Losing Weight after C Section

It is common to gain excessive weight during pregnancy, which is not easy to get rid of. It becomes even more difficult to lose weight and reshape your body if you have had a C-section to deliver your baby. A C-section is a serious operation that involves cutting through your abdominal muscles. It can lead to blood loss and usually results in a much longer recovery period as compared to a vaginal birth. Your abdomen takes time to return to normal after being stretched out during surgery and the incision itself may take months to heal. The good thing is that exercises and tips are available to make losing weight after C section a less traumatic experience.

How Can You Lose Weight After C Section?

You can try a number of things and make some changes to your routine to lose weight after your operation. Here are some suggestions:

1.        Breastfeed

Breastfeeding helps by burning more calories. Studies show that you may end up burning about 500 extra calories a day if you breastfeed your baby for the first 4-6 months after delivery. You lose about 0.45kg of fat by burning 3500 calories, which means breastfeeding helps you lose about 1kg of fat in a couple of weeks.

2.        Eat Nutritious Food

You cannot start dieting in an effort to lose weight immediately after delivery. Your body still needs nutrition, so you need to eat healthy food to accelerate recovery without gaining more fat. Maintain a diet rich in vitamins and minerals and avoid empty calories like sugar and fatty food. Green tea, oranges, and raspberries may also help. Broil fish with lemon and consume it to get omega-3 fatty acids. Also, eat green veggies and food rich in protein and fiber.

3.        Take a Walk

The best form of exercise after your delivery is walking. Aim to walk 500m a day on a flat surface (and build up the distance gradually) to burn calories and get in shape. Walking strengthens your body and helps tone up your legs. You can switch to brisk walking once you become comfortable walking at a slow pace first. You should mix things up a bit – start with a slow walk, followed by a couple of minutes of brisk walking, and then finish with a relaxing stroll.

Several Movements That Help You Lose Weight after C-Section

Losing weight after C section is not all about eating all the right stuff, but you need to stick to some specific exercises to improve your chances of getting in shape in a short time. Here are some suggestions:

1.        Try Bridges to Strengthen Your Hips

Start by lying on your back with your knees bent and legs apart. Raise your hips off the ground while squeeze your lower abdominal muscles. Stop when your hips become aligned with your upper body. Hold this position for a few seconds and return to the starting position. Repeat 10 times.

2.        Try Kegels to Strengthen Your Pelvic Floor

Kegel exercises help improve balance and stability, as well as your ability to stop urine flow that can be a problem after delivery. Start by identifying your pelvic floor muscles – they are the same muscles you use to stop your urine flow. All you have to do is squeeze those muscles when you are not urinating. You can be in any position to do so. Be sure to hold the squeeze for five seconds in the beginning and then increase the time. Avoid doing Kegel exercises with a full bladder if that feels uncomfortable.

3.        Try Forward Bends to Strengthen Your Lower Back

In terms of losing weight after C section, forward bends can be of help. What's more, a stronger back will help prevent lumbar pain after delivery. Stand in a comfortable position with your feet shoulder-width apart. Keep your hands on your hips and then slowly raise them over your head. Now, bend forward at the waist until your body is level with the ground. Keep your back flat and then rise back to the starting position. Do 3 sets of 8 reps each.

4.        Try Planks to Strengthen Your Abs

You cannot start with sit-ups and crunches soon after your delivery because they can be a little too intense for your body. Instead, get into a pushup position with your wrists under your shoulders. Slowly lower your body onto your elbows while lifting your knees off the floor. Ensure that your shoulders, hips, and feet are in a straight line. Hold this posture for 30 seconds and focus more on tightening your abs. Repeat 2-4 times.

What Should You Notice When Exercising?

Losing weight after C section is never easy but you can follow a right routine of diet and exercise to bring your weight back to normal. However, there are certain things to remember when doing any exercise. For instance:

  • Talk to your doctor before trying any post-pregnancy exercise. It is even more important when you have undergone a procedure like C-section that leaves you with an incision. You need to visit your doctor at least once after the procedure to ensure everything is progressing in a normal way.
  • Stop exercising right away if you notice postnatal bleeding or you see your incision opening up a bit. Talk to your doctor immediately.
  • Never perform any exercise if you have diastasis of the rectus abdominis, which occurs when your abs separate during pregnancy and fail to joint in the middle again afterward. Your doctor will tell you what exercises you can or cannot perform with this condition.
 
 
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