Post Cesarean Abdominal Exercises

After carrying a child for nine months and having surgery to aid in delivery, exercise is not the first thing on most mothers' minds. However, it is necessary to strengthen the muscles of the stomach, speed recovery and work off excess fat. Breathing and stretching exercises can begin immediately after release from the hospital. As your pelvic core strengthens, exercises will become more focused and target specific abdominal muscles.

Breathe Deeply

• Start with easy-breathing exercises to get the blood pumping and activate the stomach muscles. Place your hand or a pillow over the incision site and inhale deeply, filling your diaphragm with as much air as possible. Hold for a few seconds and then slowly exhale, repeating the exercise until your stomach muscles tire. When your abdominal muscles strengthen, lie down on the floor and bend your knees upward, toes pointed forward. Place both hands behind your head and square your shoulders; you should look like you are about to do a sit-up. Take a deep breath and slowly exhale. As you exhale, lift your head up off the floor and hold until you have released all air. Lower your head to the ground as you inhale. Rest and then repeat exercise.

Kegel Crunches

• These crunches are simple and can be done directly after surgery. Contract pelvic muscles as if you were trying to stop a flow of urine. When contracting, make sure you work the muscles of the pelvis, not your butt or abdominals. Hold the position for three to five seconds and repeat. This increases blood circulation to the pelvis and quickens recovery and muscle formation. Work to hold the contracted position for at least ten seconds. When you reach that, vary the exercise by tightening pelvic muscles for various time lengths with little rest in between.

Pelvic Tilt

• This exercise strengthens core muscles through rotation and muscle tension. Lie down on the floor and bend your knees, toes pointed forward. Keep legs hip width apart and place your arms behind your head, elbows pointed outward. Take a deep breath and exhale. As you exhale tighten the muscles of your stomach and butt and use the strength of your legs to pull your pelvis up from the ground. Rise as high as you can, but be careful. If you over-strain your stomach in early stages you could pull your stitches. Hold the stretch for a few seconds and then slowly lower your pelvis back to the floor. This exercise should be performed throughout the day to strengthen abdominal muscles.

Side Crunches

• As abdominal muscles strengthen, begin to do side crunches. Lie down on the floor and bend your knees. Place your hands behind your head and square your shoulders to lie flat on the ground. Rise up from the floor and touch your right elbow to your left knee. If you cannot reach the knee, stretch as far as you can and then slowly lower yourself back to the ground. Repeat the exercise five times and try to go further each time. After you have completed repetitions, switch sides, making your left elbow touch the right knee.