Lose Your Post Partum Tummy

Posted on October 12, 2007 in Health & Safety, Pregnancy & Labor by little mochi

One of the biggest complaint I have about my post partum body is my bulging tummy. Ugh. Many have told me that it can take up to one year to lose it. ONE YEAR! I’m plannning to have another baby in one year! Will I be able to enjoy a flat tummy again???

Although it’s not completely flat, it has gone down considerably. Actually, A LOT…thanks to a few tips from my mom and friends. Here is what I did the last three months:

  1. From day one, put a hot pack on your belly. My mom used a heated brick because it was heavy and retains the heat for a longer period of time. I have heard of some people putting a bag of rock salt in a cloth pouch and heating it up in the microwave for 2 minutes. Apparently, they push the tummy in and can help push out the excess blood and air.
  2. Wear tummy control underwear. I know, that sounds funny. But it helps support the flab. It also helps push the stomach down while you’re standing up. They can get expensive at $25 – $50 a pair. I can’t afford a week’s worth of them right now, so I went to Chinatown in LA and purchased those cheaper ones $20 for 5 pairs. They’ll do just fine for now.
  3. Go on a no-starch diet. See my no-starch diet blog.
  4. Do light tummy exercises. I just lie on my back on my bed and lift one leg up. I do about 10 – 20 per leg or until my leg gets tired. Then I lift my head up slightly and put a little pressure on my abs. Hold it for 5 seconds or until my abs get tired. Do this 3 times a day.

I am still wearing those tummy control underwear but you can barely tell that I have a tummy now. I’m hoping that in a few more months, I can do away with them.

Try these tips and let me know your progress. Good luck!



Comments

6 comments to “Lose Your Post Partum Tummy”

  1. clairec23 on October 14th, 2007 4:48 am

    On my first, my belly flattened very quickly because I breastfed and I pushed the pram around while holding in my stomach, also because it was my first and I was only 21, my body just naturally bounced back itself. That was three years ago, now I have an 8month old and lets just say nothing bounced back :) I remember catching a glimpse of my profile in a mirror in the hospital and getting a shock because I looked about 6months pregnant. I breastfed and I did lose the weight quickly but my stomach is still horrible. It’s very soft and the skin is a little bit more loose because it was so stretched while I was pregnant. Everyone says that eventually it gets better but I don’t know… I don’t feel confident in any of my clothes, I feel like my stomach is so very obvious, I’m also terrified that someone will ask me when the baby is due ;) Good luck with your stomach, I don’t think there is hope for mine!!

  2. cathy on October 30th, 2007 6:44 am

    Although I lost a lot of weight and have only 10 more pounds to lose before I get back to my pre-pregnancy weight, I still have a small bulging tummy…I feel like it’s never going to go away (but it looks pretty flat with the control underwear)!  I heard it can take up to a year to lose it. Well heck! What if I’m planning to have another kid in a year! Does that mean I’ll never lose my tummy?

    But I do know what you’re talking about…when I lie down and touch my belly…it feels like a waterbed! It’s pretty gross. The skin is better firmer but still! I think all we can do is wear loose clothing to hide it or wait until it all goes away. What I also did was wear tight jeans (actually jeans that I had before I was pregnant). That seemed to help a little. Oh well. Men just don’t appreciate us enough, do they? :-)

  3. Tom Beagle on September 9th, 2008 1:25 pm

    The main thing is to DO something! Most people don’t even get started. Exercise is important. Diet is also important. They are also the two main reasons people can’t lose fat and get a flat stomach. Check out why…

    http://best6packabs.einfohound.com

  4. Jenni on November 28th, 2008 1:32 pm

    I had my son 19 months ago I gained 80 pds because the doctors in Canada didnt bother testing me for diabetes which I ended up having but did not know until two weeks before my due date so the weight was pretty much there after that. After 19 months I have about 20 pds left to lose but my problem is I have stomach fat. I had a c-section and where the scar is there is a fat fold that overs it and its an annoying pouch and I have a feeling I will never be able to get rid of that fold, I’m only 22 yrs old and my husband is divorcing me so I feel like I need to lose that fold for myself to tell myself I’m good for someone else. Am I ever going to be able to lose it with out having lypo?

  5. little mochi on November 29th, 2008 12:00 pm

    80 pounds gained during pregnancy is actually quite a bit. Your doctor should have be weighing you at every visit to track your weight gain. I’m surprised that he didn’t tell you that you are gaining too much.

    The heated brick thing that I talked about in my post works best the first month after birth. It really helped flatten my belly. But afterwards, there is still loose fat hanging. That will have to be worked off with exercise and diet, I’m afraid. I have thought of a tummy tuck, but I still want another child, so perhaps after my second child?

  6. CAB on February 11th, 2009 8:45 am

    What effect does this have on the length of lochia lasting?

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