When can I start exercising after a cesarean section?

Tidying up your figure and appearance after childbirth is a task that almost all women who become mothers set themselves. Pregnancy has brought with it extra pounds, the skin on the abdomen and thighs has changed, it may look saggy. A cesarean section performed on a woman makes it quite difficult to play sports after childbirth, but there is a way out. This article will tell you when you can return to active sports after surgery and how to organize such activities correctly.

Restrictions after surgery

Caesarean section is a complex, abdominal operation, during which the skin of the abdomen, muscle tissue, and the wall of the uterus are cut. Each layer is then sutured separately, and it takes a lot of time to recover. The nerve endings, blood vessels damaged by the surgeon's scalpel, and the cells of the tissue that underwent surgery should be restored.

After a cesarean section in the first 8-10 hours, the woman is shown complete rest, since the internal sutures are actively formed during this period. The edges of the wounds stick together, the fibrin threads create a sticking effect. A day later, the production of the first cells begins, which should replace the damaged ones, after 2-3 days the blood vessels are restored. After a week, collagen begins to be produced, which makes both internal and external scars more elastic. On the 8-10th day, it is possible to remove the stitches if the woman was given non-self-absorbing threads.

The complete formation of an internal scar on the uterus takes about 2 years. Its initial healing takes about 2 months. On the 20th day after surgery, the external suture usually heals. Any negative impact, including improper physical activity, can lead to the development of early or late complications: a hernia of the scar, the formation of an insolvent scar on the uterus, the development of fistulas, adhesions, and even dehiscence of scars (internal or external).

It is because of the probable difficulties of the postoperative period that the rehabilitation program after cesarean section does not imply intense physical activity. A woman is forbidden to lift a weight of more than 3 kilograms, she cannot bend over or sit down sharply, she is not allowed to return to sexual activity during the first two months, it is forbidden to strain the muscles of the anterior abdominal wall.

The choice of means and methods for losing weight after childbirth, if they were surgical, is therefore significantly limited. You cannot ignore the prohibitions, because they will help maintain health in a general sense and reproductive health in particular.

For a nursing mother, strict mono-diets are contraindicated, she cannot use hormonal drugs for weight loss, antidepressants, and in the first year after the operation, the possibilities of plastic surgery and many cosmetic procedures belonging to the category of minimally invasive (mesotherapy, for example) will not be available to her.

The correct approach to getting fit after a cesarean section should be completely safe for a woman. The following action plan is recommended:

balanced diet;
restorative gymnastics;
traditional gymnastics;
return to certain sports;
the use of external tools and devices.

Timeline for returning to different sports

Absolutely different meanings can be put into the concept of "sport". For women who were not previously fond of it, walking in the park can be a sport. For women who have been systematically engaged in a sport or have done it professionally before surgery, returning to sports has a different meaning.

The prepared body of a sporty and fit woman recovers somewhat faster after surgery, but it is still not recommended to engage in professional sports in the first 8-10 months after surgical delivery. Intensive loads of big sports require complete recovery of both physiological wounds and immunity, which after surgery is undermined in 100% of women in childbirth.

Rehabilitation remedial gymnastics is recommended from the first days after surgery for all women, regardless of their physical condition. You should switch to traditional gymnastics only 3 months after surgical delivery. Yoga, Pilates, fitball exercises are allowed first. Three months after giving birth, a woman can start going to the pool, doing water aerobics.

Strength training, including pumping up the press to get rid of the remnants of the abdomen, is recommended no earlier than six months later, and training on simulators, intensive dynamic fitness - 8-10 months after the caesarean section.

Lifting weights - not earlier than in a year, but better - in a year and a half. Any sport associated with intense tension of the abdominal muscles, jumping, falling, is not indicated until a year after the operation. This means that playing tennis, volleyball and basketball, weightlifting, pole vaulting in the first 12 months are under the strictest ban. After the end of the year, admission to classes should be given by a doctor who will establish whether the woman has postoperative complications, which are contraindications.

Possible complications

An unreasonable attitude towards your health in pursuit of a beautiful figure can lead to serious complications that cannot be ignored. If a woman begins to experience heavy physical activity too early, problems may arise not only with the external postoperative suture, but also with the internal scar on the uterus. As a result, an insolvent scar will form, consisting of tough connective tissue. With such a scar, it will be difficult to endure a subsequent pregnancy if the woman wants another baby. There will be a high risk of uterine rupture even during pregnancy.

The risk of uterine rupture during subsequent childbirth will also be increased if a woman wants to give birth herself (if there is only one cesarean section in the anamnesis). An inconsistent scar, which cannot be felt, but can be established only with special diagnostics, can cause habitual miscarriages, infertility, placental insufficiency and delayed fetal development.

If you started to play sports and felt a deterioration in your health, abdominal pain, noticed redness of the postoperative suture, violation of its integrity, discharge from the scar (bloody, bloody or purulent), be sure to stop exercising and go to the doctor. You can't hesitate, because some complications can be fatal.

General rules for organizing training

Any exercise after a cesarean section must be done with great care. Until 6 weeks after surgery, only restorative therapeutic exercises should be adhered to. After this period, the program can be slightly complicated, but traditional gymnastics should replace restorative gymnastics only 2.5-3 weeks after surgery.

You can twist the hoop to restore your figure in 4–5 months, and it is better to add exercises for the abdominal muscles after six months.

All loads should increase gradually. Do not think that if the admissible period after the operation has already been met, you can immediately set up an intensive training regimen. You need to start smoothly, in stages, without overloading the muscles. This is especially true of the abdominal muscles, which were also dissected during the operation.

Rehabilitation and traditional gymnastics can be done at home. Also at home, a woman can do yoga if she has experience of such activities. But any more active sports need to be practiced under the supervision of specialists: minimum - a coach, maximum - both a coach and a medic. Even if there is a simulator at home, it is better to start exercising when the time is right for this in the gym.

It is important not to forget to inform the trainer about the peculiarities of the muscles of your abdomen, where the main feature is the surgery and suturing of muscle tissue. Then the specialist will be able to choose the ideal program for you, in which the abdominal muscles can be tightened gradually, but safe for women's health.

Rehabilitation gymnastics

The main task of the very first gymnastics after surgery is to prevent a decrease in muscle tone more than it has already happened. Therefore, within a few hours after the operation, the woman is advised to make circular movements with her feet, hands, turns from back to side. This will help reduce the likelihood of swelling in your extremities, and will also help you get back on your feet easier and earlier. It is recommended to carry out such gymnastics in the first weeks after discharge from the hospital.

4 weeks after the operation, the woman may complicate the exercise program. Introduce:

walking in place;
body tilts to the right and left, gradually - forward and backward;
walking in place with high knees;
rotation of the hips in a circle.

After the stitches are removed, the woman will benefit from walking. Walking with a stroller can be combined with this, the main thing is not to stand still during the walk, not to sit on a bench, but calmly, measuredly walk forward. Gradually, the steps should become more and more intense. An hour of active walking a day can help you lose up to 3 kilograms a month, and therefore should not be neglected. The only thing you need to pay attention to is your own well-being: a walk should not tire a young mother too much.

Best Traditional Exercises

You can restore good physical shape by doing a set of exercises at home. When about 3 months have passed after the operation, you can also introduce training into the daily exercise program. To get started, 10 minutes a day will be enough. The time for classes can be gradually increased, but no more than 1-2 minutes per day. The optimal training intensity is 3 times a week. Add exercises for the press last, when about six months have passed.

Dumbbells, which are a completely natural addition to the traditional gymnastic complex, are contraindicated after a cesarean section. Therefore, you should plan your activities using effective, but not exhausting, exercises.

"Bridge". This exercise will be beneficial for both the abdominal muscles and the thighs. Starting position - lying on your back. Bend your legs, place them on your feet, try to raise your hips as high as possible, hold for a few seconds and gently lower them back.

Kegel exercises. To a greater extent, this set of exercises for strengthening the pelvic floor and vagina is important for women who gave birth naturally, but after a cesarean section, the pelvic floor muscles are somewhat relaxed. You can get them in shape and thereby improve the quality of sex and your own self-esteem with a few simple tricks. Contract and unclench your vaginal muscles. After a 10-second load, take the same break and repeat the exercise again. Gradually increase the squeeze time and decrease the number of sets.

If at first three sets of 10 seconds are done, then in the final there is already 1 set with a half-minute period of squeezing the muscles of the vagina.

"Plank". Everyone has heard about the benefits of this exercise. After a cesarean section, it should be introduced into gymnastics no earlier than 6 months later. From a prone position with her face to the floor, a woman needs to raise her torso on the elbows and toes. The torso should be parallel to the floor surface. In this state, you need to hold from 10 seconds to half a minute.

"Mill". Circular movements with the arms from the shoulder can be useful for maintaining muscle tone not only in the shoulder girdle, but also in the hips. The main thing is to keep your posture and increase the diameter of the circles with each subsequent swing.

"Vacuum". This is a yoga exercise, and to untrained women it can seem incredibly difficult. In fact, the exercise "Vacuum" is much easier than it seems. It helps to shrink the waist and also strengthens the abdominal muscles, including those that have been cut with a scalpel (aponeurosis and rectus abdominis muscle). It is recommended to do it on an empty stomach before your morning meal. A woman needs to take a deep breath and exhale through her mouth so as to free her lungs from air as much as possible, after which the anterior abdominal wall will begin to approach the spine.

There are various options with poses - you can do "Vacuum" while standing, sitting, lying or standing on all fours.

Useful Tips

If you have not been involved in sports before and are thinking about choosing a certain type only after a cesarean section, opt for water aerobics or Pilates. In the first case, all loads during exercise are "smoothed" by the fact that gymnastics takes place in water. The abdominal muscles will not undergo dangerous loads. Usually, the program of such classes includes exercises for all muscle groups. For those who cannot swim, they use special safety harness. Gradually, as she recovers, a woman will be able to use special weights - boots in which you can stay in the water, cuffs. In the arsenal of aqua aerobics trainers, there are tons of ways to tone your muscles back.
Pilates is a form of gymnastics combined with special breathing techniques. And in fact, and in another case, it is better to engage not in video tutorials, but under the supervision of professionals.

Combine gymnastics (any kind), as well as any additional physical activity with proper nutrition. Avoid fried, fatty, spicy, starchy, sweet, and salty foods. Drink plenty of clean water (preferably at least 2 liters per day). Steam, boil, and bake. Up to 40% of the diet should be vegetables in any form (except pickled and canned). Eat small and often: 5-6 times a day, 300-400 grams of food at a time.
Avoid exercising on days when you have a fever or any signs of discomfort.
Don't get hung up on the end result. Since the recovery after surgery is much slower, there is no need to expect quick results. Wrong expectations can lead a woman to a dead end and lead to postpartum depression.

Reviews

On the Internet, there are many reviews of women who go in for sports after a cesarean section. It is alarming that those who started to pump the press too early (after 2-3 months from the date of the operation), in almost half of the cases, there is pain in the scar area, the scar becomes purple and sore.

Many young mothers are content with advice from the Internet, Dr. Komarovsky's programs and do not consider it necessary to consult with doctors about their own weight loss. And this is a big mistake. Quite often, after childbirth, the hormonal background changes, and it is in it that lies the reason that the extra pounds stubbornly do not want to leave. Sport in this case, like diet, will be powerless, and only an experienced endocrinologist will be able to find the imbalance and carry out the correct correction.

The stress on the body in attempts to lose weight as quickly as possible without the prior consent of the doctor, and then the stress due to the fact that the kilograms do not go away (go away slowly, stop going away or have increased), often cause a decrease in the amount of breast milk. Lactation is impaired, and the child has to be transferred to artificial milk formulas.

It will be much more useful for a baby to eat her mother's milk, even if her belly and butt are still far from ideal. And this is another reason to wait a bit with active sports after a cesarean section.