How I Regained My Core Strength After a C-Section

How I Regained My Core Strength After a C-Section

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

Pregnancy is hard on your core at first, but C-sections are a very real surgery. It requires cutting or moving the fascia and separating the abdominal muscles to get to the uterus (and ultimately the baby). Injuring these muscles reduces their strength and range of motion.

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

Walking was the first step for me to get these muscles working again. And once I healed from the incision, I knew it was time to start working more specifically on regaining my core. But when your belly is like jelly and your core is weakened by the stress of pregnancy and surgery, it can be difficult to get back in the groove.

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

Weakness is not 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 was able to walk more easily, pick up lighter things, and stand longer to rock my baby. And in a way it taught me to be more patient with myself because I needed a lot of help. This in turn allowed me to have more patience with motherhood in general. Slow and steady is fine.

Don't judge that belly.

Your post-pregnancy belly probably won't recover 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 as sexy after birth. I understand it. I was there. But it's important not to compare yourself to other mothers or what you see in Hollywood. (Singer Pink completely agrees.)

Work your way up.

I started with the “easy” Core 1 class at my local CorePower studio, which includes lots of plank variations. I took about three classes a week and then worked on a series of planks, light crunches and balance exercises at home the other two or three days. At some point I also started doing barre, which made my core even stronger.

"First and foremost, be patient and honor your body as you return to exercise, and of course only do so at the recommendation of your doctor," says Kathleen Sand, who has a Ph.D. in Biomechanics and is Senior Director of Operations for CorePower Yoga's Western studios.

No time for a studio? Sand suggests these exercises to strengthen your core at home.

Plank pose:Place palms firmly into the mat (think “jazz hands” on the floor), stack shoulders vertically over wrists, with full extension of the elbow joint (while being careful to avoid hyperextending the elbow joint). Walk down through the balls of your feet and extend your heels back as you draw your kneecaps toward your hips. Pull your belly button in and up. Look down at the mat between the palms to lengthen the neck. (You can also try these plank variations when you're ready.)

Crescent:From a standing pose, stretch your arms above your head, join your palms and interlace your thumbs. Inhale to reach up, exhale, and then bend to the right. Anchor yourself through both feet, keeping hips and chest straight forward and extending the left side while flexing the spine to the right. Maintain strength in both arms as you reach to the upper right corner of the room and hold for 3 to 5 breaths on each side.

High halfway lift:Align your spine parallel to the floor with a soft knee bend. Place your fingertips or palms on the front of your thighs. Activate the front core muscles by pulling the stomach in and up, lengthening the space between the hip joint and armpits. Hold for 3 to 5 breaths before folding over or extending your fingers toward the ceiling.