It is usually the dream of many women to give birth by natural means, which is the vaginal birth method. But sometimes, these dreams don’t come true as envisaged due to medical issues like emergency and difficult labor pangs, pregnancy complications, and accidents that occur at times to pregnant women. , a major surgical procedure like the Caesarean section is only the way out to save either the baby, mother, or both depending on the situation. Sometimes, apart from encountering an emergency, C-section is the kind of surgery that may be necessary to give a pregnant woman and her baby the procedure that is the most efficient and safe for me their situation. You might deliberately choose a C-section, or be surprised by the need for one. Caesarian section is not only applied during emergencies or birth complications. It is also deliberately selected by some pregnant women to ensure ease of passage for their babies and themselves without the fear of any complications. Modern medicine has been developing at a good pace since the first-ever human surgical procedure, and the use of C-section is not the total sign that all hope is lost as imagined by some women. Although as common as Cesarean sections have become, the procedure is still major surgery and should be regarded as such. Like all other major surgeries, it takes weeks for proper recovery and healing after a C-section.
EXERCISING AND WHEN TO START AFTER A C-SECTION PROCEDURE
Exercising after Caesarian section delivery usually needs to be postponed for longer than after a vaginal delivery. It’s also important not to push yourself too hard after a Caesarian section. This is because doing so can elevate the risk of infection and other complications that can prolong your recovery. If you want to get back to exercise after delivery, there are a few factors to consider. Since no two births are alike, your case needs to be assessed according to your unique needs. This is why it is required to consult with your doctor or midwife for medical advice on how you can go about it. Remember that all our bodies and birth circumstances are not the same and hence may likely not require the same routine line by line.
But considering a more general rule, it is recommended that after having a C-section delivery, you need to wait for at least 6 weeks before attempting to jump into your post-pregnancy exercise regimen. And this is after you’ve made a proper consultation with your health care provider. Passing these two milestones before you begin exercising is vital to ensuring that your recovery goes smoothly. Even people who had smooth deliveries need to be careful about postnatal exercise. Childbirth and cesarean section deliveries are traumatic to the body, and overexertion can cause problems. If you want to get your body moving before your 4–6 week postnatal check-up, start with gentle, low-impact activity, like walking. So Once your health care provider has given you the thumbs up for exercise after delivery, you can slowly ease yourself back into a regular workout routine over a few weeks or months.
SUITABLE POST-C-SECTION EXERCISES YOU CAN DO STARTING FROM THE GENTLE REGIMENS
It is really advisable to start with the most gentle forms of so as not to put a strain on your body and the healing C-section scar on your tummy. As the weeks go by, your body should gradually start warming into the exercise regimens. , it will be like a cakewalk for you once you transition to the more active regimens.
- Walking: As soon as you can get up and move around, venture out of the house and around the block a few times. It’ll probably feel great to get your body moving again.
- Light Stretches: Focus on stretching your neck, shoulders, arms, and legs with light stretches that don’t put pressure on your C-section scar.
- Practicing Good Posture Routines On Your Body: Pregnancy, C-section, and breastfeeding can all contribute to bad posture. Practice sitting up with your back straight and your shoulders back. This will help you to strengthen your stomach muscles and support your back.
- Scar Tissue Massage: Most C-sections are performed using a horizontal incision or bikini cut over a mom’s lower abdominal. When the scar heals, just like any other scar, it lays down tissue in every different direction. The scar tissue can cause adhesions to the abdominals, pelvic floor, and surrounding muscles. Following a Caesarian section, you will find certain movements can bother your incision site or the scar tissue there, so back off until you are ready.
- You Need To Let That Scar Heal All The Way. Do not get overeager too early in the game… you can pull open your incision. Wait until your incision is fully healed. Then put your fingers down along the incision and move your incision or scar in every different direction. Then just start gently. Know that this may be uncomfortable at the beginning. Thus you experiencing a little soreness is perfectly okay, but do not torture yourself! It does not matter if your scar is like 4 or 9 weeks old. People have gotten scars to move that are decades old. So It is never too late to work those scars or yours now.
- Indulge Yourself In Pelvic Floor Exercises (Pelvic Tilts): Doing pelvic exercises like pelvic tilts is quite good. Practicing pelvic tilts is considered as one of the safest exercises to start within strengthening the muscles of your abdominal wall after delivery. Pelvic tilts require you lying on your back on a mat with your knees bent at a 90-degree angle and your feet firmly planted on the floor. After maintaining that position, you can tilt your hips toward your upper body and engage your core as you raise your butt about an inch off the floor. You should be closing the gap between the curve of your lower back and the floor. Hold the position for a few seconds, then release. Repeat this procedure up to ten times.
- Kegel Exercises: You probably must have heard about this kind of exercise before. In fact, it is one of the most recommended exercises for females either pregnant or not. It is also good for post-C-section recovery. You can identify which muscles to engage by stopping urination midstream. The muscles that you use to do that are the same muscles that you contract to perform a Kegel. Contract and hold for five seconds, then release. You can repeat the procedure for up to ten times. Also, you can do this a few times a day.
Final Advice
Please, whatever you are going to do, never consider weight lifting as part of your exercise regimens. Also, you need to totally avoid lifting any heavy objects for a long time. All you need to do is to continue your focus on strengthening the core and pelvic floor muscles to better support your back. Avoid sleeping on your back whenever you are in bed or resting. Instead, lie on your side with a pillow between your knees to maintain a neutral position on your spine.