Postpartum Belly: How Long Until It Goes Away?

Just when you think everything will bounce back to pre-pregnancy weight after you give birth, the postpartum belly interferes with your plans.

Your best chance of losing the postpartum belly as quickly as possible is if you do it safely.

Don’t forget that the body, hormones, organs, and mind need time to adjust and align, so you can’t expect the postpartum belly to be gone overnight.

Your days of searching for “How to lose weight and the pregnant belly?” have ended.

We’ll give you an in-depth look into everything you need to know about the postpartum belly and how you can get rid of it.

What Is Going On With My Postpartum Belly?

Over 9 months, the uterus expands to approximately 1,000 times its original size.

During this expansion, your organs shift, your muscles accommodate the surroundings, and your skin stretches. All of which ultimately lead to the baby bump you love and admire.

After the baby is born, a slightly smaller bump is still present.

Some women even develop a condition known as Diastasis Recti, which causes the bump to be even more accentuated.

The Pressures to ”Bounce Back”

In our modern society, especially in the United States, women are expected to ‘bounce back’ immediately after a baby is born.

The social pressures are overwhelming and very heavy mentally and physically.

Some women think “If I can get back to my old self as fast as possible, everything will be ok!”

Many new mothers believe it’s a badge of pride to get back to your old routines as quickly as possible; whether it’s a return to your usual exercise routines or finding your figure again!

The term “bouncing back” is ironic, since you truly are a new self.

But keep in mind, we’re not meant to “bounce back” after babies. Not physically, not emotionally, and not spiritually.

We’re meant to step forward. Step forward into more awakened, more harmonized, and more powerful versions of ourselves.

Postpartum Belly Weight Loss Timeline

You can expect some changes to be apparent for a few months postpartum.

Many women wonder, how much weight can they expect to lose after giving birth to get back to their pre-pregnancy bodies.

One Month

On average, 30 days after giving birth mothers lose approximately 20 pounds of extra fat and ‘fluid retention’.

Many women drop 10 lbs right after birth from the fluids alone.

Fluids are a big part of the weight at the end of pregnancy – think amniotic fluids, surplus water, and the placenta.

Typically, women gain 25-35 pounds during pregnancy, so if you lose around 20 pounds, you’ll be close to the size you were before getting pregnant.

Six Weeks

The pelvis and uterus slowly shrink back to normal during the six to eight weeks after birth.

At the six-week point, they are the closest to what they were pre-baby.

Because of this, the lower abdominal area around the belly button will appear small and flatter.

Nine Months

At this point, the majority of women are back or at least very close to the size they were before giving birth.

Everybody is different, so the exact timeline for reducing and healing the postpartum belly can vary.

How to Lose Weight and Baby Belly Fat Safely

Getting a pre-baby body back and getting rid of the post-baby belly as soon as possible is something that many new mothers strive for.

If you aren’t careful during this process, you might risk a setback in progress, or even worse, additional health issues.

The two most important things to concentrate on if you want to get rid of the baby’s belly fat safely are exercise and eating healthily.

When the recovery period is over and weight loss is the next goal on your mind, don’t immediately go back to your pre-baby exercise habits.

Going to the gym to start lifting weights or overexerting yourself with cardio to get back to that pre-pregnancy body, pre-pregnancy weight, and pre-pregnancy shape right away is not optimal in the long run.

You’ll need to get back into exercising with the right exercises for your postpartum body, especially the weakened abdominal muscles.

But you might be surprised to learn that the traditional ways of losing belly fat should be avoided.

Avoid crunches, planks, and twists as these can set you back from eliminating the belly fat look.

These exercises push the abdominal muscles out more creating that innertube or belly pooch.

Nutrition also plays a crucial role in after-pregnancy belly care.

To achieve weight loss and get back to a healthy weight and pre-pregnancy state, you should eat a healthy diet that will not only have an impact on your physical appearance but all your body’s functions.

Keep in mind that new moms also need extra calories if they are breastfeeding a new baby.

Postpartum Belly Wraps for Abdominal Muscles

In addition to exercise and a balanced diet, many postpartum women and breastfeeding moms use postpartum belly bands in the antenatal and postnatal periods.

Postpartum belly bands are used for postpartum belly support and support to stomach muscles, especially the weakened rectus abdominis muscle that can be affected by muscle separation during pregnancy.

The postpartum belly band helps keep things in place while the belly shrinks back to pre-pregnancy size after giving birth.

Bengkung Wrapping

One specific type of belly wrapping that has grown popular amongst many mothers is Bengkung Wrapping.

That is when a mother is wrapped in a long, soft muslin cloth from her hips to just under her breasts.

It feels like a supported hug for the mother after transitioning from a full womb, with her blood doubling, to an empty womb and so much blood loss.

In the first 30-90 days, it’s recommended to use these supports as often as a woman feels the need. For the Bengkung wraps, this is usually 8-12 hours a day.

A woman should not use a belly wrap or band for an extended period (i.e. 6 months) as this can do the opposite of supporting her muscles.

A woman needs to start using her muscles and begin building these muscles and strength up.

elly wraps won’t necessarily help with postpartum weight loss, however, they can help your belly with recovery and organ readjustment after giving birth.

Depending on whether you’ve had a vaginal birth or c-section when you can start using wraps will vary.

It is best to speak with your doctor, midwife, or doula about wrapping, as most doulas and midwives know about it.

Conclusion

A postpartum belly is something that every new mother will go through and want to get rid of quickly, due to her desire to get back to her post-pregnancy body as soon as possible.

Although many new moms expect to see results immediately, the uterus, organs, muscles, and skin will need time to recover from hormonal changes and shift back into place, and losing weight is a process that will take some time and effort.

Minimizing the post-pregnancy belly and getting back to normal weight is a process that should include appropriate exercises, a well-balanced diet, and a belly support tactic that can help with recovery.