Walking after c-section is encouraged and should be your go to for the first few weeks. You'll start to notice day to day movement getting easier and less discomfort lifting baby or moving around.
Gentle walking
When you've had the green light from your doctor to begin low-impact exercise again, you might like to pick up the pace. Post-C-section, many women can handle a 25 to 35-minute walk a few times per week and the 'talk test' is a good method for deciding intensity.
It's important to get out of bed and walk around within 24 hours after surgery. This can help ease gas pains, help you have a bowel movement, and prevent blood clots. You can try gentle exercises a few days after the C-section: Deep breathing: Take 2 or 3 slow, deep breaths every half-hour.
The Takeaway About Exercise after a C-section
But ONLY once your body has healed which could be anywhere up to 12 weeks post pregnancy. Immediately after birth, start with walking, your pelvic floor exercises and gentle movement.
In most cases, there are no restrictions on walking at a casual pace, but it's best to avoid any power walking until you get that all clear from your ob-gyn or midwife.
If you're wondering, “when can I exercise after c-section?,” take heart: You won't have to wait too long. “A c-section is an abdominal surgery, so six weeks is the minimum you should wait,” says Nazneen Vasi, PT, a physical therapist and owner of Body Harmony Physical Therapy in New York City.
We know that every patient has a different labor and delivery experience, but in general, it takes around six weeks to completely heal from your C-section. “We realize many of our patients also face the challenge of caring for the baby while they're recovering,” said Dr. Son.
After a caesarean, you are not advised to sleep on your front. Your incision is across your abdomen, so putting pressure on it will be painful and risk interfering with healing. Usually, doctors recommend avoiding sleeping on your stomach for six weeks post-C-section or until you no longer have any pain.
Usually, it is safe to begin exercising a few days after giving birth—or as soon as you feel ready. If you had a cesarean birth or complications, ask your ob-gyn when it is safe to begin exercising again.
“I encourage patients to be getting up and walking around almost immediately after delivery,” Prager says. “Even if it's a 10-minute walk around the block, it can be extremely helpful for the healing process. It can decrease that risk of blood clots that is even more prominent postpartum if a woman has had surgery.”
Take it slowly for your first six weeks postpartum, and stay at a workout intensity at which you can maintain a conversation but not belt out a song. Try to build up to walking three to five times a week for 30 minutes at this exertion level. Work your pelvic floor.
If your postnatal bleeding (lochia) gets heavier or changes colour (becomes pink or red) after activity, you could be overdoing it.
After a c-section, you should sleep on your back or side. This shouldn't put too much strain on your c-section wound. You can also try sleeping on your back with your head elevated. Use pillows to keep your spine aligned and take pressure off your joints.
When Can I Start Bending After C -Section? As your body heals and the pain decreases when you move around, you can slowly try bending (between weeks 4 and 6). First, bend slowly up to a few inches and stand back up. When you straighten up, you will Stretch yourself to get up.
It usually takes about 6 weeks to recover from your c-section but this will depend on your individual situation. If you had any problems during or after your c-section, or if you're looking after other children at home, you may feel you need more time to recover.
At four weeks your abdomen should be healed and your bleeding will taper off. At six to eight weeks, you can probably resume most of your regular activities (including sex and exercise) with your caregiver's okay. After a C-section, you'll probably feel both delighted and overwhelmed by the new baby in your arms.
Things to Avoid:
Public pools and hot tubs. Lifting anything heavier than your baby. Repeatedly using stairs. Exercise, at least until your health care provider gives you the go-ahead.
C-section pain typically spikes 18 hours after delivery. "That's when the pain medication you were given with your spinal anesthesia wears off," says San Diego perinatologist Sean Daneshmand, MD.
Q: Can I still belly bind if I have a c-section? A: You can still receive belly binding if you have a c-section. We will wait until 4 – 6 weeks postpartum, based on your healing and recovery. The belly bind still has many benefits within the first three months.
Most people find the first six to eight weeks to be the hardest with a new baby. And, although people may not openly discuss many of the challenges in these early weeks of parenthood (if at all), there are a number of common hurdles you may face at this time.
1 Week Postpartum. The first week postpartum is the most intensive in terms of adjustment and recovery. You have just given birth, are taking care of a newborn, and may have experienced vaginal or perineum tearing (and stitches) or other delivery complications.
If you have a scar of any sort (episiotomy, caesarean) there is a risk you may cause trauma to your scar and slow down the healing process if you start exercise too early or do too much too soon. You might notice your scar feels sore after exercise, or it looks raw or leaks fluid.
The 555 postpartum rule is a great guideline that suggests five days in bed, five days on the bed, and five days around the bed, adding up to 15 days of taking it easy and allowing yourself to recover gently during this time.