Looking for ways to get rid of mommy pooch? The mommy pooch, as some call it, is the belly moms get postpartum. That stubborn pouch on your lower abdomen that just won’t go away no matter what you do.
So, is it even possible to get rid of the baby belly and how long does it take to get rid of mommy pooch? Yes, it is possible to get rid of the postpartum mom’s belly. It is not a fast fix, however. Remember, it took over 9 months to get it, so don’t be surprised if it takes that long or longer to get rid of it.
How to get rid of mommy pooch after baby?
If you have a mom pooch that won’t go away, keep reading. There is hope! There are a few adjustments you can make that will help that pregnancy pooch disappear.
The following can help get rid of your mommy pooch:
- Maintain good posture.
- Limit carbs and focus on eating healthy carbs.
- Walk for a great cardio workout during postpartum recovery.
- Wear a supporting belly band or girdle.
- Avoid typical ab exercises.
- Do exercises that heal Diastasis Recti.
Getting rid of your post-pregnancy belly can take some time but if you follow these tips you will see improvement soon. Now let’s discuss each tip for how to get rid of your mommy pooch.
1. Maintain good posture.
You may be wondering how maintaining good posture could help fix the flabby part of your stomach after pregnancy. Good posture requires an engaged core. When you have a good core, the muscles needed to flatten your belly are working harder during the belly exercises you do.
Good posture keeps your back and core muscles strong. It also makes you appear slimmer, making your mom pooch less noticeable. Slouching tends to accentuate belly fat.
Need to correct bad posture? Try these simple exercises shown in this video to strengthen your core and help improve your posture.
2. Eat Smart and Limit Simple Carbs
During postpartum recovery you want to make sure you are eating a good healthy diet to insure you heal faster. This is also a great way to get rid of mommy belly pooch.
You don’t need to drastically cut or limit your dietary intake and you shouldn’t, especially if you are breastfeeding. In fact, if you are breastfeeding you need to eat an average of 300 extra calories a day.
Instead of trying to limit your food intake, focus on eating the right foods. Try to eat healthy fats, lean protein, and healthy complex carbs. Complex carbs make you feel fuller longer and give you more of the necessary nutrients.
Some examples of complex carbs vs simple carbs:
- Whole grain pasta instead of white pasta.
- Brown rice or whole-grain couscous instead of white rice.
- Whole grain bread instead of white bread.
- Nuts instead of chips.
- Fruits instead of sugary foods like cookies or cake.
The same superfoods you ate for pregnancy are also great for postpartum and keeping up your breastmilk supply.
Does mom pooch go away?
With time the mom pooch will go away. Eat a healthy diet, do the right exercises, and be sure to drink plenty of water. It is also very important to stay hydrated while breastfeeding.
Drinking plenty of water is essential to losing belly fat. Get a good water bottle like this one to help you stay on track to drinking enough water and keep you motivated.
3. Walk for a great cardio workout
Walking is a great exercise to do while recovering from childbirth. Walking is especially helpful to get rid of mommy pooch after c section. C sections can take a little more time to recover from and you may not be able to do any belly exercises for awhile.
Walking is a safe exercise to do after having a vaginal birth as soon as a few days postpartum. If you had a c section you want to consult with your doctor before doing any exercise. However, most of the time they will give the ok for short walks.
4. Wear a supporting belly band or girdle
Belly wraps are a great tool to speed up postpartum recovery. A lot of women swear by them saying it got their body back to pre-pregnancy shape faster. This may be true for some women, but we are all different.
Recovery after childbirth takes time and we need to be patient and listen to our bodies as we heal. The compression from the belly wrap on the abs helps the uterus go back to its normal size.
Once your uterus is normal size again the swelling of your pregnant looking belly goes down too. Women get the best results when they wear it for at least 4 weeks.
This Belly Band is one of the top-rated ones you can get. It is a 3 in 1 Postpartum Support. It helps get your stomach and muscles back to the way they were, it relieves lower back pain while flattening the belly, and it corrects your pelvis position that shifted during pregnancy and delivery.
5. Avoid typical ab exercises
The typical ab exercises that you normally think of when trying to flatten your stomach don’t typically help mom pooch. If you have ab separation at all they can make it worse and create a bigger bulge in your midsection.
You want exercises that engage your transverse abdominals. If you have ab separation the exercises you want to avoid are:
- crunches
- frontal plank
- sit-ups
- twisting motion
- v-ups
- mountain climbers
6. Diastasis Recti Exercises
The stubborn mommy pooch tummy that just won’t go away is due to a separation of the abs. During pregnancy, the ab muscle stretch and can separate. This is known as Diastasis Recti.
Over 65% of women tend to get Diastasis Recti during pregnancy. Some of those women are lucky enough to have the gap close up on its own after delivery. But, like most of us, the gap does not close on its own and we end up with a mom pooch.
What is Diastasis Recti?
Diastasis Recti is a separation of the rectus abdominis muscles. It can be only a partial separation or a full separation. Your rectus abdominis muscles meet at the midline of your stomach and that is where a gap would occur.
While it does not affect just pregnant women, it is commonly seen in women postpartum. The uterus stretches the muscles in your abdomen to accommodate the baby and that leads to the gap.
How do I know if I have diastasis recti?
You can easily check if you have diastasis recti during postpartum.
- Lie on your back with your legs bent and feet flat on the floor.
- Raise your shoulders off the floor, as if you were doing a crunch. Be sure to support your head with one hand.
- With your other hand feel along your midline above and below your belly button.
- You should be able to feel the edges of your midline muscles and feel how wide the gap is. If you can fit a finger or two in between where the two sides meet you have diastasis recti.
The gap may close on its own as you heal postpartum and could take up to 2-8 weeks. In the meantime, you can do exercises to help the gap once your doctor gives the okay. It is important to avoid any of the above exercises that could make the separation gap worse.
3 Exercises to Correct Diastasis Recti Postpartum
Pelvic Tilt
- Lie on your back with your spine pressed into the floor, feet flat on the floor and your knees bent.
- Lay arms to your side, palms facing down.
- On your exhale tilt your pelvis up to create an incline. Keep your shoulders low.
- Breathe and hold up to 10 seconds. Roll your spine back down to the floor as you exhale.
Side plank
- On your side place your elbow below your left shoulder and stack your legs on top of each other.
- Your bottom leg can be bent for extra support if needed.
- Lift your hips into the air creating a line from your head to the heel of the top leg.
- Keep your core tight while breathing and hold. Try holding for 30 seconds.
Heel slides
- Lay on your back with your knees bend and hands at your sides palms down.
- Extend one leg by sliding your heel on the floor.
- Slide your leg back up to the starting position while exhaling and using your transverse abdominals.
- Alternate doing 10 on each side.
In order to easily slide heels, you can wear socks while on hard flooring. If you are on the carpet you can use these furniture slides under your heels.
After your postpartum workout, go relax with a shower. Not sure how to get a shower in with your newborn? Shower with your baby!
Tips for Getting Rid of Mommy Pooch
Having a mommy pooch can be discouraging for some moms. You may feel like you have tried everything to tone down your belly postpartum and nothing is working.
That may be because you are not trying the right things to get rid of your mom pooch. These 6 tips will help you get rid of your pregnancy belly by fixing any underlying problems brought on by pregnancy.
However, it is still important to remember to be patient with your body. Your body created a human and housed it for the last 9-10 months. That is not an easy feat to bounce back from. To heal as quickly as possible, it is important NOT to do these 30 things after childbirth. Good luck with your postpartum recovery!
All information represents my own opinions. The content is informational only and should not be considered medical advice. If you have any concerns please consult your healthcare professional. Before starting any exercise routine postpartum talk to your doctor.