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Abdominal Exercises After a Cesarean

Having a child is one of the joys of life, although getting back into shape after she is born can be a challenge. After you have a Cesarean, you will want to be mindful of your body's limitations while you heal from the surgery and get back into a fitness routine by doing some simple, gradually increasing in difficulty, abdominal exercises.

  1. Isometric Exercises

    • Immediately after you give birth, it is safe for you to begin isometric abdominal exercises. A simple isometric exercise can be done by lying flat on your back with your feet flat on the floor, knees bent. Slowly contract you stomach muscles while pressing the small of your back into the floor. Hold this contraction for fifteen seconds before relaxing and repeating.

    Leg Slide

    • Lie flat on your back with your feet straight out in front of you. Slowly drag your right heel towards your torso until your foot is flat on the floor. Slowly slide your heel back to the start position and repeat with your left foot. This engages your hip flexors as well as your abdominal muscles.

    Modified Crunch

    • About four weeks after your Caesarean, you can incorporate modified crunches into your exercise routine. Lay flat on the floor with your feet flat on the ground, knees bent. Place your hands behind your head with your elbows out to the side. Slowly contract your stomach muscles while curling your pelvis up and pressing your lower back firmly against the floor. Gently lift your head off the ground, but not your shoulders or chest. Slowly return to the start position to complete one repetition.

    Crunch

    • Once you gain more strength in your abdomen and back, you can build upon the modified crunch described above and lift your shoulders and chest as you curl up. Also try reaching your left elbow towards your right knee while crunching, and vice versa, to target your oblique muscles.

    Pelvis Lift

    • Begin lying flat on your back with your knees bent and your feet off the floor so your shins are parallel to the floor. Relax your hands behind your head with your elbows out to the side. Slowly contract your stomach muscles, lifting your pelvis off the floor while keeping your shins parallel with the ground. Slowly return to start position to complete one repetition, being mindful not to rock in and out of this particular exercise.

    Considerations

    • Consult your physician before beginning any exercises routine after child birth. Report any discomfort you experience to your physician due to exercise and remember to keep yourself hydrated while exercising.

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