Postpartum Exercises to Regain Core Strength After a C-Section

Delivering a baby via C-section takes a real toll. Your body was already stretched and prodded for nine months, and then you had major surgery. It typically takes at least six weeks before you can begin any kind of exercise. But you have to listen to medical professionals and your own body to decide when and how to start.

When your ob-gyn gives you the green light, there are safe and effective exercises that you can do to aid in your C-section recovery and regain your core strength. Just remember, it took many months to shape your postpartum body, so be generous with yourself as you get back your strength and fitness.

To help you get started, we break down the C-section recovery process, provide exercises for rebuilding core strength, and include tips for how to safely and effectively exercise postpartum, and share one writer’s experience with C-section recovery and postpartum fitness.

Understanding the C-Section Recovery Process

The recovery timeline after a C-section varies from person to person. According to the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists (ACOG), immediately following delivery, you’ll need to stay in bed for a while and will need assistance when you are cleared to get out of bed. You can anticipate soreness at the incision site for several days. After a cesarean, most patients stay in the hospital for two to four days, depending on the reason for the C-section and your personal recovery time.

After you get home, you’ll need to follow your doctor’s orders and limit activities. Make sure to let your family and friends know that you’ll need extra help for a few days (or weeks) while your body heals. ACOG emphasizes that you should notify your ob-gyn or healthcare professional immediately if you experience any complications post-surgery (including fever, chills, leg pain, leakage or drainage in the incision area, heavy bleeding, worsening pain, or shortness of breath).

Safe and Effective Postpartum Exercises

If you’re in generally good health, your doctor may approve exercise at around six weeks after a C-section. It’s important to start slowly and listen to your body. The first exercises that are safe after a C-section include breathing, walking, and light core work, followed by gentle cardio and bodyweight exercises. Be sure to consult with a healthcare professional before starting any exercise routine following a C-section.

Exercises for Rebuilding Core Strength

"First and foremost, be patient and honor your body as you return to exercise — and of course, only do so with the recommendation of your doctor, " says Kathleen Sand , who has a Ph.D. in biomechanics and is the senior director of operations for CorePower Yoga's Southern California studios.

No time for a studio or the gym? Try these exercises to strengthen your core at home, suggests Sand.

Restorative Breathing

Restorative or diaphragmatic breathing is something that most people are encouraged to do soon after a C-section. 

A. Stand, sit, or lie down on the floor, couch, or bed.

B. Inhale and notice your rib cage, abs, and pelvic floor open.

C. Exhale and observe a gentle activation of the abdomen and pelvic floor.

D. Hold for 5 seconds.

Do 3 sets of 5-10 breaths

Kegels

A. Sit on a bench with feet shoulder-width apart, place hands on hips. 

B. Contract your pelvic muscles, as if you're trying to stop urinating mid-stream, and stand.

C. Hold Kegel and return to seat on bench, then release.

Do 1-3 sets of 10-20 reps.

Progression : 

A. With back to bench, stand a foot in front of bench seat and bend elbows to clasp hands in front of chest. 

B. Lift leg straight in front of you a few inches off ground and bend right knee to sit down briefly on bench as you Kegel. 

C. Keeping left leg raised throughout, stand up immediately, releasing Kegel and pressing through right heel to straighten right leg. 

Do 12 reps. Switch legs, repeat. 

Bridge

A. Lie on your back with knees bent, feet flat on the floor, arms by your sides.

B. Engage core and squeeze butt to lift off the floor, pressing heels into the ground.

C. Kegel at the top of the bridge, hold for three seconds, and slowly return to floor. 

D.  Release Kegel at bottom of bridge.

Do 1-3 sets of 10-20 reps.

Progression :

A. Place a resistance band around your knees.

B . Push your knees in the opposite direction as you lift and lower your glutes.

Modified Side Plank

A. Lie on right side of body with right elbow resting on the floor directly beneath right shoulder, both legs extended out to left side, and knees stacked. 

B. Bend right knee at a 90-degree angle so right foot is resting on the floor behind body. Keep left leg straight, with inside of left foot resting on the floor. Place left hand on left hip.

C. Engage core, grounding through right elbow, right knee, and inside of left foot, and lift hips off the floor. Gaze forward and maintain a straight line from head to heels.

D. Hold for 10-15 seconds

Repeat 3 times, switch sides.

Progression :

A. Lie on right side of body with right elbow resting on the floor directly beneath right shoulder, both legs extended out to left side, and feet stacked. Place left hand on left hip.

B. Engage core, grounding through right elbow and side of right foot, and lift hips and knees off the floor. Gaze forward and maintain a straight line from head to heels.

Half Moon

A. From standing, extend arms overhead, connect palms, and interlace thumbs.

B. Inhale to reach up, exhale, and then bend to the right. Anchor down through both feet, maintain hips and chest square to the front, and lengthen left side while bending spine to the right.

C. Maintain strength in both arms while reaching to the top right corner of the room.

D. Hold for 3 to 5 breaths.

Switch sides; repeat.

High Halfway Lift

A. Stand with a soft bend in knees, then bend over and align spine parallel to the floor. Place fingertips or palms on the front of each thigh.

B. Engage anterior core muscles by pulling belly in and up and lengthening the space between hip joints and armpits.

C. Hold for 3 to 5 breaths, then release the pose by folding over or reaching fingers toward the ceiling.

Common Post-C-Section Concerns

After pregnancy and delivery (whether vaginal or cesarean), many patients experience diastasis recti (abdominal separation) and pelvic floor issues. Diastasis recti is a common condition that occurs in approximately two-thirds of pregnancies and persists into the postpartum period for 30-60% of those. Breathing exercises, bridges, toe taps, and heel slides can all help to heal diastasis recti . Pelvic floor issues are also common in pregnancy due to the added strain on the pelvic floor muscles which support the bladder, bowels, and uterus. The most effective pelvic floor exercises to strengthen these muscles postpartum are Kegel and bridge exercises.

One Writer's Experience: How I Regained My Core Strength After Having a C-Section

I was never big on planks and crunches . But damn, I had no idea how often I used my core in everyday life — standing on the subway, getting out of the bathtub, picking up objects — until I had my first child. That's when everything changed: I delivered via an emergency C-section, and let's just say I couldn't even sit up to feed my newborn afterward.

Pregnancy is hard on your core to begin with, but C-sections are a very real surgery. It requires cutting or moving the fascia and separating your abdominal muscles in order to get to the uterus (and ultimately the baby). When you injure these muscles, it decreases their strength and their range of motion.

"All the layers need time to heal," says Emily Prouse, M.D. , of Metropolitan OBGYN in Denver, who recommends about six to eight weeks of recovery time (no heavy lifting, light walking). "After the six-week mark, you can increase the intensity of exercise and start lifting a little weight, " she notes.

For me, walking was the first step to getting those muscles going again. And once I had healed from the incision, I knew it was time to work at regaining my core strength in a more targeted way. But when your belly feels like Jell-O and your midsection is weak from the stress of pregnancy and surgery, it can be hard to get back into the groove.

Here's what I learned from losing — and regaining — my core strength.

Weakness isn't forever.

I know it feels like you'll never be strong again, but you will recover. By the time my incision healed, I was already getting stronger and started to be able to walk more easily, pick up lighter things, and stand for longer periods of time to rock my baby. And in a way, because I needed a lot of help, it taught me to have more patience with myself. That, in turn, allowed me to have more patience with motherhood in general. Slow and steady is just fine.

Don't judge your postpartum belly.

Your post-pregnancy belly probably won't bounce back right away. I was surprised that I still looked pregnant a few weeks after giving birth. The uterus takes time to return to its pre-pregnancy size, but what's cute with a baby in it doesn't feel so sexy once your child is born. I get it. I've been there. But it's important not to compare yourself to other postpartum parents or what you see in Hollywood.

Work your way up.

I started with the "easy" Core 1 class at my local CorePower studio, which involves a lot of plank variations. I took about three classes a week, then worked on a series of planks, mild crunches, and balance exercises at home the other two or three days. Eventually, I started doing barre , too, which made my core even stronger.

Additional Resources

If you have any concerns about your recovery after a C-section or questions about exercise, reach out to your healthcare provider. Here are a few resources that might also be of help.

• Postpartum Support International
• The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists
• International Cesarean Awareness Network