How to Get Your Stomach Flat After a Ceserean

After giving birth, many women are eager to get down to their pre-pregnancy weight and shape. You may find that getting back to your original weight is easier than getting the shape back, especially in the stomach area. The muscles have been stretched considerably to make room for your baby, and getting them back into shape is a challenge. If you have had a cesarean, remember that you have had surgery, and you need to give your body the proper amount of rest before beginning any workout regimen. Make sure to get approval from your doctor before you start any diet or exercise plan.

Instructions

Getting in Shape

1

The proper combination of diet and exercise and consistent effort will help you get your flat stomach back. Take your time, especially if you are breastfeeding. Allow your body to recuperate for a minimum of six to eight weeks after surgery before trying any kind of exercise. Ask your doctor before you begin.

2

Purchase a special kind of underwear designed specifically for post surgery that will act as a girdle and help your scar to heal quickly. This can help reduce puffiness around the scar, and will help you feel slim in the meantime.

3

Your diet plan will depend on whether or not you are breastfeeding. If you are, do not cut any food group out of your diet completely and be sure you are consuming enough calories daily for yourself and your baby. Remember that breastfeeding consumes 200 to 500 calories per day. Eating five to six smaller meals each day is recommended, and aim for losing one and a half pounds per week.

4

Aerobic activity is key to getting back in shape. Start with walking, and you can include the baby in this activity either in a sling type carrier or a stroller. Begin with walking one mile each day, and you can slowly work up to longer walks. Once you have been walking for a couple of weeks, you can try jogging as long as your body feels up to it. Make sure you have a comfortable running bra and shoes, and if you want to take the baby along it's a good idea to invest in a jogging stroller.

5

Start slow with muscle building exercises. Continue the Kegel exercises that you most likely learned during pregnancy, which is contracting the muscles of your pelvic floor as if you are stopping the flow of urine. Add a simple stomach muscle exercise by pulling your belly button in and up. Pull in and hold for a few seconds and then release. Do this ten times and then rest. Go through this routine two or three times a day for a week or two before moving on to other stomach exercises.

6

Create a five-to-ten minute routine for stomach exercises that will include upper abdominals, lower abdominals and oblique muscles. There are a number of excellent stomach workout routines that can be purchased on DVDs or found on the Internet. Go through this routine daily.