All You Need To Know About Postpartum Belly Or ‘Mom Belly’

Postpartum belly, also known as a “mom's belly” is believed to last throughout the postpartum period; it can be 12 weeks for some and 12 months for others. During this time, many women get panicky looking at their bellies, complaining that it has not gone down yet. The belly continues to look like the one she had while she was pregnant.

We spoke to Dr. Pratibha Singhal, Director and Senior Consultant, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cloudnine Group of Hospitals, Noida and asked her to share reasons and remedies for a postpartum belly.

What Leads To Postpartum Belly?

While speaking of reasons behind postpartum belly, our expert said, “While a woman is pregnant, she undergoes multiple hormonal changes in her body. There is a growing baby inside along with a growing uterus and placenta. There is also an increase in the amniotic fluids in which the baby floats.”

“To meet the needs of the growing baby inside, mothers-to-be take heavy diets which leads to fat deposition and this further makes her gain weight. The average weight gain for a woman in pregnancy is about ten to twelve kilos. After the baby is delivered, a woman is expected to lose around seven kilos. Some more kilos are lost in the next three weeks because all the changes that happened during pregnancy begin to revert. However, it doesn't happen with every woman. Many reasons contribute to it. Most women follow a heavy diet after delivery and because of that they tend to gain weight. A lot of women consume foods rich in fats and sugar. Many are advised to eat foods like halwa and ladoos which adds up to the calories and further the weight. They give less attention to protein consumption. The result of which is that the new mother loses some weight initially but gains a lot of weight during the postpartum period. This prevents the woman from going back to her pre pregnancy weight. All this weight gain leads to fat accumulation in the tummy,” she added.

Remedies For Postpartum Belly

Sharing the remedies for postpartum belly, Dr. Singhal said, “One has to be patient and should not panic seeing the postpartum belly. Following a healthy diet with less carbs, exercising and using abdominal belts can help women lose their postpartum belly. Though they might not be able to go back exactly to their prepartum body, they can get fitter and lose belly fat.”

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Brisk Walk/Light Exercises

Dr. Singhal suggested that new mothers should start going for a brisk walk as early as fifteen days after delivery as it helps reduce weight. Light exercises can be followed six weeks after delivery. This is usually recommended to women who have undergone a cesarean section as they need more time to heal.

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Abdominal Wraps Or Belt

Our expert said, “We generally advise women to start using abdominal wrap or belt soon after delivery after they start working. These belts are broad belts made up of elastic. They cover the abdomen from the ribs to the pubic area. They cause compression of the abdomen and help to prevent the pain which happens due to the movement of the uterus during delivery. It also helps tone up the muscles as a result of which women feel a lot more comfortable while walking after delivery. These belts can be used for ten to twelve hours for six to eight weeks depending on their comfort.”