After giving birth, many women ask this question – “how long after birth will my stomach go down?” Some women experience a rapid loss of the baby weight and see their belly return to normal shortly after giving birth. For others, it may take several months or even years for their stomach to return to their pre-pregnancy state. In this blog post, we will discuss the various factors that contribute to how long it takes for your stomach to go down after childbirth.
Why Do I Continue To Look Pregnant After Giving Birth?
Even after you’ve wrapped your brand-new baby in your arms, you’ll probably have a rounded, soft midsection that makes you appear to be about several months pregnant.
The extra fat your body stored to nourish your kid will begin burning away soon after you give birth, especially as you begin to exercise again. It will also take some time to get back into a fitness routine because you’re recovering from childbirth, regaining your energy levels, and adjusting to being a parent.
Dark marks and stretch marks are particularly difficult to treat because they are often permanent. Because their darkness and texture can become progressively less apparent six to 12 months after delivery, their color will remain unaffected.
How Long After Birth Will My Stomach Go Down?
For the most part, it takes months for a pregnant woman to get rid of her pregnancy pouch, and sometimes it never completely vanishes. Your c-section pooch, the belly hanging over a c-section scar, may be permanent, but it typically fades as your body heals and you resume typical eating habits and exercise.
Patience is a must. It took nine months for your belly to stretch as your full-term baby grew, so it’s only natural that it will take at least that long to shrink back up.
Breastfeeding may help some women lose weight, but it does not for others. Once a mother has had her baby, she loses around 15 pounds on average, but afterward, postpartum weight loss slows down and becomes more gradual.
It’s completely natural and good to shed pounds slowly and steadily after childbirth: If you’re breastfeeding, attempting to lose weight too quickly might cause your milk supply to be disrupted.
Why Does Your Postpartum Belly take So Long To Shrink?
- Your uterus, or womb: Your uterus grows in size from the size of an orange to that of a watermelon during your pregnancy to accommodate the baby. Although it begins to shrink as soon as you give birth, it takes time to finish the process.
- Water retention: Even though you’ll have lost a lot of weight, much of it will be water from retained pregnancy. If you had a C-section, this might be even more significant since additional fluids may be administered via an IV.
- Diastasis recti: Some women have reported that pregnancy has caused their abdominal muscles that usually lie side by side, down the center of their stomach, to separate. Physical therapy can help treat diastasis recti; however, some symptoms may persist for a year or longer. Diastasis recti are most common in situations with increased abdominal stress, such as multiple births, very large infants, pregnancies involving moms over 35 years old, or repeated pregnancies.
How To Lose Pregnant Belly?
Unfortunately, the postpartum belly does not fade after nine months for some women. If you’ve been wondering how long after birth will my stomach go down or how to get rid of apron belly, then you need to know that there are ways to get our post-pregnancy bodies back.
Exercise
Is there a time when exercising is never the best approach to losing weight? Probably, it never happens. However, here are some of the routines you might try on your own:
- Reverse crunches or bench presses.
- Planks.
- Burpees.
- Walking.
- Running.
Changing Your Diet
A nutritious diet is a must for your health and the success of any weight-loss plan. After you give birth, you should avoid fad diets that promise quick results. Instead, focus on eating whole foods, such as fruits, vegetables, and lean protein.
Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding would assist you in reducing belly fat if you added more than the advised amount of weight throughout your pregnancy. Your body needs fat to produce enough milk for your kid. These calories will be provided by your current diet and the fat that has already accumulated in your body.
Use Supplements and Apply a Skin Cream
Collagen-rich skin creams can aid in the tightening of the skin. We also recommend taking collagen supplements.
Aside from these, eat foods. These are some of them:
- Berries, citrus fruits, and fish are examples of foods high in vitamin C.
- Cucumbers, carrots, potatoes, sweet peppers (red and yellow), eggplant.
- Garlic.
Consult Your Doctor
Do you have a distinct stomach? You might be having diastasis recti, which is defined as separate bellies.
Most people do not experience this problem. Unfortunately, it causes back, and pelvic discomfort since the weight is put on your back and pelvic bones. Your doctor will advise you on the optimum treatment option if you visit them.
Is It Normal To Have Slack Muscles And Loose Skin After Birth?
Now that we have answered your question – how long after birth will my stomach go down? Let’s talk about the slack muscles and loose skin.
Sagging skin around the stomach area is a typical problem among new moms. The skin around the tummy may take weeks, if not months, to recover its former contour after giving birth.
If your tummy muscles are flaccid, you may be pregnant. If this is the case, you may notice a protrusion developing on the front of your tummy above and below your navel. The medical term for excessive stretching of the stomach muscles is diastasis recti. Diastasis simply means dividing.
If you’ve had a C-section, your doctor may advise wearing an abdominal binder to help support your loose skin and minimize pulling and discomfort around the incision. Thus helping you to get back to pre-pregnancy shape.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: How long should I tie my stomach after c-section?
Ans: You’ll likely need to take it easy for the first few weeks after a c-section. You may be able to start a light activity, such as walking, after about two weeks. Once you feel ready, slowly add more activity to your routine.
Q2: Will my 3 weeks postpartum belly go away after birth?
Ans: It’s normal to look still pregnant and have soft belly weeks or even months postpartum.
Q3: Is it difficult to lose the belly after pregnancy without exercising?
Ans: You can try home remedies like wearing a supportive girdle, eating healthy foods, and avoiding constipation. It would be best if you also avoided crash diets and fad diets. Instead, focus on eating whole foods and getting enough exercise.
Q4: My 3 months postpartum belly has not gone away. What to do?
Ans: If you’re still carrying around a post-baby belly three months after delivery, it’s time to reassess your diet and fitness routine. Try adding some cardio and strength-training exercises to your weekly routine.
Conclusion
To help prevent loose skin and a saggy belly, gain weight slowly during pregnancy, exercise regularly, eat a healthy diet, stay hydrated, and don’t smoke. If you still have a post-baby belly, give yourself time to recover and focus on eating healthy foods and regular exercise.
Remember that it is different for every woman and depends on many factors such as age, weight, genetics, etc. If you’re concerned about loose skin or flaccid muscles, talk to your doctor about the best course of action for you.
