If you've just had a cesarean section, you may still have a round belly or pooch. Chances are that your maternity clothes will fit you more comfortably than your regular ones. It would seem that after you deliver your baby that your tummy would be flat again very quickly, especially if it was flat before you became pregnant. However, there are a few reasons why your waist will still be large, for several weeks or months after your c-section.
Your Fruit-Sized Muscle
It's obvious that your abdominal muscles have been stretched out during your pregnancy and will take time to "snap" back. However, you may not realize that your uterus is also a muscle that has stretched and grown. It goes from the size of a pear to the size of a watermelon in a matter of months. While it will shrink back down to size on its own, breastfeeding can help speed up the process of flattening your belly in two ways. First, breastfeeding releases hormones that encourage your uterus to contract and get smaller. This is why you may feel menstrual cramps while nursing your baby in the first few weeks after a c-section. Second, breastfeeding mothers burn 500 to 1000 more calories per day than non-breastfeeding moms. This helps you lose fat at the waistline. Speaking of fat...
Fat Deposits
Fat may be the second culprit for your larger-than-expected tummy after delivery. Even if you were not overweight before pregnancy, you may have picked up weight along the way that was stored as fat around your tummy. That means that even after your ab muscles and uterus go back to their original size (or close to it), the abdominal fat on top of your muscles is still there.
Excess, Drooping, Dark or Wrinkled Skin
The third contributor to your expanded belly size may be excess skin. Each woman's skin behaves differently during and after pregnancy. Also, the skin behaves differently in the same woman during different pregnancies, especially as she ages. As we get older, our skin loses some of its elasticity which gives it the ability to "snap" back into place and become firm and tight again.
Does your skin droop and sag over your c-section scar? Does the skin appear to be darker or somewhat wrinkled? It's normal for skin to look that way in the weeks and months after delivery. In fact, if you were to see a plastic surgeon for a tummy tuck, he would probably advise you to wait up to six months after delivery to observe how changes on its own.
Another predictor of how well skin snaps back is your DNA. In some families, women get pregnant and never see a stretch mark or look like they've had children several months after delivery. In other families, all the mothers have belly pooches, stretch marks and a tendency to store excess fat around the midsection.
Water Weight
Any mom who went through her third trimester in warm weather can tell you about swelling and water retention. Some women retain water so much so that they have what's called pitting edema. In pitting edema, if you press your finger down onto the swollen part of the body (usually the legs and feet), and then lift your finger, it leaves a "pit" with the impression of your finger still showing on the body part.
Even if you had no swelling during pregnancy, you may still be retaining water for some time after a c-section. This is due to the IV fluids that were given to you during your hospital stay. If you notice that it's hard to get your rings on and off your fingers or that your toes look somewhat puffier than usual, you may be retaining water. This may cause your belly, face, legs, ankles and hands to appear larger for a week or two after a c-section delivery.
Tips From an Exercise Physiologist Who's Had 3 C-Sections
Tummy Tuck With C-Section: Can I Have Both at Once?
Would you like to have a tummy tuck with your c-section? If you're pregnant, you may already know that you're going to have a c-section. Your doctor may schedule this ahead of time if you have a high-risk pregnancy or if you've had a c-section before. If so, then you may be wondering if it's possible to have a tummy tuck during your surgery. Here are some things you'll want to know:
Too Much, Too Soon?
If you consult with your obstetrician and/or plastic surgeon about having a tummy tuck right after delivery, it is very likely that they will advise you to wait. Pregnancy changes your body's hormones which greatly affect your muscles and tendons. Since they do not have their normal elasticity and rigidity, you need to give them some time to "reset" back to normal before you consider plastic surgery.
Your doctor may ask you to wait at least six months to give your body time to demonstrate what it will do on its own. At that time, it will be easier to judge whether you even need a tummy tuck and if so, exactly how much things need to be changed.
In the Mean Time...
While you're waiting for your postpartum surgery consultation, try a low-impact exercise program to lose some of your baby weight. This will reduce the fat stores that are laying on top of your abs. That will allow you to see whether your tummy is poking out due to stretched out ab muscles and connective tissue or due to excess fat. You may be surprised to find just how much progress you can make on your own without surgery.
Even if you're convinced that you'll still need surgery, you'll be able to shape up other parts of your body that aren't involved in a tummy tuck. This will allow you to get a better overall look after your c-section and tummy tuck.
Too Much, Too Soon?
If you consult with your obstetrician and/or plastic surgeon about having a tummy tuck right after delivery, it is very likely that they will advise you to wait. Pregnancy changes your body's hormones which greatly affect your muscles and tendons. Since they do not have their normal elasticity and rigidity, you need to give them some time to "reset" back to normal before you consider plastic surgery.
Your doctor may ask you to wait at least six months to give your body time to demonstrate what it will do on its own. At that time, it will be easier to judge whether you even need a tummy tuck and if so, exactly how much things need to be changed.
In the Mean Time...
While you're waiting for your postpartum surgery consultation, try a low-impact exercise program to lose some of your baby weight. This will reduce the fat stores that are laying on top of your abs. That will allow you to see whether your tummy is poking out due to stretched out ab muscles and connective tissue or due to excess fat. You may be surprised to find just how much progress you can make on your own without surgery.
Even if you're convinced that you'll still need surgery, you'll be able to shape up other parts of your body that aren't involved in a tummy tuck. This will allow you to get a better overall look after your c-section and tummy tuck.
Flat Tummy After a C-Section: How to Shrink Your Stomach ASAP
How to Get a Flat Tummy After a C-Section
Congratulations on a successful pregnancy! Now you have a beautiful baby after all the stresses and pain of pregnancy and a c-section. The only problem is that your pregnancy left you with another souvenir you'd rather not keep: a fluffier, rounder tummy!
Fear not, mom. We've got you covered with the solution to fix your post-c-section stomach woes. I'm an exercise physiologist who has delivered three babies via c-section! That means I know EXACTLY how badly and how quickly you wanna get your body back. I also know exactly what it will take to get it done safely and as soon as possible.
Here's how to get a flat tummy after your c-section:
1. Breastfeed Your Baby
Breastfeeding your baby after a c-section has many post-partum benefits for you and baby. When it comes to flattening your tummy after delivery, breastfeeding helps to speed up the process by releasing hormones that cause your uterus to contract and shrink back down to it's pre-pregnancy size. Secondly, breastfeeding moms burn about an extra 500 calories per day. Since you can't exercise for at least a month after a c-section, you'll need all the extra fat-burning help you can get.
Even if you can't exclusively breastfeed your baby, nurse her as much as you can. I've always tried to exclusively nurse my three little ones but for one reason or another, I have always ended up having to, needing to or wanting to supplement with formula. Still, breastfeeding helped me lose weight and flatten my stomach at a speed that I couldn't have accomplished on my own without exercising.
2. Choose Low-Impact Workouts Over Hard-Core Exercises
As soon as your doctor gives you the okay to workout after your c-section, get moving! The best exercise options post-cesarean are low-impact exercises such as walking or swimming and here's why. Even though you may feel fine after you're okay to exercise after surgery, you're still not 100%. This is especially true if you were not in shape before you got pregnant or if you didn't exercise during pregnancy. You'll need to ease into your postpartum workout routine.
Another reason to choose low-impact exercises over vigorous ones is to aid in your fat loss progress. During low-impact, moderate exercise, the body prefers to burn fat stores versus carbohydrates. Fat stores take a little longer to break down into fuel than carbohydrate stores in your liver. Since you're not working out very hard, your body can choose the slower route to an energy source. However, if you go all out, you'll burn more total calories but they'll be mostly carbs.
3. Strike the Right Balance in Your Eating and Sleeping
One of the fastest ways to sabotage your efforts at losing weight after a c-section is to not eat or sleep enough. Don't skip meals or starve yourself in an attempt to flatten your tummy because it will backfire in a major way. This is especially critical if you're nursing your baby. In order to keep your metabolism burning at a high rate, you need to get enough fuel and rest. No woman should ever eat fewer than 1200 calories per day (1700 for breastfeeding moms). Get as much sleep as you can, even if it means having an afternoon nap. People that don't get enough sleep tend to overeat. Further, you won't feel like exercising if you haven't slept enough.
Congratulations on a successful pregnancy! Now you have a beautiful baby after all the stresses and pain of pregnancy and a c-section. The only problem is that your pregnancy left you with another souvenir you'd rather not keep: a fluffier, rounder tummy!
Fear not, mom. We've got you covered with the solution to fix your post-c-section stomach woes. I'm an exercise physiologist who has delivered three babies via c-section! That means I know EXACTLY how badly and how quickly you wanna get your body back. I also know exactly what it will take to get it done safely and as soon as possible.
Here's how to get a flat tummy after your c-section:
1. Breastfeed Your Baby
Breastfeeding your baby after a c-section has many post-partum benefits for you and baby. When it comes to flattening your tummy after delivery, breastfeeding helps to speed up the process by releasing hormones that cause your uterus to contract and shrink back down to it's pre-pregnancy size. Secondly, breastfeeding moms burn about an extra 500 calories per day. Since you can't exercise for at least a month after a c-section, you'll need all the extra fat-burning help you can get.
Even if you can't exclusively breastfeed your baby, nurse her as much as you can. I've always tried to exclusively nurse my three little ones but for one reason or another, I have always ended up having to, needing to or wanting to supplement with formula. Still, breastfeeding helped me lose weight and flatten my stomach at a speed that I couldn't have accomplished on my own without exercising.
2. Choose Low-Impact Workouts Over Hard-Core Exercises
As soon as your doctor gives you the okay to workout after your c-section, get moving! The best exercise options post-cesarean are low-impact exercises such as walking or swimming and here's why. Even though you may feel fine after you're okay to exercise after surgery, you're still not 100%. This is especially true if you were not in shape before you got pregnant or if you didn't exercise during pregnancy. You'll need to ease into your postpartum workout routine.
Another reason to choose low-impact exercises over vigorous ones is to aid in your fat loss progress. During low-impact, moderate exercise, the body prefers to burn fat stores versus carbohydrates. Fat stores take a little longer to break down into fuel than carbohydrate stores in your liver. Since you're not working out very hard, your body can choose the slower route to an energy source. However, if you go all out, you'll burn more total calories but they'll be mostly carbs.
3. Strike the Right Balance in Your Eating and Sleeping
One of the fastest ways to sabotage your efforts at losing weight after a c-section is to not eat or sleep enough. Don't skip meals or starve yourself in an attempt to flatten your tummy because it will backfire in a major way. This is especially critical if you're nursing your baby. In order to keep your metabolism burning at a high rate, you need to get enough fuel and rest. No woman should ever eat fewer than 1200 calories per day (1700 for breastfeeding moms). Get as much sleep as you can, even if it means having an afternoon nap. People that don't get enough sleep tend to overeat. Further, you won't feel like exercising if you haven't slept enough.
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