Losing Belly Weight

This is called diastasis. It's not necessarily extra weight, but the separation that happens between the muscles to make room for baby. Unfortunately, most abdominal exercises (all if done improperly) cause further damage. In addition, pregnancy and postpartum activity cause postural issues that exacerbate the problem.

I'm an exercise physiologist specializing in prenatal and postpartum fitness and have developed a class called "Tummy Time for Mommy - The Method to your Ab-ness" to teach moms how to properly work the muscles to eliminate the "mommy bulge".
I just had a baby 2 months ago myself (my third) and have already returned to my prepregnancy self! We just finished a class and all of the moms saw huge differences!

The first thing you're going to want to do is start simple exercises to work the transverse muscles (these run parallel to the ground across the abs). While standing or sitting up as straight as you can (sitting on a big resistance ball is best!) squeeze your belly button into your lower back as hard as you can and release over and over. Also, stretching your hamstring muscles and your chest muscles will help to get your posture on the right track.

E-mail me directly and I can give you some more tips or more information about our programs. We will be starting classes again in January (the Holidays are too hard to run them) but we have one-on-one training all of the time. www.bigbellyfitness.net

GOOD LUCK!!

2 moms found this helpful

It takes a long time to go away...it almost took a year for me!!

1 mom found this helpful

check out this site.

http://www.get-rid-of-belly-fat.com

I know several who have lost their "bellies" using this system. Best part is that we kept it off as well.

1 mom found this helpful

I also have that same problem and am wondering what do do about it. I hear different things.

Please share with us when you find out.

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It takes a little bit for the tummy to get back to normal. Are you breast feeding? That helps. But walking is wonderful. Here's what my doc said, it took 9 months for the body to get one way, it will take at least 9 months for it to recooperate. Drink lots of water too. That helps. But don't worry. It is normal.

The stomach muscles stretch and stretch apart in the center when you are pregnant and you need to strengthen them to make them taught and bring them back together in the middle again. I still had a rounded belly and my daughter is 3 1/2! I just started an exercise program a few months ago and my belly is getting flat! Lot and lots of core and stomach exercises like crunches, but a varied number of them to work all of the muscles. You can ask your gyne for exercises to do - most have a sheet with exercises to do to help bring those mucscles back together and in shape. Good luck!

I have tried the South Beach Diet and it immediately targets the belly fat.Also simple walking 30 minutes a day will help strengthen the abs. I have had 4 c-sections and have experienced the comments you are. People are rude...

C.

Yes very normal. And it will be the last place where you get rid of the weight. I recommend performing exercises that work your core muscles not just you abdominals that are surface muscles. Anytype of exercise where you are balancing on one leg and performing another exercise will work your core. Doing sit ups on a stability ball will also work your core. If your diet isn't good then you will also have belly fat. My friend whose a trainer says that if you are fit everywhere else but in your middle then you really have to adjust your diet to get rid of the rest of the roll on the middle.

You probably have diastasis recti. Google it. It is where the stomach muscles pull apart. I have it and it is not fun.

I had the same thing happen - people mistaking me for pregnant when I was several months post partum! I have lost a lot of weight becuase of baby allergy issues (he's 10 months now), but I still have that tummy. It may be the separation of the stomach muscles or may be not. My midwife and I have checked and it is not the case for me.

I am a Maternal Fitness specialist and a personal trainer - I trained directly under Julie Tupler who is the world's foremost authority of the diastises recti - which many people have commented on. It splits in 98% of women during pregnancy. This split creates the MUMMY TUMMY as we call it. you must bring the two halves of your recti together again. (On a side note crunches make your diastises WORSE - I have seen it in hundreds of women. It splits further - so do not do those).

The exercises in the program work wonderfully. I personally after baby #3 went from a 32 inch waist to a 25 1/2 inch waist in 11 weeks (plus avoiding the 5 whites - white bread, white sugar, white flour, white pasta, and white potatoes).

I do personal sessions and group sessions, and group classes. I currently teach a class in Homewood and Orland Park called "Lose your Mummy Tummy." (after the book "Lose You Mummy Tummy" which you can purchase on Amazon.)

Sounds normal to me. Everyone's body is different. Enjoy your baby and don't worry about it. Tell yourself that belly is the most beautiful in the world. It was a home for that precious little one. You can do a million sit ups someday. Just hug your baby now.

It's totally normal -- it takes about 9-12 mos. to lose your pregnancy weight. Just eat a balanced diet and try to walk as much as possible, and with patience, the weight will come off. I've found wearing clothes that are flattering (i.e. not maternity clothes) has been helpful during the transition back toward my pre-pregnancy clothes fitting.

Best of luck,
R.

O., my baby is 9 years old and I am still waiting to loose my belly weight...LOL!!

Great Question! I hope so! I still have extra tummy weight that I cannot get rid of and my youngest will be 3 in January!!!

Don't forget the old saying 9 months up, 9 months down. As much as we wish they would our tummy's never go back overnight. I'm sure you look great, sometimes a new top or new lipstick makes a world of difference in those "new mommy" months. It's far more important to enjoy your baby in these precious months, than worry about a tummy bulge. There are plenty of exercise videos and internet sites that can help you target "problem areas." People need to remember the cardinal rule of women and asking when they are due-UNLESS YOU SEE A BABY'S HEAD COMING OUT FROM DOWN BELOW, KEEP YOUR TRAP SHUT!!!!!

I finally lost the rest of my baby weight plus an additional 10 lbs. I read & followed the advice from the "Skinny Bitch" book & exercised 3 times a week.

Let me know if you figure this one out, until then I go with the never leave the house without the baby when going into public method. ha ha. It stops stupid people from saying stupid things. most of the time.

O.,
Congratulations on being a MOM of a 3 month old:-)
The yoga studio where I work offers a class called "baby and Me" as opportunity for Moms to get some workout time and be with other Moms. If Naperville is convenient for you, try www.universalspirityoga.com and if you live in a further away suberb, try an exercise class at your local park district or consider joining a gym (some gyms offer baby sitting...our local YMCA does this too). Another consideration is working with a personal trainer if this is affordable because they can give you one-on-one special exercises.

C. L
Mom of three

It is really normal to still have tummy at 3 months, remember how much tummy you once had. For some, even if they get back to their pre-pregnancy weight or even a bit below, they may still have some extra tummy. There is no way to actually direct where you lose the weight but you can do some crunchs and sit ups etc to firm the tummy a bit. If you are not breastfeeding (that really takes the weight off fast) or have finished, then gradual weightloss is a great way to go with some tummy exercises. Good Luck.

Winsor Pilates worked for me. You can do it with no special equipment, a couple of times a week for 20 minutes or so. You can do it when your baby is awake, sleeping, etc. You don't need a lot of room either. Invest in a comfortable mat (about $20) and the DVDs. It's easy to do and you do not have to be athletic or coordinated.

Sit ups or mini crunches get rid of the problem. Almost every new mom has that little trophy to bear.

O.,

As Jasmine said it is likely due to the abdominal muscles seperating as a result of being pregnant. They do come back together and then you will just need time and some strengthening exercises for the area. (Along with a healthy diet). If you had a vaginal delivery and were not a carrier of Group B beta strep you likely did not get antibiotics.
Just be patient. Don't look for any quick fixes. It just takes time.