Mummas On The Move Sarah Campbell
Recovering from having a Caesarean Section is a challenging experience for many mums. In any other circumstance, having a major abdominal surgery means adequate rest, sleep and time off work to recover. However, after a Caesarean it’s never that straight forward, most (if not all!) of a mother’s emotional and physical resources go straight to their newborn baby. Inevitably, this means that a woman’s physical recovery can easily become an afterthought.
We have put together our top tips for recovering from a Caesarean so you can take the guesswork out of postpartum recovery.
#1 Start Diaphragmatic breathing
To do this, gently place your hand on your stomach. Breathe in to your hand allowing the abdomen to expand, as you exhale imagine your abdomen as a balloon deflating.
#2 Do your Pelvic Floor exercises
Yes, you still need to do them even if you have had a Caesarean! Pregnancy itself still places significant strain on the pelvic floor muscles. Strengthening these muscles can help prevent issues such as incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse, improve core stability, and enhance
overall recovery. You can usually begin your pelvic floor exercises once your catheter is removed.
#3 Support your wound
⁃ When coughing or laughing, support your wound by applying gentle pressure with your hands. This helps reduce discomfort and protects the incision.
⁃ Use Abdominal Support: Consider wearing compressive shorts, Tubigrip, or shape-wear underwear to provide extra support to your abdomen.
⁃ Increase fibre and water Intake: This can help prevent constipation. Use a stool to put your feet up on when sitting on the toilet. This position puts the pelvis into the optimal position and can make bowel movements easier
⁃ Aim for 20-minute blocks of lying horizontal, ideally at least 3 times per day for the first 6 weeks. This helps reduce swelling and promotes healing. Try this while your baby is doing their tummy time!
#4 Start integrating gentle movement
Pending clearance from your doctor,
⁃ Build in gentle walks with frequent rest breaks
⁃ Add simple mobility exercises such as shoulder rolls, cat and cows and gentle book openings
⁃ We also recommend booking in with a Women’s Health Physiotherapist for a thorough Postpartum assessment, you can do this prior to your six-week check.
#5 Minimise undue strain on your body by
⁃ Rolling to one side to get out of bed
⁃ Not lift anything heavier than your baby for the first six weeks
⁃ Minimising movements such as frequent bending, twisting, lifting and holding ⁃ Getting your support partner to help you with your baby’s bath time, feeding and settling
#6 Add in C-Section massage
Gentle massage techniques applied to the scar tissue and surrounding areas can help improve circulation, reduce scar adhesions, and alleviate discomfort. Make sure you wait until your
incision has fully healed before doing this. We recommend first massaging around the perimeter of the scar first, and gradually working up to doing circular and zig-zag motions over the scar.
#7 Attending your six-week check-up
Your six-week check is a great touch point, however it doesn’t mean you can get back into your pre-baby exercise straight away.
Once you receive clearance we recommend starting with gentle Postpartum core and pelvic floor exercises, modified pilates, low impact exercises, and functional exercises that mimic your everyday tasks.
#8 Avoid…
Heavy lifting and high-impact activities until you recover and are cleared to do so.
In our 12-week postpartum exercise program, we take a holistic approach to Caesarean recovery, focusing on restoring strength and function. It is available for purchase now and includes an equipment pack to get you started. Use code KIDDIPEDIA15 at checkout for 15% OFF and enjoy a safe return to exercise Postpartum today!
By Sarah Campbell
