REHAB WHEN TO START In your second week post-op start with exercises 1 and 2 only

C-SECTION P

resently, C-sections are recognised as a fairly routine and common procedure with minimal risk to both mother and baby. However, your body has still undergone major abdominal surgery and as a result, what you do and when you do postnatal exercise is critical to your recovery.

The following exercises are safe to do early on, provided you work within your pain or discomfort limits. This means that you stop at a level before you feel any pain and do not push yourself.

WE’RE GIVING AWAY SEVEN PIGEON BOTTLE & BABYFOOD WARMERS WORTH R750 EACH Pigeon’s Bottle & Babyfood Warmer offers moms the simple solution of ensuring that her baby’s bottle or food is always at the correct temperature. It instantly heats up baby’s bottle including breastmilk or food to the desired temperature without destroying their nutrients. The automatic heating cycle ensures that the unit never overheats. All bottle sizes fit and the unit is easy to handle, wash and carry. It is the safer and healthier alternative to microwaving. Seven lucky readers will each win one, to the value of R750 each. Available from baby stores, takealot.com, loot.co.za and Momentum online. Visit www.sp-africa.com

This exercise helps you regain movement in your spine, while still contracting the necessary stabilising muscle to support the spine.✓ Assume a position on all fours – on your hands and knees (3a). ✓ It is extremely important to keep your shoulders away from your ears and your coccyx pointed toward the wall behind you at all times. ✓ If you don’t feel a stretch you’ve lost these two points of position. ✓ Move your body weight back onto your legs (3b). ✓ Once you feel a stretch at any point on your spine hold for 15 counts and repeat three times. ✓ Your spine will stretch where it is tightest, which differs between people. ✓ Come back to your starting position. ✓ Contracting your pelvic floor muscles, gently pull your spine up to the ceiling like a cat would stretch, while tucking in your coccyx (3c).✓ Stop when you feel a stretch. Do not push beyond that point. ✓ Keep your head and chin tucked in. ✓ Lie on the ground with your knees bent and a pillow under your head. ✓ Contract your pelvic floor as in the first exercise (The Zip). ✓ Breathing out, slide your right leg out while making sure your knee stays in line with your hip and doesn’t veer out. ✓ Inhale once straightened. ✓ Contract your pelvic floor again and while exhaling slide your leg back to a bent position. ✓ You could point or flex your foot. Flexing is more difficult. ✓ Do 10 slides on each leg.✓ Stop when you feel a stretch. Do not push beyond that point. ✓ Keep your head and chin tucked in. ✓ Don’t arch your back when you slide your leg down. ✓ Make sure that your foot, knee and hip stay in alignment at all times.

✓ Lie on the ground with your knees bent and a pillow under your head. ✓ Put your hands behind your head forming a hammock. ✓ Inhale and contract your pelvic floor as in exercise 1 (5a). ✓ As you begin to exhale, lift your head and shoulders slowly off the ground (5b). ✓ Inhale. ✓ Contract your pelvic floor and pull your navel to your spine as much as you can within your pain limits while you exhale again. ✓ Repeat doing five breaths before lowering your head and shoulders again. Aim for 3 sets. ✓ It is important to breathe with this exercise and not hold your breath in. On each exhale work to pull your belly button to your spine as much as possible within your pain limits. ✓ Be careful not to pull your elbows forward and strain your neck. ✓ Your elbows need to be in your peripheral vision only. ✓ Keep your chin tucked in. Good flexibility is not limited to muscle only but also needs the ability for neural structures to move with the muscle it is activating. Increasing range of motion in both muscle and nerve structure can go a long way in preventing future back discomfort or pain postpregnancy and post C-section.✓ Lie on the ground with your knees bent and a pillow under your head. ✓ Wrap a bath sheet or exercise band around your foot and hold onto the ends with either hand. ✓ Straighten your right leg and lift toward your chest as far as you can within your pain limits (6a). ✓ Hold this position with your toes flexed as much as possible. ✓ Assume the same position with the bath sheet or exercise band but instead of a straight foot, turn your foot in from your hip joint (6b). ✓ Assume the same position again, but move your foot outward from the hip.✓ Make sure that while holding your band or towel you relax your neck, keeping your elbows tucked in and your biceps contracted and doing the work. ✓ Your stretch needs to stop at the point where you start feeling it and not beyond that. ✓ It is better to position your leg in a lower position with your knee straight and your toe flexed than in a position with a bent knee and pointed toes. YB