Looking to read about positive c section experiences related to exercise - only positive please

[CeciliaPregnant]

Hi!
I am having a c section due to baby being breeched and I am looking to hear about positive, fit women that were able to exercise not too far from delivery date (I am not crazy and saying i would exercise from day 1, but I'd love to hear from active women that were used to workout a lot, how they were able to start again) I love movement and it can really impact my mental health if I am not active so I'd like to do what I can - as long as it is safe.

Thank you!

I got back on my horse 4 weeks after. I felt wobbly and getting on and off was the hardest bit. I took it easy, did some gentle Pilates etc. 6 weeks after I joined a mum and baby fitness group and did strength training twice a week and Pilates once a week.

Took the dog on a flat 6km walk 5 days after c section (slowly!). I think my recovery was good because I kept fit during pregnancy. I walked 5km with the dog every day and was mucking out my horse etc. I’m pregnant again and hoping for a VBAC but if I did have c section I don’t see myself “bouncing back” quite as quickly as I’ve not had the time to be as active this time round with a toddler.

I am not super fit or a great lover of exercise but I walked everywhere from about 3w. I walked 4 miles into town with a double buggy when dd2 was 4 weeks old, dd1 was 2yo. It was slow going but I made it!

I think the key is to remember that if you overdo it, you'll put yourself back a disproportionate amount of time. So don't do anything for 2 weeks, and you'll probably be okay. Try and do a HIIT workout on day 3 and you'll still be struggling weeks later.

I worked out and ran a lot pre-baby and was lucky to be able to stay active during pregnancy, which I think helped with my c-section recovery. Once I was up on my feet I was able to walk, climb stairs, carry the baby around etc right away, and I started exercising again after a few weeks.

A couple of things I found useful: I saw a women's physio for a 'mummy MOT' (horrible name) at about 6 weeks, that was great as she checked how my c-section was healing, gave me some rehab exercises for my core, and lots of guidance on how to rebuild my fitness safely. I also went to some post-natal exercise classes in the park, definitely a different vibe to the classes I used to do, but it was good to have instructors who knew what they were doing and to get outside and see other new mums.

I was back home 24 hours after both my sections, so they were pretty complicated

I had a physio check after 4 weeks, started on the Peloton at 5 weeks, post natal Pilates after 6 weeks (could have managed it sooner but their insurance meant I couldn’t) and running after 8 weeks

4 months after my second, I ran 10k and felt pretty much back to normal apart from the scar being sore to touch

But the biggest barrier for me was how dog tired I felt all the time with a newborn. Finding the energy to exercise was miles harder than the physical recovery side of it

thank you all so much for your quick responses, this motivates me a lot and empowers me, I would never do something that hurts or crazy in the first 2 weeks but I'd love to be able to start walking and progressively increase my fitness levels! Thank you community for replying

very wise words, you are absolutely right!

My first CS went as planned and healed well. I was driving after about a week and doing lovely 3-4k walks after about 2 weeks.
I went back to CrossFit but when I was doing ab work, I could feel twinges - this was about 9mo pp

2nd child was CS also and my wound didn't heal well, so a slower recovery meant my first sling walk was 5-6 weeks after, BUT when I went back to CrossFit, I had zero ab issues at all.
I think the slower I took those first few weeks paid off for my eventual return to hard gym work.

I wasn’t doing anything in the gym or crunches etc as I found that way too difficult to work around having a baby but I was out walking for hours within a few weeks.

I started running gently at 9 weeks pp then I realized I was supposed to hold off till 12 weeks so I did. At which point I picked up not far off where I'd stopped (stopped running around 4 months pregnant). But from about 2 weeks post birth I was doing regular walks.

Was on hospital for 3 nights (private hospital) and once home I was fine going up and down stairs.

First was an emergency but I was doing short walks within a week and started running again gently at 6 weeks. Ran my first half marathon at 8 months!
second was a planned c section but recovery was slower due to a toddler and an infection. I overdid it about 2/3 weeks and set myself back. I didn’t run until 3 months and did a half marathon at 14 months. He’s now jsut over 2 and I am fully recovered, it does take until a year I feel to fully heal and also for the sleep and energy to improve! Also if breastfeeding running is harder until several months after stopping as ligaments are lax.
congratulations!

With my first planned c-section, I was able to do long walks fairly soon and by 6 weeks gentle exercise. Second planned one - not as easy , problem with stitches infection! 3 months before I felt able to do gentle exercise - even then with caution.
I would just not rush and take time - I definitely pushed myself second time not really taking time to heal.

I'm not someone who exercises much, but I found my c section didn't really limit me much at all. If I kept on top of my painkillers, I didn't feel any pain doing anything after a day or two at home. I could climb the stairs the same night I came home and I was back walking long (for me) distances a week after the birth. The only thing I struggled with was lifting my legs to waist height. I was told by the health visitor that I could start yoga/pilates and swimming at my appointment around 6 weeks.

Even being an unfit as I am, I was back on my peloton three months after birth and the main delay there was being too busy not being physically unable.

I’ve had two c-sections, and found the recovery really easy. The second one was actually easier than the first. I’m not a majorly active person but I do like to walk most days and do yoga weekly.

After my second, I was off pain meds after day 3. I was bringing my toddler for short (slow!) walks around the block on day 4, and then I was going for 2.5-3 mile walks pushing my 1 year old in a buggy and with my 2.5 week old in a sling.

I didn’t push myself beyond my limits at all, but I did make sure to move little and often as soon as the anaesthetic wore off. I think that helped things.

I’ve had 5 sections and run marathons at 6 months to the day after 3 of them. I started exercising at 6 weeks- very gently and slowly but I did it.
No long term repercussions. Just listen to your body and take the first couple of weeks really seriously. No heavy lifting! Rest!

I was walking short distance and driving within few days, exercising in the gym with a PT in a couple of months and I run a 10k when my baby was 5 months.
I guess I was lucky I barely had any pain in the first few weeks (I stopped painkillers on day 2), unless sitting down/getting up. I basically resumed normal functions super quickly and felt comfortable exercising my abs in probably 8-10 weeks (at that point I had zero pain, but my abs were jelly and I couldn't even do sit ups, which shocked me!).

Walk tall heal tall was what I was told - I healed better from my second as I was home the next day whereas staying in bed for 5 days with my first (they wouldn't let us go home) was I now know really not great.

I've recently had a different surgery and the advice is walk about asap, on the ward. Get the blood moving. You've got to be careful not to push it (I had a very dizzy day in the first week where I over did it ) but definitely try to get out and about more after the first week or two.

I did the MUTU program and it is really good. She also talks about walking daily. The later weeks are quite a work out.

I think I did a leap frog for my eldest 3 weeks post surgery and was pretty chuffed!

I'd also get to a Pilates class when you have healed.

Oh yes the jelly abs! It’s taken a year of yoga weekly to be able to do the boat pose. Running half marathons but core is still a bit wobbly!

thank you everyone! super empowering messasges!

I've had two C-sections and a natural (I use that term loosely I was cut and stitched).
Honestly after the sections I was basically back to my normal self after three weeks and after the second one I was out shopping and socialising within two days.
I did light exercises from week four

I was walking lots from about a week, ran for a bus after 7 days and that hurt a bit and realised I'd been silly but it was because I wasn't in any pain and wasn't thinking about it. My baby was in NICU for 6 weeks so I didn't have time or inclination to exercise for months but physically I could have done so after a few weeks and unpacked my whole house and made up furniture from week 2 (we moved house when I was in hospital giving birth).

thank you alll so much!