Safe Breathing After a Cesarean Section: Gentle Routines for Recovery

You lie in bed, your baby finally sleeping peacefully beside you, and with every movement, you feel the scar on your abdomen. How are you supposed to 'get moving' now when even sitting up is a challenge? The good news: Your recovery does not start with big steps, but with something as simple as your breath. Targeted breathing exercises can enhance your wound healing, rebuild your core muscles, and help you release tension – gently, safely, and at your own pace.

Why Breathing Exercises Are So Important After a C-Section

A C-section is a major abdominal surgery – and like any surgery, your body needs time and targeted support to heal. Deep abdominal breathing promotes wound healing and helps restore diaphragm function. By breathing consciously, you stimulate circulation, provide your tissues with oxygen, and support the natural healing process.

At the same time, breathing exercises help you rebuild the connection to your core muscles – abdomen and pelvic floor. After pregnancy and surgery, these muscles are weakened. Gentle breathing activates them carefully without straining your scar. And last but not least: Conscious breathing reduces stress, calms your nervous system, and gives you small moments of peace during an exciting, often overwhelming time.

Three Gentle Breathing Exercises for Your Recovery

You can start these exercises already in the first days after your C-section – ideally several times a day, whenever it feels good for you. Start slowly and listen to your body.

1. Abdominal Breathing Lying Down (from Day 1)

How to do it: Lie comfortably on your back, possibly with a pillow under your knees for more comfort. Place both hands gently on your abdomen. Inhale slowly through your nose and imagine your belly expanding not only forward but also sideways and down toward the pelvic floor. Feel your hands rise slightly. Then exhale slowly through your mouth and feel a gentle engagement of your abdominal muscles and a slight lift of the pelvic floor.

• Repetitions: 5-10 breaths, 3-5 times daily
• Tip: Do the exercise when your baby is sleeping or right after breastfeeding – this way, you can fully concentrate on it

2. Side Breathing (from Days 3-5)

How to do it: Lie on your side (the side that feels better) with a pillow between your knees. Place one hand on your side ribcage. Take a deep breath and feel your ribs expanding sideways – as if you are inflating a balloon in your chest. When exhaling, slowly release the air and feel everything gently contract back together.

• Repetitions: 6-8 breaths per side, 2-3 times daily
• Tip: This exercise is ideal when you are breastfeeding or holding your baby – you can do it almost unnoticed

3. Upright Breathing Stretch (from Week 2)

How to do it: Sit upright on a chair or the edge of your bed, feet flat on the floor. Place one hand on your chest and the other on your abdomen. Breathe deeply through your nose and feel your abdomen rise first, then your chest. When exhaling through your mouth, allow the air to escape slowly and feel your abdominal muscles gently activate.

• Repetitions: 8-10 breaths, 2-3 times daily
• Tip: Combine this exercise with gentle shoulder circles to release tension from carrying and breastfeeding

Positioning and Progression: How to Safely Increase Your Activity

In the first days after your C-section, lying on your back with support is ideal. Use pillows under your knees and possibly under your head so you can lie comfortably. From Days 3-5, you can transition to lying on your side – many women find this position more comfortable, especially while breastfeeding.

By the second week, when you feel stronger and your wound healing is progressing well, try upright positions: sitting on a chair or on the bed. This position activates your core muscles a bit more and prepares you for everyday movements.

Important: There is no fixed rule about when you 'must' do which exercise. Listen to your body. Some women feel ready for upright exercises after just a few days, while others need longer – and both are perfectly fine.

Warning Signs: When You Should Take a Break

Breathing exercises are gentle and safe – but your body will give you important signals that you should pay attention to. Pause the exercises and contact your doctor or midwife if:

• You feel sharp or worsening pain at the scar
• Unusual or heavy bleeding occurs
• You feel dizzy or faint
• The scar is red, swollen, or warm to the touch
• You experience shortness of breath or chest pain

These signs do not mean that something serious has happened – but they deserve medical attention. Your recovery is a marathon, not a sprint. Gentleness and patience are your best allies.

Your Roadmap for the First Weeks

Week 1: Focus on abdominal breathing while lying down, 3-5 times daily for 5-10 breaths. Goal: promote lung expansion, stimulate circulation, and build the first gentle connection to your core muscles.

Weeks 2-3: Add side breathing and start with upright positions when you feel ready. Goal: improve core stability, prepare for daily movements, and increase self-confidence in your own body.

Weeks 4-6: Increase repetitions and combine breathing exercises with gentle movements (e.g., shoulder circles, light pelvic tilts). Goal: build functional strength, prepare for more advanced postpartum exercises.

Tip: Set daily reminders on your phone – for example, in the morning after waking up, during the midday breastfeeding break, and in the evening before going to bed. This way, the exercises become part of your routine without you having to think about them.

Your Breath, Your Strength, Your Recovery

Every breath you consciously take is a small step on your path to recovery. You do not have to be perfect, you do not have to be fast – you are allowed to just be and give your body the time it needs. These gentle routines are more than just exercises: they are moments of self-care where you connect with your body and thank it for everything it has accomplished.

Start today with just five conscious breaths. Perhaps tomorrow with seven. And in a few weeks, you will look back and marvel at how far you have come – breath by breath, day by day. You can do this, Mama. 💙