women may then behave post-surgery as if everything were ‘ easy ’ too – and the body doesn ’ t like this .
Over the past couple of decades , I have had the uncommon advantage of training and educating hundreds of pregnant and postnatal women , while also working with personal trainers . The patterns we see over this population , and time period , aren ’ t necessarily things you can study , nor has a study been attempted as far as I can see ( if you know of one , please send it to me !) However , I can tell you that if I ask 11 women who have had a C-section whether they find sex after birth to be painful , and whether they have been diagnosed with a hypertonic pelvic floor , 10 of them will say ‘ yes ’ and ‘ yes ’. I know this because I have asked them , and continue to do so , with the same responses .
Post C-section , a woman goes straight from a major physical event ( pregnancy ), to a major abdominal surgery ( tissue trauma ), to a major physical change in lifestyle ( the everyday physical tasks associated with having a new baby ), with a major change in mental and emotional load ( having to remember and worry about more ).
An additional consideration is that the woman may or may not have wanted to have the caesarean , which can complicate things further . In periods of stress and uncertainty like the above , the body will clamp down , or tense up , and develop areas of rigidity to protect itself . In a post-C-section body , the areas this occurs in are most commonly
When training women who have given birth in this way , it is useful to understand the enormity of the procedure
THE QUICK READ
• A caesarean section is major abdominal surgery and is as hard on the woman ’ s body as a vaginal birth
• Most people are not fully informed on the risks of C-sections before they experience one for the first time
• Medically advised C-sections have saved countless lives of both mothers and babies , but if the decision to undergo one is based only on personal preference , the woman should understand what she is entering into
• Recovery from a caesarean surgery is similar to that from a bowel resection , appendicostomy or other abdominal surgery .
the pelvis and back , which can lead to pain and dysfunctions down the track .
Because there can be years between a C-section being performed and the presentation of a chronic pain condition or injury , the two are often not seen as being linked . It is also important to note that the pain is not always where the problem is . Although the pain may be , for example , in the neck , it may be able to be relieved with abdominal wall stretching . The body is intricately connected !
Caesareans have saved countless lives , of both mothers and babies , and we are fortunate to have the technology to perform them safely . However , if the decision to undergo this procedure is due to personal choice rather than medical advice , the woman should always make sure she understands what she is entering into , and take appropriate care of her body when returning to activity afterwards .
When training women who have given birth in this way , it is useful to understand the enormity of the procedure , and how the abdominal scar can affect things like posture , continence and pelvic mobility for years - or indeed forever . Knowing that you don ’ t know enough is the perfect place to start . When you ’ re training mothers , keep seeking courses and resources that will help you serve them better .
REFERENCES
Clare Hozack A former athlete and strength and conditioning coach , Clare applies this experience to her work training and educating pre- and post natal women to help them develop ‘ next level ’ fitness for parenting . A trainer with IntoYou studio on Sydney ’ s Northern Beaches , she is also the Australian and NZ Master Trainer for
Burrell Education , which delivers a
range of women ’ s health and pregnancy-related courses . You can download Burrell Education ’ s free Pre-Screening tools for
pregnant women here and
post natal women here .
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