Tips On How To Reduce Your Tummy After Delivery
By Chiomah Momah
No matter how how dreary it may seem, it’s possible to get your tummy back to it’s pre-pregnancy state or close to, at least. I must add that it’s a gradual process and nothing is going happen overnight. This leads us to the first tip:
Patience
Except you had a well exercised and muscle toned tummy before pregnancy, don’t expect your tummy to deflate like a balloon as soon as baby pops out. Your uterus takes about 4 to 6 weeks to return to pre-pregnancy size. Whichever exercise regime you choose, don’t expect instant results. Also, if you didn’t have abs of steel before pregnancy, then, having them after delivery means you have to work extra hard doing the right exercises.
Breastfeeding
Don’t buy into that fallacy that breastfeeding requires you to eat double portions. You will only end up moving up the scale. In actual sense, breastfeeding helps burn calories. Therefore, a mum who chooses to breastfeed will lose more than one who doesn’t. Also, the nursing process releases hormones that help shrink the uterus.
Exercise
Physical activity will do wonders for your stomach muscles and help you burn calories. Start slowly and with easy exercises that your body can handle. Baby steps. Walking, jogging and running, planks and breathing exercises are great. Watch out as we detail what exercises guarantee best results.
You are what you eat
There’s no point doing all the ab exercises in the world when you’re eating the wrong foods or over eating. You’ll just end up with a muscular flabby tummy. You have to start eating responsibly. It’s important you eat meals that will help burn the fat not pile it on. Greatly minimize your carbohydrates intake from foods like white bread, rice, yam, garri, and pasta. Rather eat a balanced diet with more protein and vegetables on your plate. But remember, it is a gradual process.
Belly Binding
Celebrities like the Kardashian sisters have sworn it works. Belly binding involves tightly wrapping your stomach with a girdle. Just like wearing a corset, some women say tightly wrapping one’s stomach has helped them return to their pre pregnancy jeans in no time! Though there’s actually no research that shows stomach tying actually works, many generations of Nigerian mums swear by it so there is no harm in trying.
Now, more tips from Banke Olade, mum to Tamilore (5) & Justin (4):
“Keeping in mind that having my children within such a short period I ran the risk of adding new fat upon old pregnancy fat, I decide early on in pregnancy to work out. In order to be safe, during my pregnancies, I hired a licensed personal trainer. We trained from about the 3rd month to the 9th month. This helped a lot with my overall body weight.
The tummy was still a bit of a challenge though. After birth, I worked hard on the sit-ups, wore tight elastic bands/girdles around my tummy but it was not getting reduced fast enough. Then I heard about Acai Berry diet herbs and started taking them.
My tummy seemed to respond well to it. However, I have to add that my life/work got really hectic and busy, so it’s hard for me to determine if all the credit goes to this herb or if life’s stress and my food choices and portions add some input in making my tummy flat. Good luck in whatever approaches you choose.”
Still got a flat ab after the babies? Share what worked for you with other mums mailing us at info@motherhoodinstyle.net. Also LIKE us on Facebook (Motherhood In-Style Magazine).
Photo Credit: Omabelle TV
Okay noted.
Very realistic to.achieve if one is serious. Thanks for sharing
I didn’t do any of the above. Esp the belly binding. No. Immediately after Cs I was injected with oxytocin, this helped in washing off all the unwanted blood and in some months, all the belly fats reduced to normal. However I was advised to take lots of water.
Pls JULIET at what point did u take the injection? I had my baby in may 23rd by a Cs et I’d done a lot of things like belly binding with som toning kits after 2months of childbirth even took som vitamins. But I’d nt still regained my flat tommy back. Pls what else do u suggest I do??.
Thanks MIM. Breast feeding works for me despite the c-section I had.
Belly binding(grandma’s style) and breastfeeding worked for me.
When ur determined u achieve d result…dat belly bending is wat I won’t miss after birth.
Great tips. Thanks MIM
Will definitely share my experience with everybody
Thanks for sharing
After two cs, I look pregnant all d time. This tips will help me alot
Thanks for sharing…i really need this
Eating right and determination helped me achieve this.
Thanks for sharing
Nice one
Tnx fr de tips,will sure try this wen the second baby coms,fr d first one,breastfeeding worked fr me bt nt as perfect as I wanted it
The belly binding nd effective breastfeeding worked for me.
Nice article. I had my second child on May 29th this year and people who do not know me do not believe that I have had any kid. My tummy is as flat as a nullipara’s. I control what I eat plus I exclusively breast feed for 6 months. I am a doctor and I express milk while going to work. I also did belly binding with girdles. Good luck to you all.
I did two cs n I look pregnant even though I breastfeed exclusively for even monthhs