Ways To Get Rid Of Belly Fat After C
So, you survived pregnancy and childbirth. Any mom will tell you: pregnancy and childbirth is no easy feat, especially if you have a C-section.
While you are left recovering from the grueling task of growing and birthing a tiny human from your body, you are probably pretty surprised by the state of your tummy after baby and you want to know how to get rid of that hanging belly after c section.
Dont fear, Mama! You can get rid of that post-baby belly, even after a C-section.
Read on to discover tips and tricks on how to get rid of sagging lower belly fat at home after delivery. Its time to beat that C-section pooch for good.
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Jody Braverman Cpt Fns Ryt
Between 2000 and 2015, the rate of births by C-section increased from 24 percent to 32 percent, according to a 2018 article in The Lancet. Those statistics may not be that interesting to you, but you can take heart in knowing there are a lot of other new moms out there who are struggling to get back their pre-C-section tummies.
Video of the Day
Just like moms who had vaginal births, C-section moms need to lose abdominal fat and tone the abdominal muscles to flatten their stomachs. However, they need to take more caution when returning to exercise because their stomach muscles are still healing.
Tip
Moderate-intensity cardio and total-body strength training help burn fat and flatten your stomach after a C-section.
The Best Exercises To Flatten The Stomach After A C
Between 2000 and 2015, the rate of births by C-section increased from 24 percent to 32 percent, according to a 2018 article in The Lancet. Those statistics may not be that interesting to you, but you can take heart in knowing there are a lot of other new moms out there who are struggling to get back their pre-C-section tummies.
Video of the Day
Just like moms who had vaginal births, C-section moms need to lose abdominal fat and tone the abdominal muscles to flatten their stomachs. However, they need to take more caution when returning to exercise because their stomach muscles are still healing.
Tip
Moderate-intensity cardio and total-body strength training help burn fat and flatten your stomach after a C-section.
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How To Get Rid Of The Postpartum Pouch
So, is it really possible to get rid of the C-section pooch? Yes it is, but each womans recovery journey is unique to them. Its important to keep that in mind when you go through postpartum recovery after having a C-section.
Every woman heals differently, has different layers of fat tissue and scar tissue, has varying skin elasticity and experiences a surgery that is performed in its own unique way.
Its important to realize that the main focus of the surgeon who performed the C-section is on the baby, not on how pretty your scar turns out.
Your surgeon is not performing plastic surgery, nor is it their priority to make sure your incision produces the smallest, most perfectly cut scar ever seen.
With this scar comes scar tissue that can cause the postpartum pooch after a C-section. Even with diet and exercise, the amount of scar tissue and excess skin can leave you hanging with a pooch.
But if you are determined, and you put effort into your postpartum recovery, you can lose the C-section pouch. Just like the doctor said, the healing is up to you.
Following healthy eating habits and proper exercise is ultimately the best way to get rid of the postpartum pooch.
One more quick tip that is an absolute game-changer for getting rid of the postpartum pooch after having a C-section is wearing a postpartum belly wrap.
This post contains affiliate links. For more information, see my disclosures here.
How To Shrink Your Belly After A C

Here are some ways you can lose weight after a cesarean section:
- Breastfeed
- Do Postpartum Exercises
- Be More Active When Not Working Out
Youre probably eager to get back on the road to recovery and enjoy your pre-pregnancy body again. While this urge is understandable, remember that before you try any of the suggested remedies below that you get approval from your doctor, especially when taking on exercise for weight loss after cesarean section.
Although you may feel great, your doctor will be able to evaluate how your C-section wound is healing and the state of your overall health.
Giving birth via C-section takes a major toll on the body, so make sure youre being safe about your follow up plans.
Now, lets get on to learning how you can safely get rid of that C-section pooch.
1. Breastfeeding
No need to wait to start breastfeeding. As soon as your precious bundle of joy is born, you can start breastfeeding.
Believe it or not, breastfeeding can actually help flatten your belly. Not only does breastfeeding burn about 500 extra calories per day, but it also releases a hormone called oxytocin that stimulates uterine contractions, speeding up your uteruss return journey to its pelvic home.
How does breastfeeding burn so many calories? Well, the American Pregnancy Association says a breastfeeding mom will secrete between 425 and 700 calories into breast milk per day.
2. Use a Postpartum Support Belt
3. Minimize Stretch Marks
4. Get Enough Sleep
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Why You Have A Hanging Belly
Unfortunately, we all werent born with the genetics to be a Victorias Secret model. Many of us were born with genetics to becoming pre-disposed to obesity . And you probably inherited the genes from your parents to store excess fat in your stomach area .
Now men are more likely to have an apple-shaped body and women a pear-shaped body . But many women today also suffer from having excess lower belly fat to the point it hangs down off their pants. And if you gained a lot of weight when you were younger and didnt lose it until you were older then youll be more likely to suffer from the dreaded apron belly .
Over the years this excess belly fat has stretched some of your skin making it so loose that it hangs down now. But just because you didnt start losing weight until you were older doesnt mean youre out of luck. And having the genetics for an apron belly doesnt mean that you have to live with it forever.
Weight loss isnt the only thing youre going to need to do to get rid of it. Its going to be more complicated than that. Thats why many people who have lost a lot of weight even up to 100 pounds can still have this belly flap. Lets dig into what you need to do to start losing this dreaded stomach overhang.
How To Get Rid Of Hanging Belly After C
Medically reviewed by Mr. Omar Tillo MD, MS, EBOPRAS, FRCS
Many women are left with a hanging belly after c-section, which distorts the appearance of their abdomen. Tummy tuck and BodyTite are two cosmetic treatments that can help get rid of a hanging belly to restore a more defined stomach. In this article, well discuss both options so that you can decide which is right for you.
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How To Get A Flat Stomach After A C
After nine long months, your bundle of joy has finally arrived, but unlike a traditional birth, your baby was born via c-section. Abdominal surgery is painful, and it is going to take a while to recover. You will not bound back to your pre-pregnancy weight and form as quickly because your body needs time to heal. Losing weight after pregnancy is hard, but it is even more difficult following a cesarean birth.
How Long Does It Take To Lose A Postpartum Belly Naturally
Following a pregnancy, your bodys natural healing process will kick in, and you will begin to regain your original form with time. However, the rate at which this process occurs varies with each individual. While some women are able to get rid of their postpartum belly in a matter of months, for others, it can take several years. The process is influenced by factors such as your age and the extent of your hang.
While a healthy diet and exercise routine can help you revert back to your original appearance, unlike cosmetic surgery treatments, they arent able to help you target the excess fat deposits in your hanging belly.
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Is Bodytite Worth It
A hanging belly can make many women feel self-conscious about their bodies. In this case, BodyTite is an effective and worthwhile solution for getting rid of a hanging belly. In particular, due to its minimally invasive methods that require minimal downtime while providing the dual benefits of fat removal and skin tightening, it is a more attractive option for some patients than a tummy tuck.
How Much Should You Do
Try to get in at least 30 minutes of walking each day as you feel up to it. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, all adults should get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio exercise each week to improve their health and maintain a normal weight.
But for even greater results, the Department of Health and Human Services suggests increasing the amount of cardio exercise to 300 minutes each week. That’s a little less than 45 minutes of brisk walking each day. Of course, you should get your doctor’s advice on how much exercise is right for you.
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Scar Tissue Impacts Core And Pelvic Floor Function
Normal tissue in our bodies is aligned in a nice uniform direction. However, when scar tissue forms, it is kind of like your toddler played pick-up sticks and tossed them all over the floor. The tissue is laid down in haphazard directions. Your C-section scar is no different. The scar tissue can stick to the tissues underneath and to the abdominal muscles.
This scar tissue can cause many more problems beyond cosmetic. When the scar tissue impacts the muscles around it, it can cause issues with the deeper core muscles firing correctly, incontinence, back pain, and pain with sexual intercourse.
Women who have struggled with back and pelvic pain for years are doing everything they can think of to improve their symptoms, and are feeling defeated only to find out their C-section scar is preventing them from being successful. Lets work those scars and get them conquered early in the game so you can move on to the fun stuff!
So often I find that moms think that once they have a C-section scar, it is what it is and there is not much they can do about it. There is hope mommas!
Classic Or Full Tummy Tuck

A classic or full tummy tuck works to address the lower and upper abdomena procedure best suited to address roundness and excess skin above and below the belly button. During this procedure, Dr. Schaffer will make a u-shaped incision above the pubic area and a second incision around the navel. A classic tummy tuck scar typically runs from hip to hip but is placed so that it can be covered by a swimsuit in most cases.
A classic or full tummy tuck helps achieve a flatter and smoother abdomen, allowing for a better fit and enhanced comfort in clothing, including form-fitting attire. This procedure also works to reduce stretch marks.
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What Should I Expect After Cesarean Delivery
Swelling of the abdomen after caesarean section is a common disease. Most often, women have swelling around the face, abdomen and ankles, as well as on the limbs, including arms and legs. Such swelling more often persists for a week or two after delivery. Similarly, a section of the cut may also swell. All these tumors can cause tingling and pain, which can become a source of discomfort and discomfort.
Such swelling arises from the fact that during pregnancy increases the volume of circulating fluid by increasing the volume of blood by 50% to nourish and protect the baby. In addition, a low concentration of proteins and dilution of blood leads to a low concentration of hemoglobin and the accumulation of fluid. During labor, not all blood leaves the body. The most common cause of postpartum edema are hormones. During pregnancy, the body produces a large amount of progesterone. Excess progesterone causes retention of water and sodium in the body, leading to swelling after childbirth. When the uterus expands with the growing baby, it puts pressure on the veins of the lower limbs and thus restricts the flow of blood to the lower part of the body. Since throughout the pregnancy there is accumulation of fluid, it will take some time for the fluid to come out after pregnancy. The combination of these factors – additional blood volume, hormonal changes and fluid retention – will cause swelling of the abdomen and limbs after pregnancy.
Tummy Binding Your Belly After Birth
Tummy binding your belly after pregnancy gives you a better range of motion when sitting and standing up so that you do not experience pain from your incision. The binding applies just enough pressure to take away any discomfort. Binding your belly after birth alleviates pain and promotes the development of a flatter stomach after c-section surgery. The cloth wrap will assist blood flow and helps your posture. By allowing you to comfortably stand straight and sit upright, your stomach muscles start to again regain strength and your belly after pregnancy takes on a more concave appearance. Undoubtedly, your stomach after c-section surgery will thank you for using a binding to reduce discomfort.
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When Can I Start Walking After C
Your doctor will want to get you up walking as soon as you can. They will not want you to be bed-ridden for a long period of time due to the risk of clotting. So walking will start soon after childbirth.
With regards to walking to get fit it starts when you’re home and you start to take baby for a walk in the pram . Start slowly and increase the distance progressively.
After 6 to 8 weeks, you will still be healing inside so this is when your walking speed and distance can increase. Please stop if there is any discomfort, pain or a pulling sensation on your scar and try again a couple of weeks later.
What are Some Low-risk Exercises for Mamas?
The following exercises are suitable once you have healed your body:
1. Postpartum yoga
4. Swimming and aqua aerobics
5. Low-impact aerobics
7. Cycling
Seek Out Help While Exercising
If you need the motivation to work out and lose your post-baby tummy flab then why not enroll in a yoga class or employ a personal trainer to give you the encouragement that you need. You could even investigate mommy groups, which are other new mothers who go walking with their infants daily to also fight the belly bulge and lose the unwanted baby fat. Sometimes having the companionship of other moms who are also coping with their physical changes feels good. You can share tips and encouragement needed to push your body daily.
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How Do I Know If I Need A Tummy Tuck To Get Rid Of My C
If your C-section shelf or pooch hangs down and causes frustration each time you try to wear a dress, jeans, low-rise pants, a bikini, or a tank top, then it is affecting your everyday life. Many women work out as much as they can and still having that residual belly pooch. This pooch from separated muscles can shift your center of gravity causing lower back pain or some stress urinary incontinence.
If any of the above describe you, then it is worth considering a consultation for a tummy tuck. When you come in for your consult, you will meet with me, your female board-certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Tannan. I will show you how much of your C-section pooch is from loose, stretched out, separated core muscles. I will show you how much of the C-section shelf is from fat and skin. When we do a Tummy Tuck, the scar will be a little wider than your C-section scar. I will show you where you can expect your scar to be during the consultation.
Be sure to tell me where you live when you come in to see me. We happily take care of locals from the Triangle and the surrounding areas like Knightdale, Garner, Graham, Henderson, Oxford, Roxboro, Roanoke Rapids, Fayetteville, Greensboro, and going up and down the east coast. We like to plan out your recovery so if you driving up from Myrtle Beach for plastic surgery or coming down from Danville, we want to make sure we plan out every step of the way.
When Can I Start Doing Crunches After C
The quick answer to this is You have to wait until your core is healed! I never advise crunches until I can see no clear sign of diastasis recti or any pressure on the abdomen when doing core work. This can be anywhere from eight to 12 weeks after being cleared to workout from your doctor.
If you return to exercising too quickly you can cause an opening of the incision and other complex medical problems. Heal Recover then you can start working out!
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