Yoga after a C-section: The role of this activity in recovery 

After a Caesarean section Your body is going to need care Y extra attentions. Today from mamayoga, we teach you How to Incorporate Yoga After a C-Section and the role of this activity in its recovery. 

What is a cesarean section? 

Let's start at the beginning, because, although it may seem strange, semantics is important and sometimes we do not fully understand What is a cesarean section?According to Wikipedia: "A cesarean section is a type of surgical intervention in which a surgical incision is made in the mother's abdomen and uterus to extract one or more fetuses of a gestational age suitable for survival outside the womb." 

Cesarean sections are not a type of birth. It is an intervention that helps save the life of the fetus and the mother during childbirth and sometimes replaces them. It is a major surgical intervention, since, to reach the uterus and generate enough opening for the baby to come out, a multitude of tissues and layers are cut and there is abundant blood loss. Because of this, it requires a longer recovery period than a vaginal birth. 

Cesarean sections can be program when they are detected complications during pregnancy that indicate that a cesarean birth will be safer than a vaginal birth. Others, however, occur in the middle of labor, are more complex and still require More care for the mother in the postpartum period.  

More and more pregnancies end with Caesarean section and luckily we are starting to talk about it, to stop hiding it. There is nothing wrong with your baby, the baby born by cesarean section or that you have required an emergency caesarean section. You do have to take care of yourself, though, since like any type of intervention, it requires recovery and care. 

Is yoga possible after a cesarean section? 

Yes, it is possible and you can also integrate it as part of your recovery. 

As we were telling you, it is a major surgical intervention. The first days and even weeks of postpartum They will be painful and exhausting, but little by little, you will recover and take control of your body again. 

The conscious yoga practice, not only with movements and postures, but also with the breathing, the meditation and learning to be present will help you at this vital moment. 

How yoga helps you recover after a cesarean section 

The recovery after a cesarean section It doesn't happen overnight. Even though mothers are all-round and indestructible beings, sometimes you have to know that certain processes are slower than others.  

You will require a time of low mobility, followed by a recovery time. All this in the midst of the whirlwind of the arrival of the baby, the baby and her need for full attention. Giving you moments of listening and support will be of great help in this period. 

The postpartum yoga sessions and of yoga for mothers They are focused to be beneficial for all types of situations and circumstances. Birth, including scheduled and emergency caesarean sections.  

On the one hand, practicing yoga after a cesarean section is a good remedy to go through the so-called: Maternity blues. Those emotional ups and downs which are not exactly postpartum depression, but in which you feel sadness, tiredness and pain and sometimes a little overwhelmed by the situation of being a mother. Yoga gives you mental calm and moments of peaceIn these flashes you will find the strength that will focus you and the clarity necessary for each stage of motherhood.  

In addition, the physical activity It is key in the recovery after a cesarean section. The yoga sessions are focused on the recovery of the physical sensations Y the self-esteem. Put everything in its place. They will give you knowledge of your body, with its limits and possibilities. 

Once again, the breathing and his focus on yoga is your great ally in this process. Simply stop and breathe. The breath that will reposition everything inside without you even realizing it. That will support all your systems so that everything returns to its place. The breath that massage, that calm, that oxygenates, that works for you.  

When to start practicing yoga after a cesarean section? 

It is recommended to start practicing Two months after the intervention. That is the safest recommendation for your body to have closed the scar and you are already in a moment of muscle activation where you can practice safely and without doubts. 

Despite this, more and more studies indicate that the Physical practice of sport before and after of the interventions helps physical recovery to be faster and more effective. Therefore, if you already you practiced yoga, before and during your pregnancy, you may want to get up earlier.  

If you have doubts, it is best to let yourself be advised by the health professionals who have accompanied you during childbirth and your subsequent recovery: midwives, surgeons, pelvic floor physiotherapists, etc.  

Below we tell you a series of Recommendations so that your yoga practice after a cesarean section is beneficial for you. 

Recommendations for practicing yoga after a cesarean section 

These would be some of the Recommendations either things to avoid so that you don't encounter too many contraindications when practicing yoga after a cesarean section. 

Attention in spinal extension postures

By curving your spine backwards you will produce a stretching deep in the abdomen. That can on the one hand be very annoying and even painful If the scar is very recent, avoid them or do very little stretching so that your abdominal area does not stretch.  

Doing sit-ups is a no-no

The best abdominal is the one that is done without doing abdominals. Think that there have been deep muscle cuts in that area, so if you start doing sit-ups, those muscles will not be activated as you think, but the rest of the body will compensate by generating tensions in various areas and can cause a push towards the pelvic floor that causes more problems in the long run. 

Give yourself time, don't compare yourself

The fatigue It's not the same for everyone. Breathe, pause, listen to yourself and give yourself all the time in the world. What does it matter if the most popular artist is at her best in two days, listen to yourself, prioritize yourself. It's a time of great sensitivity, it does you no good to compare yourself to anyone. 

It is more important to know yourself than to do

Dedicate part of your practice to recognizing your body again, its sensations, their movements. This recognition will be what moves you to do a little more each day, to take the reins of the new woman you are after the cesarean. Because after each Birth, you are not the same, your body changes, but above all you do, you are another woman, do not forget to welcome yourself in this chaos that is the postpartumWelcome mother! 

I only have to invite you to practicing yoga after cesarean section accompanied by the professionals of mamayoga who will advise you at all times and resolve any questions you may have during the process.