Pregnancy and childbirth are the two most critical stages of a woman’s life which give memorable experiences. But Many women worry about the changes that happen to their body after the pregnancy, especially tummy. Are you struggling with your tummy? Unable to wear your favorite outfit? Here you need to know the ways to get a flat tummy.
Childbirth changes the state of your tummy, especially C-section. You need some break to heal the stitches after the cesarean. You should not force yourself to lose weight after the delivery. There are many safe ways that you should know to reduce your tummy after C-section.
This article presents the ways to get a flat stomach after C-section. It also discusses some yoga exercises to get rid of belly fat after C-section.
What is C-Section?
It is the surgical delivery of the baby through the abdomen. There are two types of C-sections namely planned and unplanned. Your doctor may plan a scheduled cesarean delivery when your baby doesn’t move as the due date approaches.
Here are the few medical reasons for planned C-section:
● If you had a C-section in the past or encountered surgeries to the uterus.
● If you have infections like HIV, there is a greatest risk of passing it to the baby through vaginal birth. In this case a cesarean delivery is most preferred.
● If you have risky medical conditions like diabetes or blood pressure.
● If you are carrying multiples like twins, triples.
The unplanned emergency cesarean delivery, on the other hand, is performed in the following conditions:
● If your baby is not in head down position during the delivery
● If your baby wrapped the umbilical cord around the neck.
● If the heartbeat of the baby is not regular
● When the umbilical cord slips into the vagina before the baby
Why Belly Fat after C-Section?
After your baby is born, hormonal changes make the tummy decrease in size. It does not take place immediately. It takes 6-8 weeks for your womb to return to the pre-pregnancy size. The process of the shrinking of the uterus is called Involution. In the case of C-section, bloating may be more and takes a few more weeks to recover because your body has to heal the wounds and adjust to the hormonal changes.
Even though the baby is out, you might still look pregnant. Don’t get frustrated it is perfectly normal. You may be with some fluids during the pregnancy. These fluids take some time to get out of your system. Most of the women experience swelling of ankles, face, and other parts known as edema. You may experience frequent urination for a few days after the pregnancy.
Pregnancy is a stage where you are required to hold more amounts of fluids than usual to support the baby in the womb.
Your tummy may look loose. This is because your abdominal muscles are stretched during pregnancy to accommodate the growing baby.
When To Start Reducing Belly Fat after C-Section?
C-Section is a major operation, where you encounter loss of blood, cutting the muscles and packing them back. Don’t put yourself under pressure to lose the belly soon after the cesarean delivery. Give your body some time to heal. The healing period may vary from person to person. Some may need a few weeks and others may take months to heal.
If you want to start any exercise or diet changes, It is recommended to wait for 6-8 weeks. Do not start any weight loss activities before stitches are dissolved. Standard abdominal exercises are not recommended for some period after the delivery. There are some alternatives to give your stomach the flattering appearance which will be discussed later in this article.
If you do not give your body the time to heal, you have to face the following consequences:
● Heavy postpartum bleeding
● Muscle and joint pains
● Splitting of surgical wounds
How To Reduce Belly Fat After C Section?
It may be the desire of every pregnant woman to get back to the pre-pregnancy body. Here are the few home remedies to get rid of belly fat after C-section:
Healthy Habits For The Tummy:
1. Massage:
Any complications most likely occur in the first two weeks of the pregnancy. It is perfectly fine to get a massage after two weeks. The massages help in clearing the fluid from lymph nodes and breaking up the belly fat.
During the initial days of the massage focus on the back, hands, and legs. Start massaging the abdomen four weeks after the delivery when you notice the scar tissue, it is a sign that cesarean wounds are healed.
2. Breastfeeding:
Breastfeeding helps in reducing the belly by burning 500 extra calories per day. It also releases a hormone called oxytocin that helps in stimulating the uterine contractions thereby speed up the uterus’s journey back to the pelvic region.
3. Move Your Body:
As the cesarean delivery involves cutting through stomach muscles, it builds a pouch of fat near the tummy. So you should wait for 6-8 weeks before doing heavy exercises that put pressure on the abdomen.
Walking is a safe way for the safe burning of calories. Go for a walk in the park along with your baby a few times a week. Do a slow and regular walk at home.
4. Get Enough Sleep:
You may not be able to have continuous uninterrupted sleep with your baby. Try to make sleep a priority.
Sleep along with your baby. Enough sleep will help you in reducing the weight and yields many physical, mental benefits. Less sleep makes it harder for you to reduce weight. Lack of sleep releases a hormone known as cortisol, this is a stress hormone.
5. Minimize Stretch Marks:
Stretch marks are the sign of loose belly after delivery. They may make you feel like the problem is magnified.
It is not easy to get rid of stretch marks totally. Use anti stretch mark cream. Gently massaging the belly part will help in the proper circulation near the abdominal region.
6. Abdominal Binders:
Abdominal binders are the compression belts that can be wrapped around the abdomen. They vary in sizes and widths.
Abdominal binders are used to make the recovery process faster. You are recommended to wear the abdominal binders after the following conditions:
● A cesarean section
● Tummy tuck
● Spain surgery
● An exploratory laparotomy
● A hysterectomy
This can be used only two months after the cesarean delivery when the stretches are healed completely. You can also bind your tummy with the muslin cloth which helps to push the stomach in.
Diet Tips for The Tummy:
Here are the few diet tips to reduce belly fat after the C section.
1. Drink Lots Of Water and Fluids:
Drink lots of water after the delivery to maintain the fluid levels balanced and burn the fat around your waist.
Lemon helps to flush out the toxins and to reduce the excess fat around your waist. You can drink the lukewarm water with the combination of lemon and honey to burn the fat. It is preferable to drink this juice early in the morning.
2. Cinnamon Tea:
Cinnamon has many medicinal effects. It lowers blood sugar levels. It protects against cancer and fights against bacterial and fungal infections. Cinnamon decreases the sensitivity to insulin and controls blood sugar.
Drink cinnamon tea before breakfast and before bedtime to get rid of belly fat after C-section.
3. Count Your Calories:
Keeping track on the food that you eat will help in controlling fatty foods. Ensure that you are consuming enough nutrients required for yourself and your baby.
Make use of mobile apps to keep track on your food.
4. Eliminate Junk Food:
Being a mom, motivate yourself to adopt healthy food habits. Make your digestive system feel light by eating the food items that are rich in fiber and nutrients.
Here are few food habits that helps you to achieve balanced healthy lifestyle:
● Cut out sugar sweetened beverages like soda, sports drinks.
● Put a limit on the caffeinated beverages
● Do not skip meals
● Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables
● Avoid highly processed foods and alcohol
5. Choose Healthy Snacks:
Do not rely on the snacks that do not help to satisfy your hunger. Eat snacks rich in nutritious values that help to curb hunger. Avoid snacks with more fats and sugars.
Here are some best snack choices that will help to cut down the fat and get flat tummy after C section.
● 1/4 cup of nuts
● Half Boiled or raw vegetables
● Apples and bananas
● Air popped popcorn
● String Cheese
● Dark Chocolate
● Flax seeds and cinnamon
6. Increase Milk Production:
Breastfeeding and milk production help burn calories. Here are some foods that optimizes the milk production abilities :
● Barley
● Oatmeal
● Fennel
● Coriander
● Dill
● Anise
● Chickpeas
7. Eat Foods Rich in Fiber:
Eating foods that are rich in fiber are known to reduce weight. Soluble fibers help in maintaining your hunger levels in control. Fiber rich foods make you feel full for longer times.
Fiber rich foods include cereals, whole wheat pasta, whole grain bread and oats, barley, vegetables such as broccoli, melon, oranges, peas, beans, and pulses.
Yoga To Reduce Belly Fat after C-Section:
Start yoga once you have recovered from the C-section and pin. Yoga is the best choice to get rid of belly fat after C-section. It helps to model and strengthen the stretched muscles.
Check with your doctor before starting the yoga. Here are the few benefits of yoga:
● It will help muscles to regain their original shape.
● It will help to achieve emotional balance and tackle the situations of anger and depression.
● Start with the basic stretches to ensure that you breathe properly.
It’s better to start yoga 6-8 weeks after the delivery. If you are a beginner seek out the help from a yoga practitioner.
Here are some yoga poses that help to reduce your tummy fat:
1. Bhujangasana:
It is a cobra pose that helps in strengthening the muscles.
2. Pranayama:
Pranayama helps in strengthening the muscles by tucking them in.
3. Suryanamaskar:
Once you are familiar with the basic asanas the start surya namaskar which will help in reducing the abdominal fat by stretching the muscles.
Exercises To Reduce Tummy After The C-Section:
There are a number of exercises to reduce belly fat after C-section. Start with the mild exercises that put a little pressure on your tummy and gradually move towards the complex ones under the guidance of a physical trainer.
Here are the some exercises that you can try after consulting your physician
1. Pelvis Tilts:
Lie on the floor with your back and bent knees. Make your core muscles slightly raise your pelvic muscles up. Hold your pelvis in the up position for about 10 seconds and then relax.
2. Kegels:
This kegel exercise helps in strengthening the pelvic floor. Final stages of the pregnancy put a lot of pressure on the pelvic floor.
Tighten and hold the pelvic floor for 5-10 seconds. It is just like you hold your bowel movements.
3. Bridges:
Lie on your back with the knees bent. Spread your hands facing your palm downwards. Slowly raise your buttocks off the ground followed by stomach and middle back.
This exercise helps in strengthening the muscles and retaining the shape of stretched muscles.
4. Lower Abdominal Slide:
This exercise mainly targets the abdominal muscles. Lie on the floor with your back and knee bent with the feet touching the ground, arms alongside your body.
Pull the abdominal muscles towards your spine and slide the right leg slowly straight out. Hold this position for a few back and bring back the leg to its original position. Repeat the same procedure with the left leg. Do this 3-5 times alternatively with left and right leg
5. Plank with Ball Roll:
Start this exercise in plank position with the feet spread wide apart and arms alongside your shoulders. Place a ball under the right hand and hold your back straight and strong by engaging the core.
Engage the core by pulling your belly button towards the spine and roll over the ball to your left.
6. Forward Bends:
Stand straight and slowly bend with your arms by your side and tilt the head till the knees and hold this position for 10 seconds and bring your body back to the original position.
Repeat this procedure 4-5 times to strengthen your back muscles and burn your calories.
7. Planks:
This is a good exercise which puts zero pressure on your C-section wound. It involves long hold muscle contractions.
Hold your body in push up position bearing all the weight on forearms, elbows, and toes. Hold this position for five breaths.
8. Modified Cobra:
Lie on your stomach and tuck in the elbows into your rib cage. Lift your head and neck off the ground by pulling in the belly button as if you are trying to lift the pelvis. Do not lift your head too much as it may put a lot of strain on your back.
Hold this position for a few seconds and return back to the original position.
9. Walking:
You can do it along with your baby. Go for walking along with your baby in the stroller for about 30 minutes. Introduce the green nature to your baby which makes the baby more playful and pleasant.
10. Vacuums:
You can practise this exercise by sitting, standing or lying on the floor.
Inhale fully into the lungs and exhale deeply and exhale out through the mouth in such a way that no air is left in the lungs. While exhaling, suck in your belly button towards the back bone. Hold the breath for 5-10 seconds.
Belly fat after C section or normal delivery is most common. Getting a flat tummy naturally after the delivery is a simple but time taking process. Be patient and achieve good results by following the 26 best tips to reduce belly fat after delivery.
