Flat and trim: slimming the postpartum belly

How to tighten the belly after childbirth?

Not only young mothers, but also girls who have not given birth have to fight for a flat stomach. This standard, created by the media, is unattainable due to the peculiarities of female physiology. Flat stomach is not the norm and should not strive for this. But to get closer to your ideal, moderately dropping weight in the problem area, it is possible. So how to pull the abdomen after childbirth?

When to start classes?

You can begin to work on your abdominal muscles 5-8 weeks after a natural delivery and 8-12 weeks after a c-section. The period increases if there were complications during the delivery or if your doctor recommended so.

You should start by strengthening the deep abdominal muscles, as they are the most affected by pregnancy and childbirth. Gradually, you can begin to load the abs as well. However, you will not be able to go to the classical exercises – plankas, push-ups. Before this the body must fully recover. All this time it is necessary to perform exercises specially selected for young mothers. To choose exercises that are appropriate in a particular situation, taking into account all the circumstances will help the coach of the online course Ksenia Vlasova.

Exercises for abdominal muscles after childbirth

When enough time has passed after childbirth to start classes, you need to decide on a set of exercises. Here a woman has a choice: depending on personal preferences, she will start doing gymnastics, yoga, Pilates or other sports allowed to young mothers. Lovers of more active and monotonous exercises will do gymnastics; women prone to static loads will choose between yoga and Pilates.

How to tighten the abdomen after childbirth: exercises from gymnastics?

The very first thing you can start after childbirth to work on the abdomen is breathing exercises. It is these exercises work through the most important muscles at the start of weight loss. You can work out lying on the couch, but this does not mean that the effect of exercise will not work. The main purpose of breathing exercises – to develop the right breath and start using it constantly, without thinking about it purposefully. Such a habit has a positive impact not only on the shape of the abdomen, but also on health in general.

The basic principle of proper breathing – rounding the abdomen on the inhale and retracting on the exhale.

One of the most gentle exercises for the abdomen – lifting the pelvis in a “bridge. It is performed as follows:

1. Starting position – lying on the back, legs bent at the knees, feet on the floor.
2. Raise your pelvis as high as possible.
3. Slowly (not jerk) lower yourself on the floor.

This exercise will not only remove the sagging belly after childbirth, but also tighten the hips and buttocks.

Undoubtedly benefit from all kinds of tilts and turns of the torso. Perform them in large quantities and regularly. Then they will bring benefits not only for flattening the abdomen, but also for stretching the muscles.

Yoga: effective exercises for the abdomen after childbirth

It is worth noting right away that many exercises from yoga should be introduced into the training program gradually, as the muscles recover. At the initial stages, it is better to do the most gentle asanas.

The first of them is the dog pose. It is familiar to everyone since childhood, so there is no need to describe the technique. In addition, the following asanas are suitable for the postnatal period:

• Plow pose;
• Viparita Karani (with feet on the wall).

At the end of the complex is suitable to perform Shavasana – a pose of deep relaxation.

How to restore the abdomen after childbirth with exercises from Pilates?

Here, in fact, many exercises are duplicated from yoga and gymnastics, the execution technique is different – smooth, unhurried. This unhurriedness allows you to focus on how you feel and how to perform the exercise competently. Two to three months after childbirth, the following exercises can be performed:

• wave;
• cat;
• boat;
• bridge.

Exercises for slimming the abdomen, contraindicated after childbirth

Although pregnancy is not an illness, the consequences for the body are very severe, which imposes a number of restrictions on the physical activity of a woman. Proceed to the most popular and effective exercises for the abs can be done only after the end of recovery from childbirth. When the muscles are fully strengthened, the internal organs are in their place and there are no other contraindications, you can proceed to the following exercises:

• plank;
• curls;
• classic push-ups;
• squats;
• exercises in the gym.

However, at the stage of recovery after childbirth, performing these exercises is dangerous to your health.

It is important to remember that for the best effect you need a comprehensive approach, namely:

• a balanced diet;
• regular exercise;
• Maintaining a general state of health;
• Healthy lifestyle habits.