How to Lose Belly Fat After Childbirth – Tips for Effective and Safe Weight Loss

The question of how to restore the figure after childbirth begins to seriously concern a woman as soon as the euphoria of the first days has passed after the long-awaited event which she had been anticipating for the last nine months has finally happened, and she has become a mother. Looking at themselves in the mirror rarely gives them a sense of satisfaction and contentment. Only a happy and confident mother can raise a happy and confident child.

In order to achieve this, it is necessary to at least regain your previous physical and emotional form. The work ahead is serious, meticulous, and comprehensive, but the results will not be long in coming if all the requirements and recommendations are followed. The reward for the effort will be the elimination of sagging belly and the return of lost form.

Why the belly remains large after childbirth

Most women try to start working on their bodies almost immediately after returning from the maternity hospital, believing that if the belly does not restore naturally right after the baby is born, urgent measures need to be taken. However, before taking these measures, it is necessary to understand the reasons that prevent removing the belly after childbirth. 

Among them:

• refusal of all fats, including monounsaturated ones;
• exclusion of cardio exercises;
• improper nutrition;
• insufficient fluid intake.

Immediately after childbirth, the uterus, which had significantly enlarged during pregnancy and contributed to the growth of the belly, begins to shrink. However, even after it fully contracts, the recovery of the skin on the belly cannot happen instantly, nor can the stretched muscles during this period. A set of exercises will be needed to remove the fat layer that formed during pregnancy, and a massage will help regain the lost shape.

Why fat accumulates on the belly during pregnancy

When embarking on the battle with extra pounds and primarily trying to remove the belly after childbirth, women are frustrated by the question of why fat appeared on the belly and other parts of the body in the first place and why it’s so hard to fight it. This can be easily explained. Gaining a fat layer during pregnancy is a completely natural and even necessary process. The body’s increase in reserves occurs in case of emergencies, to provide the child with conditions for survival, even when the mother has to undernourish.

This is how the ancient mechanism of protecting offspring from starvation works. In the overwhelming majority of women, fat accumulates precisely on the belly, and this is why it’s so difficult to remove the belly after childbirth. Scientists explain that fat deposits, along with amniotic fluid, create a kind of cushion that protects the future baby from impacts and possible intrauterine injuries.

Why Your Stomach May Take Long to Recover

There are, of course, cases when it’s not necessary at all to work on the stomach after childbirth – it disappears on its own. However, in many cases, you will have to put in significant effort because after pregnancy, the muscles have lost their tone, which is necessary to maintain the abs in a normal state, and the tissues are significantly stretched. It happens that a woman tries unsuccessfully for several months to reduce a large stomach by following all expert advice. Moreover, she performs the recommended physical exercises, yet even such a comprehensive approach turns out to be ineffective.

In such a situation, it is worth ruling out the development of diastasis, which, unfortunately, is a quite common problem that often occurs after childbirth. Diastasis is the widening of the “linea alba” of the abdomen, which forms during pregnancy due to the pressure of the baby on the muscles, causing them to separate by more than 3 cm.

Diastasis as a cause of a large belly

This condition, which can lead to many issues, including the inability to tighten the abdomen after childbirth, begins to develop in the middle of the second trimester. It is during this period that, under the influence of increasing abdominal pressure, the muscles stretch, and after childbirth, they do not return to normal, leaving the belly sagging. The normal course of events involves postpartum restoration of the uterus to its previous size and the width of the “linea alba” to 2 cm.

However, the recovery process can be complicated by accompanying factors that prevent tissues and skin from returning to their previous state. The list of factors due to diastasis that hinder quickly removing the belly after childbirth includes:

• too large a baby;
• the mature age of the pregnant woman;
• the presence of excess weight;
• the number of previous pregnancies and births;
• multiple pregnancy (twins, triplets);
• complications during pregnancy;
• starting physical activity too quickly after childbirth.

When You Can Start Abdominal Exercises

When striving to quickly restore your figure after childbirth, the main point to consider is the method by which your baby was born. If a woman had a natural birth without perineal trauma or other complications, light exercises can be started as soon as 6-8 weeks after delivery. However, if a cesarean section was performed, shaping the figure should not be attempted earlier than 3-4 months after childbirth. This is necessary so that the body can fully recover and the stitches can heal.

It is important to remember that in this case, you can only do simple exercises without weights. Intense sports activities can be done no earlier than 5-6 months after childbirth. To lose weight after childbirth, from the first weeks you can start any methods to tackle an imperfect figure that avoid strong impacts on the abdominal muscles and intense physical activities.

Ways to Restore Stomach Shape 

Generally, women are willing to do almost anything to regain their former slimness and eliminate the postpartum belly. A flat stomach, beautiful abs, and a toned figure are achievable goals for a woman who has recently become a mother, unless a large and sagging belly is due to causes requiring radical measures to address it. For instance, stage 3 diastasis, when a noticeable separation of the muscles exceeds 8 cm.

In all other cases, the overwhelming majority of those who set this goal manage to achieve it and restore their figure after childbirth. Women utilize every known method to specialists in order to lose weight after giving birth. And, undoubtedly, to achieve a faster and more stable result, it is better to approach the issue of toning the abdomen comprehensively – eat properly, perform the necessary exercises, and undergo restorative procedures.

Proper Nutrition

When deciding to get rid of a saggy belly, a woman first and foremost needs to eat properly and in a balanced way, not even following a diet but adhering to the principles of healthy eating. The diet of a breastfeeding mother should be varied so that both she and the baby can receive all the necessary vitamins and nutrients through breast milk. Strict diets, especially fasting, are an absolute taboo for a breastfeeding mother. It is enough to exclude from your menu all harmful products such as sweets, sausages, baked goods, semi-finished products, fried, fatty dishes, and smoked products.

You should not consume whole milk either, as it contains a high percentage of fat. However, you should not give up meat; just choose lean types such as turkey, rabbit, and chicken, which you can boil or steam. Your diet should include fish, cereals, dairy products, greens, fresh vegetables, fruits, and herbs.

Diet Organization

To remove the belly after childbirth, not only a rational and balanced menu for women is helpful, but also a properly organized diet. In order to quickly get into the desired shape at home, specialists advise:

• combining complex carbohydrates with proteins during main meals to provide the body with more energy;
• eating small portions 5-6 times a day to avoid a strong feeling of hunger;
• trying not to eat on the go and chewing food thoroughly, taking advantage of moments when the baby is asleep;
• making it a rule to drink 1.5-2 liters of water per day, which helps with postpartum weight loss and is good for milk production during breastfeeding;
• always having a stock of fresh fruits at home for a quick snack, which can be used instead of unhealthy sweets.

Physical Activity – What Will Be Beneficial

Moms need exercises that work on the pelvic floor and back muscles, as well as the deep abdominal muscles, to ensure effective body recovery and help flatten the stomach after childbirth. As a result, it will become flat, lead to a beautiful posture, and relieve back pain. In addition to purely aesthetic effects and the ability to restore the figure, full intimate life will return, and possible issues in the urinary system will disappear.

Good results can be achieved with the following exercises:

• tuck in the stomach and hold for 20 seconds, then relax – this exercise can be done without being distracted from household chores;
• lie on your back, rest on bent knees, lift the pelvis and hold in this position for 20 seconds, then return to the starting position;
• lift straight legs upwards while lying on your back;
• while lying alternately on each side, lift the leg up.

The workout routine can be found here.

Workout Recommendations

When trying to reduce belly after childbirth and engaging in physical exercises, the following recommendations should be followed:

• do a warm-up before the main workout, consisting of basic exercises as a regular workout;
• exclude the use of any additional weights, as their purpose is to build muscle definition and not to tighten the belly;
• keep the abs tense while performing exercises;
• approach workouts wisely and don’t push yourself too hard from the first day – losing weight after childbirth can be achieved by gradually increasing loads as the body gets used to it, initially one set is enough, and you can increase to two sets after a week;
• do not eat 60 minutes before and after the workout;
• carefully monitor your breathing, remembering that muscle tissue tension should occur on the exhalation.

Cosmetic Products 

Getting rid of a large belly at home can also be aided by special creams with a lifting effect. The main components that provide the necessary effect when used to reduce the belly after childbirth include vitamins, essential oils, hyaluronic acid, elastin, collagen. It is precisely due to their effect on stretched and sagging skin that it becomes possible to normalize blood circulation, tighten loose tissues, and prevent the appearance of stretch marks. Apply the products with massaging movements.

Creams specifically designed to increase skin elasticity, improve firmness, and allow tissues to recover faster provide good results. At home, you can perform 15–20 minute wraps using chocolate, oils, honey, clay, or special preparations. After applying them to the skin, wrap with plastic wrap and place a warm cloth on top to enhance the effect.

Folk Methods

To remove the belly after childbirth, you can use traditional remedies. These include compresses with herbal decoctions and natural oils. A good effect for restoring the skin of the abdomen is given, for example, by a nettle decoction, which is used for a compress. To prepare it, you need to pour 2 tablespoons of the dry plant with 2 cups of boiling water. Then, heat the mixture on low heat for 10 minutes. Allow the liquid to infuse and cool for 3 hours, then strain it.

To make a compress for the purpose of removing the belly after childbirth, soak a cloth in the resulting decoction and place it on the belly for 30 minutes. Another effective traditional mask, applied to the abdominal area in the morning and evening, uses aloe juice and olive oil mixed in equal proportions, with a few drops of vitamins E and A added, and evenly applied to the skin.

Special Procedures

In addition to ways to remove the belly after childbirth at home, for women who have not succeeded in this struggle as quickly as they had hoped, and for some reason it is necessary to lose weight after childbirth, it makes sense to pay attention to professional methods. However, it should be taken into account that these methods to remove the belly after childbirth require prior consultation with a specialist. Professional procedures that directly impact fat deposits on the belly can help remove the belly after childbirth.

For example, mesotherapy, which involves injections that break down fat deposits, such as injections with hyaluronic acid. Or cryolipolysis, which involves the application of low temperatures to the layers of fat to thin them. Electromyostimulation can be used, where the burning of fat deposits occurs under the influence of low-frequency current.

How to Flatten Your Stomach After a Cesarean Section

The tips provided on how to flatten the stomach postpartum mostly apply to women who have delivered naturally. For those who have undergone a cesarean section, there are nuances in recovering their shape postpartum. This recovery period after surgical intervention is significantly longer—around 2-4 months—and starting intensive workouts to flatten the stomach should be approached more cautiously due to the presence of external and internal stitches.

Before beginning active physical exercises, it is advisable to consult a specialist to choose safe levels of activity. You can start with gentle massages using oils containing vitamins A and E, making massaging movements clockwise once a day for 15 minutes over the course of a month. It’s beneficial to visit the swimming pool a couple of times a week.

Psychological Aspects of Getting Back in Shape

It is definitely worth considering the psychological component of the issue. Often, women fail to reduce their belly after childbirth not for physiological reasons, but due to poor emotional and psychological state. Simply put, there is a lack of positive attitude towards bringing their body to the desired parameters. This is because the newborn child, especially when breastfeeding, completely fills the young mother’s life with its needs.

Although breastfeeding itself helps the uterus contract quickly and serves as an excellent way to reduce the belly after childbirth, as do regular walks with a stroller during the day. To start seriously working on oneself, it’s necessary to set the right priorities and overcome self-doubt. In this, advice from a psychologist can be the most helpful.

By reaching out to us, you can receive the entire psychology course for a new mom.

Getting constructive recommendations can be absolutely necessary. Especially if they are given by those who have successfully gone through childbirth. All questions will be addressed in the course “Mom after childbirth,” at our trainings and seminars.