Did you have a c-section? Are you unsure about how to get back into shape after having a c-section? Read fit mom, Chelsea’s, tips below. Chelsea is a runner and mom to 1.5 little boys. She blogs about both at theologyandgeometry.com.
Getting back into shape after a C-section:
Like many first-time moms, I spent the weeks leading up to my son’s due date reading about labor and delivery and wondering what his birth would be like. And like many first-time moms, I wanted it to be the most “natural” experience possible. Labor would be brief and uncomplicated; he’d just slide right out. There would be smiles and cuddles and instant bonding. Angels would sing.
I was certainly not going to be one of those women who had a C-section, especially not a scheduled C-section. But then all of a sudden, at 34 weeks pregnant, I was. My little guy was in a breech position and other factors made my doctor feel it was unwise to try to turn him. And so, without (much) further ado, I found myself on an operating room table mid-afternoon one Monday in December 2012 while my baby was being born just like Julius Caesar.
Another part of my first-time -mom fantasy was that, sure I’d be a little sore and tired after delivery, but I’d be able to resume running within a few weeks of my son’s birth. I made a training plan for a 10k in March. And then I got out of bed for the first time after the operation. Do you know how hard it is to brush your teeth when, even with high-octane pain medication, you can’t move anything between your shoulders and knees? Instead of spitting, I just sort of dribbled toothpaste in the vicinity of the sink. Walking and even sitting upright during the first 18 hours after surgery were incredibly painful and exhausting. I tossed the 10k training plan in the trash.
But then a funny thing happened – something I never believed would happen as I lay in the hospital bed, unable to reach a cup of water one inch out of my grasp. I got better. A few weeks after my delivery, I was able to go for a short walk again. Then I started run-walking and finally actually running. I made it to the starting line of that 10k in March and even ran a 1/2 marathon personal record later in November.
While, everyone’s recovery is different, if you find your well-made labor and delivery plans being scrapped in favor of a date with a scalpel, fear not. Regaining and even improving fitness after a C-section is possible.
Here are a few things that helped me when I was making my comeback:
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