How to do sit ups after c section.

[batch74]

I had a C-Section 9 weeks ago and have healed well. My 6 week check up went well and I was given the all clear to exercise again. I need to as I put on almost 5 stone in pregnancy!
Running has been going ok, better than I expected although obviously I'm no where near as fit as I was.
My problem is; I tried circuits today and I can't even complete one sit-up. I just have no strength in my tummy at all. My DH has given me some core exercises to try and help with this but was wondering if anyone has any good ideas on how to regain my tummy muscles. I was heart broken - not even one sit up - that's awful!!

Go to a properly trained and competent fitness instructor with experience working with post section women. Your muscles may have seperated when the baby was growing, and not to alarm you but not all bodies snap back to pre pregnancy form regardless of the amount of work you put in.

The kinds of exercises i was given were squats and lunges, then other core work which really helped - good luck!

Try just walking a few miles a day i think i used to do about six a day every day and never looked better also its not too stressful on any part of your body and doesnt feel like you are killing yourself

Sorry, my last post sounds condescending on re-read id try not to look at your existing fitness level in any kind of critical frame, fitness can improve extremely quickly - but if your still recovering from the birth i.e. effects of pregnancy hormones on ligaments, then an injury is more likely.

You don't!

9 MONTHS post section is more like it for sit ups

Do not try and do sit ups yet! You could do yourself some serious damage. 9 weeks is still early. You may have separation of your stomach muscles. Get someone - GP, physio, fitness instructor who knows about post natal bodies - to check for this. Google gentle core strengthening exercises - in particular the clam shell exercise and start with these. My amazing life changing post natal fitness instructor would say not to do sit ups of any sort until 6 months post delivery. And even then that would only be if you don't have muscle separation. If you do no sit ups until you've fixed that.

Don't do them yet. 9 weeks is too early for abs work after a section. Gentle exercise should be fine in a month but not around your core.

You don't do any exercise until at least 12 weeks

I was told not to exercise for at least 12 weeks and then to take it slowly. 9 weeks is too soon

Also sit ups in general are not that amazing for your abs. Core work much better. Gently work your way through recommend post natal/ c section to things like planking

It took me about 3 years to manage sit ups after DS2 (VBAC), so 5 years after the CS with DS1.

I had a diastasis recti- look up how to identify it and exercises to close it. It's very common, particularly after CS as that disrupts the closing of the abdominal wall.

Exercises like sit ups and crunches put a huge strain on a bunch of muscles that are probably halfway round your body instead of in front of you, and not fully healed from major surgery. Exercising them too heavily too soon can cause permanent weakness that could require physio or surgery to correct.

At 9 weeks, gently build up walking/ swimming/ postnatal exercise programme. Throwing yourself into your previous level of activity isn't going to do you any good.

Growing a baby takes a good 3 months to recover from in its own right, plus you've had major abdominal surgery.

thanks for all the comments. I'm lucky in that I have free access to a physical training instructor and physio so I'll book an appointment to get some advice.
I never really thought that I shouldn't be doing sit ups yet - silly of me but there you go!!
Unfortunately I'm one of these types of women that expects to be able to bounce back and do everything I used to really quickly!! Realisation has now kicked in. 😩

It took me about 4 years....
Cardio fitness - running and swimming, then cycling - all came back within 9 months or so. I used to walk miles and miles with the pram, that made the biggest difference to my post-natal fitness.

After your physical training instructor's advice, when you can start to do exercise, you can do the cardio exercise, I did the boxing to lose 1 stone weight in three months, my core, bum and arm got more firm, amazing! Boxing is the very fast way to lose weight, very fun and interest to learn.

I started yoga at 6 weeks then my usual routine abiut 10 weeks breaking myself in over 3 weeks, didn't start ab training til about 4 months and now at almost 8 i feel i'm just getting strong again. A side effect ive struggled with is the feeling returning which has been unpleasant at times i'm told working the area can help the feeling return ive got almost all feeling back now.

there are post natal classes on www.fitswarm.com
also HIIT and yoga. Its a bit like Skype, the trainer can see you - so there's no escape! - and they can correct your posture and adapt exercises if necessary. Classes around £10.