Living a Healthy Lifestyle
Don't push yourself to lose your belly too soon. It takes 6-8 weeks for your uterus to return to its normal size after you give birth. During that time, you may still have a bit of a baby belly, even if you don't have much body fat. Over 6-8 weeks, it’s important to listen to your body and your doctor by prioritizing recovery and relaxation—you deserve it! Some new parents find that wearing a Belly Bandit (belly wrap specially made for post-C-section stomach support) helps to tighten their midsection in the weeks after their operation. Getting a postnatal massage is another excellent way to decrease swelling, regulate hormones, and even improve your ability to breastfeed your baby! Don't get discouraged if you see celebrities who seem to bounce back within just a few weeks of giving birth. They likely have a team of trainers and nutritionists assisting them, and they might even use unhealthy methods to look a certain way.
Eat a healthy, well-rounded diet. Choose meals rich in lean proteins, whole grains, fruits, and veggies to ensure your body has the fuel it needs to recover and give you the energy you need to care for your new baby. At the same time, avoid foods full of sugars, processed carbs, and saturated fats. For instance, you might have a grilled chicken sandwich on whole wheat toast, topped with veggies like red peppers, spinach, and avocados for lunch—yum! Breastfeeding may help you lose weight after birth, but don't restrict your calories if you're nursing. You'll need to eat about 1800 calories daily to ensure your body can keep up with the demands of milk production.
Drink plenty of water. An adult who has recently given birth should typically drink about 11.5 cups (2,700 ml) of water a day. In addition to keeping your body hydrated, drinking plenty of water each day will help your body burn fat and flush away excess fluids, which may help your belly look smaller with time. Add a slice of lemon to your water for a bit of flavor. Plus, you can pretend you’re at the spa—hello, relaxation! Whenever you feel thirsty, consider it your signal to stop what you’re doing and drink a glass of water.
Sleep when your baby sleeps. Even if you can't get an uninterrupted night's sleep in the first few months, try taking a nap whenever your baby does. Doing so can help you make up the difference you lack in hours of sleep at night until your baby starts to establish a more regular sleep cycle at around 1-3 months old. In addition to helping you cope with the challenges of caring for a newborn, getting enough sleep will give your body more time to heal from your C-section, and it might even help you achieve your overall weight loss goals sooner.
Getting Active During Recovery
Talk to your doctor before doing any new exercises. When recovering from a C-section, your doctor will provide you with post-operative care instructions. It's essential that you follow these directions to ensure your body heals completely. Don't rush into exercise sooner than your doctor recommends, and call and ask your doctor if you're not sure if a new activity such as yoga would be too strenuous. During the first few weeks, don't lift anything heavier than your baby, and avoid any activities that require you to stretch, lift, or bend. It can take 6-10 weeks for your C-section incision to heal completely. Did You Know? You can't spot-reduce fat from any areas of your body, so exercise alone won't make your belly look toned. Instead, you have to lose weight from your whole body to reveal the muscles underneath that surface layer of fat—at this point; you can use toning exercises to help those muscles look more defined.
Get moving around the house as soon as you feel able. While you shouldn't do anything that will put pressure or tension on your C-section site, try to add light activity, like moving around the house, as soon as you feel able to handle it. This can help your body burn calories until you're able to get back to exercising again. While it may seem like nothing, simple activities such as cooking in the kitchen or folding laundry are enough to keep your body moving in the first few weeks after giving birth.
Take short walks for a low-impact way to get exercise. While you won’t be able to hit the gym right away, you may feel up to taking short walks within a few weeks of having a C-section. If your doctor says it's okay, walking on a level surface, like a sidewalk or a paved trail, is a great way to burn calories until you're cleared for more strenuous exercise. As a bonus, if you're walking outside, the fresh air can help boost your mood! Avoid walking on uneven terrain, which might strain your incision site.
Try yoga after 6-8 weeks to strengthen and tone your core. When your doctor permits you to add more activity, consider using yoga to help restore your flexibility while strengthening your core. Yoga is an excellent stress reliever, so it may also help you cope with the challenges of being a new mom! If you're new to yoga, take a beginner's yoga class to ensure you learn the proper form for each pose. Even if you practiced yoga before or during your pregnancy, keep in mind it's still important to start slowly to help your body re-acclimate to the poses.
Tighten your abs gently with lower abdominal slides. About 4-6 weeks after your C-section, you may be able to add in leg slides if your incision is healing normally and your doctor agrees. To do this exercise, lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Tense your core, then inhale and slide one leg out in front of you as far as you can without lifting your back. Then, exhale as you bend your knee and bring your leg back to the starting position. Work up to doing this about 20 times on each side.
Try bridges to strengthen your glutes and abs at the same time. To do a bridge, lie on an exercise mat with your feet flat on the floor and your arms at your side, palms down. Then, push up with your feet until your body makes a straight line from your shoulders down to your knees. Hold that for a few seconds, then ease back down. Try to work up to doing this exercise 4-8 times, holding each bridge for about 5 seconds.
Do side planks once your doctor has cleared you for exercise. To do a side plank, lie on your left side and carefully raise yourself onto your forearm, then place your right arm along the side of your body. Hold for 5 seconds, ensuring your hips and knees are in alignment, then carefully lower yourself to the ground. Gradually work up to 10 repetitions, and repeat on the other side.
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