When can I start Pilates after a C-section?
Gentle activity, like a daily walk, can start in the first days, but Pilates and other exercise should wait until you feel able and it isn't uncomfortable, which the NHS says may not be for 6 weeks or so. Ask your midwife if you're unsure, or the GP at your 6-week postnatal check, before starting anything strenuous.
By Alessia Barone, Pilates instructor and personal trainer, trained with Balanced Body and Active IQ. Updated .
The first six weeks
The NHS advises staying mobile with gentle activity, such as a daily walk, while you recover, because it lowers the risk of blood clots. Be careful not to overdo it. You should be able to hold and carry your baby, but driving, exercising and carrying anything heavier than your baby may have to wait.
Start those again only when you feel able to and they aren't uncomfortable. The NHS says this may not be for 6 weeks or so. Ask your midwife when to begin pelvic floor exercises, which the NHS recommends after having a baby.
Your postnatal check
Your postnatal check, around 6 to 8 weeks after the birth, is the time to ask the GP about returning to exercise. After a caesarean, the NHS says recovery takes longer, so talk to your midwife, health visitor or GP before starting anything strenuous.
Starting Pilates after a caesarean
When you're ready, we start gently and build up. The NHS notes that your ligaments and joints stay more supple for a few months after birth, which raises the risk of injury if you stretch or twist too much, so the work stays controlled.
- First: breathing, the pelvic floor and the deep stomach muscles.
- Then: legs, hips and back, and the upper body for feeding, lifting and carrying.
- Later: building strength back up for the exercise you love, at your pace.
Get medical advice straight away if you have
The NHS says to contact your midwife or a GP straight away after a caesarean if you have any of these, as they can be signs of an infection or a blood clot:
- severe pain
- leaking urine, or pain when peeing
- heavy vaginal bleeding
- a wound that becomes more red, painful or swollen, or discharges
- a cough or shortness of breath
- swelling or pain in your lower leg
How sessions with me work
Before your first session you complete a postnatal health questionnaire, and our sessions work alongside any advice from your GP or a physiotherapist. Each session is 60 minutes, one-to-one, in my private studio room in South Kensington or, for women, at home, which many new mothers find easier.
This page follows:
- NHS: Caesarean section, recovery
- NHS: Keeping fit and healthy with a baby
- NHS: Your 6-week postnatal check
General information, not medical advice. Check with your midwife, GP or a physiotherapist about your own situation.