What's the VERY BEST exercise to start after your C-Section?

A C-Section is major, major surgery.

No matter how you got there, either after a long and ardous labour, or if you had a lovely, relaxing planned admission, your body has been through significant trauma, and needs lots of time, love and attention, to heal well. 

But, there are certainly things that you can do, as early as you are comfortable, to help encourage your body on it's healing journey.

So if you're in the right head space to contemplate some self-care, and exercise, then the VERY BEST exercise to start with, is... breathing. 

Yes, belly breathing!

Specifically, the best exercise to start after your C-Section, is Diaphragmatic Breathing. 

This deep, relaxed type of breathing, which can take a little concentration and patience, helps your body recover in several ways:

• Helps to reduce stress and anxiety,
• Helps to lower your heart rate and blood pressure,
• Helps to reduce tension through your core muscles, particularly overactive pelvic floor muscles.

All of these things are of huge benefit to your whole system as you recover from surgery.

It's free, simple, and can be done anywhere... what's not to like?!

So, what do you do?

1. Find a comfortable spot to lie on your back. Early on, I'd definitely have your knees bent, which usually makes your back more comfortable, and reduces the pull on your scar. You can stretch out your straight as this exercise becomes easier.
2.  Place your hands over your lower belly.
3. Breathe in, slowly and deeply, through your nose. Think about sending the air deep down underneath your hands, expanding your belly, and then gently let it out. 

Aim for 5 minutes at a time. 

Once it feels easy to do, you can progress it by doing this same exercise in sitting, and eventually standing too. 

Obviously after such a significant event as a C-section, we can hold lots of tension and tightness in the muscles surrounding our wound, even if we don't mean to.

Mastering belly breathing will allow you to relax better through this area, and reduce your pain, both of which are really important in your recovery.