For those of you that have had a baby

Canada
November 28, 2006 3:10am CST
How long did it take for your body to go back to normal? My daughter is 10 months old and I feel like I'm back to my normal weight, but my tummy still feels pretty flabby. I've worked out a ton. Is it just going to take time? Any exercises you can reccomend?
1 person likes this
10 responses
@Tanya8 (1733)
• Canada
1 Dec 06
I managed to get my body looking the same as it did pre-pregnancy, by changing the kinds of exercises I did. I got a Swiss ball, and I noticed a visible improvement after my first session with it. Something that made a dramatic difference in my tummy was doing an exercise you can do without the ball as well. Lie on the floor and put your legs up in the air, as though you are reaching for the ceiling with your feet. Suck in your abdominals and slowly raise your feet higher toward the ceiling. Try to do all the work with your abdominals, moving in a controlled way, and not using momentum to thrust up. I do a single set of 12 of these every three days, and it seems to be all I need to keep my stomach looking flatter. Another thing I recommend is eating a lot of vegetables, drinking a lot of water, and getting healthy fats like those found in olive oil and fish. They help your skin stay in good condition, which probably helps it bounce back to its former state.
• Canada
1 Dec 06
Thanks for the exercise tip! I'm going to try it right away. Here's hoping it works!
• United States
8 Jul 07
There's another version to the floor leg lift: sit on the edge of a chair, extend your legs, and slowly raise them as high as you can manage. Lower and repeat for ten reps, building to 20 over time. It's a reverse crunch and basically what it does is work your lower abs (the hardest place to tone). It's when your lower abs are soft that your tummy looks flabby. Bellydancing is also AMAZING for toning your core and boosting your selnse of self and womanly power. Also simple things like sitting up straight, sucking it in and relaxing repetitively (lol, it's just tensing your abs, strengthening them slightly), doing a lot of leg work, and taking the stairs will all contribute to your slimming down. If you're looking for overall body fat loss, leg lifts are the way to go: they burn far more calories than any other single workout alone, and you can never target a specific area in fat loss. Fat is shed evenly, so they say, lol. Try some of the things you liked to do as a kid. They're still fun! My son is nearly a year old, I weigh more (I got pregnant underweight), and I'm mainly muscle now, which means I can actually lift that sack of potatoes I call my son. Blessed Be
@triece (111)
• United States
2 Dec 06
I...have 3 babies...and when I started having them I weighed in at a whopping 103lbs...now I'm hovering around the 150's. I'm only 5'1, and although I must say I carry it well...it's not where I want to be. Hubby bought me a treadmill and I've been calorie counting, it seems to have started to work, I'll have to let you know.
• Canada
5 Dec 06
I'd love to get a treadmill or a stationary bike or something, but my appartment is to small. I don't really have time to go to the gym either. I've been trying to eat healthy and do simple exercise like situps and stuff, and I walk a ton.
@quink82001 (2938)
• United States
5 Dec 06
Well for me it has taken me 28 years LOL.I had my daughter 28 years ago and I still haven't got back in shape, I know its awful but I just haven't . I have tried to for many many years but I never get anywhere.
• United States
9 Dec 06
Cardio is going to be your best bet to buy fat. Also pilates is suppose to be great for you abs, you can look up some basic exercises on aol.com fitness and they also sell some pretty good books on it too.
@magnet (2087)
• United States
7 Jul 07
I lost all of my pregnancy weight in 4 weeks after I had the baby. I lost 30 pounds in 4 weeks.I did not work out to lose the weight. I nursed maybe that had something to do with it. Nursing burns a lot of calories. I also did not eat any sweets,and I used morton lite salt during that 4 week period, I did not drink anything but water which was 64 oz of water a day because I wanted to get back to my regular size. To tone my stomach, I held my stomach in all day and that made my stomach go back to normal.Walking is also good for toning up the belly.
• United States
5 Dec 06
I had a c-section. It took about 6 months for me to get down to my pre-pregnancy weight. I went on a soup and salad diet. I ran a crosstrainer every other day for a half hour.
@pammitch (465)
• Canada
4 Dec 06
I have a 6 1/2 month old I had a c-section (he was frank breech http://flipthatbaby.blogspot.com) I walked everyday when I was pregnant for an hour and I started to again 2 weeks after I had him. I felt like I did pre-pregnancy by about the second month after I had him. Walking really helps. You can clentch your tummy while you do it. I love getting outside and getting fresh air with my son.
• Brazil
1 Dec 06
My ex-girlfriend wasted an hour jogging daily, and did Yoga daily, and within 6 months she was back in from. Although she did gain bgger bust and better hips. Not something I'd complain ;-) Have a nice day!
• United States
29 Nov 06
Well I have a 4 year old daughter and I have not done any exercising and to be honest by tummy never went back to the orginal way. When I am done having kids tummytuck here i come...I guess I am just lazy!!!
• Australia
30 Nov 06
My daughter is 11 months, my weight is still 10 pounds heavier but I'm the same with the tummy! I guess it's just exercise?