HOW LONG IT TAKES FOR BELLY TO GO DOWN AFTER BABY?

HOW LONG IT TAKES FOR BELLY TO GO DOWN AFTER BABY?

This is the most frequently asked question by new moms. They want numbers, details, and they want to plan everything. You might be surprised looking at your belly. Even though your little angel is out you still will look like you are pregnant.

From the moment you are leaving delivery room, hormonal changes are already begun and they are the reason your uterus will contract (especially during breastfeeding) and shrink. It takes up to 6-8 weeks for your uterus to get back to normal size.

Dear mom’s the average newborn weight is approximately 7.5 pounds. Sure, but how many pounds you are still going to carry after leaving a delivery room?

For most women it takes months to get rid of the “pregnancy pouch”.

There are few indicators telling you what might prolong that time.

Loosing your stomach might depend upon those 5 factors;

1. How much weight you gained during pregnancy
2. Are you breastfeeding or not
3. Your eating habits
4. Your exercise routine or lack of it
5. Type of delivery (c-section or natural birth)

Here is what is happening to your body after labour;

24 hours after birth

In delivery room you will lose a lot of your pregnancy weight. Approximately 12 pounds. That number includes;

• baby weight
• fluids
• amniotic fluids
• blood
• placenta

One week after birth

You are still loosing many liquids and you will be sweating a lot. You might loose much more if you are breastfeeding.

It is scientifically proven that breastfeeding can help new moms to burn extra calories to produce milk. Breastfeeding also triggers uterus to shrink (every time you breastfeed it might feel –especially during first few days- as if you are still having contractions. That is your uterus contracting, shrinking.)

Two weeks after birth;

This week take measuring tape and check your hips and waist. Write it down and stay away from scale. Your hormones are crazy, you are still loosing fluids, there is extra weight on your breasts (they are full of milk). Consider that.

4 weeks after birth;

95% of us will lose almost 20 pounds in 4 weeks! Yes, that much. Sounds good, right? It is true.

6 weeks after birth;

This is a milestone. By now your uterus returns to pelvis and your belly looks smaller, flatter and cute. You might check your pre-pregnancy clothes. Most of them should fit by now.

3-4 months after birth;

Adding exercise routine and staying on healthy, clean eating plan might help you to approach your perfect weight. Exercises like walking around a block, gentle routine or yoga class tones abdominal muscles and burn calories. For more intense cardio class get your doctor approval first. Cardio routines can work wonders.

Keep doing good work.