Flatten Stomach After C- Section

I am a prenatal yoga instructor in Collin County and I too had a c-section and know all too well the recovery process. My suggestion is to wait until your abdominal muscles feel okay enough to practice a rehabilitative exercise, 4-8 weeks post c-section (listen to your body, there is no hurry). The exercise is simple but if you have any other specific questions please email via bottomsupyoga.com and I will send you a hand out that describes in more detail and uses illustrations. You will need to bind your abdominal muscles with something, I used a scarf, tie the scarf firmly around your abdominals (not too tight though). Lie on your back with your knees bent. Interlace your hands behind your head to support your neck. On the exhale draw your abs down towards your spine and lift your head just off the floor (DON'T lift your upper back off the floor, this is not a full crunch). As you inhale return your head to the floor and repeat 25-50 time building up as you are comfortable. This can also heal a diastasis recti (seperation of the abdominal muscles at the linea alba-white band of connective tissue that runs down the mid line). This doesn't hurt and happens to a large percentage of women during pregnancy and all c-sections. For the abdominals to work optimally they need to reattach. This exercise is the only exercise that will correct the problem. Not all woman's will attach completely but bridging the gap between the two sides to any degree is better than nothing.

I am deeply passionate about this issue as a teacher and as a person who experiences a five finger split b/w my abs and brought it in to a 1 1/2 finger split.

If you want any other assistance please email me!

4 moms found this helpful

Hi,

First, wait 8 weeks to get yourself recovered!!! You are only 4 weeks post-partum~ Eat well~salads, lots of water, fiberous foods etc. to help flush your body out and then when you have had some time to recover, pilates and yoga really help to flatten the tummy. It will never be the same again, but will be greatly improved. Congrats on your new baby!

M.

3 moms found this helpful

It's too early to begin anything now, but after a while, you can do exercises to strengthen your back and tummy and see some results.
My kids weren't delivered by c-section, but at 19, I had my left ovary and appendix removed. My tummy muscles were never as strong after that huge incision. I feel like I have a tummy bulge, but everyone else says I'm nuts. I'm not fat, by any means, but my flat tummy days are gone I'm afraid.
I saw a beautiful actress on TV the other day in a clingy dress and her stomach wasn't perfectly flat either so I thought, "what the heck am I worried about?"
You really can do exercises to improve it, but give yourself time. It's far too soon.

Best wishes.

1 mom found this helpful

I had 2 c-sections. With both children I used the binding method. I found this not only helped flatten my stomach (I wore it 24/7 except for bathing) but it helped with standing up after the c-section by giving extra support. I did breastfeed and I started wearing it when I got home from the hospital. I was back in my clothes in about 2 weeks.

1 mom found this helpful

Regular cardiovascular exercise and eating right will take the weight off all over, not just on your stomach. Make sure you have a balanced diet of whole grains, fruits and veggies, and some dairy. Avoid white flour and processed foods with additives and extra sugar. Substitute nuts and raisins for other snacks that are less nutritious (like chips or sweets). IDrink tons of water and avoid soda. have had two c-sections and I was always an avid exerciser (still am), running and working out most days of the week. I am almost 36 and I notice now that what I eat matters more than it EVER did before... I can't really cheat regularly or I pay the price. All of this being said, it seems the belly overhang will always be there to some extent. I think my body responded with a fair amount of scar tissue both times, and I have a little "pooch", like a droopy upper lip, over the incision, no matter how much of a "thin" day I'm having. It bums me out a lot, quite honestly, and of course it's well worth it and I'd do it again, but I really think women who have had c-sections are doomed to have a little extra skin in that area. I know tons of women of all shapes and sizes in this boat and they ALL say the same thing. Just remember, it's about a healthy weight and body image, not being perfect, so let that go and keep in mind that we are MUCH harder on ourselves than how others see us. I hope this helps... hang in there, it does get better!

1 mom found this helpful

Any exercises that you do for your core can't be done 4 weeks s/p c-section. You'd risk tearing the inner sutures. I've had three kids and always worried the same thing. Your body needs more than four weeks to heal and adjust. Your uterus will continue to shrink, excess fluids will be excreted and your stomach will flatten gradually. After you're ok'd by a doc to exercise, do some basic core work such as:
hold plank position for one minute intervals
do boat position
rocking boat from side to side
reverse crunches
there was an article on yahoo recently with five basic moves to flatten your tummy, search for that.
Also, if you're nursing, don't count calories or diet. I know it seems like you'll never be thin again, but give it time!!

1 mom found this helpful

At 6 weeks i was cleared and went right back on my pilates reformer. My abs look great. Now 13 months i still have that slight overhang along the scar line. That i believe stays forever.

Tracy Anderson method-post pregnancy workout DVD. It is awesome!!!!

The dreaded c-section stomach! AS much as I thought I'd get it back to flatter, I haven't. The bizarre overhang, (what I call the shelf) is caused by how the incision was closed.. I guess they pull too much inward. I'm stretch mark free, but will always have a shelf :(

Good Luck! Your torso may like you more than mine has!

H.

Yes you can! I have had two c-sections and your tummy will be flat again but it does take some work....well at least it did for me :) Just to give you an idea of my body type I am 5'3 and when I got pregnant with my second my weight was about 115. I gained 27 pounds total and at about 5 months after baby i was back to 115. But my tummy still wasn't flat. I was starting to do crunches but It just still didn't look as good. So I continued to shed some more weight to see if that would help and it did. I got down to 107 and kept doing a 5 day ab video I had and then my tummy looked nice and flat with definition too. :) So yes you can do it but for me I had to get even skinnier than before in order to feel like my tummy was good. But just give yourself some time you just had a baby and it does take a little while for your tummy to shrink back.

I had 2 c sections, yes you can get a flat stomach, but it took me close to 6 months to even start working on it. DO NOT start too early !!!!!!!!!!

this is my third c-section and used a binder that fits very tightly around your csection and stomach. It holds everything in place. You can find it at Motherhood Maternity. It worked for me.

there are a few blessed ones who can get back those 6 pack abs but sadly I am not one of those people.(not that I had a 6 pack before delivery either!!!) I think I will always have a little pooch at the incision line. I do the Curves workout,which is super for toning.