6 Ways To Get Rid Of That Belly After A C-Section

I look at my son everyday and I think the moment I saw him after my C-section was the happiest moment of my life. Despite the happy ending to get him here was no easy thing.

I really did not want to do a C-section, but on the day he was born the doctor thought it was best and I agreed. If I have other children they will be born in that manner as well so mentally I am prepared.

If you do not know what a C-section is, it is basically surgery to remove your baby where the doctor will cut through some of the muscles in the stomach. After the surgery you might end up with a pouch tummy after delivery.

The reality is, that recovery can be difficult following a c-section.  In this post c-section research, 30 out of 32 women experiencing difficulties with advice before leaving the hospital and with recovery. The recovery time is much longer than vaginal delivery about 8 weeks, and to get your tummy back to normal takes a lot of work. The good news is, it is not impossible.

The one thing we would say is make sure your doctor has confirmed that you are completely healed and clears you for working out. Do you want to know how to snatch that belly into shape quickly? Here are 6 ways to do just that:

1. Cardio – Specifically walking

Run if you can, get doctors permission for running.  You hear this all the time, walking can be the most valuable for of exercise for you and for baby if you do a stroller walk after you have healed a bit.

Walking engages your core muscles, after a while you will feel them start to tighten slowly which is what you need to happen. Gradually increase your distance as you start to feel better.

2. Strength training – full body

It might be tempting to do a lot of focus work on your abs but we are all for the full body exercises that engage not just one muscle but a combination of muscles.

Squats, clean and press, dead lifts, all of which should be done with very light weights. You do not need to lift heavy at this time, you still want to be very ‘cardio’ oriented as you train.

3. Yoga – Hot or not

Yoga is awesome for stretching your muscles, and getting in touch with your body all over again. You can try Pilates if you are up for it, because it tends to focus on your core, but we really like traditional yoga, so give it a try.

4. Core work

Pelvic tilts, planks, spider man pushups, side plank hip dips. All of these exercises incorporate full body movements that target your core, giving you strength. If you can only do one, do that one until you can do two and so on and so forth. Just get it done.

5. Diet

Whole food nutrition is the most important thing you can do for your belly. When we say whole foods we mean anything that can be picked off a tree or taken from the ground.  I also follow alkaline food guidelines that focuses on whole foods and their effect on the PH of your body.

We would suggest minimizing the amount of heavy protein based meals, focusing on fish if you must eat meat.  Start with just meatless mondays.

If you are breast feeding make sure that you consult your doctor about the best foods to eat to keep baby healthy.

6. Be consistent

There are no short cuts unless you have the option of doing a tummy tuck. If you work at it everyday even on bad days you will see progress, your body is an amazing piece of art. It can bounce back even after a major surgery like a C-section.