Delivery through cesarean section is used in world practice quite often. In addition to the joy of motherhood, the effects of surgery on the body are extremely mixed. A woman who has had a baby in this way takes longer to recover. In addition, a sagging skin fold appears on the abdomen, causing mental and aesthetic discomfort.
Causes of skin fold after cesarean section
A skin-fat apron spoils the mood of 80% of women who have given birth via cesarean section. Many of them are wondering where the overhanging fold came from, because before pregnancy they had a slender, toned figure .
The main reason lies in the fact that during pregnancy the female figure changes, physiologically this is expressed in the prolapse of the anterior abdominal wall and the divergence of the rectus abdominis muscles.
Deformations of the abdominal region can be caused by the following factors:
- excess kilograms that did not benefit the body growing in the womb are deposited on the waist and hips;
- displacement of the center of gravity during the period of gestation, the pregnant belly sticks forward, the posture deteriorates;
- stretching the walls of the press, impaired muscle tone of the abdominal cavity.
When can I start the formation of the press
In the fight against an unaesthetic skin roller, a balanced diet and regular exercise at home will help
It takes 1 year to fully restore the female body after childbirth. Despite the woman’s outward well-being, the healing of sutures requires a certain amount of time. In some cases, even complications associated with recovery processes in the uterus, taking several months, are possible. Therefore, the first physical exercises aimed at returning the figure must be done no earlier than 3-6 months after the birth.
The first attempts to lose weight by limiting the amount of food and drink can turn into a complete disappointment, since hormonal changes in the woman’s body are aimed at the production of substances necessary for breastfeeding. Often, to restore the previous form, a period of at least the period of bearing the child will be required.
Any woman needs to remember that after a cesarean section, standard abdominal exercises increase the risk of suture discrepancy when there is insufficient healing. Therefore, in the first months, twisting the body, push-ups from the floor, raising the legs and torso from a horizontal position are contraindicated.
With diastasis (divergence of the rectus abdominis muscles), their natural recovery occurs over a longer period: 6 months – a year and a half.
Rules for training abdominal muscles after cesarean section
There are many special sets of exercises aimed at getting rid of the skin roller and tightening the abdomen. However, one should not rush into intense training. Even six months after the operation, when the primary recovery of the body after cesarean section occurs, it is necessary to consult a doctor. During the examination, he will assess the state of healing of the sutures and advise on the permissible loads and exercises that a woman can perform. You may need to do an ultrasound of the uterus.
When doing exercises at home, you need to start with a small number of repetitions. In the case of the initial lying position, do not make sudden movements to avoid overstrain in the joints of the spine or cervical spine. It is not recommended to use weights with dumbbells.
Exercise vacuum
The simplest and most affordable exercise allowed almost in the first days after childbirth is vacuum. In addition to the necessary tension on the abdominal muscles, this exercise has a beneficial healing effect:
- interferes with the internal displacement of the abdominal organs;
- positive effect on blood supply;
- prevents the development of hemorrhoids;
- relaxes the muscles of the pelvic floor.
The specifics of this technique is the horizontal position of the body to reduce the load on the internal organs and pelvic muscles. When creating a vacuum, the chest expands, such a breathing technique is found in the practice of yoga and body flex.
Starting position: position the body on a horizontal hard surface, bend your knees, feet pressed to the floor, arms spread apart.
Sequence of movements:
- Exhale air as much as possible so that a vacuum appears in the lungs.
- Retract the stomach as much as possible without inhalation.
- Hold position for several seconds.
- Relax your muscles, take a deep breath.
The main thing in the exercise is to properly retract the stomach
Such a simple technique will help you quickly train your abs muscles and pave the way for a flat stomach.
Fitball lessons
Classes on the gym ball will bring not only benefit to the muscles, but also the pleasure of training. The ball involves almost any part of the body: back, stomach, legs, pelvis. Gymnastics on fitball is very diverse, and it is quite easy to carry out exercises even after cesarean section.
Even simple springy movements on the fitball give a good result with regular approaches.
Lying on your back:
- The legs are bent at the knees at a right angle, the back rests on the ball, the feet are pressed to the floor, hands are put behind the head. The task is to raise the shoulders as high as possible, the elbows should not touch the ball.
- Place the ball under the lower back, arms crossed behind the head, feet pressed to the floor. Technique: turn the body, the pelvis remains motionless.
- Place the ball in the area of the shoulder blades. Technique: without lifting your feet from the floor, direct your hips up. Such a load is useful for the thoracic spine and strengthening the pelvic muscles.
Lying on your stomach:
- Lie on your gymnastic ball with your stomach, legs slightly raise parallel to the body. Move your arms across the floor to roll the ball from your lower thigh to your chest.
- Lie on the fitball face down, stretch your arms and legs, palm and socks rest against the floor. Exercise: Raise legs as high as possible from the surface, increasing pressure on the ball with abdominal muscles, hold the position for 5 seconds.
Other starting positions:
- Take a horizontal position on the floor face up, put your bent knees on the fitball. Exercise: raise the pelvis, leaning on the ball.
- Lie on the fitball sideways, fix one leg on the floor, straighten the other and take it up. Perform swaying movements up and down with your free foot (up to 50 times).
- Kneeling, position the fitball in the abdominal area, palm rest on the floor. Exercise: lifting / swinging the opposite arms and legs in a balanced manner.
From the first time, some exercises may not work out, but after several approaches the necessary dexterity will appear and it will become noticeably easier.
Lower Press Exercises
Perform press exercises after cesarean section is recommended up to 3 times a week, with an interval of 1 day. Leg raises are most effective for training the rectus abdominis muscles; moreover, they do not require special training and are easy to perform.
- Starting position: standing, feet pressed against each other. Put your left hand on the back of the chair, the surface of the table or attach to the wall. Raise the right leg bent at the knee to chest level, hold for 3-5 seconds, slowly lower it. Repeat lifting with the left foot. Care must be taken to maintain a right angle between the lower leg and thigh.
- Take a horizontal position, fully press the lower back to the floor, bend the legs at the knees at an angle of 90 °, the feet are parallel to each other. Keeping a right angle, slowly raise your legs until you feel the tension of the lower abdominal muscles. Return to starting position.
- Take a horizontal position, bend your elbows for support. Raise your legs from the floor to a height of 5-7 cm, stay in this position for a while, return to the starting position.
The benefits of hiking and water aerobics
Walking with a stroller will prepare the body of a young mother for more intense stress
Do not forget that a regular walk in the fresh air is a good muscle training. A young mother should walk with her baby for at least an hour a day, gradually increasing the distance covered and the pace. Staying in the fresh air is useful not only for a woman, but also for a child. Swimming or water aerobics is not only useful, but also enjoyable. Water is a powerful relaxing agent that forms a beautiful figure and removes unnecessary forms. However, the first trip to the pool must be carried out no earlier than 2 months after cesarean section, so that the uterine mucosa is completely restored.
Restoring the muscles of the press after cesarean section is a laborious process that requires time and energy. Do not strive to perform immediately a large number of repetitions, debilitating the body. It is necessary to focus on your health and well-being. To avoid the development of depressive syndrome from monotonous training, dilute physical activity with periods of rest.
