Can exercise reopen my C-section stitches?

No, not if you follow medical advice. By 6 weeks, external healing is usually complete. Internal healing takes longer, which is why gradual progression is important.

When can I start core exercises like planks or crunches?

Crunches are not recommended in the early months. Safer alternatives like pelvic tilts, bridges, and modified planks (after 12 weeks) should come first.

Is it safe to lift weights after a C-section?

Yes, but only after 3–4 months, starting with light loads. Focus on form, avoid breath-holding, and increase weights slowly.

Do I need a physiotherapist?

While not mandatory, a physiotherapist can assess scar healing, check for diastasis recti (ab separation), and guide safe core recovery. This is especially valuable if you experience pain, leakage, or weakness.

Exercise After C-section: Safe Recovery Stages

Your body has gone through major abdominal surgery. Stitches, swelling, numbness, and fatigue are common in the first days after a caesarean. But once you return home, questions arise: When can I walk normally? Will exercise reopen my scar? How do I avoid long-term weakness? These doubts are natural. Postnatal recovery is layered with both physical healing and emotional adjustment. Understanding how to reintroduce exercise after a C-section can help you feel in control of your body again, while avoiding unnecessary risks.

What Happens to Your Body After a C-section

A C-section involves cutting through skin, fat, abdominal muscles, and the uterus. Even though stitches close the wound, healing beneath the surface takes months.

Incision site: Numbness, itching, or pulling sensations are common for weeks. Scar tissue can feel tight, limiting flexibility.
Core and pelvic floor: Abdominal muscles are stretched and weakened, while the pelvic floor bears the load of pregnancy. Without targeted recovery, this can lead to back pain or incontinence later.
Hormones: Relaxin, the hormone that loosens ligaments, remains high for weeks. This increases the risk of joint strain if exercise is rushed.
Energy levels: Blood loss during surgery and breastfeeding demands can leave you fatigued, making intense exercise unsafe.

These changes explain why jumping back into workouts is risky. Healing requires gradual, structured movement.

Why Exercise Matters After C-section

While rest is essential, complete inactivity can create complications. Gentle exercise supports healing in many ways:

Improves circulation: Light movement reduces the risk of blood clots and promotes oxygen supply to healing tissues.
Prevents stiffness: Gentle stretching reduces tightness around the scar and lower back.
Strengthens pelvic floor: Kegel and breathing-based exercises reduce urinary leakage and organ prolapse risk.
Restores posture: Pregnancy shifts your centre of gravity, often causing back pain. Corrective exercises realign your spine.
Boosts mood: Physical activity reduces postpartum blues and anxiety through endorphin release.

Ignoring exercise may feel safe in the short term, but it can slow healing and increase long-term pain.

Exercise Timeline After a C-section

Every woman’s healing pace is different. Always confirm with your gynaecologist before starting. Below is a general, stage-wise guideline:

0–6 Weeks: Rest and Gentle Circulation
At this stage, the focus is on healing and preventing complications.

Walking: Begin with slow, short walks around the house. Walking supports bowel movement, prevents clots, and eases stiffness.
Breathing exercises: Deep diaphragmatic breathing improves lung expansion and circulation.
Pelvic floor awareness: Gentle Kegel contractions (if not painful) can be started within the first weeks.
Avoid: Crunches, twisting, heavy lifting, or floor-based exercises. These put pressure on your scar and abdominal wall.

6–12 Weeks: Core Activation and Mobility
If your doctor clears you at the 6-week check-up, you can add basic restorative exercises.

Pelvic tilts and bridges: Help strengthen core and glutes gently.
Seated or standing stretches: Focus on the shoulders, neck, and back to reduce breastfeeding-related stiffness.
Gentle yoga or physiotherapy-led moves: Cat-cow stretches, modified child’s pose, or wall-supported squats.
Avoid: Running, jumping, or high-intensity workouts.

3–6 Months: Gradual Strength and Stability
By this stage, internal healing is stronger, though scar tissue may still feel tight.

Core strengthening: Exercises like modified planks on the knees, dead bug variations, or resistance band pulls.
Low-impact cardio: Walking outdoors, stationary cycling, or swimming if the scar is fully healed.
Light weights: Focus on functional strength—lifting your baby, carrying groceries. Use controlled movements.

Beyond 6 Months: Building Back Fitness
If you have no complications, you can gradually resume most exercises.

Higher intensity workouts: Aerobics, jogging, Zumba, or light running under guidance.
Strength training: Progressively increase weights while maintaining core stability.
Scar massage (if advised): Physiotherapists may recommend massage to reduce tightness.

Warning Signs: When to Stop Immediately

Stop exercising and contact your doctor if you notice:

Vaginal bleeding or fluid leakage after activity
Persistent abdominal pain or scar discomfort
Dizziness, chest pain, or breathlessness
Heaviness or bulging in the pelvic area (possible prolapse)

These are not “normal” signs of recovery and require medical evaluation.

Emotional and Practical Support

Healing after a C-section is not just physical. You may feel frustrated at slow progress or anxious about “breaking your stitches.”

Acknowledge fears: It is normal to feel protective of your scar. Start small, like deep breathing, before bigger moves.
Seek help: Ask family to support childcare so you can attend a physiotherapy session or walk outdoors.
Reframe progress: Instead of focusing on “losing weight,” measure recovery by energy levels, reduced pain, or better posture.

Recovering from a C-section is not about choosing between rest and movement. It’s about combining both with wisdom. Gentle walking and breathing in the first weeks, followed by staged strengthening, can restore your body’s resilience. With patience, medical guidance, and supportive care, exercise becomes not a risk, but a vital part of healing.
Whether you’re pregnant, a new mom, or navigating postpartum, you don’t have to do it alone. Join our support group to connect, share, and support one another.

FAQs on Exercise After C-section: Safe Stages for Recovery

Can exercise reopen my C-section stitches?
No, not if you follow medical advice. By 6 weeks, external healing is usually complete. Internal healing takes longer, which is why gradual progression is important.
When can I start core exercises like planks or crunches?
Crunches are not recommended in the early months. Safer alternatives like pelvic tilts, bridges, and modified planks (after 12 weeks) should come first.
Is it safe to lift weights after a C-section?
Yes, but only after 3–4 months, starting with light loads. Focus on form, avoid breath-holding, and increase weights slowly.
Do I need a physiotherapist?
While not mandatory, a physiotherapist can assess scar healing, check for diastasis recti (ab separation), and guide safe core recovery. This is especially valuable if you experience pain, leakage, or weakness.