• Contact us
• About us
• A-Z topics
• Symptom Checker
• Service Finder
• Subscribe to newsletters
• Linking to us
• Information partners
• Terms of use
• Privacy

Pregnancy, Birth and Baby is funded by the Australian Government and operated by Healthdirect Australia.

Pregnancy, Birth and Baby’s information and advice are developed and managed within a rigorous clinical governance framework.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Healthdirect Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to the Traditional Owners and to Elders both past and present.

This information is for your general information and use only and is not intended to be used as medical advice and should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any medical condition, nor should it be used for therapeutic purposes.

The information is not a substitute for independent professional advice and should not be used as an alternative to professional health care. If you have a particular medical problem, please consult a healthcare professional.

Except as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, this publication or any part of it may not be reproduced, altered, adapted, stored and/or distributed in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of Healthdirect Australia.

Support this browser is being discontinued for Pregnancy, Birth and Baby

Support for this browser is being discontinued for this site

• Internet Explorer 11 and lower

We currently support Microsoft Edge, Chrome, Firefox and Safari. For more information, please visit the links below:

• Chrome by Google
• Firefox by Mozilla
• Microsoft Edge
• Safari by Apple

You are welcome to continue browsing this site with this browser. Some features, tools or interaction may not work correctly.

Abs after childbirth - when to start and what is prohibited

Contents

• When can you start pumping the press after childbirth
• Contraindications for abdominal exercises after childbirth
• Tips for getting started
• Basic abdominal exercises
• Additional exercises effective for pumping the press
• Fitball and baby exercises
• Diastasis - a special attitude to the restoration of the press
• Diastasis exercises
• What else to do with diastasis
• How to increase the load after a while

After childbirth, in the vast majority of cases, the figure of a woman changes significantly. This is especially true of the abdomen, whose muscles become weakened, and the skin stretched and flabby. Looking at themselves in the mirror after being discharged from the hospital, many women are immediately determined to bring themselves into a prenatal state and achieve a perfectly flat stomach. The desire is understandable and quite commendable, however, newly-made mothers should understand that it is unlikely that it will be possible to realize it instantly.

When can I start doing abs after childbirth

It will be possible to achieve the goal of getting her body in shape after a while, if a woman persists, eats right and exercises it reasonably. Starting to pump the press after childbirth, without waiting for the body to recover and be ready for active sports exercises, can cost a woman certain health problems. The duration of the rest period after childbirth - the time without any serious physical exertion - is individual and depends on how the delivery took place.

During natural childbirth, do not start active physical training, including pumping the press after childbirth, for about 7 weeks. After a caesarean section, which is essentially a surgical intervention, this period depends on the condition of the scars after the operation, and with normal indicators, the period increases to 12 weeks.

Contraindications for abdominal exercises after childbirth

In some cases, the question of when it is possible to pump the press after childbirth can only be answered by a doctor after consultation and additional examination. This is especially true for situations where a woman decided to pump the press with diastasis. Its presence suggests exercises for the press, which are different from the usual ones.

Caesarean section and diagnosed diastasis require a visit to a doctor and a decision on whether a woman can start training or not. In addition, there are contraindications in which the doctor will unambiguously prohibit heavy physical exertion and sports exercises, including the press after childbirth.

Such contraindications include:

• damage to internal organs;
• scars on the uterus;
• spotting;
• inflammatory diseases of the pelvic organs.

These symptoms make it impossible until cured training and exercises that involve the abdominal muscles.

Tips for starting workouts

You need to be careful not to exhaust yourself with long workouts in the fight for a flat stomach. A woman, even if she has no contraindications, should do exercises for the press in accordance with her level of physical fitness. In the matter of restoring the press after childbirth, it is not the number of approaches and not the intensity that is important, but the regularity. You need to start by practicing the correct technique for the abdominal exercises included in the training program. And not immediately, but after preparing the body for stress. Yoga, Pilates and light cardio workouts are the best for this purpose.

Breathing exercises that develop the diaphragm can help. Such exercises will tone the muscles, and it will become safer, more effective and easier to work on the press after childbirth. But the desire to pump up the press without preparation after childbirth can lead to a weakening of the pelvic floor muscles and the omission of internal organs.

Basic exercises for the press

After preparing the body for physical activity, you can proceed to the basic exercises to restore the press after childbirth - "Birch", "Reverse Bridge" or "Vacuum". The first two exercises should be done in the starting position “lying on your back”. When doing the “Birch”, support the hips with your hands, lifting your legs up, which helps to strengthen the lower press. With the “Reverse Bridge”, the legs are bent at the knees, lifting the hips up, bending in the back and then slowly lowering to the starting position.

First, repeat the exercise 10-15 times per set. In addition to the ability to quickly pump up the press after childbirth, such an exercise will help tighten the hips and buttocks. Performing the “Vacuum”, they take a deep breath with the stomach, exhale smoothly, pulling it back and forth, hold their breath and fix in this position until you can not breathe. Then release the stomach and take a smooth breath. For beginners, 3-5 repetitions are enough.

Additional exercises effective for pumping the press

Exercises available at home - Bicycle, Plank and Lift. They are simple and give a good effect if you want to quickly restore the press after childbirth. “Bicycle” is done lying on your back and raising your legs at an angle of 60 degrees, simulating the rotation of the pedals. The Planck universal exercise will strengthen not only the press, but also other muscle groups. It is done by lying on the floor with the body raised on the elbows or straight arms so that it is parallel to the floor.

Not so common, but effective for restoring a tucked-up abdomen after childbirth, is the “Lift” exercise. Sitting on the floor and pressing the back and shoulders against the wall, hands are placed on the stomach, mentally imagining that the abdominal muscles are an elevator that needs to be raised and lowered from the first floor to the last with a straight back. Then alternately raise the "elevator" from 1 floor to 2, from 1 to 3 and so on, while holding the abdominal muscles for 3-5 seconds.

Step-by-step online recovery program after childbirth

And after 3 months or less, you will return not only to physical fitness, but also to mental balance. Happy mom, happy family!

• Yoga and cardio after EP or CS
• Consultations with experts
• Nutrition program
• Psychological support
• SPA: Beauty rituals at home
• Life hacks and podcasts

Start now! First 3 days free

Exercises with a fitball and with a baby

One of the most gentle ways to pump the press after childbirth is exercises on a fitball. They perfectly tone the abdominal muscles with minimal stress on the back. One of these exercises is performed in the starting position lying on the floor with straight legs lying on the fitball. The hips are lifted up, rolling the ball back and forth with alternating movements of the legs. In addition to restoring the press after childbirth, the exercise contributes to the development of the muscles of the chest and buttocks.

You can combine business with pleasure by doing exercises with your baby at home, when, in addition to training for the press, the mother spends time with the child, paying attention to him and delivering positive emotions. Do the exercise, standing against the wall with straight legs. One leg is bent at the knee and raised. The baby needs to be seated on the thigh of the outstretched leg and rock the child up and down. Then you need to repeat the same for the second leg.

Diastasis - a special attitude to the restoration of the press

A special approach to rocking the press after childbirth must be used if a woman is diagnosed with postpartum diastasis. This term means the divergence of the press, abdominal muscles along the center line. To check if a woman has diastasis, she can independently at home. To do this, you need to lie on the floor, bend your knees, raise your torso, straining your abs.

The appearance between the rectus abdominis muscles when probing the cleft indicates the presence of diastasis. This means that after childbirth, special exercises for the press will be required, and it will also be necessary to wear a bandage. With a rupture of the press and physical exertion, it will protect damaged muscles and contribute to their faster return to their original state.

Exercises for diastasis

The restorative exercises for diastasis themselves also differ from those that can be recommended after childbirth for women who do not have a press discrepancy or by the time the rest period ends and the transition to the active phase it has been eliminated by itself. First of all, as already mentioned, you need to consult a doctor. And if he does not object to the start of training for the press after childbirth, proceed to classes. Classical training of the press must be categorically excluded, otherwise all efforts will lead to an increase in diastasis and, as a result, the growth of the abdomen.

Experts advise a unique exercise that can be done while sitting, standing, lying down, without being distracted from other activities:

• pulling in the stomach, "stretch" the navel to the spine;
• alternating relaxation and retraction, create fast pulsating movements;
• breathing is even, without delay.

Such pulsations of the abdominal muscles should be performed no more than 100.

What else to do with diastasis

Exercise to retract and relax the abdominal muscles is effective, but not the only one that can help women who have had a postpartum rupture of the press to regain shape after childbirth . Experts consider the exercise "Cat" to be effective. To perform it, you need to get on all fours, pulling in your stomach, and arch your back. Then, on the contrary, the stomach must be pulled in, and the back should be bent in an arc to the floor.

An exercise that is repeated 10-15 times while lying on your back will help in restoring the press with diastasis. As you exhale, raise your head off the floor and press your chin to your chest. The abdomen should be pulled in. On inspiration, they return to their original position. It is also recommended to stretch the lower back with a repetition of 10-15 times in each direction. It is done by turning the head in one direction, and the legs, bent at the knees, in the opposite direction, lingering in this position. It is important to keep the stomach pulled in.

How to increase the load over time

Over time, the load can be gradually increased. To remove the stomach, you need to gradually increase the number of exercises included in the daily workout at home. At a time when the body has already fully recovered, and the doctor does not mind going to the gym, you can increase the time spent in training. Gradually and carefully, you can complicate the exercises themselves, adding elements to them that make their implementation more difficult.

Progressively it is worth increasing the number of repetitions of this or that exercise. For example, starting with a couple of approaches, you can gradually increase their number to 5. The intensity of training should also increase at the same time. A competent integrated approach to increasing physical activity will certainly give good results and allow you to quickly restore a flat stomach after childbirth.

Our online course offers a program for young mothers, which is aimed, among other things, at strengthening the abdominal muscles. Ksenia Vlasova, an experienced trainer, advises the course participants on an individual basis on issues of interest.

On the online course, our trainers will certainly help you build a competent training system aimed at maintaining women's health and body tone.

Programs

training and nutrition programs

for women

Training and nutrition programs in your smartphone!

Download the app and get 7 days of free trial

Press after childbirth | How to do it right?

It is said that a woman's body changes completely after childbirth. Almost everything changes - attitudes towards food, nutrient absorption, the rate of muscle growth, or in other words, muscle response. And they also say that after childbirth it is impossible to find a visually marked press and achieve its maximum relief. Deception? Let's figure it out.

Some people mistakenly think that the abs are made up of two parts: an “upper” part and a “lower” part. Women after childbirth often pay attention to the "lag" of the lower abdomen, since it is in this place that subcutaneous fat accumulates, which in turn prevents the press from being noticed. In fact, there are no so-called parts. There is a longitudinal press - these are the same cubes along the abdomen, the transverse muscle - it is under the longitudinal, and two oblique ones. In order for there to be a visible result in working with the press, it is not enough to do twisting. It is necessary to increase the time of cardio and the number of static exercises. We remember that the relief press is an indicator of a low level of subcutaneous fat on the abdomen.

In this matter, it is important to pay attention to the individual characteristics and severity of childbirth. Natural childbirth or caesarean section, how quickly the uterus returns to its original state, were there any complications, what is the hormonal background, etc. In any case, only the attending physician can give the correct recommendations, he will also guide you in terms of timing. The average indicators (this is when all examinations after childbirth are within the normal range) show that after natural childbirth, you can start training the press after two months, after a cesarean section - after 3-4 months. Attention, if after the start of training you feel discomfort, non-specific pain, bloody discharge or other unusual symptoms appear, then you need to stop training and consult a specialist.

1. Start small

Even if you were an avid athlete before pregnancy, any physical activity after childbirth should begin with small loads, increasing gradually. The same goes for the press - start small. Start from the number of repetitions per day, and each time do ten times more.

Do not immediately resort to large weights or heavy loads. It makes no sense. Our task is not to increase muscle volume, but to reduce the amount of fat in the problem area.

Hormonal changes in the body during pregnancy lead to an increase in the amount of subcutaneous fat. Most of it is most often a layer on the stomach, which is not easy to get rid of in the future. Therefore, first take the time to warm up, warm up properly, do cardio or dance, play active games with your child, or just do high-rep simple exercises.

Set up correct breathing so that you can do it intensively and rhythmically. Tighten your muscles as you exhale, pull in your stomach.

Regularity is the key to success. For our press, exercises are needed every day. It is better to do it in the morning, an hour before breakfast or two hours after it.

Not always a round belly and a disproportionate waist indicate an incorrect and sedentary lifestyle. This person may have diastasis. Diastasis is a separation of the longitudinal muscles of the abdomen. Most often this occurs due to childbirth, and also appears in people with a hereditary predisposition, obesity and weak abdominal muscles.

Determining the presence of diastasis is very simple. Get into a crunch position, place your feet as close to your buttocks as possible, and start twisting. At this time, feel the abdomen along the press with your fingers. If by sensations you have identified a hollow between the longitudinal muscles of the abdomen, you should think about the presence of diastasis.

This pathology can lead to a number of problems in the future. This is the risk of hernias of various localization, and disruption of the digestive system, diseases of the spine, etc.

It is important to choose the right set of exercises to work on diastasis. Use bodyflex in your workouts. The alternation of inhalation and exhalation during exercise increases their effectiveness. There are exercises that you need to exclude from your program, these are those that can contribute to the occurrence of hernias (deadlift, lifting the pelvis-birch). In this case, it is better to use a pull-down belt or a supporting corset. With diastasis, only a balanced diet is recommended, foods should help digestion, fiber must be present. At first, it is better to choose breathing exercises - “pulsating the abdomen”, “pulling in the abdomen”, and then move on to more complex ones, for example, “modernized bicycle” or “alternating breathing”.

Although the word "glute" appears in the name of the exercise, it is done with an emphasis on the press. It gives the softest effect on the abdominal muscles. Take a prone position, bend your knees, tighten your abs and lift your pelvis.

Lie down, knees bent, hands in front of you or slightly touching the back of the head. As you exhale, lift your shoulders and head and pull them towards your knees.

An exercise that will strengthen not only the abs, but also other muscle groups. Lying position on the floor. Raise your whole body, standing on straight arms or on your elbows. As a result, the body stands on the hands and toes, parallel to the floor. Try not to lift your pelvis.

Lie on your back.

Learn more

• 
  Is it ok to take valacyclovir while pregnant
• 
  How can i get my hcg levels up
• 
  Open sores on breast
• 
  Fungus in babies
• 
  When do you feel movement
• 
  How do i know if my child has a broken nose
• 
  How do you know if your pregnant after a miscarriage
• 
  Baby skin problem pictures
• 
  Is it okay to spot while pregnant
• 
  How do i get child support payments
• 
  How early can a baby get chicken pox