Does Walking Help C-Section Recovery? 10 Tips, Exercises

Walking after a cesarean delivery is regarded as an important part of recovery exercise.

Walking after a cesarean delivery is regarded as an important part of recovery exercise. It is critical to move around as much as possible after the delivery, such as going for a short walk or walking around the house. This eases you back into physical activity without putting too much pressure on your scar and reduces the likelihood of blood clots.

Nurses may begin encouraging patients to get up and walk around a few hours after surgery. This may be the last thing patients want to do, but they must do so.

Movement may be painful, and patients must take care of their incision site, but lying in bed for an extended period may harm you more.

• The majority of doctors recommend gentle movements and walking to help reduce post-surgical pain.
• Walking will help you relieve gas pains, have a bowel movement, improve urine output, prevent blood clots, and begin retraining your abdominal muscles to support your body.
• Begin by walking a little more than you did the previous day. Increase your walking distance gradually. Walking helps prevent post-surgical complications, such as pneumonia and constipation.
• Walking increases lymph and blood flow, which results in more oxygen and nutrients being distributed throughout your body. It accelerates recovery and wound healing.
• It aids in the maintenance of normal breathing function and the strengthening of muscle tone.

Walking is a great low-impact exercise for most women.

For most new mothers, walking with a baby in a stroller is an ideal activity. Women should walk for about 20 minutes at a moderate pace to increase circulation and speed up healing. Fit mothers recover quickly and can be back on their feet in a matter of weeks.

10 tips to help you heal faster after a cesarean delivery

Cesarean delivery is a surgical procedure used to deliver a baby and is a type of major abdominal surgery in which an incision is made on the abdomen through the skin, underlying fat, and uterus.

1. Wound or incision care
   • There is always a risk of infection when there is a large cut on your body. Stitches will dissolve over time, but it is still important to keep the scar dry and clean.
   • If there is any redness, oozing, or discharge from the scar, or unbearable pain, see a doctor.
   • Wear loose, breathable, and comfortable garments.
2. Physical activities
   • Resuming physical activities improves blood circulation and is beneficial to health. However, excessive exertion is not advised.
   • Carrying heavy objects or returning to an exercise routine too soon will stretch the wound, contributing to poor healing and increasing the risk of rupture.
   • A wound that does not heal properly will not only cause damage to the abdominal muscles but may also have an impact on overall health.
   • Consult your obstetrician about when and how you can resume your exercise regime.
3. Start walking as soon as possible
   • It may appear difficult, but don't be afraid to get back on your feet after your doctor has cleared you to walk.
   • Walking improves blood circulation and soothes the mind and soul. It keeps you feeling healthy, which can help reduce the risk of post-operative complications.
   • Walking is the most important form of post-surgery exercise.
4. Rest
   • Cesarean delivery is essentially major abdominal surgery that can be physically, mentally, and emotionally damaging.
   • Rest is required for the damaged tissues. Inadequate rest will reduce their body's resistance and make them more susceptible to infection.
   • Tiredness can reduce your breast milk supply if you are breastfeeding. Get as much rest as you can.
5. Medications
   • Being in constant pain may lengthen the recovery process as well as the pain.
   • Take pain relievers exactly as prescribed by your doctor.
   • Your doctor may prescribe multivitamins for your overall health and recovery.
6. Good nutrition
   • Eating healthily after a cesarean delivery will aid in the recovery of the body’s tissues. Mothers who get cesarean delivery are more prone to other health issues, such as pain, infected scars, and constipation.
   • It is important to continue taking the prescribed supplements and eating a high fiber diet, such as fruits and vegetables.
7. Probiotics and iron supplements
   • Blood loss is common during cesarean delivery. Increasing iron levels is critical to avoiding postpartum anemia, which can cause extreme fatigue, irritability, and even affect the quality and quantity of breast milk.
   • Depending on the severity of the situation, consult your doctor about taking iron supplements.
   • Include more iron-rich foods in your diets, such as red meats, fish, poultry, pulses, dried fruit, and green leafy vegetables.
   • Include probiotics in your diet because they improve digestive health and can help prevent constipation.
   • A daily dose of probiotics will assist the body in maximizing nutrition absorption from the foods you eat.
   • To begin, incorporate probiotic-rich foods into your diets, such as plain, unsweetened yogurt.
8. Traditional broth
   • This can greatly aid recovery from cesarean deliveries; it aids digestion and can alleviate the digestive discomforts and constipation that can occur after cesarean delivery.
   • Bone broth is high in amino acids, such as proline and glycine, which are necessary for collagen production and beneficial to skin healing.
   • Broth contains gelatin, which is good for wound healing and skin health.
   • Consume nutritious and mineral-rich broth at least one to two times a day.
9. Abdominal binder
   • It is an elastic waistband that wraps around the waist to provide additional support.
   • Using counter pressure across the abdomen can help alleviate pain and swelling during the first few days at home.
10. Hydration
    • It is critical to stay hydrated following your procedure.
    • Many women experience constipation after a cesarean delivery, which can be unpleasant and painful. Drink plenty of filtered water to keep your body in balance.
    • Furthermore, lactating mothers require an abundance of fluids.

What exercises may be recommended after cesarean delivery?

When your doctor says you can start exercising, most women focus on toning their midsections, and experts agree this is the best way to go. However, most doctors recommend starting with the pelvic floor muscles and then moving on to other parts of the body.

3 important exercises to do after cesarean delivery

1. Kegels:
   • Tighten your pelvic muscles while seated on a chair or large exercise ball, squeezing in and sucking your belly button.
   • Core muscles (the pelvic floor muscles are at the bottom of the core) should be exercised with proper alignment and breathing coordination.
   • When you perform a proper pelvic floor contraction, it resets the core muscles to work optimally again.
2. Deep breathing or diaphragmatic breathing:
   • Lay on your back with your knees propped up with a pillow.
   • With each inhalation, you focus on tightening your stomach muscles.
   • You are gradually working on toning your abs.
3. Arm rotations and ankle flexes:
   • Make small circles with your arms while holding them out at your sides, focusing on keeping them parallel to the ground.
   • Hang your feet off the bed and rotate your feet side to side and up and down for ankle flexes.

During the first six to eight weeks, avoid doing anything that will stretch the incision or cause your abdomen to bulge, which will cause the incision to stretch out.

3 general exercises to avoid

1. Heavy lifting:
   • Picking up anything heavier than your newborn baby can put pressure on your healing abdomen muscles.
   • This includes lifting heavy grocery bags or engaging in any weight-training exercises.
   • Consult your doctor about how much weight can you safely lift.
2. High-impact exercises:
   • Running, aerobics and any other exercise that stresses the hips or pelvic floor should be avoided.
   • Those muscles and joints are still healing, and a strenuous workout could impede recovery.
3. Twisting movements:
   • Internal and external stitches are used after cesarean delivery, and twisting movements should be avoided due to these incisions.
   • This includes twisting that occurs during yoga, Pilates, and dancing exercises.

Patients should be on the lookout for any physical stress signs of overdoing. Pain or discomfort during or after exercise increased inflammation or bleeding at the incision site and fatigue are indicators that you should not take it easy.

Healing from a cesarean delivery takes time. Learn which exercises to avoid and focus on the ones that can help you recover quickly and get you back to your fit lifestyle. The majority of your recovery will take place in the weeks following your delivery.

When can I have sex after cesarean delivery?

Doctors generally recommend waiting for six weeks after delivery before starting sexual activities. This gives your body enough rest and time to heal.

You may experience vaginal discharge, pain, reduced sexual desire, and stamina in the initial few weeks after cesarean delivery. There is vaginal dryness and discomfort during this period.

• In general, doctors want the uterus to be able to clean itself and surgical incisions to heal properly so that there is less risk of infection.
• Women who have had surgery are more likely to experience pain from vaginal dryness and changes in pubic symphysis or other musculoskeletal changes caused by pregnancy. Furthermore, wounds that have not completely healed may reopen.
• It is critical to consult with your doctor before engaging in sexual activity.
• You should be aware that the first time you have sex after cesarean delivery may be unpleasant. Couples may wish to consider using lubricant to enhance their experience. Doctors may recommend certain sexual positions that can be beneficial.
• In addition, keep an eye on your incision site for any signs of bleeding or increased pain.
• Women must listen to their bodies and doctors when it comes to planning physical activity and resuming sexual activities after cesarean delivery.