Sport after cesarean is a multifaceted and individual topic. Firstly, loads are different for loads, and some workouts can be practiced in just a couple of days, while others are highly discouraged even after months. Secondly, the approach to any physical activity should be very careful and balanced, taking into account many factors, including the age of the woman, the number of pregnancies, and a number of related indicators. In this article, I will share with you the general recommendations that I give to my patients, tell you when a new mother can add sports to her routine after a cesarean section, and also give examples of useful and effective exercises.

When can I exercise after a caesarean?

The time aspect in this matter depends, first of all, on the type of physical activity in question. For example, if we talk about light morning exercises or therapeutic exercises, then the woman herself will feel when she can do such sports after a cesarean. Literally a week is enough for the body to return to normal, there are strengths and a desire to take care of your figure. At this time, you can already include in your rhythm of life sparing exercises aimed at restoring and maintaining muscles in good shape.

Did you exercise before pregnancy?

YesNot

But about when you can start playing sports fully, that is, practicing running, cycling, fitness, swimming, you should definitely talk to your doctor. As a rule, this is allowed no earlier than six months after the operation. It is also important to consider that even after the specified period, not all types of physical activity will benefit the woman.

Prohibited sports

As I said above, after any complex surgical intervention, recovery takes at least six months. That is how much time the uterus needs for involution, and the scars - for complete healing. All this period, and sometimes even longer, serious loads are contraindicated. Any exercise that puts a strain on the heart muscles, as well as muscle corset- taboo.

In particular, a young mother needs to forget about:

• playing tennis;
• basketball and volleyball;
• cycling;
• athletics;
• run;
• multi-repetitive power pulls;
• cross-fit;
• exercises that involve lifting weights weighing more than 5 kg.

It is also highly discouraged to engage in rock climbing and other sports that involve overcoming long distances. The use of a hula hoop is dangerous, since the spikes, hitting the internal organs, can significantly harm the condition of the woman in labor. Can be rotated after caesarean section light hoop, which creates a weak amplitude.

And, no matter how paradoxical it may sound, skydiving is also prohibited. I never thought that new mothers could come up with such an idea, but, as my practice has shown, women are ready for anything to regain their prenatal shape.

Important information! Any sports that provoke a large release of adrenaline can have a bad effect not only on, but also on the condition of the woman in labor as a whole.

If the operation went without complications, the first exercises can be started even in the hospital. In the prone position, practice joint-tendon and Kegel gymnastics, as well as breathing techniques. After one and a half to two months, you can start Pilates. A set of exercises developed according to this method perfectly strengthens the muscular corset, helps to restore the muscles of the pelvic floor, back and abdomen, helps to correct posture and relieves back pain, which often makes itself felt after pregnancy.

Daily exercise should consist of:

• waving hands;
• squats;
• lifting to the chest bent at the knees of the legs.

After a caesarean section, you can play sports three times a week for half an hour or an hour. Large loads - not necessarily the same instantaneous effect. The load should be increased gradually, paying attention to the reaction of the body.

Recent women in labor can also go in for dancing, but only after agreement with the attending physician.

Features of the first training

Fitness should be very selective after a caesarean section. His main rule during this period is exercises that are as natural as possible for the body. At first, training should be calm, not requiring tension. Even if you were known as an avid athlete before pregnancy, and the coach himself envied your abs, keep in mind the fact that after childbirth, the muscles weaken significantly and you need to work on their recovery carefully.

The first lesson should not last longer than 10 minutes. Increase the time gradually, adding one to two minutes a day. It is allowed and even recommended to wear a special compression clothing or a postpartum bandage during training.

When to stop exercising

It all depends on the level physical training women in general. If she led an active lifestyle before pregnancy, then, most likely, such questions will not arise. Our muscles are very good memory and quickly "remember" their shape. But if earlier sport remained only in your far-reaching plans, then you need to understand that the body will not always respond positively to the load.

So, sports after a cesarean section should definitely be stopped when:

• pain in the abdomen;
• high temperature;
• jumps blood pressure;
• bloody discharge from the vagina;
• fluid of unknown origin around the seam.

The listed symptoms signal the complications that have arisen. Only a doctor can determine their presence, causes, and degree of danger. And already, depending on the results of the examination, give permission or prohibit for some time physical exercise.

In my practice, very rarely, but still, there are situations when patients have to forget about training after childbirth forever. Prohibitions in such cases are in no way connected specifically with caesarean section, but are caused by other reasons, including neuropsychiatric diseases, of cardio-vascular system, malignant tumors, etc. In the absence of serious pathologies, physical education should be on the list of obligatory cases for every woman.

Training Intensity

It is better to start playing sports approximately eight weeks after the caesarean section. Start every workout with a warm-up. It may include walking, arm swings, torso tilts to the sides, light exercises for the joints, head rotation, alternate shifts of the shoulders.

You can also dilute the warm-up with walking on a stepper, a short ride on an exercise bike. Sharp movements are best postponed until a later date, like push-ups.

As soon as you feel that the exercises are easy for you, you can start playing sports more difficult. During this period, water aerobics and special gymnastics are also allowed.

Types of exercises

Fitness after cesarean should be varied, but at the same time gentle. Alternate exercises that focus on individual muscle groups and give you exceptional vigor, not fatigue. I offer the best complex that allows you to put in order the figure without harm to the health of the woman in labor:

1. Bridge to strengthen the thighs:

• in the supine position, bend your legs at the knees and spread them shoulder-width apart;
• try to lift your hips up so that they form a single line with bottom torso;
• while lifting the hips, squeeze lower muscles press;
• try to hold out in this position for 2-3 seconds;
• return to starting position;
• repeat the exercise three times with short breaks.

Bridge to strengthen the thighs

1. Kegel exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor:

• squeeze the vaginal muscles;
• hold them compressed for up to five seconds;
• gently relax your muscles;
• repeat the exercise several times.

Important! Kegel exercises can only be performed with an empty bladder to avoid pain and discomfort.

1. Bends that strengthen your back:

• put your hands on your hips, and spread your legs shoulder-width apart;
• bend over slowly, keeping your back straight;
• return to the starting position;
• repeat 3-4 times.

Back strengthening bends

1. Plank - perfectly strengthens all muscle groups:

• take a stance, as if you are going to do push-ups from the floor;
• transfer the weight of the body to the elbows, the knees should not touch the floor;
• straighten up so that the whole body forms a single straight line parallel to the floor;
• try to hold this position for 30-40 seconds;
• repeat two or three times, increasing the time each day.

plank

Whatever exercise you prefer, do not forget about cardio training. Walking should be part of your daily routine. And even better if these walks take place on the street. Fresh air will benefit not only you, but also the baby.

The exercises I have listed are quite enough to return the body to its former shape in a few months. How long after a cesarean you can do a full-fledged fitness, including strength training, running, strengthening exercises, will be determined by a specialist after an ultrasound scan.

Contraindications

Above, I have already specified when you can start playing sports, and with what symptoms physical exercises need to be cancelled.

Important! Physical activity should never cause discomfort or pain.

Doctors' opinion

On forums, including medical ones, the topic of when you can play sports, and whether physical activity is generally acceptable after a cesarean section, is one of the most discussed. The opinion of experts in this case is unanimous - exact definition there is no deadline. Each body tolerates pregnancy and surgery differently. Some women start training after a few months, others need a year to recover. Many factors matter, including the level of physical fitness, the state of health in general and the characteristics of the operation in particular. Sport, of course, is necessary, but when to start classes, the doctor should determine individually, taking into account many factors.

Conclusion

So, I tried to fully reveal the topic of sports after cesarean, told you what to consider before starting training, what are the contraindications, etc.

The conclusion from the above can be drawn as follows: sport is very useful! But it is important to approach the loads with all seriousness, dosing them correctly so as not to harm yourself. When compiling a set of exercises for practicing at home, you need to consult a gynecologist. If you have chosen training in the gym, warn the trainer that you have recently had an operation. Only in this way you will achieve excellent results without consequences for your own health.

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: what you need to know so as not to harm yourself

Asking the question whether it is possible to go in for sports after a cesarean section, most often we mean, after all, not the sport of achievements, but physical education. In this article, we will talk about the feasible physical activity for health promotion, and not about sports as such. If you have trained in advanced amateur or professional level, there is only one general rule - you must obtain admission to classes from a doctor. But the recovery time is an individual concept. And with "physical education for health" the situation is exactly the same.

Why is sport after caesarean a controversial topic?

"Gynecological" sources Soviet school impose a six-month ban on any physical activity after cesarean. The motives are:

abdominal surgery affects not only the muscles and skin, but also the walls of the uterus, which means that excess tone can damage not only the muscles, but also the reproductive system;

you still won’t be able to load properly, supposedly milk disappears or becomes sour due to increased activity, overwork is growing every day, because not all babies sleep equally at night, the semantic series usually continues with a statement in the spirit of “do more with your child, think less about unimportant things.

Fortunately, we are no longer in the USSR. Information about sour and wasted milk is not scientifically proven. Yes, and in order for it to really disappear, you need to do something super-intense, which in this case is excluded. Therefore, only the first motive should be taken into account.

Your specific gynecologist should answer the question of when you can play sports after a cesarean section for you. It's important here:

do not hide your goals - you do not need to broadcast about health if you want to do fat-burning workouts, and, conversely, talk about serious loads if the goal is not to turn into a vegetable at all;

do not breed abstraction - the doctor must clearly name the types of activity that you are going to do, the duration of training and the type of your diet.

Normal light activity such as walking, working on elliptical trainer, home stepper, exercise bike, as well as gymnastics without weights are allowed 6 weeks after cesarean. In practice, the doctor will “release” you only after a full recovery.

Let's say the restore is complete and permission has been granted. Now it is important not to "transfer".

Note to losing weight mom: fitness after caesarean section

Fitness after cesarean

The general rule voiced by all the coaches in the world is: “Do what you did before pregnancy, during it and are going to do it for the rest of your life, but exclude risky movements.” Purely medically contraindicated during the first six months after cesarean are the following types of activity:

pulling and lifting anything that collectively weighs more than 6 kg. The ban is lifted at week 12, according to the information from the FPA textbook, and individually, given the information about the postpartum recovery of athletes;

squats and lunges with a barbell overhead, as they cause significant tension in the center of the body, which not every person can control;

all exercises with kettlebells, except for the goblet and front squat with light weight;

all TRX, any exercise on barefoot and other unstable platforms;

the entire heavy base, squats and bench presses are possible only with light weight in multi-repeat mode;

deadlift classical. It is possible to do traction on straight legs with a slight weight in multi-repetition mode;

jumping on a bench or support, plyometric squats and lunges.

Girls who came to the gym after the start of the 2000s may be surprised: “But what remains and how to schedule an exercise program for weight loss, how to remove the stomach after childbirth, will the press ever be the same again?” We'll have to remember what our ... older sisters learned, that is, some principles of classical strength training, without an emphasis on the "base".

Exercises after cesarean in the form of a weight loss program may look like this:

Warm-up: walking on a stepper is slow, 10 minutes, or walking is simple

Main part:

Workout 1:

squats without weight, feet at the width of the pelvic bones, 3 to 20;

lunges without weight average amplitude, 3 to 20;

bringing hands in front of the chest in the butterfly simulator, or squeezing the Easy Curves expander, 3 to 15, a very small load;

thrust of the expander, fixed by the leg of the bed (or lower block), 3 to 15, minimum resistance;

Press after caesarean section

The general rule is to ban twisting and lifting the legs up to 10 weeks after the operation. You can actually recover faster, but it's still best to avoid any ab exercises other than high pressure until those 10 weeks are up.

Usually girls start twisting the hoop to return the waist, but this can be fraught with healing problems and even mechanical damage if it is heavy. It is better to completely abandon this projectile for at least six months after giving birth, and then buy yourself a light plastic hoop, and work on the frequency and amplitude of movement, and not on hitting the sides with a hoop.

Breathing exercises after cesarean

Well, breathing exercises after a cesarean section will help speed up recovery. Most consultations give them out as a printout, but if you don't get them, it's 10 deep chest breaths without moving your stomach, 10 deep stomach breaths with your hands holding the incision, and 10 gentle pull-ups of the abdomen and perineal muscles inward.

Remember that any activity should be feasible, and you can return to setting records when the baby goes. By the way, running after him is another additional cardio. These are not languid walks with a stroller.

Elena Selivanova, fitness trainer

Get in shape and appearance after childbirth is a task that almost all women who have become mothers set themselves. Pregnancy brought with it overweight, the skin on the abdomen and thighs has changed, it may look saggy. A caesarean section performed on a woman makes it rather difficult to play sports after childbirth, but there is a way out. When to return to active sports after the operation and how to properly organize such classes, we will tell in this article.

Restrictions after surgery

A caesarean section is a complex, abdominal operation, during which the skin of the abdomen, muscle tissue, and the wall of the uterus are dissected. Each layer is then sutured separately, and it takes a lot of time to recover. The nerve endings, the blood vessels broken by the surgeon's scalpel, the cells of the tissue that underwent surgical intervention should recover.

After a caesarean section, in the first 8–10 hours, a woman is shown complete rest, since the internal sutures are actively formed during this period. There is adhesion of the edges of the wounds, fibrin threads create the effect of adhesion. A day later, the production of the first cells begins, which should replace the damaged ones, after 2–3 days the blood vessels are restored. A week later, collagen begins to be produced, which makes both internal and external scars more elastic. On days 8–10, sutures can be removed if the woman was given non-absorbable sutures.

The complete formation of the internal scar on the uterus takes about 2 years. Its initial healing takes about 2 months. On the 20th day after the operation, the external suture usually heals. Any negative impact, including improper physical activity, can lead to the development of early or late complications: a hernia of the scar, the formation of an inconsistent scar on the uterus, the development of fistulas, adhesions, and even to the divergence of scars (internal or external).

It is precisely because of the likely difficulties of the postoperative period that the rehabilitation program after caesarean section does not imply intense physical activity. It is forbidden for a woman to lift a weight of more than 3 kilograms, she must not bend down or sit down sharply, it is not allowed to return to sexual activity during the first two months, it is forbidden to strain the muscles of the anterior abdominal wall.

The choice of means and methods for losing weight after childbirth, if they were surgical, is thus significantly limited. Bans cannot be ignored, because they will help maintain health in general and reproductive health in particular.

For a nursing mother, strict mono-diets are contraindicated, she cannot use hormonal drugs for weight loss, antidepressants, and in the first year after the operation, she will not be able to plastic surgery and many cosmetic procedures related to the category of minimally invasive (mesotherapy, for example).

The correct approach to getting fit after a caesarean section should be completely safe for the woman. The following course of action is recommended:

• balanced diet;
• recovery gymnastics;
• traditional gymnastics;
• return to certain sports;
• the use of external means and devices.

Timing of return to different sports

The concept of "sport" can be invested with completely different meanings. For women who were not previously fond of it, walking around the square can be a sport. For women who systematically engaged in any kind of sport or did it professionally before surgery, returning to sports has a different meaning.

The prepared body of an athletic and fit woman recovers somewhat faster after surgery, but professional sports still not recommended in the first 8–10 months after surgical delivery. Intensive loads big sport require complete recovery of both physiological wounds and immunity, which is undermined after surgery in 100% of puerperas.

Restorative therapeutic exercises are recommended from the first days after surgery to all women, regardless of their physical form. Traditional gymnastics should be switched to only 3 months after surgical delivery. Yoga, Pilates, fitball exercises are allowed first. Three months after giving birth, a woman can start visiting the pool, doing water aerobics.

Power training, including pumping up the press to get rid of the remnants of the abdomen, are recommended not earlier than six months later, and exercises on simulators, intensive dynamic fitness - 8-10 months after the cesarean section.

Lifting weights - not earlier than in a year, but better - in a year and a half. Any sport associated with intense tension of the abdominal muscles, jumping, falling is not indicated until a year after the operation. This means that tennis, volleyball and basketball, weightlifting, pole vaulting in the first 12 months are strictly prohibited. After the expiration of the year, admission to classes should be given by a doctor who will determine if the woman has postoperative complications that are contraindications.

Possible Complications

An unreasonable attitude towards one's health in pursuit of beautiful figure can lead to serious complications, which cannot be ignored. If a woman begins to experience heavy physical exertion too early, problems may arise not only with the external postoperative suture, but also with the internal scar on the uterus. As a result, an insolvent scar is formed, consisting of a rigid connective tissue. With such a scar, it will be difficult to endure a subsequent pregnancy if a woman wants another baby. There will be a high risk of uterine rupture during pregnancy.

The risk of uterine rupture during subsequent births will also be increased if the woman wants to give birth herself (if there is only one caesarean section in history). An inconsistent scar, which cannot be felt, but can only be established with special diagnostics, can cause habitual miscarriages, infertility, placental insufficiency and fetal growth retardation.

If you start playing sports and feel worse, feel pain in the abdomen, notice redness of the postoperative suture, violation of its integrity, discharge from the scar (sanitary, bloody or purulent), be sure to stop exercising and go to the doctor. You can not hesitate, because some complications can be fatal.

General rules for organizing training

Any physical exercise after a caesarean section must be done with great care. Up to 6 weeks after the operation, only restorative therapeutic exercises should be followed. After this period, you can complicate the program a little, but traditional gymnastics should replace restorative only 2.5-3 weeks after surgery.

You can twist the hoop to restore the figure after 4-5 months, and it is better to add a set of exercises for the abdominal muscles after six months.

All loads should be increased gradually. You should not think that if the allowable period after the operation has already been met, you can immediately establish an intensive training regimen. You need to start smoothly, in stages, without overloading the muscles. This is especially true of the abdominal muscles, which were also dissected during the operation.

Restorative and traditional gymnastics can be done at home. Also at home, a woman can do yoga if she has experience in such activities. But any more active species sports should be practiced under the supervision of specialists: minimum - a trainer, maximum - both a trainer and a physician. Even if there is a simulator at home, it is better to start classes when the time is right for this in the gym.

It is important not to forget to inform the trainer about the peculiarities of your abdominal muscles, where the main feature is the operation and suturing of the muscle tissue. Then the specialist will be able to choose for you ideal program, in which the abdominal muscles can be tightened gradually, but safely for women's health.

Recovery gymnastics

The main task of the very first gymnastics after the operation is to prevent a decrease in muscle tone more than it has already happened. Therefore, already a few hours after the operation, a woman is recommended to do circular motions feet, hands, turns from back to side. This will help reduce the likelihood of swelling of the limbs, and will also contribute to an easier and earlier rise to the feet. Such gymnastics is recommended to be carried out in the first weeks after discharge from the hospital.

4 weeks after surgery, a woman can complicate the exercise program. Enter:

• walking in place;
• torso to the right and left, gradually forward and backward;
• walking in place with high knees;
• rotation of the hips in a circle.

After the stitches are removed, the woman will benefit from walking. Walking with a stroller can be combined with this, the main thing is not to stand still during the walk, not to sit on a bench, but to calmly, measuredly go forward. Gradually, the steps should become more and more intense. An hour of active walking a day helps to lose up to 3 kilograms per month, and therefore you should not neglect it. The only thing you need to pay attention to is your own well-being: a walk should not tire a young mother too much.

Best Traditional Exercises

restore good physical form You can do this by doing a set of exercises at home. When about 3 months have passed after the operation, you can also introduce training into the daily exercise program. To get started, 10 minutes a day will be enough. The time of classes can be gradually increased, but not more than 1-2 minutes a day. The optimal intensity of training is 3 times a week. Add exercises for the press last, when about six months have passed.

Dumbbells, which are a completely natural addition to the traditional gymnastic complex, are contraindicated after a cesarean section. Therefore, classes should be planned with the use of effective, but not exhausting exercises.

"Bridge". This exercise will be useful for both the abdominal muscles and the hips. Starting position- lying on your back. Bend your legs, put them on your feet, try to raise your hips as high as possible, hold for a few seconds and slowly lower back.

• Kegel exercises. To a greater extent, this set of exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor and vagina is important for women who have given birth naturally, but even after a cesarean section, the pelvic floor muscles are somewhat relaxed. You can bring them into shape and thereby improve the quality of sex and your own self-esteem with a few simple tricks. Squeeze and unclench the muscles of the vagina. After a 10-second load, take a break of the same time and repeat the exercise again. Gradually increase the squeeze time and decrease the number of sets.

If at first they do three sets of 10 seconds, then in the final there is already 1 set with a half-minute period of squeezing the muscles of the vagina.

• "Plank". Everyone has heard about the benefits of this exercise. After a caesarean section, it should be introduced into gymnastics no earlier than after 6 months. From a position lying on her stomach, face to the floor, a woman needs to raise her torso on her elbows and toes. The torso should be parallel to the floor surface. In this state, you need to hold from 10 seconds to half a minute.

• "Mill". Circular movements of the arms from the shoulder can be useful for maintaining muscle tone not only shoulder girdle but also the hips. The main thing is to keep your posture and increase the diameter of the circles with each subsequent swing.

• "Vacuum". This is a yoga exercise, and for unprepared women, it can seem incredibly difficult. In fact, the exercise "Vacuum" is much simpler than it seems. It helps to reduce the waist, and also strengthens the abdominal muscles, including those that were cut with a scalpel (aponeurosis and rectus abdominis). It is recommended to do it on an empty stomach before the morning meal. A woman needs to inhale deeply and exhale through her mouth so as to free her lungs from air as much as possible, after which the anterior abdominal wall will begin to approach the spine.

Possible various options with postures - you can do "Vacuum" standing, sitting, lying or standing on all fours.

• If you have not played sports before and thought about choosing some type only after a cesarean section, opt for water aerobics or Pilates. In the first case, all the loads during the exercises are “smoothed out” by the fact that the gymnastics takes place in the water. The abdominal muscles will not undergo dangerous loads. Typically, the program of such classes includes exercises for all muscle groups. For non-swimmers, special safety restraint belts are used. Gradually, as she recovers, a woman will be able to use special weights - boots that can be in the water, cuffs. In the arsenal of water aerobics trainers, there are many ways to get your muscles back to their former tone.
• Pilates is a type of gymnastics combined with special breathing techniques. In both cases, it is better to study not by video lessons, but under the supervision of professionals.

• Combine gymnastics (any kind of it), as well as any additional physical activity with proper nutrition. Avoid fried, fatty, spicy, floury, sweet and salty foods. Drink plenty of pure water (preferably at least 2 liters per day). Steam, boil and bake food. Up to 40% of the diet should be vegetables in any form (except pickled and canned). Eat little and often: 5-6 times a day, 300-400 grams of food at a time.
• Do not exercise on days when you have a fever or any signs of illness.
• Don't focus on the end result. Since recovery is much slower after the operation, there is no need to expect quick results. Wrong expectations can lead a woman to a dead end and cause postpartum depression.

It is believed that sports after cesarean is the only way to tighten the abdominal muscles, but you can return to training no earlier than a year later. Severe abdominal surgery requires long-term rehabilitation and is a contraindication to intense physical activity. Help speed up recovery physiotherapy and morning work-out if the complex includes "correct" exercises.

When can I exercise after a caesarean?

Doctors' recommendations may differ. Some believe that you can start training as early as 2 weeks after giving birth, while others - not earlier than 8-12 months have passed. Much depends on the location of the seam. With a horizontal one, it is allowed to engage in muscle strengthening after 2-3 months, and with a vertical one - not earlier than after a year.

Every woman should be guided by her own feelings and state of health. Before starting regular exercise, you should consult a gynecologist. The suture on the uterus should be completely tightened. At the slightest threat of discrepancy, classes will have to be abandoned.

Intensity of physical activity

The woman begins to do the first exercises immediately after surgery, when she is allowed to get up. These include caring for a child - he has to be shifted from the crib to the changing table, bathed, rocked. It is not forbidden to perform household activities - cleaning the apartment, ironing clothes, etc. At first, such activities are enough to strengthen the muscles.

Already on the 10-14th day, you can begin to restore the figure, limiting the load on the press. Do exercises, consisting of several simple exercises, try to keep your back straight, walking with a child in your arms, and speed up your step. Sports after caesarean section - with regular training in the gym and training on simulators - is available no earlier than after 8-12 months. After six months, it is possible to start squats, body turns and other exercises that strengthen the abdominal muscles. Such movements will help prepare the body for intense stress.

The duration of the first workout is 10 minutes. The complex includes 2-3 exercises and perform one approach. Increase the intensity gradually, analyzing your own feelings. No discomfort or pain should occur, especially in the suture area. If they appear, you should reduce the load or temporarily abandon classes. Recovery after childbirth is a long process, and you can’t force it so as not to harm yourself.

Sports after CS

Kinds sports activities choose not only depending on the state of the seam, but also taking into account the lactation period. Intense exercise suppresses milk production and can shorten the period. breastfeeding, which is already more difficult to establish than after natural childbirth.

The most sparing sport is swimming, preference should be given to water aerobics. The interval between childbirth and the first workout is needed in order to fully restore the endometrial mucosa lining the uterine cavity.

During classes, the muscles of all groups are toned, the condition of the skin improves, the likelihood of the formation of a fatty layer decreases and, which is extremely important for women who have recently given birth, the formation of cellulite. Changes in the hormonal background during pregnancy, during childbirth and lactation create favorable conditions for the formation of an "orange peel".

There are no contraindications for yoga. Classes help not only to restore the elasticity of muscle fibers, but also to find peace of mind, learn to control emotions, relieve insomnia.

You can sign up for fitness after a cesarean section after 4-6 months if you choose the Pilates direction. During training, the stomach is tightened, posture is restored, ease of movement returns.

Running after caesarean the best choice. It is believed that this is a universal sport, because classes are held in the fresh air. The flow of oxygen to organs and tissues increases, endurance is strengthened, and the entire body is healed. But the shock load has an adverse effect, the risk of discrepancy increases, uterine bleeding can be provoked. You can start running no earlier than 10-12 months after surgery. For the same reason, weight training exercises should be postponed.

Do not rush to return to dancing and aerobics. If stick individual program, it is allowed to switch to gentle training after 6-8 months. And it's not just the load on lower part belly. Vigorous movements have a negative effect on the heart. If the operation was performed under general anesthesia, then this organ is completely restored in 11-12 months. To return to the sport after the operation, you have to wait.

Types of exercise: do or don't

Starting to play sports after pregnancy and childbirth, you should take into account your own problems and focus on specially selected exercises. The goal of gymnastics at an early stage is to strengthen the muscles of the uterus and abdominals, get rid of sagging skin and fat deposits in the abdomen, and return the swollen waist. After the end of lactation, classes are supplemented with exercises that tighten the muscles that support the mammary glands.

Squats

The resulting load tightens the muscles of the buttocks and the outer side of the thighs. But, since you have to strain the abdominal press, it can be performed six months after the operation, not earlier.

Types of squats:

• starting positions - legs together or feet shoulder-width apart;
• feet are placed parallel to each other or bred socks;
• the pelvis is lowered as far as possible down or limited to a semi-squat.

At first they move slowly and smoothly, and then increase the intensity.

Hoop

This sports accessory better remedy to restore the waist. You can twist it 7-8 months after the end of the dressings, so as not to damage the outer seam on the skin of the abdomen and the inner one, in the uterus. Starting classes, you should focus on your own feelings. If pain occurs during or after exercise, it is better to refuse them. Hula hoop - a weighted hoop that quickly removes body fat, - use only 1-1.5 years after birth.

Plank and vacuum

Restorative gymnastics does not require a visit to the gym and the use of sports accessories. But it also has some limitations.

The most sparing exercise is "Vacuum". When it is performed, breathing is regulated, the heart rhythm is restored, the working volume of the lungs increases and the abdominal muscles are tightened. You can perform "Vacuum" when the seams are completely healed. This takes 4-5 months.

"Plank" has a more intense effect on the muscles and accelerates the return to the desired parameters. But you can start this exercise no earlier than after 6-7 months. If the inner seam is not completely overgrown, due to increased blood flow to the organs in problem area adhesions are formed. Adhesive disease causes pain and makes it difficult for the next pregnancy.

Pilates after caesarean section

The principle of Pilates is similar to yoga - the normalization of breathing during exercise. But the classes themselves include exercises such as folds, extensions, twists and plank. That is, it is not recommended to start classes earlier than six months after the operation.

Is it possible to do yoga

These workouts are a complex effect on the body. With their help, not only get rid of excess weight, but also normalize metabolic processes, learn to cope with emotional instability.

Benefits of yoga:

• increases the immune status;
• helps to get rid of postpartum depression and emotional discomfort;
• relieves headaches;
• normalizes blood pressure;
• reduces weight and returns the desired volumes;
• improves flexibility;
• normalizes blood circulation and increases the supply of oxygen to the body;
• stabilizes the digestion process, helps prevent constipation.

Due to the correct distribution of the load, pain does not occur.

The disadvantages of training include the following:

• weight loss is slow
• you need to practice regularly, and caring for a child takes time;
• during lactation, a personal program is necessary, and individual sessions expensive.

Absolute contraindications to yoga: pathologies of the circulatory system, heart disease, oncological processes. Relative: damage to the musculoskeletal system, exacerbation of peptic ulcer or hypertension, arthritis or arthrosis, fever, general weakness and lethargy.

Breathing exercises (asanas) and exercises that help normalize hormonal levels are allowed to start after 1.5 months, if the suture has completely healed. BUT classical yoga with exercises and fixation of postures, you can do it even later, when six months have passed after surgery.

A set of exercises after cesarean

The first classes begin in the hospital, and exercises - after discharge. They cannot be called workouts in the full sense of the term, but they will help stabilize metabolic processes. Diaphragmatic breathing allows you to tighten your stomach and activate muscle fibers. Gynecologists often recommend mastering the Kegel technique, which helps to relax the perineum and control the muscles of the small pelvis. To shorten the rehabilitation period by 1-2 weeks, it is enough to practice 5-15 minutes a day.

Press

After giving birth with the help of a cesarean, the abdominal muscles lose their tone, relax, and the stomach sags. If not connected therapeutic gymnastics, there are problems with lymph flow and blood circulation, intestinal atony, a decrease in the overall tone of the body. The first exercises are allowed to be done from 2-3 days after the operation, gradually, by the second week, increasing the intensity.

Exercise therapy complex, starting position - lying on your back:

1. The arms are slowly pulled up on a deep breath and lowered along the body on the exhale.
2. From the same position: press the chin to the chest, draw in the stomach while inhaling and turn to the side. Exhale, returning to the starting position.
3. While inhaling, they pull one knee to the chest, while exhaling, they return to their original position. Repeat for the other leg.
4. Slowly raise your shoulders and sit down, leaning on the joints of your elbows. Then raise both legs together, fixing the pose for 10-15 seconds.

The intensity is increased gradually, connecting other exercises. 42 days after cesarean, gentle exercises for the press are performed while sitting or standing.

Stomach

Gymnastics for the abdomen will help return thin waist and remove ugly skin folds. You can start them no earlier than 1.5 months after the operation:

1. Simulation of cycling. Lying on your back, bend your knees and “pedal”.
2. "Corner". Starting position as for exercise number 1. The legs are squeezed together and raised above the horizontal surface by 25-30 °.
3. "Scissors". Lying on your back, cross your feet.
4. Exercise "Cat". They take a knee-elbow position, draw in the stomach while inhaling, pressing the chin to the chest, and exhale, relaxing.
5. Tilts to a standing position and twisting - turning the body to the right and left.

The completion of the complex is walking around the room, raising your knees. If painful sensations appear, the load is reduced.

Back

After pregnancy and surgery, the back often hurts. By strengthening the muscular corset, you can avoid the development of osteochondrosis.

Exercises can be done as early as 3-4 weeks after childbirth:

1. Lying on your back, bend your legs and rest your feet on a horizontal surface. On inhalation, the pelvis is raised; on exhalation, it is lowered.
2. Head tilts - it is better to perform while sitting, so that if dizziness appears, do not fall.
3. Roll onto stomach, hands forward. First, raise the legs one at a time, and then together.
4. Starting position - knee-elbow position. Raise your legs in turn, stretching back.

It is enough to allocate 15-20 minutes a day for exercises. Each exercise is performed 5-10 times in 1-2 sets.

At home or in the hall

The first exercises have to be performed lying on the bed in the hospital. To restore breathing, bending and lifting the legs, a mat or rug near the bed is enough. It is advisable to spend time and money on the gym no earlier than six months after giving birth. You can already exercise on an exercise bike, stapler, treadmill. Back to strength training equipment earlier than 1.2-1.5 years after surgery is not recommended. The first time you need to listen to the advice personal trainer, and only then move on to group or independent training.

Prohibited sports

When recovering from a caesarean section, you can not engage in athletic sports. Percussion mechanical or power loads may cause seams to separate. To return to running, weightlifting, active cycling, big tennis, basketball, volleyball or boxing will have to wait at least 1.5 years.

Contraindications to physical activity

With health problems, training and sports activities have to be abandoned. Contraindications for performing a set of exercises: divergence of sutures, exacerbation of chronic diseases, fever, uterine bleeding of an incomprehensible nature. If the state of health has worsened with increased stress or pain has appeared, you should temporarily give up sports and seek the advice of a doctor.

After childbirth, many women notice excess weight which they want to get rid of. Special diets in this case are prohibited, since the mother's milk must contain all the components necessary for the child. Going in for sports is the right decision. But when childbirth takes place by caesarean section, physical activity, as after any other surgical intervention, is prohibited at first. Therefore, the question of when you can start playing sports after such an operation is relevant.

What are the limitations of playing sports after a caesarean section?

Even in the hospital, the doctor will advise the woman in labor to give up physical education until full recovery. A skeptical attitude towards his words is completely unjustified, even if it seems that you are physically ready for the loads. Do not forget that during the operation, not only the skin was cut, but also muscle fibers, capillaries, nerves and the wall of the uterus. The restoration of blood supply and innervation will take longer than the healing of the skin suture.

The complications that doctors and, in particular, new grandmothers frighten, can be quite reasonable or far-fetched, so turn on the logic and analyze it yourself. The main reasons for refusing to be active are the following factors:

Diastasis rectus abdominis. A very real threat, because during pregnancy, under the influence of hormones and increased intra-abdominal pressure, the tendons of the anterior abdominal wall stretch and become more elastic, due to which the muscles diverge and the uterus fits freely into abdominal cavity. If, with tension in the abdomen, lying on your back, the distance between the muscles is felt along middle line, then sport after cesarean section is still limited to exercises that do not affect this area.

Seam failure. A serious complication that threatens with repeated abdominal surgery with excision of an incompetent scar or complications during the next pregnancy. Therefore, before doing exercises on the press, you should undergo an ultrasound scan to exclude the pathology of the postoperative scar.

Cessation of lactation. This reason can be attributed, rather, to far-fetched. Arguments that the production of breast milk from sports can stop only apply to professional athletes with serious loads. Improving physical education without an extreme degree of fatigue does not affect lactation in any way.

Refusal of the child from the breast. Also an unfounded fear based on the theory that the taste of milk changes under the influence of lactic acid produced by working muscles. Lactic acid is produced in muscles only when high-intensity loads and passes into milk in small amounts. So, if you don't plan daily pumping exercises or supersets, the baby won't feel a thing.

Adhesive disease. Just the case when they say black to white. A sedentary lifestyle or semi-bed rest is one of the factors in the formation of adhesions in the abdominal cavity. At the same time, the internal organs remain motionless relative to each other, and the risk of formation of connective tissue constrictions between them increases significantly. Therefore, to the question of when you can start playing sports after cesarean to prevent adhesive disease, the answer will be - immediately, but in a sparing mode.

Where is the best place to exercise after a caesarean section?

Light, familiar and familiar to all physical exercises after a cesarean section can be performed at home. But as soon as they become insufficient and a decision is made to go in for serious sports, not only special conditions will be needed ( gym, swimming pool, Treadmill etc.), but also a personal trainer-adviser.

Believe me: this is for your own good, because it is he who will tell you how intensely you are allowed to play sports for a given period of time, and will help you choose a program. This will allow you to achieve the desired results in a short time.

These tips will help women navigate after a caesarean, how to start exercising and when. If there are no postpartum complications, the doctor has nothing against it, it is imperative to bring the figure and body in order. The purpose of the exercises can be very different - restoring the press and chest, getting rid of sagging, strengthening the muscles of the uterus, eliminating back pain and many other rehabilitation processes after surgery. If there are medical contraindications, you will have to postpone this necessary matter until complete recovery.

What to do in the first months after cesarean?

Sports exercises aimed at strengthening the muscles of the peritoneum, pulling up the buttocks and sides can be performed when the sutures on the uterus completely dissolve. On average, this happens after six months. More serious classes will be allowed later. The same applies to active fitness.

If a woman feels fine, some simple exercises it is allowed to do it immediately upon returning home from the maternity ward.

• For light workout abdominal muscles, the doctor may advise diaphragmatic breathing. It improves muscle tone, enriches the blood with oxygen and is very useful for restoring health. During breathing, you need to make sure that it is not the chest that moves, but the stomach.
• When you are discharged, ask your gynecologist when you can start exercising according to the Kegel method. It is aimed at relaxing the muscles of the pelvis, perineum and buttocks. If the specialist gives the go-ahead, do the exercises daily, spending about 5 minutes on them.

What sport after caesarean section do doctors consider the most sparing and safe? It is recommended to start physical activity with walking. By walking with a stroller, you gradually begin to train your muscles. For walking to bring more benefit Try to keep your back in a straight position. Stopping to rest, do small inclinations in different directions, circular movements with your shoulders, breathe evenly and deeply.

After a month and a half, it is allowed to perform exercises that do not affect the abdominal muscles. Pick up a complex to strengthen the legs, chest and practice in a sitting position.

It is rather not even a species, but physical activities, physiotherapy. A week after the operation, you can start classes that resemble a school workout.

• walking;
• bending forward, to the side (without sudden movements);
• wave your hands;
• squats;
• raising the legs, bent at the knees, to the chest;
• exercises on exercise bikes are not prohibited, but with minimal loads;
• aqua aerobics.

After four months, you can start dancing, but every step, every new lesson must be coordinated with the doctor.

Pool after cesarean

After 7 weeks, you can take a bath, but it is better to postpone going to the pool after a cesarean. Considering the aggressive aquatic environment, excessively chlorinated water and the possibility of picking up a fungus, before swimming, it is better to first strengthen the immune system. Wait for the vagina to restore its protective microflora. Water aerobics is allowed from 3-4 months. It will relieve stress on the joints, while allowing you to train your muscles. Choose gentle strokes such as breaststroke or front crawl.

Charging after caesarean section

Together with the baby, restorative exercises after cesarean section are allowed after a month and a half. Physical education restores muscle tone, improves well-being. Simply rocking a baby can be considered a complete exercise, especially if you add walking around the room. Squats should be introduced gradually, focusing on the internal sensations of the body.

Pilates after caesarean section

The basic principle of Pilates, like yoga, is correct breathing. Starting from the top breathing exercises can greatly strengthen the abdominal muscles. At first, try to hold the seam with your hand while inhaling and exhaling. The “plank” exercise, gradually increasing exposure up to a minute, will help to work out all the muscles of the body at once, gently helping to get rid of excess fat. Doctors recommend Pilates after caesarean section at 3-4 months.

Kegel exercises after cesarean

Contract the muscles of the perineum in rhythm with the breath. Inhale - relax, exhale - contract. We start with 5 cycles at a time. Make sure that during the exercise, the stomach and other parts of the body are relaxed. Training at first should be carried out without undue stress, in a light rhythm. Our task is to wake up the muscles of the pelvic floor, but not to prevent the exit of lochia.

Breathing exercises after cesarean

Breathing through the belly (diaphragm). During diaphragmatic breathing, light massage internal organs abdominal cavity. This type of breathing helps relieve pain, improves blood circulation in the pelvic organs. Performed in the supine position. Try to relax. Put your palm on upper part belly. Take a deep breath. Be careful not to rib cage expanded, and the stomach filled with air. When inhaling, the hand rises on the stomach. Exhale slowly, as if releasing air from the abdomen.

Sports prohibited after caesarean

After a caesarean section, it is not recommended to play sports that put a strain on the heart and muscles. The opinion that caesarean is much easier to bear than natural childbirth is erroneous. This is a complex operation, the consequences of which can manifest themselves even after several years. Therefore, for the next six months, it is worth abandoning such sports:

· tennis;

volleyball

basketball

light and heavy athletics;

jumping and parachuting, including;

· extreme views sports.

When should you stop exercising after a caesarean?

It all depends on the level of physical fitness of the woman as a whole. If she led an active lifestyle before pregnancy, then, most likely, such questions will not arise. Our muscles have a very good memory and quickly "remember" their shape. But if earlier sport remained only in your far-reaching plans, then you need to understand that the body will not always respond positively to the load.

So, sports after a cesarean section should definitely be stopped when:

pain in the abdomen;

high temperature;

jumps in blood pressure;

bloody discharge from the vagina;

fluid of unknown origin around the seam.

The listed symptoms signal the complications that have arisen. Only a doctor can determine their presence, causes, and degree of danger. And already, depending on the results of the examination, give permission or prohibit physical activity for some time.

In my practice, very rarely, but still, there are situations when patients have to forget about training after childbirth forever. Prohibitions in such cases are in no way connected with caesarean section, but are caused by other reasons, including diseases of the neuropsychic, cardiovascular system, malignant tumors, etc. In the absence of serious pathologies, physical education should be on the list of obligatory cases for every woman.