After a Caesarean delivery, it's important to take time to recover, heal and listen to your body. Immediately after birth, use a good technique getting in and out of bed to reduce the strain on your abdominal wound.
Getting out of bed:
• Bend your knees.
• Roll onto your side.
• Push up with your hands as you lower your legs over the edge of the bed.
• Avoid doing a sit-up or abdominal crunch.
Getting into bed:
• Sit on the bed.
• Lower yourself onto the side using your arms, gently lifting your legs back onto the bed as you go.
Pelvic floor exercises:
• Early on perform gentle pelvic floor, core, circulation and mobility exercises.
• Pelvic floor exercises will help strengthen your pelvic floor and can help prevent issues like urinary or fecal incontinence in the future.
Core strengthening:
• Lie on your back with your knees bent.
• Gently draw in your lower stomach in below your belly button with a breath out.
• Hold this for three seconds then relax.
• Repeat 10 times and complete three times a day.
• Remember to keep your back straight and breathe normally.
Simple foot and leg movements such as moving your feet back and forth ten times and bending and straightening your knees five times on each leg will help maintain healthy blood flow whilst you are resting in bed.
Gentle neck and shoulder movements will also help to minimize neck and shoulder stiffness and post cesarean postural problems:
• Sit tall to lengthen your spine, then roll your shoulders slowly up, back and down ten times.
• Then carefully roll your head and neck in a small circle three times each direction.
• Be sure to avoid excessive bending, lifting, twisting or strenuous activity within the first six weeks. As a guide, don't lift anything heavier than your newborn within this period.
• After the first six weeks, start gentle low-impact exercise such as walking and progress gradually. If you have any concerns about activity, consult with your health professional.
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