If you've had a C-section, you might know the "shelf": that little overhang above your scar that doesn't seem to change no matter how many ab workouts you do. I've had 3 C-sections, so I know it well. The question I get most from moms is whether it's too late to do anything about it.
Here's the honest answer: it's not too late to make your core stronger. Whether it's been 6 weeks or 6 years, your core can still change.
What the C-section shelf actually is
During a C-section, the layers of your abdomen are opened and then heal back together. Scar tissue forms, the deep core muscles that wrap around your middle can stop "switching on" the way they used to, and some skin and tissue sit above the scar. Some of the shelf is skin and fat that exercise may not fully change. But a lot of what moms notice, the pooch, the weak feeling and the doming when you sit up, comes from a deep core that isn't doing its job yet. That part you can train.
Why crunches don't fix it
Crunches mostly work the muscles on the front of your belly, and they push pressure outward against a core that's already struggling. If your belly pushes out or domes when you do them, that's a sign your deep core needs a different starting point. (I wrote more about that in "Why Your Belly Pushes Out During Ab Exercises.")
3 moves I'd start with
These are the exact moves I started with after each of my C-sections. Do 2 sets of 8–10, a few days a week.
Heel slides. Lie on your back with your knees bent. Breathe out as you slowly slide one heel away, keeping your ribs down and your low back quiet. Switch sides.
Dead bug. Lie on your back with your arms up and knees over your hips. Breathe out as you lower one arm and the opposite leg, keeping your low back down. Only go as far as you can without your belly doming.
Side plank from your knees. Lie on your side, prop up on your elbow and lift your hips, with your knees bent. Hold for 15–20 seconds and breathe.
The key with all three is the breath: exhale as you work, and think about gently drawing your belly in toward your spine.
When to get extra help
Start once your provider has cleared you for exercise. If you have pain at your scar, a feeling of heaviness, leaking, or doming that doesn't improve, see a pelvic floor physical therapist. This post is general information, not medical advice.
Want a plan?
Grab my free 5-Minute C-Section Core Restart Guide, or book a free call and I'll build you a plan for where you are right now. I coach moms 1:1 online, wherever you live.
Katie Breard is a certified pre and postnatal fitness specialist, core and pelvic floor rehab specialist and nutrition coach, and a C-section mom of 3.
