These 5 Moves Can Help With C-Section Recovery

The fourth trimester is no joke, especially if you’ve had a traumatic birth experience. While many people assume C-sections are by definition traumatic, especially if they’re emergencies, that’s not always the case – particularly for women lucky enough to have a so-called French C-section. No matter how great the birth experience is, however, a C-section is major abdominal surgery and will inevitably require a certain amount of pain and recovery time.

There are plenty of products on the market for helping with the aesthetics of the actual scar like these Silicone Patches from Belly Bandit (just place the sheet directly over healed and closed incision area) as well as clothing like specially designed underwear and shorts (Belly Bandit is a leader in those as well), but there is very little talk about how to actually move your body to help with recovery. If anything women are told to take it easy, which is important – but so is moving mindfully and safely. With that in mind we turned to Leah Keller, the founder of Every Mother, an online platform offering research-based exercise programming, and asked her to single out the best moves to help with C-section recovery.

When cleared by your doctor, do each of the exercises below for the recommended amount of time/reps before moving on to the next one, taking as little time as needed between each move. Kegels are mentioned throughout Keller’s workout and you can read more about them here.

These 5 Moves Can Help With C-Section Recovery

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Do These 5 Moves to Help with C-Section Recovery

Core Compressions in Fetal Position

"Get into a side-lying position resting your head on your arm. Take a breath to prepare then exhale as you draw your abdominal muscles toward the spine and perform a Kegel in a two-tier (a “tight-tighter”) rhythm. Allow the belly to relax as you inhale between each rep. Repeat for up to two minutes on each side."
Two-Tier Core Compressions in Semi-Bridge

"Lie flat with your knees bent. Lift your hips up off the ground and then lower to a comfortable height. Keep your ribs anchored in a neutral position. Take a breath, then exhale and perform a Kegel as you flatten your belly into the spine in a two-tier squeeze. Inhale between each rep. Repeat for up to two minutes."
Core Compressions in a Back-Lying Position with Knees Bent

"Inhale and allow the belly to rise gently then exhale and flatten your belly toward the spine as you perform a Kegel. Repeat for up to two minutes."
Hip Flexor Stretch

"From a kneeling position step one foot forward. Then lean forward slightly tucking your tailbone under you to lengthen and open the front of the hip. Lift one hand overhead and raise your eyes to the sky. Breathe naturally and hold for up to 15 seconds, then switch sides."
Pedal Stretch Against the Wall

"Place your hands on a wall and walk back until your back is flattened and parallel to the floor. Lift one heel slowly and bend the knee as you breathe naturally, gently stretching and lengthening the back, hamstrings, and calves. Alternate legs to stretch the other side. Continue pedaling the feet like this for up to 30 seconds."