Are you planning to start exercising again after giving birth? If you've just recently become a mother, you may not have the strength yet and don't know exactly how or when to start. In fact, there is no need to be afraid. Exercising after childbirth will energize you, lift your spirits and help you get back to your pre-pregnancy shape. Do you want to lose the weight you gained during pregnancy, get rid of your postpartum belly, or just do something enjoyable? Or maybe all together? Read our guide! In it we will tell you when you can start exercising after childbirth and what the benefits are, and we will also recommend the nine most effective exercises after childbirth.
When can you play sports?
Following special diets during lactation is prohibited, because mother's milk must contain antibodies and a number of nutritional components for the newborn.
The only way out is physical training. At the same time, if the birth was performed through surgery, sports after cesarean section are prohibited for the first time. Training is introduced into a new lifestyle gradually, depending on the intensity of the load.
In the first weeks after surgery, there is a high risk of suture dehiscence, so the woman is advised to remain in bed. To avoid adhesions, you only need to walk for a short time. Before playing sports, you need to determine the type of seam.
The incision can be made horizontally in a crescent shape in the lower abdomen or vertically along the linea alba (see above). In the latter case, strict restrictions on training are created - physical activity is recommended to be introduced after 1-1.5 years .
If the sutures are placed horizontally, you can practice 2 months after the birth of the child. At the same time, doctors recommend waiting up to 3 months so that the soft tissues have time to recover. When deciding to start training, you must follow 3 basic rules:
- You can’t immediately start intense exercise. After the birth of a child and surgery, the body experiences severe stress, so overexertion is strictly prohibited. You need to start with easy exercises, gradually moving on to more complex ones. It is not recommended to exercise more than 150 minutes per week. Before physical exercise, you should warm up your muscles.
- Consult your doctor before exercising. Each person has an individual body structure. Therefore, only the attending physician can answer the question of when you can start exercising. In some cases, a physical examination and ultrasound may be required to determine the condition of the tissues and eliminate the risk of suture dehiscence.
- You need to listen to your well-being. If you feel discomfort, you must immediately stop exercising. If the stitch begins to hurt, you need to seek medical help. It is necessary to call an ambulance if vaginal bleeding begins, if the surgical incision under the sutures is bleeding. You should stop exercising and give the body a rest if nausea, dizziness, or darkening before the eyes occurs.
It is necessary to take into account the number of times a caesarean section was performed. If the operation was repeated, recovery may take 2-3 times longer.
How is a caesarean section different from a normal birth?
Caesarean section is considered less traumatic and has a higher percentage of positive outcomes than natural childbirth, when, for example, a woman may die due to blood loss.
Caesarean also eliminates perineal ruptures and lasts about 45 minutes, while natural childbirth can last 12 hours or more. Due to the fact that during a caesarean section the woman does not have to push too hard, the risk of birth injuries to the baby is reduced.
The negative aspects include:
- risk of complications;
- long recovery period;
- the negative impact of anesthesia on both the woman and the baby.
If a woman does not have specific indications for surgical intervention, then, of course, the best option for her would be to go through a natural birth.
When passing through the birth canal, the child passes his first obstacle, which will benefit him, and for the development of the reproductive system, it is important for girls to receive a portion of the mother’s microflora, which can only happen during normal childbirth.
There is a recovery period for both cesarean and natural childbirth, the only difference is the time it takes for the woman to recover. With caesarean, the rehabilitation process still lasts longer and there are reasons for this: blood loss, surgical intervention.
Physical activity intensity
Any physical activity, including physical therapy to strengthen the muscles of the uterus, should be done carefully. The intensity of exercise should be increased gradually.
At the initial stage of training, you do not need to spend more than 10 minutes for 1 session; it is not recommended to repeat the movements more than 5 times .
Every 2-3 days you should increase the frequency of approaches and duration of exercises. In this case, you need to focus on your well-being - it is important that the exercises do not turn out to be harmful and do not pose the risk of seams coming apart.
Sports after cesarean section
After complete recovery of the body, a woman can begin to engage in gentle sports. After 7-8 weeks after surgery, you can pay attention to the following exercises if you were in good physical shape before pregnancy:
- Pilates - this exercise creates a load on the entire body without the risk of injury: the muscles of the pelvis, back;
- yoga - sessions have a positive effect on metabolism, accelerates tissue regeneration by improving blood supply to cells, improves the production of endorphins;
- water aerobics and swimming - physical activity in the pool is highly effective and creates minimal stress on the seams
- running after a cesarean section for short distances - it is important to remember that jogging will create a large load on the abdominal muscles, so the exercise should only be performed six months after the operation.
After 8 months from the birth of your child, you can start dancing and aerobics to strengthen all muscle groups. Pressing and long running are contraindicated immediately after childbirth, as there is a high risk of wound dehiscence.
In addition, jogging creates additional stress on the respiratory and cardiovascular systems. Such conditions are undesirable in the first 2-3 months after recovery from anesthesia.
TOP 5 professional ways to tighten your stomach
- Hardware method (a complex of 2 types of procedures)
The use of various equipment guarantees a quick and effective result of a tummy tuck. The most popular and high-quality ones are SMAS lifting and RF lifting . An integrated approach to solving the problem and combining Smas lifting and RF give long-lasting results, elastic skin and smooth texture. There is a special set of procedures called:
- Active skin tightening and skin flap reduction. (a set of 6 types of procedures)
- SMAS lifting
- RF lifting
- RF needle lifting
- Enzyme therapy
- Laser resurfacing
- Mesotherapy
- Cell therapy (skin restoration using stem cells) activates restorative regeneration processes in the body. Stretched skin of the abdomen is tightened, postpartum stretch marks disappear, microcracks and tears are restored. This technology has been tested in our clinic and has many proven clinical results in healing non-healing wounds and restoring lost tissue.
2. The introduction of hyaluronic acid or fibroblasts has a pronounced tightening effect. mesotherapy preparations tighten the skin of the abdomen and even out the relief.
- Fractional laser resurfacing CO2
Provides a long-lasting tummy tuck effect and no rehabilitation period. CO2 fractional laser body tightening is absolutely safe and has no risks of complications.
- Thread tummy tuck
The patient is implanted with biothreads that dissolve. The high efficiency of biothreads lies in the construction of a thread frame. Thanks to this frame, the stomach becomes elastic and toned.
- Abdominoplasty
Abdominoplasty or tummy tuck is a radical solution to the problem, which is indicated in difficult cases. Experienced doctors believe that abdominoplasty is an extremely effective method, but it involves surgery.
Types of exercises: do's and don'ts
Attention ! Before performing exercises, you must consult with the surgeon who performed the operation and obtain his permission to exercise.
Important ! Fitness after cesarean section is prohibited for 6 weeks after birth.
In the first days after discharge, you are allowed to do only restorative gymnastics, which is aimed at preventing adhesions and complications. After 3 months from the moment of caesarean section, bodyflex exercises and exercise equipment are allowed. After 6 months, you can do yoga, fitness, start classes in the pool, and do planks.
Squats
Partial or full squats increase the tone of the gluteal muscles and leg muscles. The exercises should be performed after 6 months from the start of the operation. This type of training creates additional stress on the abdominal muscles, which explains such time restrictions.
Hoop
The hoop helps speed up recovery and strengthens the transverse abdominal muscles, helping to remove fat deposits from the sides. After cesarean section, it is allowed to practice with a hoop after 6-7 months , which is due to the strong pressure of the instrument on the abdominal press.
In addition, the product may cause injury to the surgical incision and sutures. It is forbidden to practice with a hula hoop - a weighted hoop. It is contraindicated to twist it for a year after surgery.
Plank and vacuum
The plank helps strengthen the abdominal muscles, increases the tone of the back muscles and speeds up the recovery process. But despite all the positive qualities, training must be done with caution. You must wait at least 6 months after a caesarean section before starting classes. This is due to the type of surgical intervention, the duration of soft tissue regeneration and the high risk of adhesions. After 6 months, the woman may feel discomfort. In this case, the bar should be postponed for 1-2 months .
The vacuum helps destroy fat deposits in the subcutaneous tissue of the abdomen, the main problem area after pregnancy. When performing the exercise, a woman will have to hold her breath and at the same time pull in her abdominal muscles. Compared to the plank, such workouts are more gentle. The risk of suture dehiscence is reduced, so you can start exercising 30-60 days after a cesarean section.
Diastasis is dangerous due to its consequences
Usually people come to surgeons with a complaint about an unsightly “pregnant” or “beer” belly. But diastasis is dangerous not because of aesthetics, but because of its health consequences.
Sooner or later, diastasis will be joined by an abdominal hernia, when fat or a small fragment of intestine comes out between the stretched fibers of the linea alba. A hernia is formed if you torment yourself with loads and intense training: pumping up your abs, doing squats, lifting weights.
A hernia with diastasis is a time bomb that carries the risk of strangulation and necrosis. Any necrosis is treated by emergency removal of the strangulated area, and in the case of the intestines causes lifelong problems.
The mechanism of formation of abdominal hernia.
A second pregnancy with diastasis of the abdominal muscles carries the risk of oxygen starvation in the child and weak labor.
The disease manifests itself not only externally. Due to changes in the anatomy of the abdominal cavity, organs are displaced and their activity is disrupted. Therefore, the presence of diastasis is usually accompanied by numerous digestive disorders from the intestines - spasms, lower back pain, bloating, flatulence, constipation, a feeling of fullness in the abdomen. Over time, these symptoms intensify and include urinary incontinence.
Is it possible to do yoga
You are allowed to start practicing classical yoga after 4-6 months from the date of surgery. Sessions begin with breathing exercises. When choosing asanas, you need to adhere to positions that do not create additional stress on the seams.
It is recommended to attend yoga classes in groups with women in the same situation. An instructor will help you recover faster after surgery and ensure safe exercise.
With the right choice of asanas, metabolic processes are normalized. A person becomes cheerful, gets rid of stress and strengthens the nervous system.
Psychological recovery
It is not uncommon for young mothers to need psychological recovery, especially for those who know about the consequences of this operation. For example, complications in the baby’s health. A woman may feel guilty.
Psychologists say that a woman in such situations has the right to experiences and emotions. And under no circumstances should you keep them to yourself. Share what worries you with your family and friends, consult a specialist. Immerse yourself in caring for the child and think that everything has already happened, it cannot be changed. A caesarean section is a fait accompli that you shouldn’t get stuck in for too long.
A set of exercises after cesarean
To get the maximum effect from training without harm to the body, you should choose the right sets of exercises for different parts of the body.
Press
The abdominal muscles, under the pressure of the baby growing in the belly, stretch and lose tone. Due to their relaxation, folds and sagging skin appear. A woman who was actively involved in sports before pregnancy is allowed to begin training on the rectus abdominis muscles after 4.5-5 months .
Otherwise, training must be postponed for six months. As soon as the tissues are restored, you can begin the following activities:
- Take a lying position on your back so that your body forms a straight line. Bend your knees and place your hands on your stomach. After this, you need to raise your head, tensing your abs. The exercise must be performed with extreme caution. At first you need to do 5 repetitions .
- Lie on your back and take a deep breath. As you exhale, pull your legs bent at the knees towards your body, and then roll onto your stomach.
- As you inhale, inflate your stomach, as you exhale, draw in and relax the muscles.
- Take a horizontal position on your back, slightly raise your outstretched legs parallel to the floor surface and spread them to the sides.
- Sit on the edge of a chair, stretch your legs and lift them off the floor. The limbs need to be spread apart.
Stomach
If after the birth of a child the folds do not go away, you should not be upset and start pumping your abs right away. It is important to remember the condition of the seams. At first, the following workouts are allowed:
- Lie on your side and lift your legs one by one.
- Lean on your hands and feet. In this position, gradually draw in and relax your stomach.
- Take a horizontal position on your back, press your arms to your sides. After this, bend your knees without straining your muscles. You should try to raise them as high as possible.
Attention ! If you experience pain, you should stop training immediately.
Back
After 3-4 weeks after the operation, you are allowed to start doing exercises for the back muscles, which experienced heavy stress during pregnancy. Sports training will help restore muscle tone and strengthen the spine. The following exercises are allowed:
- Take a horizontal position and extend your body in a straight line. After this, you should bend 1 leg and press it as tightly as possible to the body. Relax and repeat the exercises with the other leg.
- Bend your body in different directions.
- Squat.
- Head tilts and circular movements.
- Strengthening muscles will help increase a woman’s performance and recover faster after surgery.
Reliable signs of diastasis
Diastasis has one peculiarity. Even if you have a pumped-up and flat stomach, literally half a mug of water radically changes the situation, and your stomach looks like it would if someone was never friendly with sports. The anterior abdominal wall protrudes, the navel falls out.
The appearance of the abdomen is determined by the location and degree of diastasis: in some it manifests itself as a “bloated” abdomen, in others – an inverted navel.
At home or in the hall
Light exercises after a caesarean section can be done at home. Physical education can also be done outdoors to increase the flow of oxygen into the blood and speed up tissue regeneration.
More complex workouts that require special conditions can be carried out in the gym or swimming pool. Women after childbirth often need the help of a trainer. A specialist will be able to suggest the intensity of training and develop a weight loss program without harm to health, which will help achieve results in a short time.
When compiling a set of training, the instructor takes into account not only the general condition of the woman, but also her goals:
- breast reconstruction;
- pumping up the press;
- elimination of sagging skin;
- strengthening the smooth muscles of the uterus;
- elimination of lower back pain.
You can use the trainer’s recommendations not only in the gym, but also at home. When switching to complex workouts, you should not forget about light exercises in the morning.
