Starting Pilates and gym after c-section -advice!

[Lovethesea]

I had an elcs 9 weeks ago and am recovering really well. I want to start some regular exercise again and know pilates would be great for my pathetic pelvic floor/abs/lower back muscles. I have done some classes before but never for any length of time. I have never been to the gym before but am tempted.

What must I avoid though? I know sit ups are out as that would widen my stomach muscles - when do they become ok again? After 6 months? Or does it vary person to person?

What else would worsen my muscles? I am hoping the class teacher/gym trainer will know their postnatal stuff but I want to be forewarned in case they are too busy to offer much help during the class.

Hello,

If you're starting pilates I'd make your teacher very aware that you've just had a baby/c section. I'd also make sure that your abdominal muscles are back together again.

Personally I was told to wait until 12 weeks post section before I exercised again (running and pilates) although I did walk a lot and do some gentle, non-abdominal pilates stuff at home before then. The issue is that it can take around 6 weeks for abdominals to come together again following a vaginal delivery but up to 12 weeks following a caesarean. If you exercise before the abdominals have come back together you can 'fix' the abdominals in their separated place and this can lead to abdominal weakness and associated lower back pain, pouching of the stomach, etc.

Check your abdominals are back together and, if they are, I'd say pilates and the gym would be fine to start. Listen to your body though and don't start off hell for leather. The muscles can be tender for a while after surgery (I was still getting twinges a good six months after if I overdid a run, for example). I'd also make sure you spoke to the teacher beforehand and asked her to flag any classes that you should avoid/go easy on.

HOpe this helps. Pilates is great for the stomach.

I went back to the gym at 12 weeks and used my pregnancy routine for a couple of months. The GP had given me the all clear so I just took it very very easy, the old ladies were working harder than me.

TBH as I'd been walking miles with a monster 3 wheeler pushchair and hauling a baby around a visit to the gym was a fairly easy option.

I did a specific post-natal pilates class following my section. I started at about 4 months mostly because it took me a few months to get my act together and arrange anything! The teacher was fabulous and checked me for abdominal separation before I had started, so she knew what to let me do and what I should avoid. I would definitely recommend checking to see if there are any post-natal instructors in your area as they will tailor the class with the needs of post natal Mums in mind, e.g. making sure that breast feeding mums have enough yoga cushions supporting them for exercises on your stomach to be comfortable. The other thing to bear in mind is that it does take a few months for your joints to lose the "looseness" that they are prone to in pregnancy. A normal pilates class may not accommodate this, and can be quite intense. If you haven't done gym work before I would suggest strengthening your body with pilates for a couple of months then adding aerobic/impact gym work when your body is in better shape. You can probably get gentle but effective aerobic exercise just from taking the pram out for walks of increasing length.

Oh, and in answer to your question, abdominal separation varies from person to person. Some people never completely lose their separation regardless of what they do. You can narrow it though, and most people should get to a point where you they are fine to do normal situps again. IIRC I think this is when the separation is

How do you know if if abdominal separation? I have had 2 c-sections and have no idea if this has happened to me.

It's tricky to describe, but you are looking for a gap in your abdominal muscles that runs vertically rather than horizontally. In fact it's not a condition specific to c-sections but to pregnancy generally. My pilates instructor has a bit of a bee in her bonnet that all women should be checked for it at their 6 week appointment, but not all are (I wasn't).

HowToCheck this sounds pretty much like I remember.

HTH

Thanks for the cautions, I feel soooo well compared to my first birth I think I am in danger of overdoing it - I'm due to organise a physio checkup anyway so I'll ask them to double check my abdominal separation too. I tried the self check guide, but my tummy is so jelly like still I'm not confident how I'm measuring it. My GP did poke my stomach at the 6 week check so I don't think it's especially bad, but I'd hate to make any effort that actually worsened it

I'll also look for post natal pilates, the one I know locally is just the general leisure centre one, but is on in the evening when DH can do childcare. I have a toddler as well, so the postnatal exercise groups the physio's run are useless as they have no creche facilities and I've no one to watch DD.