Physical exercises after natural childbirth are allowed almost the next day, if the woman feels well, and the birth process went without any complications. Unfortunately, in our time, normal childbirth is becoming a rarity, and many women know what birth injuries, ruptures and surgical incisions of the perineum are. Nevertheless, the stitches after such injuries and operations heal relatively quickly – in about 2-2.5 months, and then you can do more and more actively.

But when is sports allowed after a caesarean section?

When to start exercising
It is in this form that most women usually ask about the possibility of engaging in physical exercises of varying degrees of intensity. This is explained by the fact that beauty standards now require a modern woman to look a certain way.

Often, captivated by photographs of slender beauties on the pages of magazines and images of participants in popular television programs telling everyone about their successes, young mothers are in a hurry to sign up for a gym, do “rocking”, running or other sports that involve considerable loads. Appearance in this case becomes the main value, and health fades into the background.

Doctors are unanimous in this regard, and argue that even active fitness after a cesarean section cannot be allowed earlier than six months later. You can start with light exercises – gymnastics, exercises – after about 2 months, and before that, perform soft and gentle training, like Kegel exercises. In no case should you strain the abdominal muscles after a cesarean section in the first months.

Sports or fitness?
When asked about the possibility of playing sports after a cesarean, they usually mean not sports at all, but physical education. Might be worth figuring out which is which.

The fact is that the goals of sports and physical education are opposite, and today it is already difficult to argue with this. The main goal of sport is to win over rivals, so training is carried out according to certain programs and strict standards, and all life is subject to them. At the same time, colossal loads are transferred, and the body often not only does not strengthen from them, but also suffers greatly. It’s probably no secret that many famous athletes simply could not have children after they won the numerous competitions and won “gold” at the Olympics.

Physical education, on the other hand, has as its main goal precisely healing: regular exercises help restore health, strengthen and develop the entire body; loads at the same time should be gentle and bring joy, and not exhaust and take away energy.

No one requires constant physical education – there are no strict norms. Of course, the regularity of classes is the most important condition for success, but in no case at the expense of health – this should be followed when deciding on physical education or sports activities after a cesarean section.

Features of the first exercises
So, if we call physical education a sport, where should we start exercising after a cesarean? And which sports are allowed and which are strictly prohibited?

After about 1.5-2 months, you can start with a warm-up: like in physical education classes in a regular school, but even softer. These are walking and tilting in different directions, swinging arms, circular movements of the shoulders, head, exercises for the hip, knee, ankle joints, etc. Calm walking on a home stepper and even exercising on a home exercise bike are also not prohibited.

Energetic squats and high leg swings are better to postpone for now, but in another month you can do them, as well as push-ups in different ways.

As soon as all this will be given easily, other sports are connected. In some cases, classes can be started after 3-4 months, but usually doctors prescribe to wait up to six months. Sports, allowed 6 months after cesarean, are called different types of dances – especially oriental and Latin American; swimming; Pilates – muscle strengthening; yoga – relaxation and restoration of the energy of the whole organism.

Those who want to lose extra pounds are advised to do aqua aerobics: the load in the water is much safer – the muscles train, and the joints do not suffer.

Walking at a fast pace is also allowed, or you can go to the fitness room: a lot of special exercises are being developed for young mothers today, and it is better to perform them in the presence of a trainer – he will always help you choose an individual load.

What sport is banned
Even after six months after giving birth with the help of a caesarean section, you should not engage in sports that seriously burden the heart and muscles. Woman’s body transfers this operation in a completely different way than natural childbirth: it only seems that everything is easier and easier, but in reality it is more and more difficult, although outwardly it is imperceptible. When something starts to happen “out of nature”, difficulties always arise, and the consequences can appear years later, so it’s better to recover completely, and then think about active sports.

After cesarean, you should not play tennis, football and volleyball; engage in active cycling, weightlifting and track and field athletics, jogging, go on long hikes, skydive and participate in other extreme activities.

It seems that you can not mention parachuting – who would think of it? However, experience shows that women decide on this and much more, wanting to “keep in shape” or even “keep up with others.” As a rule, there are no strict prohibitions, and most doctors hardly expect such questions from their patients: they simply rely on their prudence, but it is not always present. Such sports can have an extremely negative impact on women’s health, not to mention the fact that the quality of breast milk can deteriorate sharply from such activities, or it can disappear altogether.

Many women like to restore the shape of the waist with a hoop: you can also start twisting it no earlier than six months later. A light plastic hoop weighing about 0.5 kg can be twisted after 1.5 months, but a heavy hula hoop with massage spikes can be harmful to health. When practicing with a hoop, you need to achieve an increase in the range of motion, and not try to accustom your body to withstand its blows – this is just an extreme sport.

Breathing exercises
Special breathing exercises will help you recover faster. They are made immediately after discharge from the hospital, and even earlier. For example, take a deep breath 10 times with your chest, keeping your stomach still; then, holding the seam with your hands, inhale 10 times with your stomach; 10 times gently tensing and relaxing, pull inward the muscles of the perineum and abdomen.

When the child begins to walk, walk with him more often without a stroller in convenient places – in the park, on a closed boulevard or just in the yard. It is interesting that kids often start running “unexpectedly” for their parents, and then the extra pounds go away quickly: after all, children have to constantly catch up, and be with them, helping them to know the world.