Pregnancy - post caesarian exercises

Q: Two months back I got a C-section done after which my stomach has increased drastically. My gynaecologist told me that it will reduce within two months. But two months are over and the stomach is like that only. How do I reduce my stomach?

A:Finding your waist again after a c-section, is a little tough but you can surely achieve it.Take your measurements (at the maximum bulge of the abdomen) and forget it for two weeks.

- Start with warming up exercises for neck shoulder and feet.
- Lie on your back with a pillow. Bend your knees. Arch your back and push your seat against the floor. Push your back against the floor and raise your pelvic area. Contract the abdominal muscles. Relax and begin again. Repeat 4 to 5 times.
- In the same position as above, lift your buttocks up while pulling in your pelvic floor. Lower your body and holding your ribs to keep your trunk straight, turn your knees to one side and then to the other, as far as possible.
- In the same position as in exercise 3, pull your stomach in and do cycling with your legs extending them at hip and knee alternately.
- Sit well back on an upright chair. Breathe out holding your tummy with one hand and then slowly bend sideways. Repeat bending to the other side. Fold your arms at shoulder level, slowly twist to look behind and then twist back. Drop gently forward from the waist, after 30 to 60 seconds. Straighten up slowly.
- You can incorporate other exercises as soon as you are comfortable with the above exercises, for example, on all fours curling up and straightening and bottom shuffling on the floor.
- Finish with a short relaxation.

20 to 30 minutes of exercise time should be enough (build it up as per your body allows). 20 to 30 minutes of walking with abdomen pulled in, chin high and swinging your arms should be incorporated. Check your measurements after two weeks. If your abdominals are very weak, you might be in for a shock. You may not lose at all or find your measurements a little more. Do not lose your will to exercise. Continue with your exercises and check after another two weeks. You will get the desired results.