How to Reduce Tummy Fat After Pregnancy?

Pregnancy is a beautiful journey transforming a woman’s body in extraordinary ways. However, after childbirth, many mothers find themselves seeking effective ways to reduce post-pregnancy belly fat and regain their pre-pregnancy shape. After delivery, a mother’s belly does not regain its old form and tightness immediately. The hormonal changes post-childbirth will cause the tummy to reduce over time, and there are certain things also that you can follow to regain the pre-pregnancy shape. However, it might not happen as quickly as you would expect it to happen. Understanding the changes your body goes through is, therefore, important. Learn more about the physiological changes that cause this rather alarming look and how to reduce fat belly after delivery.

Why Do You look Like a Pregnant Woman Even After Delivery?

The accumulated fat and swollen cells from your pregnancy days remain for some more time even after delivery, getting dispelled slowly. The belly growth during pregnancy was a 9-month long affair, and so it is natural that the reverse will also have a certain time period. Therefore, even after delivery, you may still have a postpartum belly with a radius that can be equated with a six-month pregnancy.

How Long Does Your Belly Take to Shrink Back to Normal?

Your belly will undergo changes in stages after delivery. Read on to know some of them (1) (3).

1. 24 Hours After Delivery

You lose a lot of fluid weight, so, along with the baby’s weight, you may lose around 10 pounds more (4). This difference will affect the size of the belly.

2. After One Week

A lot more of the extra weight is being dispelled in the form of urine, while breastfeeding also results in a loss of calories and weight.

3. After Two Weeks

The effects of breastfeeding and hormonal changes will start to show a bit due to the massive reduction of extra liquid and calories.

4. After One Month

The changes in weight are more visible; some say a new mom can lose as much as 40 pounds in this period, so it is possible that you will be back to your pre-pregnancy weight.

5. After Six Weeks

Internal changes will also reshape your once-pregnant look. As the uterus contracts to the pelvis, the belly starts looking comparatively flat.

6. After a Few Months

Lifestyle adjustments like a healthy diet and reasonable exercise will help you get your tummy back to the firmness you desire.

7. After Nine Months

Down the line from delivery, you should have shed all the excess fat that was gained during pregnancy.

Home Remedies to Reduce Belly Fat After Delivery

All new moms desire a flat belly after delivery. It does not happen immediately, but over time, the right habits will ensure that the extra weight is shed. There is no short-cut, and keeping in mind the mother’s and the baby’s health, fad diets and extreme means are not recommended at all.

Instead, there are many home remedies that will reduce tummy fat after pregnancy (1).

1. Breastfeeding

It is a natural activity that goes a long way to help a new mother burn some calories (while the baby is adding them up) (2).

2. Diet

A right balance of fats, carbs and proteins is also important to get back to original size (4).

3. Drink Water

It is important to keep the major bodily functions going, including the extermination of extra calories. Therefore, new mothers are advised to drink plenty of water.

5 Exercises to Reduce Post Pregnancy Belly

Just because you cannot hit the gym after childbirth does not mean you cannot try out some safe exercises to tone your tummy. Here are five useful ‘midsection and core’ focused postpartum belly exercises that will speed up your shape recovery (6).

Note:- These exercises need to be done only after 6 months post-surgery/c-section. We strictly recommend you seek medical guidance before beginning any of these exercises even for normal delivery.

1. Pelvic Tilt

The pelvic tilt is an exercise where you lie on your back with pillows propped under your hips and between your knees. Squeeze your buttocks and draw your abs in, creating a stretch in the abdomen. The tilt can be performed a week after a normal delivery; you will have to wait at least 6 months if you had a C-section.

2. Pelvic Bridge

The pelvic bridge can be performed six weeks after delivery. It requires a similar pose as the tilt, but this time you are lifting your hips up from the floor and maintaining that bridge before you lower yourself. You can start with sets of 5 repetitions before increasing gradually.

3. Heel Slides

The heel slides also need to be done resting your back on the floor. In this exercise, you need to bend one leg up from the knee and slide the heel on the floor till you get a 90-degree angle while the heel is still touching the ground. Ensure your core is tightened and engaged. Exhale while pushing the heel away. Repeat the set with both legs. This exercise is good for your lower back, too.

4. Towel Pulse

The towel pulse is a softer variation of the crunch where you lie on your back with knees bent. Lie down on your back and bend your knees. Now, pull a towel across the shins, holding it on both sides with your hands. Lift your shoulders off the ground and hold, contract and release the abdominal muscles. Repeat up to 10-12 times.

5. Single Leg Stretch With Towel

You will need a towel for this next variation – the single-leg stretch. This exercise is recommended for those who have crossed 12-14 weeks post-childbirth. For this exercise, you must lie on your back, knees above your hips and your shins parallel to the surface. Put a towel between your thighs and push it out while you maintain the leg position to create resistance. Involve your upper body by lifting your neck and shoulders up and stretch the free leg as you exhale.

Tips to Reduce Belly Fat

There are a few tips that you need to keep in mind in your endeavour to stop having a squishy midsection (6).

1. Start Exercising Slowly

When you start exercising, make sure you are doing the right ones and ease yourself into them. Give yourself the breaks you need and do not tire yourself out.

2. Workout With an Exercise Buddy

It is always good to find a workout partner; it is more fun when you are sharing the experience and is also safer to have someone around in case you have a little twist or pull.

3. Ball Exercises to Reduce Belly

With an exercise ball, you can try out many abdominal muscle exercises like ball crunches. It’s great for strengthening your core muscles and improves your balance.

4. Eat Small and Frequent Meal

Stay away from banquet style diets and instead go for efficiency. Small and frequent meals will keep you (and your nursing baby) nourished while also not overloading your system with too many extra calories in one go.

Is It Normal That Your Tummy Muscles Feel Slack?

After the rather dramatic physical changes you have experienced during pregnancy, and the stress of childbirth, it is possible for those tummy muscles to feel slack. They have, after all, been through a lot. The condition is called rectus abdominis diastasis (RAD). RAD can happen due to many reasons; maybe your stomach muscles are weak, or you had a large baby (or twins), a narrow pelvis or a prior pregnancy. RAD can be treated with some physiotherapy or surgery, depending on the defect (5).

FAQs

1. How does sleep impact losing stomach fat after delivery?

Sleep is crucial for weight loss and recovery. Lack of sleep can disrupt hormones that regulate hunger and metabolism. Aim for quality rest, even if it means napping during the day when your baby sleeps (7).

2. Should I avoid carbs to lose post-pregnancy belly fat?

No, you don’t need to avoid carbs entirely. Instead, opt for complex carbohydrates like oats, quinoa, and brown rice that provide energy and support your body’s recovery. Balance your carb intake with proteins and healthy fats for better results.

You may not think a postpartum belly is a pretty sight, but the journey back to top shape starts with giving yourself credit for having gone through pregnancy and childbirth. Go easy on yourself since it is all part of the process. Set yourself some goals for every week or month and read up on the physiological changes that happen during the postpartum stage. With sustained dietary discipline and healthy eating, along with the required exercises, you will be on the road to recovery in no time.

References/Resources:

1. When Will “Pregnancy Belly” Go Away?; Health Care Authority of the City of Anniston; https://rmccares.org/2023/10/18/when-will-pregnancy-belly-go-away/#

2. Chou. B; What Really Helps You Bounce Back After Pregnancy; Johns Hopkins Medicine; https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/what-really-helps-you-bounce-back-after-pregnancy

3. Postpartum symptoms: What’s normal and what not to ignore; OSF Healthcare System; https://www.osfhealthcare.org/blog/postpartum-symptoms-whats-normal-and-what-not-to-ignore/

4. Your body after baby: The first 6 weeks; March of Dimes; https://www.marchofdimes.org/find-support/topics/postpartum/your-body-after-baby-first-6-weeks

5. Jessen. M. L, Öberg. S, Rosenberg. J; Treatment Options for Abdominal Rectus Diastasis; PubMed Central; https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6877697/

6. Getting active after the birth; NHS; https://www.nhsinform.scot/ready-steady-baby/early-parenthood/your-wellbeing-after-the-birth/getting-active-after-the-birth/

7. Xiao. R. S, Kroll-Desrosiers. A. R, Goldberg. R. J, et al.; The impact of sleep, stress, and depression on postpartum weight retention: a systematic review; PubMed Central; https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4252881/#

Also Read:

Postpartum Exercises
Home Remedies to Reduce Belly Fat After Delivery
Mother’s Apron Belly After Pregnancy
Effective Tips to Lose FUPA (Fat Upper Pubic Area)
Home Remedies for Postpartum Abdominal Pain
Post-pregnancy Weight Loss Diet Plan That Works

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