for all mothers. In this regard, it is better to consult your doctor.

In this article, we talked about the best time to start exercising after cesarean section and we also introduced suitable exercises after childbirth.

Resources: pregnancybirthbaby – mayoclinic – conditions