Following pregnancy, most women experience a hanging belly thanks to extra skin and fat, loose abdominal muscles, and their relaxed pelvic girdle. The good news is that it is possible to get your pre-pregnancy stomach back, but you will need to put in effort and take some time. Remember that the simple act of giving birth helped you drop around ten pounds. But depending on the woman, that may not even make a dent. Read on to discover how to get rid of post pregnancy belly and feel confident in your own skin again.

When Can I Get Rid of Post Pregnancy Belly?

While there are stories of mothers, frequently celebrities, who “bounce back” right after pregnancy and are slim and trim within weeks or even days following pregnancy, this is incredibly rare. Most women will need months to get rid of their pregnancy pooch and many never see it disappear completely.

When it comes to getting rid of post pregnancy belly, make an effort to be patient. Your abdomen needed nine full months to stretch enough to fit your baby and will need at least that much time to tighten again.

Of course, the amount of time you need to lose your extra pregnancy weight depends on numerous factors, including genes, your activity level, the amount of weight you gained in pregnancy, and your normal body side. You will have a better chance of slimming down fast if you breastfeed, have only had a single child, exercised regularly during your pregnancy, and/or gained less than 30 pounds. Women who aren’t breastfeeding will need to pay extra-close attention to how much they eat following childbirth.

How to Get Rid of Post Pregnancy Belly

Combine the following actions and you should see results.

1. Drink Enough Water

Water hydrates your skin and helps make it more elastic. Drinking more water than before will help your body burn calories more efficiently while keeping your skin tight and healthy.

2. Breastfeed

If you can, you should try to breastfeed following pregnancy. Not only does it provide healthy nutrients for your baby and help with bonding, but it will help you drop the pounds. As you breastfeed, calories get transformed into the milk, making it easier to lose excess fat. Research has shown that moms lose weight more quickly when breastfeeding than their non-breastfeeding counterparts.

3. Exercise

As soon as your body is ready to do so, you should get back into an exercise routine of some sort; just be sure to get doctor approval after your pregnancy. Start with something easy like postpartum yoga or daily walking. As you get stronger, switch to rigorous exercise like cardio or aerobics as these will help with your abdomen while burning calories and strengthening the stomach muscles.

4. Strength Training

Don’t just stick to cardio and ignore strength training. Always wait until your body has gotten used to regular exercise and your doctor gives you the go ahead. Strength training will stimulate muscular contraction, building strength. At the same time, it reduces fat around your body while improving your body composition.

5. Eat Protein

Whether or not you are breastfeeding, do your best to consume plenty of protein following childbirth. Protein helps with muscle growth and contains collage, a nutrient that improves skin firmness. The average protein intake should be about 50 grams daily, but it depends on your physical activity and weight. Your doctor can help you figure out how much protein you should have.

6. Exfoliate the Skin

How to get rid of post pregnancy belly isn’t just about losing weight; you also need to tighten your skin. Try to use an exfoliating scrub on this area while in the shower. This will improve blood flow in the area, increasing overall blood circulation. Exfoliation also helps create new, healthier skin that is more elastic.

7. Use Lotions

There are also numerous lotions or creams that can help you tighten your skin after pregnancy. Look for ingredients like collagen, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, and vitamin K. Applying these lotions to loose skin will help tighten it up. You can further improve blood flow by massaging the lotion in twice daily or more often.

8. Stay Positive

Don’t get discouraged if you can’t lose all of your post-pregnancy belly. A calm mind can do wonders to feeling good about yourself and helping with progress. Try to stay relaxed and patient. Enjoy the outdoors, listen to music, or do deep breathing to stay calm.

Can You Go on a Diet?

Some women wonder if dieting will work for how to get rid of post pregnancy belly. A low-calorie diet will lead to weight loss, but you shouldn’t cut your calories or change your diet right away. You should ideally wait several months, although a minimum of six weeks, for exercise and nature to help. Waiting is particularly important if you nurse.

When time has passed and you can diet, remember that women need between 1,600 and 2,400 calories daily for a healthy weight. Cutting 500 calories each day will drop a pound over a week, either by being more active or eating less. Don’t lose more than this as it will negatively impact your mood and make you feel fatigued.

Never go onto a severe diet as rapid weight loss makes it hard or impossible to breastfeed. Your body enters starvation mode on an extreme diet, with the fatigue and stress limiting milk production. You may also not get enough nutrients on an extreme diet, so your baby won’t get enough vitamins and fat from your milk.

Recommended Exercises for Post Pregnancy Belly

Always talk to your doctor before starting exercises with the goal of how to get rid of post pregnancy belly. They will likely suggest the following:

1. Pelvic Tilt

Start by lying down on your back with bent knees and place one pillow between the knees plus another under the hips. Put your arms by your side and feet flat, then inhale. Exhale, drawing in the abs and tucking the pelvis gently under while squeezing the buttocks and doing a Kegel. Hold this five seconds, release, and do ten reps total.

2. Pelvic Bridge

Start in the same position as the pelvic tilt but as you exhale, draw the abs upwards and toward the spine. Tilt your pelvis so your hips lift up off the flower. Lower slowly and repeat five times at first, eventually aiming for ten repetitions.

3. Heel Slide

Start lying down on your back, ensuring your feet are hip-width apart and knees bent with abs drawn in. Flex the left foot and press the heel to the floor. Maintain a still pelvis as you inhale and exhale while using deep abdominal muscles to push the left heel from your body with the knee slightly bent. Bring it back to start. Do this five times per side, eventually aiming for ten repetitions.

4. Towel Pulse

Lie down on your back with knees bent. Put a towel across the upper area of your shins, then grab each end. Pull on the towel’s ends, squeezing your thighs together. Inhale and as you exhale, draw the abs in, lifting shoulders from the floor. Hold, contracting and release ab muscles ten to 12 times. Eventually, try to do so 20 times.

5. Single-Leg Stretch Using Towel

Lie down on your back, knees above the hips and shins parallel with the floor. Put a small towel on the top of the thighs, holding the ends, and pushing against the thighs for resistance. Lift your shoulders and head, extending the left leg out while you exhale. Switch legs and continue alternating for five reps on each leg. Eventually, aim for ten reps per leg.