All young mothers who care not only about their health, but also the beauty of their bodies, strive to return to the system of active athletes as early as possible. Here are just those who are going to have a cesarean section, are worried: when you can start to play sports after this operation and how to do it right so as not to harm yourself. This article gives practical advice to a nursing mother for weight loss after cesarean. Exercises at home and recommendations for them are divided into periods after the operation for convenience: the process of restoring forms will take place without problems, if you follow them.
When can I start to move actively?
This is the most burning issue that worries all sports moms who are eager to return to their former forms in the shortest possible time. The first exercises after a cesarean section for weight loss can be done in a day, but it will be just light stretching of the arms, legs, as well as rotation with them in order to prevent lymph from stagnating and actively promote venous blood throughout the body, preventing slags from accumulating in the cells .
It is important to remember:
- The external suture is scarred for about seven days, but on the uterus, the incision grows together for about two months, so you should always keep this in mind. If there is a feeling of heaviness in the lower abdomen, then activity needs to be reviewed.
- Perform traditional exercises on the press at full strength can be no earlier than after four to six months.
- You can do yoga, a light Pilates level and other types of stretching sixty days after surgery.
- You can go to active types of fitness, running and dancing three to four months after cesarean section, provided that there were no complications.
Contraindications
Given that this operation is abdominal, there are several factors due to which gynecologists strongly recommend reconsidering their attitude to losing weight for a while. After cesarean section, exercises for weight loss of the abdomen are prohibited until complete recovery in such cases:
- Pregnancy proceeded with complications, like the operation itself.
- Great blood loss. The body needs to be given time to recover, so it is undesirable to load it prematurely with training.
- If during the operation the doctors had to remove the ovaries or part of the uterus, then they will have to wait at least six months with the sport.
- If the visual condition of the suture is unsatisfactory (possibly due to chronic diseases or side factors), then nothing worth doing that can use this zone. You should also listen to the internal sensations, so as not to harm the inner seam, which is scarred three times slower.
The first eight days after surgery
During this period, after cesarean exercises for weight loss at home should stimulate the metabolism, because due to a sedentary state, there is a tendency to decrease and distortion, especially if a woman does not monitor her diet. Metabolism directly depends on the activity of the lymphatic system, so on days when most of the usual physical exercises are unavailable, you can focus on accelerating metabolic processes. One of the best options in this case is ujaya breathing, which is usually used in yoga practice: slow deep breaths through the nose until you feel a light chest fullness (an indicator that all the lungs are involved) and exhale through a slightly squeezed throat gap (as if swallowing) . The mouth is closed, so the exhalation will be quite long, which, in principle, should be sought. Average reference: 10-12 seconds for inhalation and the same amount for exhalation.
What will it give?
Thanks to only fifteen minutes a day, this type of breathing allows you to:
- Lose 2 kg per month without performing any physical exercise.
- Eliminate all problems with the intestines, which is often observed in many after abdominal operations. No constipation and indigestion is not terrible.
- Active breathing implies a powerful moving diaphragm, which allows you to gently affect the muscles of the press, without loading them with strong contractions. This will allow not to stagnate blood in this area, as well as work the muscle without tension.
Recommendations of specialists
One of the most important exercises for weight loss after cesarean section (in the first eight days after surgery) is considered Kegel exercise, when the internal muscles of the pelvis are contracted and held in tension for an affordable amount of time. This allows you to not only restore muscle tone after pregnancy, but also gently act on the inner abdominal wall, which is directly connected to the muscles of the pelvic floor. Kegel exercise is performed in any position (sitting, lying, standing) for fifteen minutes several times a day, for this it is necessary to compress the muscles of the perineum, lifting them up, as if urination was delayed. Doctors also recommend wearing a bandage for the abdomen, especially for those who already have excess weight or the abdomen during pregnancy was very large.
In 10-14 days
The next stage of physical exercises after cesarean section (for weight loss) is stretching the legs, shoulders, as well as light deflections to stimulate the longitudinal muscle to contract. At the same time, it is important not to stop breathing exercises recommended earlier in order to achieve a comprehensive result. Do not forget that you should not actively load the abdominal zone so as not to harm the suture on the uterus.
An indicative set of exercises for weight loss after cesarean may look like this:
- Lying on your back, raise one leg up and, keeping it straight, pull it to the torso, as far as stretching the back of the thigh allows. The head and shoulders should remain on the floor. Fix the position for at least one and a half minutes, and then repeat on the other leg.
- The simplified pose of the horseman (taken from yoga) allows you to stretch the front surface of the thigh well, eliminating stagnation of lymph, which has a positive effect on metabolic processes, and therefore on weight loss in general.
- Perform circular movements and swings with straight arms in various ways, stimulating the work of the muscles of the arms, shoulders and shoulder blades. You can also strain and fix the rhomboid muscles (bringing the shoulder blades together) for 10-15 seconds to prevent them from stagnating.
And a few more
Another good exercise for losing weight after cesarean is the “cat”: the photo below shows its implementation. Kneeling with emphasis on hands, arch your back up and down.
Starting position - sitting on the floor, legs to the sides. Make small inclinations forward, to the side and with a slight turn to the side, stretching the lumbar region and sacrum. It is important to ensure that the spine remains flat, otherwise the stomach will shrink too much, which is undesirable for the body during this period.
The “half-bridge” exercise must be done carefully, focusing on your sensations: a light traction felt inside is good, but pain is already too much.
It is also recommended that you walk as much as possible without trying to put the operation on your own justification: an active body means good blood circulation, which means that excess fat will not accumulate in problem areas. Many women note that the use of the sling during outdoor walks can give the body additional payload, but remember that it is important to place the child in it conveniently, and choose the natural and soft fabric itself, thoroughly studying its correct tying on the body.
Two months later
At the end of this period, you can proceed to more active actions, but do not forget that running, jumping, using the hula-hoop, and vibro-exercise machines for massage are still prohibited. Most weight loss exercises after cesarean section at this stage boil down to performing various lunges, squats for the legs, tilts to the side and straps (no more than 40 seconds) for the waist.
Some lying positions are also recommended for relieving spasms from the muscles of the back and shoulders, as many women complain about these places, which are so difficult to influence. You can also use different types of push-ups from the floor, kneeling to help your hands lose weight, too, because the saggy muscles in these places is an unattractive thing.
Exercise complex
For weight loss after cesarean section (after a two-month period), you can include the following exercises in your training program:
- Circular scissors: lying on your back, straighten your legs and raise one vertically, and the other slightly above the floor. Make movements in a circle, moving your legs across the side to change their position to the opposite. It is better to support the upper leg with your hands so that there is not too much strain on the muscles, and when the body is strengthened, the hands will not be needed.
- Perform the position, as in the photo, and stay in it for 10 -15 seconds, trying to pull the stomach inward, and then turn to the other side. In total, about 14 turns are made, but at the same time, one should monitor the internal sensations and not overload the abdominal region.
- Standing on all fours stretch your arm forward, and the opposite leg back, trying to create a single line. With an exhale, connect the elbow and knee under the stomach, trying not to sway at the fulcrum. Repeat at least 12 times. Exercise allows you to not only work out the muscles of the buttocks, but also develops a sense of balance.
It is very convenient to perform exercises for weight loss after a cesarean with a child in her arms: the baby does not get bored and is used as a weighting agent, which will additionally load the muscles of the back and arms.
It really works!
According to many physiotherapists and rehabilitologists, the most effective exercises for losing belly after childbirth and cesarean section are bodyflex gymnastics, which can lead a woman's body to the desired result in the shortest possible time.
Twelve exercises in conjunction with diaphragmatic breathing and pauses after exhalation in just twenty minutes a day can significantly transform the body, removing one centimeter in volume for every two workouts! Some athletes are skeptical of this system, considering it a frank quackery, but not for those who have been involved in it for at least two months - the result will be visible only after a properly debugged training technique, described in detail in the author’s book by Greer Childres.
To tighten your stomach
In fact, the bodyflex technique is based on the yoga exercise “vacuum of the abdomen”, which is very popular not only among young mothers, but also for everyone who has extra centimeters in the waist area. After cesarean, this exercise for weight loss can begin to be done no earlier than three months after the operation, since the inner suture should heal well. To properly master the technique of vacuum of the abdomen, it is recommended to contact an experienced specialist in this matter, since it has a number of subtleties that not everyone can master at home.
The main advice to nursing mother
Women who breast-feed a baby are strictly forbidden to stay on a diet, especially if a cesarean has been done. Exercise for weight loss after such an operation will give a nursing mother more than a restriction in food for the reason that her body has not yet been rebuilt after pregnancy. Metabolism, depending on the hormonal background, can fluctuate significantly, and a diet against this background can act as a catalyst for unnecessary health problems:
- osteoporosis, caries, muscle cramps, which indicates the digestibility of calcium;
- hair loss, brittle nail plate;
- the appearance of age spots, vitiligo;
- in more severe cases, diabetes, pancreatitis may develop.
Finally
Caesarean section is not a sentence to a young mother, but rather a hint that the body needs to be treated more carefully, listening to what is happening inside. At the same time, this operation should not be considered the reason for the fact that you can wave your hand at your appearance, overgrown with kilograms and cellulite: life does not end there. You can go for a swim in the pool, which will have a beneficial effect not only on the body, but also on the skin, it is also good to treat yourself to several massage sessions, which will also significantly reduce weight, only choose a competent master who knows how to massage after cesarean. In fact, you can lose weight in any situation, you only need to set a goal and adjust it to the capabilities of the body.