You just had major abdominal surgery. Let’s not sugarcoat it. A C-section involves cutting through skin, fat, fascia, and moving aside muscle—all to get a human being out of your body. Then, somehow, the internet expects you to be doing planks three weeks later.
It’s wild.
Most of the advice out there regarding core exercises post c section is either terrifyingly intense or patronizingly soft. You’re told to "wait for the six-week checkup" as if a magical light switch flips at day 42 and your abs are suddenly ready for a CrossFit class. Real recovery doesn't work like that. It’s messy. It’s slow. Honestly, it’s mostly about retraining your brain to find muscles that currently feel like static on a TV screen.
The "Numbness" Factor Nobody Mentions
If you’ve had a Cesarean, you know that weird, tingly, "not-my-body" sensation around the incision. That’s nerve damage. It’s usually temporary, but it makes doing traditional core work feel impossible because you literally can't feel the muscles you're trying to contract.
When you start looking into core exercises post c section, your first goal isn't a six-pack. It's proprioception. You have to remind your nervous system that those muscles still exist. Dr. Sarah Ellis Duvall, a specialist in postpartum recovery, often points out that if you can’t "find" the muscle, you can't strengthen it. Pushing through a workout when you’re numb usually just leads to your hip flexors or lower back taking over the load. That’s how you end up with chronic back pain at three months postpartum.
Stop Doing Sit-ups (Seriously)
Sit-ups are basically the worst thing you can do for a healing incision and a stretched-out linea alba.
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Think about the physics. A crunch creates massive intra-abdominal pressure. If your abdominal wall hasn't knitted back together—or if you have Diastasis Recti (the separation of the ab muscles)—that pressure has nowhere to go but out against your scar or down against your pelvic floor. You’ll see it as "doming" or "coning" along your midline. If you see a ridge popping up when you move, stop. You’re just stretching the gap further.
Instead of moving the spine, we need to focus on stability.
The Breath is Your First Exercise
You're probably thinking, "Breathing isn't an exercise." But after a C-section, it’s the only exercise that matters for the first few weeks.
During pregnancy, your ribs flared out and your diaphragm got squished. Your breathing became shallow. To fix your core, you have to fix your ribs.
- Sit or lie down comfortably.
- Place your hands on the sides of your ribcage.
- Inhale into your hands. Not your chest. Not just your belly. Think 360-degree expansion.
- As you exhale, imagine your hip bones gently pulling toward each other.
This isn't about sucking in your gut. It’s about a gentle, deep tension. This "core breath" coordinates the diaphragm with the pelvic floor. It’s the foundation for every single one of the core exercises post c section you’ll do later. If you skip this, you’re building a house on sand.
Progressing Beyond the Basics
Once you've got the breath down and your doctor has cleared you for light activity, you can move into "active" recovery. But "active" doesn't mean "aggressive."
Heel Slides
Lie on your back with knees bent. Slowly slide one heel out until your leg is straight, then pull it back. The trick? Your pelvis shouldn't move a millimeter. If your back arches, you've gone too far. This teaches your deep transverse abdominis to stabilize your spine while your legs are moving. It's harder than it sounds when you're six weeks out from surgery.
Modified Side Planks
Skip the full plank. Seriously. A full plank puts too much gravity-driven pressure on your healing fascia. Instead, try a side plank from your knees. This targets the obliques, which act like a natural corset for your torso. It also takes the direct pressure off the "six-pack" muscles that were moved during surgery.
Glute Bridges
Your glutes are part of your core. Period. If your butt isn't working, your pelvic floor and lower abs have to work twice as hard. Squeeze your glutes and lift your hips just a few inches off the floor. Don't over-arch. Keep that "core breath" engaged so your ribs stay tucked down.
The Myth of the "Bounce Back"
Social media is a lie. You see influencers doing burpees a month after a C-section and feel like you're behind. You aren't.
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Internal tissue healing takes much longer than the skin incision. While your scar might look closed at two weeks, the fascia underneath—the stuff that actually holds your organs in—takes months to regain its original strength. Research suggests that at six weeks, your tissue has only recovered about 50% of its original tensile strength. By six months, it's closer to 70-80%.
Treating your recovery like a marathon rather than a sprint prevents long-term issues like pelvic organ prolapse or incisional hernias.
When to See a Professional
If you’re experiencing leaking when you sneeze, pain during sex, or a feeling of "heaviness" in your pelvis, "more crunches" is not the answer.
You need a Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist.
In many countries, like France, pelvic floor rehab is the standard of care for every mother. In the U.S. and UK, we’re often just sent home with a "good luck" and a shrug. A specialist can check your scar tissue mobility (which is huge—if that scar is stuck, your abs can't move right) and check for Diastasis Recti. They can give you a personalized roadmap for core exercises post c section that actually fits your specific surgery.
Moving Into Functional Strength
Eventually, you have to pick up a car seat. You have to carry a growing toddler. These are the real core exercises.
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- The Log Roll: Never sit straight up from bed. Roll onto your side and use your arms to push yourself up. This protects the midline.
- The Exhale on Effort: Whenever you lift the baby or the laundry basket, exhale. This naturally engages the deep core and protects the pelvic floor from the pressure of the lift.
Recovery isn't a straight line. Some days you'll feel strong, and other days your incision will ache because the weather changed or you wore tight pants. That’s normal.
Actionable Next Steps for Your Recovery:
- Start Scar Massage: Once your incision is fully closed and your doctor gives the okay (usually around 6-8 weeks), start gently moving the skin around the scar. This prevents adhesions that can "tether" your abdominal muscles and make core work painful.
- Test Your Midline: Lie on your back, lift your head slightly, and feel the space between your ab muscles. If it feels soft or "squishy" like a loaf of bread, focus on deep transverse abdominis work (like the core breath) rather than any movement that involves lifting your chest off the floor.
- Prioritize Walking: Before you "workout," walk. It increases blood flow to the pelvic region, aids in lymphatic drainage, and is a functional way to start re-engaging your upright core stability.
- Audit Your Posture: C-section recovery often leads to a "hunched" posture to protect the incision. Stand tall. Imagine a string pulling the top of your head toward the ceiling. Simply correcting your posture is a constant, low-level core workout.