Everything you should know about postpartum belly

postpartum belly

The postpartum period begins right after birth. It is the process of the recovery of the female body, which includes things like the levels of the hormones and the size of the uterus to go back to their normal state. Usually, if a mother decides to give birth naturally, also known as the vaginal birth, if everything went well she can be medically stable just after one to two days. The process could be a bit longer for the women who gave birth through the Caesarean section. Either way, the postpartum belly is always part of the healing process.

What is the postpartum belly?

The postpartum belly is the belly of a woman who just gave birth to her child. Whenever a pregnant woman is carrying a child, the belly is stretched out in order for the uterus to keep growing inside. During this time is when the abdominal muscles get stretched out. This is also when the surrounding connective tissue stretches out as well. Besides that, there are a lot more physical changes that occur to a woman’s body during and after pregnancy. It’s all about the organism that grows inside the belly. Shortly after the birth is when the stretches and all the other changes slowly disappear.

How to get a flat stomach after birth?

There are plenty of options for women out there who want to get rid of the postpartum belly. Here are some of the many ways for women with postpartum belly who want to get a flat stomach again:

• Check for diastisis recti. Diastitis recti is something that can happen to women after birth. The definition of it is pretty much the gap that has been created (roughly about 2.7 or even more cm) between the 2 sides of the muscle called “rectus abdominis”. It’s good to check that with doctors after birth because it can hinder and ease up the process.

• Do not try sharp exercises such as sit-ups because they will not be as helpful as you think. In fact, the sit-ups could cause a lot more issues with the stomach area because of the pressure. Too much pressure on the stomach is not a good idea, especially for postpartum belly.

• Eat foods that are loaded with nutrition such as eggs, fruits and vegetables, beans, whole-grain bread and oatmeal. Foods that contain a lot of protein such as eggs, lean meats, seafood or beans could be very beneficial. Fruits and vegetables can bring a lot of vitamins, iron and potassium the organism. There are a lot of good foods that could be used as a diet. That’s actually the best way to lose the postpartum belly quickly.

• Use a belly wrap. Belly wraps are good because they can slim and lower down the belly by holding it tight. It’s a good idea to keep it on the belly for a few minutes or hours. Sleeping with such wrap won’t make the postpartum belly disappear so don’t try this. It can only cause side effects and affect some serious organs.

• Get out of bed right away and be careful how you sit up. It’s very important to keep a good posture, especially when you are holding your baby. When you get out of bed and you don’t spend too much time, that can help the muscles in the belly area.

• Try and scrub your belly. It’s a bit of a weird trick but by scrubbing the belly, you get to stimulate the body and that can be very beneficial, especially to women who have greyish spots around the area.

• Be careful with your digestion. Some foods can be irritative and cause trouble, even if they were among your favourites before the pregnancy. Since the body has changed, there are a lot of elements that could cause issues so be sure to consult with a doctor.

• Drink a lot of water and get enough sleep. Both of these steps are necessary to all people and not just women who gave birth actually. Staying hydrated and relaxing your mind and body by getting enough sleep can really make life easier. Both of these steps are crucial to the body system.

How long does the postpartum belly last?

After the birth, the postpartum belly slowly starts to go down. It’s different because every woman has different organism so it’s not going to disappear immediately. A week after birth is not going to be enough but it’s still going to be less bigger than it was before. During this whole time, there will still be a lot of fluids, blood and amniotic fluids that the organism is going to lose so that it can go back to its natural state. A month later, women who gave birth and still have the postpartum belly could lose up to 20 pounds. That should be about the same size that women gain during the pregnancy (between 20 and 30 pounds). After six weeks is when the uterus will return to the pelvis and go back to its original size. Nine months after the birth, the postpartum belly won’t be visible anymore because the healing process will be long gone and the belly could easily remain as it was before the pregnancy started.

Tips about women with postpartum belly

Many women who give just birth want to get rid of the postpartum belly immediately because it doesn’t look good. It’s not a good idea to try creams or any other “beauty hacks” because they could cause damage to the skin. Make sure you don’t force yourself with exercises because that could lead to stress and issues with the body itself. Doing exercises immediately after birth in order to get rid of the postpartum belly is a huge no because the body is still trying to recover after all the changes. A good start is a healthy diet with a lot of nutritious foods. If you don’t feel confident, seek help and don’t pressure yourself. It’s a long road but eventually, the organism will be able to go back to its original state.

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