This list may feel restrictive at times, but remember it is with your optimal healing in mind. No lifting more than the weight of your baby for the first 3-4 weeks. No high impact or running for 6 weeks.
Lifting Restrictions
As a cesarean section is an abdominal surgery, your doctor will likely advise you to not lift anything over 8-10 lbs, depending on the doctor as well as the details regarding your cesarean and your personal health. Lifting restrictions typically last anywhere from 6-8 weeks.
Most patients should wait at least 12 weeks after giving birth to resume running or lifting weights. Cardio exercise and weight training are two great ways for women to clear their minds and build strong, healthy bodies.
Overall, heavy lifting can create intra-abdominal pressure. After birth, the pelvic floor is weak (which is why strengthening it after pregnancy is so important!). This pressure and weakened pelvic floor can lead to the drop and protrusion of organs, which is a much more serious health situation.
Most doctors recommend that C-section patients not lift anything heavier than their baby (or 10 pounds) for the first three weeks, which may prove difficult when there is an older child at home.
Avoid lifting anything heavier than your baby for the first 6 to 8 weeks.
It's best to wait until you've had your 6-8 week postnatal check with your GP before returning to your pre-pregnancy levels of exercise. If you weren't very active before your pregnancy, this is a good time to start exercising. Try to build up gradually and stop if you have any pain.
Increased bleeding after your lochia starts to decrease can be a sign you're overdoing it and need more rest. Seeing ongoing clots could mean your uterus is having trouble getting back to its pre-pregnancy size. In either case, it's always best to call.
Gentle exercise, such as walking, will help you recover from your c-section. But avoid anything more active until you have no pain and you feel ready. For example, avoid driving, carrying anything heavy, having sex or doing heavy housework, such as vacuuming, until you feel able to.
Lifting more than your baby, stretching, straining and deep bending are not recommended until about 4-6 weeks post-delivery OR until you are able to do these movements with no pain or strain and your incision feels like it has healed.
After a C-section, she recommends women take eight weeks off and to avoid heavy activity to prevent complications.
"Whether you delivered vaginally or by C-section, it takes six weeks for the uterus to contract to its normal size," Dr. Daneshmand says. Resting a heating pad or hot-water bottle on your belly (but not on the incision) can help—and so can over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen.
3 weeks post-cesarean delivery
After you've been home from the hospital for 3 weeks or so, you might be walking for up to 15 minutes, gradually building up the time if it feels good. Keep up your daily pelvic floor exercises too.
During a C-section, your organs are usually just moved aside so that the doctor can see your uterus better. But the organs stay within the abdominal cavity and aren't taken out. In rare cases, the intestines may be temporarily lifted out for better visualization and space to operate, but not permanently.
At the beginning of a caesarean section, six separate layers of the abdominal wall and uterus are opened individually. Once the baby is delivered the uterus is closed with a double layer of stitching.
Your internal stitches will start to dissolve within a couple of days after the birth. They do not need to be removed. If you have external staples, they are usually removed on day 3. If you would like to go home on day 2, your midwife can remove them during a home visit.
Try not to do too much housework or other activities for the first couple of weeks. Check with your doctor before returning to any of these activities, but in general you will have to wait: 4-6 weeks before doing heavy exercises that involve your belly or lifting anything larger than your infant.
Gentle exercises for the first six weeks
High-impact exercise, tummy-toning workouts, and full-blown cardio are definite no-no's for the first six weeks after a C-section delivery.
Remember, that first 6 weeks you are still dealing with uterus and fluid. For up to 12 weeks, muscles are naturally accommodating and shortening. C-moms can also have mild swelling up to 12 weeks.
You might have some bleeding for up to 6 weeks. Check with your doctor, nurse or midwife if the bleeding gets heavier rather than lighter, you have a sudden heavy blood loss or large clots after the first few days, the blood smells bad, your uterus feels tender or sore, or you're still bleeding after 6 weeks.
Remember that a c-section is a major abdominal surgery that takes approximately 6-8 weeks (or so) to fully recover from, so take it easy! After your surgery, you won't be able to wear your regular underwear (not that you would anyway — hello, mesh undies and massive pads!), or just any pair of pants or leggings.
If you haven't already and you're feeling up for it, you should be able to resume a light workout schedule—think walks and stretches—about two weeks postpartum. Just remember to take it slow and avoid trying new things right now.