Abdomen / belly

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Abdomen / belly

Stretchmarks and darkened line on the belly
Abdominal muscle separation
birthTIPS

After the birth of your baby, and the delivery of the placenta, your belly will reduce in size, but still generally remain enlarged and full, with the bulky uterus leaning onto the stretched abdominal muscles. Most women will look about '4 to 6 months pregnant' immediately after giving birth, with the size of their belly slowly decreasing in the 2 to 6 weeks afterwards. The uterus shrinks, from being about '20 weeks pregnant' in size (soon after the birth), moving back into the pelvis (and being about '12 weeks pregnant' in size), by about 2 weeks after the birth. It will return to its 'pre-pregnant' size by about 6 weeks after the birth. This process may be slowed if you had twins or more.

The abdominal muscles will usually take some time to regain their tone and strength. This will often make your belly feel 'soft and flabby' from muscle weakness, making it look 'enlarged' with the pressure of the intestines and abdominal organs distending the flexible muscles. There are a range of exercises that are designed specifically for women during the postnatal period, to gently strengthen their bodies. Most exercises focus on what is known as 'stability exercises'. These aim at strengthening the abdomen, while stabilising the torso, to minimise pelvic discomfort and lower back pain.

Most women are able to start postnatal exercises within days of giving birth. Many hospitals run physiotherapy exercise classes that may be accessed while in the hospital, or after going home. You may even find some special postnatal exercise classes (or yoga) in the community, (hopefully with facilities to bring your baby with you, or even include them in the class). It is important to take it easy, and balance rest with exercise. Be guided by your caregiver (or qualified instructor). Exercises should feel comfortable and be tailored to your individual needs. If you are unwell (or recovering from a Caesarean) then it may take a little longer before you feel able to devote any time or energy to exercises. Check with your caregiver if you are unsure about when you should start postnatal exercises. You may wish to read postnatal exercises.

Some women find that their belly goes down fairly quickly, for others it may take longer. Whatever the case, try not to be too hard on yourself, or feel pressured into 'regaining' your pre-pregnant body too quickly. Also try to ignore comments from others who have unrealistic expectations about how your belly should look after the birth. Not everyone is aware of the time it can take for this part of you to start looking 'non-pregnant' again. If you are finding it difficult to set aside time to do exercises, be aware that even simple posture awareness, such as 'walking tall' and 'sitting tall', can help slowly strengthen your abdominal muscles, prevent backache and support your physical recovery. You may wish to read back pain, after the birth.