09/09/2026
Early mobility after c section is very important:
- It helps to reduce post surgery complications such as lung issues (atelectasis), excessive clotting (thromboembolism), and pneumonia.
- It can shorten hospital stay and speed up recovery time
- It improves mother’s wellbeing
- It helps to reduce depressive symptoms
WHAT SHOULD BE YOUR MOBILITY TARGETS AFTER C SECTION ?
RIGHT AFTER THE SURGERY:
(0-8 hrs later)
* try to sit on the edge of the bed,
* move from the bed to the chair
* move with the wheelchair as tolerated.
* Move the legs, flex the feet when laying down
* practice breathing exercises - to improve lung function
8-24 HRS AFTER C-SECTION:
* get up as often as tolerated,
* walk ≥1-2 times in the corridor.
* perform breathing exercises
* lift weights comparable with the newborn weight ~3 kg
24-48 HRS AFTER C-SECTION:
* walk 3-4 times outside the room
* aim to be out of bed for ≥8 hrs
* carry on with breathing exercises
7-10 DAYS AFTER C-SECTION:
* once surgical incision has sufficiently healed and vaginal bleeding (lochia) started to decrease - initiate early mobilisation : light-intensity physical activity (eg, gentle walking, taking stairs, pelvic floor exercises)
* Driving can be resumed
4-6 WEEKS AFTER C -SECTION:
* aim for 120 min of moderate- to-vigorous intensity physical activity (eg, brisk walking, cycling)spread over 4-6 days of the week
* make it gradual, watch the symptoms- decrease intensity in case of increased pain or bleeding ( lochia)
6 -8 WKS AFTER SURGERY:
* incorporate aerobic (brisk walking, treadmill, cycling, swimming) and resistance training (resistance bands, reformer, light weights) activities
REST RECOMMENDATIONS :
* adopt healthy sleep hygiene routine (eg, avoid screen time before bed , keep dark, cool, quiet environment in the bedroom)
* limit sedentary time to
