Being able to grow a human being inside your body is nothing short of a miracle! But as incredible as your body is for doing that, it’s still human, and most women can’t just “bounce back” after childbirth. If you are struggling to get rid of your postpartum belly, here are some real solutions that can help.
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Exercise Right
Exercise can help you strengthen your core after childbirth, but the wrong exercise approach can make things worse. Jumping into abdominal crunches when your stomach muscles are still healing from the ordeal of pregnancy can backfire on you and lead to muscle weakening, strains, or tears. Instead, talk to your doctor or physical therapist to develop a personalized exercise program. Pelvic tilts, planks, and scissor kicks are some of the exercises they may recommend to help you firm up your core.
Eat a Healthy Diet
Don’t let unhealthy cravings get the better of you when you are dealing with postpartum emotions and 3am nursing sessions. Eat a healthy diet high in fiber and a variety of essential nutrients. Vegetables are a must, and many fruits are healthy natural energy boosters when you’re running on fumes. Oatmeal, granola, whole grains, and lean meats can help your stomach muscles heal faster and prevent abdominal weight gain.
Understand Diastasis Recti
Women are often extremely hard on themselves, and many times without a good reason. If you have been exercising right and eating a healthy diet, but you still have your postpartum tummy, you could have diastasis recti. Diatasis recti can happen to any woman regardless of how healthy her lifestyle is before, during, and after pregnancy.
Diastasis recti is when your stomach muscles separate from each other. Normally the stomach wall holds in your core, but if the muscles of your abdominal wall have separated, your stomach will have a perpetual pooch. Even a healthy, fit woman who has only had one pregnancy can develop diastasis recti.
If you have diastasis recti, you won’t be able to fix it with exercise or dietary choices. Diastasis recti is out of your control. However, you can take control of the situation and your body by getting it surgically corrected. A tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) can repair the damage done to your stomach wall and restore a firmer, smoother, and flatter waistline after pregnancy.
Consider a Tummy Tuck
For many women, a tummy tuck will ultimately be the only way to get rid of that lingering postpartum tummy pooch. Women all across the country have undergone abdominoplasty; nearly 120,000 women in the United States had tummy tuck surgery in 2019. This well-established procedure has been proven effective in helping countless women restore their figures after pregnancy.
You can eliminate your postpartum belly pooch with tummy tuck surgery. This procedure flattens the abdomen in the following ways:
- Correction of diastasis recti: During the procedure, your surgeon will mend your stomach wall so that the separated muscles come together once again. This will help your abdominal wall function properly so that your stomach appears flatter and firmer.
- Removal of excess skin: Your surgeon will remove the overstretched, excess skin that is left over after pregnancy. This will give your stomach a smoother feel and a more youthful appearance.
- Elimination of belly fat: Your surgeon can perform liposuction as a part of your tummy tuck to remove localized fat from your abdominal area and flanks. Reducing excess fat helps get rid of stubborn areas like that “muffin top” or “spare tire” and restores a firmer and flatter waistline.
A tummy tuck can eliminate your postpartum belly pooch and help restore your figure after pregnancy and childbirth. Contact us online or call 720-634-7400 to schedule your consultation with Dr. Joyce Aycock today.