C-Section Recovery

Most women anticipate labor with a little bit of nervousness as the day approaches but quite frankly DREAD a C-Section. I know I did...I thought I prepared myself to be open to the idea of a C-Section if my labor journey turned down that road but my goodness...I WAS NOT Prepared. All I could think was I would never get the same level of strength back in my abs, I would be out of commission for weeks, and I would have a crazy looking scar that would show in a bikini. The vain part of my that I usually try to ignore was so sad I would never have a flat tummy again. I'm happy to say I was wrong, very wrong. Here are some tips on C-Section recovery and gaining your strength back:

#1: Wrap it up! I'm a huge fan of the belly wraps that are now popular for post-pregnancy. The wrap fits snugly around your belly and gives much needed support along with enough pressure to help your uterus shrink back to it's normal, non-pregnant size. Here is the one I used, there are many on the market now. Belly Wrap

#2: Listen to your doctor! Do not do more activity than your doctor recommends whether it's daily activity or exercise. If you push your body further than it's ready to go you will create scar tissue that will be difficult to cut through in a future C-Section and may even create a "pooch" even when you have lost any excess fat in that area.

#3: Suck it in! When we're pregnant we're so used to relaxing our abdominal muscles and letting it all hang out. We basically take 9 months off from ab work. A great way to wake those muscles back up again is to keep your abdomen drawn in throughout the day. Draw your abs in as if you had a shirt on that's a bit snug.

#4: Belly Breathe! Remember belly breathes use your abdominal muscles and also calm a tired, frazzled new mommy.

#5: Treat your scar! I wanted to make sure any products I used were natural since I was breastfeeding my daughter. I found two great products. When my incision was still healing externally I used Calendula ointment. It's available at Whole Foods and many drug stores. I like to call it my homeopathic Neosporin. Now I always have it in the house for cuts, burns, scrapes. I've even used it for Makayla when she has scratched herself or got a little skin irritation. Once my incision was healed and I wanted to improve the appearance of the scar I used Derma-E Scar Gel.

#6: Don't look back! Because a medical team has to get your consent before a C-Section many women feel they made the decision and sometimes doubt their confidence in hind sight. Everything happens for a reason and every person has their own path. Don't beat yourself up over a C-Section, just move forward and enjoy the amazing baby you have!

#7: Use my tips in the video below to get your abs back in shape. I'll be posting some ab exercises soon :)
Abdominal Strengthening Tips

I'm happy to say I wasn't out of commission for long at all, my tummy is flat again, and my scar doesn't show in any bathing suit! Although none of those points really matter in the scheme of things because my sweet baby girl is here...which is one of the biggest lessons motherhood teaches us.