Postpartum belly changes because the belly muscles stretch, weight goes up, and hormones shift. Some workouts and a balanced diet can help reduce how much the belly sticks out.
But first, congrats! Your body just gave life to a new soul. It's amazing, but like all life battles, this joy comes with some losses like tiredness, mood swings, lots of tears, and of course, postpartum belly.
At least at the start, enjoy what your body gives you with your newborn. Know that getting a flat belly right away is kind of unrealistic. It might be easier for celebrities who have personal trainers and nannies. Later, learn what will help you lose that new belly and get your shape back.
This article will explain why postpartum belly happens and how to get rid of it.
Reasons for Postpartum Belly
The baby’s been born and is out, so why does the belly still look bloated? Is it fat, loose skin, hormones, or what? Well, a bit of everything. The body gained weight, which is totally normal, and the belly muscles have stretched out.
Think about it, a newborn weighs about 3.2 kilograms. So the belly muscles and connective tissue have to stretch to make room for the baby to grow. Meanwhile, the small intestines, colon, and stomach shift to give the baby more space.
Besides gaining weight and belly muscle stretching, the body produces some hormones to make connective tissue more flexible.
Timeline for losing belly fat after birth
Now that you're a new mom and know how you got the belly, how do you lose it? The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists supports guidelines for weight gain during pregnancy depending on Body Mass Index BMI, a woman should gain between 5-18 kilograms carrying one baby and between 11-28 kilograms carrying twins. The good news is some of this weight is lost immediately after birth.
Baby's weight comes off first, clearly. Women also lose a few kilos right away from losing blood, fluids, and amniotic fluid. In the first week after birth, a woman might find herself running to the bathroom often and waking up at night sweating because sweat tends to increase as pregnancy hormone levels drop.
By the end of the first month, a woman may have lost up to 9 kilos without much effort. It takes another two weeks for the uterus to shrink back to its original size, and the belly will look flatter.
Also, if the woman is breastfeedingBreastfeedingMoms should know that breastfeeding also helps with weight loss. According to the Academy of Nutrition Science, breastfeeding moms use about 400-500 calories a day to produce the full amount of milk most babies need from birth to 6 months old.
Also, studies show moms who breastfeed for more than 3 months tend to lose more weight than those who don't. But not all moms lose weight quickly while breastfeeding.
Most doctors and physical therapists recommend waiting 6 weeks before starting a formal exercise program if you had a normal delivery without complications, or waiting 8 weeks if it was a C-section.
Safe ways to get rid of postpartum belly
If you're now two months postpartum and feel stronger and more like your old self, it's time to safely say goodbye to your postpartum belly with several methods, including these:-
- Exercising properly
Exercising and eating healthy help you get back to your pre-pregnancy weight in a few months. But if you want a flat belly, you'll need to do exercises that specifically target your abdominal muscles.
You shouldn't start doing stomach exercises right away. Remember the connective tissue between your abs that stretched? A small amount of stretching happens in every pregnancy, which is normal. When the tissue starts healing, it repairs itself. But early research shows that doing ab exercises too soon actually makes this tissue stretch more and become thinner and weaker.
To start the right workouts, you want to strengthen your deep and transverse abdominal muscles. You might want to talk to a physical therapist or your doctor about safe exercises, but pelvic tilts are a good place to begin.
- How to do the pelvic tilt exercise
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Wrap a "sheet" tightly around your belly to support your abs well.
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Lie on your back with your feet flat on the floor and your knees bent.
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Pull your belly button towards your spine and lift your pelvis off the ground.
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Tighten your butt muscles and hold this position for 5 seconds.
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Lower your pelvis back down to the starting position.
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Repeat this exercise about 20 times, in 3-5 sets.
Within 8-12 weeks, a woman should be able to move on to deep abdominal exercises. Studies show trunk exercises are especially good for women with rectus diastasis.
Here are some great ab exercises you can do:-
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Forearm plank exercise.
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Reverse crunch exercise.
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Scissor kicks exercise.
- Good nutrition
When caring for a newborn around the clock all week, it's tempting to eat quick unhealthy foods like a chocolate bar, breaking healthy eating habits, especially if the baby wakes up late at night.
So, it's important to work on healthy eating habits, Here are some healthy snacks you can start with:-
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Fiber-rich cereals help keep the digestive system smooth since slow bowels are common after birth.
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Eat pieces of fruits and veggies.
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Yogurt without added sugar, with granola or fruit pieces.
Postpartum belly wraps
Belly wraps, corsets, and girdles are great to support the stomach and lower back and make the belly flat, but they won’t change its shape. They’re mostly used by moms who had C-sections because they help heal the incision by reducing pressure.
Still, you should ask your doctor first before wearing any type of belly wrap. If the doctor suggests it, you’ll likely wear it for 10-12 hours a day for about 6-8 weeks.
