C-sections

Ab Weakness after C-Section?

Hi Ladies,

 I had a C-Section 8 weeks ago and I feel like it is really difficult to sit straight up from a laying down position because my abs feel weak.  I often have to roll to my side and use my arms to push myself up.  Did anyone else experience this? It's my first so I'm not sure if this is normal....

If so - how long did it take before you felt back to normal?

 Thanks!

Re: Ab Weakness after C-Section?

  • I had my csection a little over 7 weeks ago and I'm the same way. I can sometimes sit straight up by myself but if I'm holding DS there is no way.
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  • Yes ladies, it's all normal. It took me a couple months to start feeling any strength at all. Just keep SLOWLY starting to work your abs again and it'll come back.
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  • It took me several months to consistently be able to get out of bed without some pain.
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  • Yep, totally normal! I think I was pretty good by about six months (I started working out again at that point).

     

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    DS2 - Oct 2010 (my VBAC baby!)

  • I had a really strong core before and so I started doing ab work again around 3-4 weeks.  I would try to strengthen your abdominal muscles because I felt almost 100% normal by about 6 weeks. 
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  • By 8 weeks I could sit up from laying down with relative ease, but I couldn't do any "ab work". I started a mom & baby exercise class at 9 wks and had to modify all the ab exercises, like reverse crunches. It's like my brain was telling my body to do one thing, and it just couldn't connect the dots and make it happen. Your muscles need to relearn how to do things (if you were fit before like pp, your muscle memory will be better and it will be easier). Take it slow, it's normal. You certainly don't want to hurt yourself.

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  • imageJG362009:
    I had a really strong core before and so I started doing ab work again around 34 weeks.nbsp; I would try to strengthen your abdominal muscles because I felt almost 100 normal by about 6 weeks.nbsp;

    Just a note on this...you need to check with your doctor. I had a strong core before too and I was told absolutely no ab work for12 weeks...and that was AFTER my 8 week pp check! And I had an easy recovery....
    That being said, just doing things around the house, wearing ds and going for walks everyday really helped me to recover quickly and to lose the baby weight.
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    DS born 6/28/12 via C/S 3 

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    11/1/2020 - At peace with where things are in life and are no long actively TTC. Whatever happens will happen and it will all be okay. <3

  • imageklasala318:
    imageJG362009:
    I had a really strong core before and so I started doing ab work again around 34 weeks.nbsp; I would try to strengthen your abdominal muscles because I felt almost 100 normal by about 6 weeks.nbsp;
    Just a note on this...you need to check with your doctor. I had a strong core before too and I was told absolutely no ab work for12 weeks...and that was AFTER my 8 week pp check! And I had an easy recovery.... That being said, just doing things around the house, wearing ds and going for walks everyday really helped me to recover quickly and to lose the baby weight.

    Yeah, I did do that without checking with my actual doctor.  My brother is an OB/GYN and I ran it by him and he was sort of like if it hurts stop, but if not you should be fine.  And I think I was/am.  I really, really, really pushed things but I felt really great and still do (almost) 8 months later.   

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