New mothers are often searching to get their pre-pregnancy body after delivery or C-section. Your body goes from significant changes during pregnancy and again after childbirth. Weight gain is an obvious barrier to bounce back. It is no surprise that cesarean deliveries are more in demand than normal births. The method involves an incision to the uterus, and abdominal wall, which is not easy. Because of this, you can expect healing and going back to your before-pregnancy weight to get in some time, so do not fear. Pregnancy weight loss after having a C-section can be achieved with the right mindset and actionable tips.
While some of the advice can be used before the baby comes, the others will need some time. Once your incision wound has healed totally and you feel physically stronger, do not wait for anything else to begin losing that baby weight. Now is the right time to drop extra weight and fat.
Here are the ways to lose weight after a C-Section
Eat Healthily
Table of Contents
There is no surprise that an effective weight loss plan will begin with a healthy diet. You must consume wholesome food that fuels your body. So, you can start weight loss after pregnancy.
Now is not the time to limit your calories, your body requires the energy to restore from C-section surgery and nourish the baby. The basic idea here is to consume a wide range of healthy foods that fill you up without overeating calories, which will depend on different factors.
Eat different vegetables, fruits, fats, and proteins, and skip processed foods. Processed foods tend to learn more about unhealthy sugars and fats, and hard for the body to digest.
Try dark leafy greens, whole grains, eggs, lean meats, high-fat dairy products, and low mercury seafood with no extra sugar to help with milk production and provide energy for a workout.
Here is a shopping tip to ensure you go home with low processed junk food and shop outside the grocery aisles. The walls of the grocery store provide meats, fresh produce, and dairy, while the fast food needs preservatives for extra processing to increase shelf life.
Breakfast:
Avoid adding pastries like muffins, danishes, and croissants, or cereals for breakfast. They tend to be more in carbs and sugar, which can increase insulin levels, causing an eventual energy crash and can continue sugar cravings.
Try to add unprocessed foods from the 5-food groups. If you are choosing yogurt, try for a brand that does not have extra sugar. If you need some sweetness, add frozen or fresh fruit or sweeten with some honey.
Lunch
Your lunch, like each meal, should be balanced with all nutritions.
Fats and protein are naturally satiating to keep you full for more time and avoid hunger pangs.
Dinner
Healthy does not mean it requires to take more time.
Make your own nutritionally balanced freezer meals that do not have preservatives – casseroles, soups, side vegetables, quiches, are all freezer friendly and easy to serve.
Salmon is one of the good sources of protein for moms who are breastfeeding because it is full of DHA-docosahexaenoic acid, a form of omega-3 fatty acid. Omega-3 DHA is necessary for breastfeeding mothers due to it is critical for the functional development and growth of the nervous system and brain in infants.
We know it is not always easy to know your nutrition with a new baby, but it is one of the important components of reducing baby weight.
Coincidentally, consuming a healthy diet will help with the upcoming weight loss after the baby.
Breastfeed the Baby
Yes, breastfeeding help woman to lose weight. It is because the body burns about 500 extra calories to create milk with life-sustaining nutrients like fats, vitamins, and proteins for the baby. How much time does it take to have weight loss after C-section?
Whether you had a natural delivery or C-section, you can get to lower weight in as little as some months after delivery if you breastfeed. Most healthy newborn babies take breastfeed after an hour of birth.
Studies have confirmed that breastfeeding women drop extra weight quicker than moms who do not, especially during the first 3-postpartum months.
Breastfeeding also induces the hormone release – oxytocin, which leads to uterus contraction.
This contraction stimulates the uterus to shorten back to its previous size before childbirth, efficiently making your stomach appearance and feel smaller.
There are different other advantages of breastfeeding your baby, including the increasing baby’s immune system. To get back to the first tip, ensure eating a balanced and healthy diet to produce enough milk for the baby. What you consume directly affects the milk quality, so limit your caffeine consumption, skip high mercury seafood and skip smoking and consuming alcohol during breastfeeding.
Start Exercising
It is necessary to wear postpartum underwear to support your body after pregnancy during the workout. A high-quality post-pregnancy girdle squeezes everything around your stomach in tight to balance your back and abdominal muscles during your workout.
There is nothing better than physical movement and training as far as weight loss is concerned but be mindful of how you feel physically. C-section deliveries need extra time to heal. Typically, the workout should be skipped in the first 6-8 weeks after having birth, but it does not mean you should not be moving.
You can begin your workout by going for short walks. Walking after abdominal surgery stops blood clots and promotes healing.
After taking your physician’s advice, and you no longer feel pain from C-section incisions, it is safe, to begin with, low impact workouts such as low resistance bands, yoga, pilates, the elliptical, light jogging, and swimming.
What Is A Good Exercise To Drop Weight After A C-Section?
As you slowly redevelop your strength in body with time, you may raise the intensity of your exercise. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) exercises are best for calorie burning to reduce extra belly fat after a c-section delivery, and HIIT exercises do not take much time from your day (20 – 45 minutes).
After all, you need to utilize your time with a new baby in the home.
Training with Diastasis Recti
Diastasis looks similar to a pouch or bulge in your lower abdomen and sometimes causes pelvic and lower back pain.
Diastasis recti happen when the abdominal muscles (the 6-pack muscles) separate from the center, weakening your core. It is very common among pregnant females, as the belly stretches to make space for the child.
Sometimes, diastasis will correct itself after birth as you start strength in your core, and other times, it needs surgery.
Getting rid of this more pouch on your belly after a C-section can be more challenging, since you may be dealing with stitches. Before you go back to working out, get the green light from your physician, and begin with a gentle core workout.
Wearing a C-section corset instantly after surgery and while exercises can help reduce pain from diastasis recti and help to balance the surrounding muscles in the core while regaining strength.
Limit Harmful Eating
It may be an obvious tip, but sometimes harmful foods are not come out in plain sight and can be changed as healthy options. The goal is not to stop satisfying delicious desserts because that is not unrealistic and achievable.
Instead, try to lower consumption. Ice cream, candy, cookies, and cake are obvious junk foods that are overflowing in calories, saturated fat, and sugar.
Flavored yogurt, fruit juices, granola, and diet foods are marketed as healthy, but they can consist of more calories, added sugar, and carbs while providing lowering nutritional value.
Fruit juice, for example, is an extra source of vitamin C. However, it is packed with sugar and low fiber from the fruit.
The fiber balances the sugar(fructose) by helping to slow down absorption. Without it, you may also consume spoonfuls of sugar. When it comes to reducing weight, be selective of where your calories come from.
You need to balance certain different calories to fuel the body for exercise and breastfeeding. Overconsumption will cause weight gain.
Sugar and processed foods continue a vicious cycle.
The more you satisfy with unhealthy food, the more often you crave it.
To skip carb and sugar cravings, reach for food with high healthy protein and fat. Protein and fat are naturally satiating, meaning they will keep your body keeping full for longer. When you feel complete, you skip snacking, where you are extra prone to provide into these unhealthy choices.
Remain Hydrated
Regardless of whether you have recently given birth or looking for weight loss, then keeping yourself hydrated is key for belly fat loss.
Dehydration often silently occurs when we feel food cravings. The body often confuses the thirst with hunger and makes you eat more food instead of water. It can lead to eating more calories than your body needs and delay your fat loss goals.
Hydration becomes more critical when you are breastfeeding to nourish your baby. One way to understand you are sufficiently hydrated is to get a peek at your urine when you utilize your washroom. If your pee is dark, you are surely not drinking sufficient water.
Utilize a water bottle with measurements. Therefore, you can track your progress from the day.
But not everyone likes to consume so much water. In that case, do not hesitate to jazz up your drink with natural flavors.
You can include lime, lemon, or fresh mint in the water. You will make it more delicious with cucumber water tastes. Other options include eating fruits or brewing tea and vegetables with high water like celery, lettuce, watermelon, and cucumber.
If you feel you are not getting the results you wish with your c-section weight loss goals, try consuming more water and raising your electrolytes to keep hydrated.
Electrolytes are important minerals and salt that the body requires to manage the balance of fluids in your system.
If you do not replace your electrolytes from oral supplements or a balanced diet, you can get dehydrated or feel other signs of electrolyte irregularity.
Coconut water and fruits like avocados, bananas, and dairy products consist of high amounts of potassium that help the body to retain water. It is involved with different other essential functions of the body.
Don’t Skip Meals
Sometimes, we believe that eating less food helps in weight loss. It is not true. It is extremely necessary to eat many meals during the day to keep metabolism active, which will help to lose weight after delivery. With this small tip, you can reach your goals:
Do not leave any meals. With a new baby, different new mothers forget to eat. It is very harmful because if you do not consume your energy will be affected and that in place of helping you lose weight can cause the opposite.
Eat 3-5 small meals per day. Instead of consuming 2 or 3 heavy meals during the day, separate your meals into small meals.
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It is important to eat it. Surprisingly, it is one of the important meals that new moms tend to skip.
Snacks are best for keeping you energized before you get your next food.
It is suggested to choose snacks that have protein and fiber. Eating your food will help to keep you energized and satiated until your next meal. It is best to get 2 of your 5- meals as snacks.
Perform Particular Exercises
After having a caesarean section you will take some time to recover and will not be able to work out for a while. However, as you recover, you can do low-impact workouts that will help burn calories without exhausting yourself like the gym.
Walking
You can join other moms to get motivated and benefit from this workout and support each other in your weight loss after C-section.
Stretching
Stretching is one of the more helpful workouts for health. You do not have to get exhausted more and you will regain the strength and elasticity of muscles while losing weight.
Avoid Processed Foods
Processed food consists of different substances and chemicals that are not completely healthy for the body. Several times, we are unknowingly eating extra sugar of fats. Reading the labels of the products before eating is a good idea to know the ingredients, we are putting in our bodies.
Additionally, when breastfeeding your baby, you will be providing the baby with better and quality milk since our body absorbs everything we eat. The more natural food we eat, the more quality nutrients we will get for the body.
Find Motivation
When you try to improve your habits, it is common that soon after you start, you give up. It is essential to keep yourself motivated during the process to keep consistent and follow the new habit of exercise and eating. After having a baby, it is easy for your care and attention to be focused on the new baby. However, you should remember that your health is also important. Find a motivation like a dress you like to wear.
Be Patient
Not watching your result in a short time is one of the reasons for getting difficulty to lose weight after a C-section. Note that gaining weight takes some time, losing it also takes time. Take your time and continue your own pace. Enjoy each meal and workout routine to see your desired result for healthy weight loss.
Sleep Well
Good sleep is important for good health. When you have a child, your physical activity increases more, and you get tired more. Therefore, complete sleep is necessary to relax. However, getting your body back after a c-section needs you to get enough sleep.
Stress and sleep deprivation can lead to weight gain. Stress raises cortisol levels which can impact metabolism.
As a new mom, you should be sleeping for eight hours each night if you would like to remove the fat after a C-section delivery.
Another thing is you cannot sleep whenever you want, so sleep when your baby sleep. Babies have short naps, which is also your benefit to sleep in between your daily activities.
If you find difficulty to manage your sleep and activities, then do not hesitate to take help from family and friends.
Use Supplements
Using supplements for weight loss helps to manage other weight loss methods to improve results. Weight loss supplements work by different meals. Some may lower your appetite while others enhance metabolism.
CBD, famous for pain relief, is also getting some attention as a weight loss supplement. Studies indicate the potential of CBD for weight loss. Before trying other supplements or CBD to lose weight after a C- Section you need to take your physician’s advice. It is especially essential if you are breastfeeding because there is a slight chance of getting components of pills in milk.
Using weight loss supplements after a C-section should not cause you a sudden drop of 10 pounds in the first week. Make sure you also do not get sudden weight loss, healthy weight management is necessary under your physician’s guidance.
The right weight loss supplements should balance your other methods.
In How Much Time Will Belly Shrink After C-Section?
After baby birth, you might still like pregnant for some weeks. Your stomach size remains the same because of fat buildup, uterus size, and fluid. For the next few weeks, your body should start removing the extra fluids. Your uterus should also start to get back to its normal size, and this may take 6-8 weeks.
Therefore, you should see your belly shrinking gradually. Your uterus may require around eight weeks to get back to its normal size.
Fat deposits removal from your belly after your C-section needs your attention. Dieting, workout, and using supplements can help with weight loss. You can also try different ways to lower belly fat, like postnatal massage and belly binding. Postnatal massage helps to break down fluids from lymph nodes. As your lymphatic system drains the fluids out, you may start to see the flatter belly.
A postpartum belt helps to support your abdominal muscles and helps to shrink your stomach. However, take your physician’s advice before using a postpartum belt or postnatal massage.
Getting a flat belly after having a C-section delivery is necessary. Pregnancy takes 40 weeks to change your complete body. Therefore, do not expect to get a flat belly in less time. Keep doing your hard work and follow expert tips, and you will surely see results.
Calorie Deficit
It is one of the important factors for weight loss. It is basic science. If you eat more calories than you need, your body will store extra fat. Therefore, you will gain weight. If you take fewer calories than your daily requirements, your body keeps storing fat to fuel body functions.
However, do not lower your everyday calorie intake to reach a risky level after a C- Section. As a new mother, you need to consume healthy food to produce nutritious milk for the baby. Getting the proper nutrition is also necessary for the body to heal after a C-section.
Extremely restricted diets are not suitable for you, especially at this time. If you starve to reduce weight after getting C-section, you could end up gaining more weight.
Starvation diets can lead to binge eating afterward. You are also trying to cheat your diets that are too limited. The best way to help you keep up with your caloric deficit diet is to keep more fiber-rich choices on your plate. Like that way you still get full later.
A calorie deficit regime will not benefit to lower belly fat after a C-section. Changing to a healthy diet will not make your body store fat in a specific body part. Still, as the diet encourages you with normal weight loss, you will start to see improvements in your belly.
Physical Activity After A C-Section
Physical activity is the biggest change other than having a baby. Here are the guidelines to heal the body quickly after c section.
Do:
• Take your time and bond with your baby.
• Take rest when you are tired.
• Do walking every day. Walking helps to stop blood clots and constipation.
• Hold a pillow on your incision when you need to laugh or cough.
• Shower normally.
• Take lactation consultant advice if you get difficulty breastfeeding.
Don’t
• Avoid lifting something heavier than your baby.
• Use douche or tampons until you get the permission of your doctor.
• Take baths till your incision gets healed and postpartum bleeding gets stopped.
• Don does not do rigorous activities and core muscles activities till your doctor tells you.
• Don does not do sex until your doctor says you can do it.
• Avoid hesitating to take help from family and friends to care, baby, when you take nap or during laundry.
• Don’t take stairs repeatedly.
• Don’t soak yourself in hot tubs or public pools.
Takeaways
Many females struggle for weight loss after delivery and after C-section, it is harder for their health reasons. The best piece of suggestion is about developing healthier habits to manage weight goals, and it involves knowing what your body requires to heal and nurture your new baby.