As a midwife, one of the biggest myths I hear is: “Once the six-week check is done, will I be fully healed?”
The truth? A caesarean birth is major abdominal surgery. While your baby may be six weeks old, your body is still healing for months, sometimes up to a year. And that’s completely normal.
Let’s talk about what long-term recovery really looks like, and how to support your body safely and confidently.
Safe Movement in the Weeks and Months After a C-Section
In the early weeks, rest is essential. But gentle, progressive movement is one of the most powerful tools for recovery.
Weeks 0–6: Foundation Phase
- Gentle walking (short, slow distances)
- Deep diaphragmatic breathing
- Gentle pelvic floor activation
- Avoid heavy lifting (nothing heavier than your baby)
The goal here isn’t fitness, its circulation, connection, and preventing stiffness.
Weeks 6–12: Rebuilding Phase
Once cleared by your healthcare provider:
- Increase walking pace and distance gradually.
- Add gentle postnatal strength work.
- Begin low-impact core rehabilitation exercises.
- Avoid high-impact exercise (running, HIIT) unless your core and pelvic floor are strong.
- Begin gentle scar massage (once fully healed), as this can usually start from around 6 weeks postnatal.
Listen to your body. Pain, pulling, heaviness, or leaking urine are signs to scale back.
3–12 Months: Strength & Stability
This is when structured strengthening really matters:
- Functional core work
- Glute and hip strengthening
- Gradual return to higher-impact activity if appropriate
Recovery is not a race. Strong foundations prevent long-term pelvic floor issues and back pain.
Scar Tissue Care: Why It Matters More Than You Think
Your caesarean scar isn’t just surface level. Multiple layers of tissue are healing beneath the skin, fascia, muscle, and uterus.
Once your wound is fully healed (usually after 6 weeks), scar massage can:
- Improve mobility.
- Reduce tightness and pulling sensations.
- Support core activation.
- Minimise adhesions.
- Improve sensation (or reduce numbness)
How to Start Scar Massage
- Use clean hands and a nourishing serum or oil.
- Begin with gentle pressure around the scar.
- Progress to small circular movements directly over it
- Move the skin side-to-side and up-and-down once comfortable.
Using a product designed to support skin elasticity can make this process more comfortable. I often recommend using a lightweight, hydrating formula such as My Expert Midwife Stretch Mark Serum, which helps keep the skin supple while you gently mobilise the tissue. Hydrated skin responds better to massage and can feel less tight during recovery.
If you notice pain, redness, or swelling, pause and seek advice.
Scar work can feel emotional. That’s normal. Your scar tells a powerful birth story.
Rebuilding Your Core (Safely)
Your abdominal wall has been stretched for months and then surgically opened. Jumping straight into crunches or planks can do more harm than good.
Focus on:
- Breath-led core engagement
- Deep transverse abdominal activation
- Pelvic floor coordination
- Gradual load progression
Signs your core isn’t ready for more intensity:
- Doming or bulging along your midline.
- Back pain
- Pelvic heaviness
- Urinary leakage
If possible, see a pelvic health physiotherapist. Every postnatal woman deserves this support, especially after abdominal surgery.
Pelvic Floor: Yes, Even After a C-Section
Many women assume their pelvic floor isn’t affected because they didn’t have a vaginal birth. But pregnancy itself places prolonged pressure on these muscles.
Pelvic floor exercises:
- Support bladder control.
- Protect against prolapse.
- Improve core strength.
- Enhance sexual function.
Think of your core and pelvic floor as a team, they should activate together.
Posture, Lifting & Returning to Daily Life
New motherhood is physically demanding. Feeding, carrying, rocking, lifting car seats, it all adds up.
Protect Your Body with These Simple Habits:
When lifting your baby:
- Exhale and gently engage your core first.
- Bend through your knees, not your back.
- Hold baby close to your body.
When feeding:
- Use cushions to bring baby up to you.
- Avoid hunching forward.
- Support your lower back.
When getting out of bed:
- Roll onto your side.
- Use your arms to push up.
Small adjustments prevent months of back and shoulder pain.
A Gentle Reminder from a Midwife
Healing after a caesarean birth is not linear. Some days you’ll feel strong. Others, sore and tired.
That doesn’t mean you’re failing.
Your body has grown, carried, and birthed a baby and undergone major surgery. Respecting recovery is not weakness. It’s wisdom.
Support your scar. Rebuild your strength gradually. Ask for help.
You deserve a recovery that feels strong, not just “survived.”
