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Ways to effectively remove sagging belly after childbirth: exercises, hoop, bandage
Last reviewed: 04.07.2025

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After the successful birth of a healthy baby, every woman decides how to restore her figure, in other words, how to remove the belly after childbirth. After all, it is the stretched belly that shows all the consequences of carrying and giving birth to a child. The problem is not solved by magic, but in a natural way, but a woman can speed up the recovery if she wants.
How to remove belly fat after childbirth at home
Getting back into shape is an individual matter: some people manage to do it faster, while others need more time and effort. But every woman in labor can try to remove her belly after childbirth at home.
The speed of return depends on several factors:
- age;
- body type;
- pre-birth weight;
- weight and activity during pregnancy;
- genetic predisposition of the organism.
Sometimes this process takes up to a year. Only for the uterus to shrink to its previous size it takes about a month, sometimes more. After a cesarean section the process is slower: from 2 to 2.5 months. And only after that is it allowed to perform actions aimed at normalizing the figure.
There are two main directions of action to remove belly fat after childbirth:
- special exercises;
- healthy eating.
It should be clarified that postpartum exercises are no different from those aimed at eliminating a hanging belly in general. Experts offer a whole system of exercises, such as pelvic and back lifts while lying down, crunches, holding the body, squats against the wall, bending and unbending the knees, pulling in the stomach, etc. These are simple but effective exercises for doing at home.
But activity is only half the battle, and according to some information, only 30%. The remaining 70% of the guarantee on how to remove the belly after childbirth at home depends on proper nutrition.
The principle is simple - to spend more calories than you consume. Thus, the body, which requires energy, will be forced to spend fat from reserves, reducing their size. Which, of course, will lead to weight loss and a smaller belly. Another piece of advice is to avoid empty calories, that is, simple carbohydrates and harmful fats. They are found in processed foods, sweets, pastries, ice cream.
By the way, breastfeeding also actively promotes the burning of calories: firstly, their number decreases daily by about 500 units, secondly, during feeding the hormone oxytocin is released, which stimulates contractions of the uterus. And this, in turn, helps to return the reproductive organ to its original form.
A good help in solving the problem of how to remove the belly after childbirth at home are everyday activities: walking with a baby carriage, moving and doing housework, walking up the stairs. When taking a shower, it is useful to rub the belly with cold water: first along the waist line, then in circular motions.
How to lose weight after childbirth and remove belly fat?
The figure is restored faster in the following cases:
- in younger women;
- in primiparous women;
- if the woman is breastfeeding;
- if no more than 13 kg was gained during pregnancy.
If a woman is interested in how to lose weight after childbirth and get rid of her belly, she has a lot of information on this topic, from recommendations from qualified specialists to practical advice from other women in labor, which many willingly share on forums. Unfortunately, sometimes the belly sticks out even when the weight has returned to normal. Why?
It turns out that as a result of hormonal changes, fat deposits are distributed unevenly throughout the body. Especially a lot of fat accumulates on the stomach - to protect the fetus from external factors. Therefore, even thin-looking women after childbirth can have disproportionately large, in their opinion, hips, buttocks, stomach. Which makes them actively solve the problem of how to remove the stomach after childbirth.
To get rid of excess fat, complex measures are needed, in particular:
- physical activity;
- proper diet;
- drink plenty of fluids;
- rational distribution of meals and quantities;
- special exercises;
- prolonged breastfeeding.
By using such tools, a woman will be able to reduce the fat layer in problem areas and strengthen the abdominal muscles, giving them the desired shape. It is considered normal if the abdominal wall protrudes minimally, and the stomach looks flat.
How to remove stretch marks on the stomach after childbirth?
The problem of how to remove stretch marks on the stomach after childbirth should be approached comprehensively. Unfortunately, they do not disappear quickly. You need to act gradually, in the following directions:
- get rid of excess weight;
- improve blood circulation in the problem area;
- remove toxins and other harmful substances;
- stimulate skin elasticity;
- saturate cells with oxygen, water, vitamins;
- be physically active;
- pay attention to your diet and menu.
Is it possible, and how to remove the belly after childbirth without using expensive procedures? Several tips will help a woman in independently solving the issue.
A useful manipulation for stretch marks is an aromatic massage of the abdomen. You need to rub olive, castor, avocado, almond oils or an oil solution of vitamin E into the skin.
Eggs actively saturate the skin with protein. The procedure is simple: apply a beaten egg to the stretch mark area, wrap in cellophane and a warm towel, leave for 30 minutes and rinse.
Combinations of plant and animal ingredients, such as a mixture of Aloe Vera gel and cod liver oil, applied to stretched skin, reduce stretch marks.
Physical exercise is an essential part of the measures to reduce belly fat and stretch marks. If possible, special target exercises for problem areas are recommended.
Nutrition plays an important role in eliminating stretch marks. Nutrition, not starvation or strict diets. It should be rational, balanced and complete, especially while the mother continues to breastfeed the child. The menu should include vegetable, fish and meat dishes, fruit desserts, cereals, berries. They saturate the mother's body with nutrients and vitamins that are very necessary for the mother's body.
How to remove belly fat and sides after childbirth?
The question of how to remove belly and sides after childbirth is resolved quite individually. To eliminate the problem, time, activity and patience of the woman herself, as well as healthy nutrition are required.
Various auxiliary actions are also quite effective. For example, massages help many. How to remove the belly after childbirth by massaging? Here are some methods:
- Water massage
Conducted simultaneously with hygienic procedures using cool water. The stream, changing the pressure, is moved in a circle, massaging the stretched abdomen. The procedure charges with energy, tones the skin.
- Pinching massage
Perform lying on your back. Lubricated skin is pinched, moving in a circle and increasing intensity. Then reddened skin is rubbed with a terry towel in the same circles. Cream or massage oil is used.
- Self-massage
Conducted before gymnastics, to relax the muscles. Use the technique of lightly tapping with fingers. Perform with effort, vigorously, but do not press on the stomach. As in the previous cases, move clockwise. Finally, massage the relaxed lower abdomen with the edges of the palms, bringing it into oscillatory movements.
- Honey massage
One of the most effective methods. Apply honey with essential oil to your palms and massage and pat the skin on your stomach and thighs. As you rub, the honey sticks and creates a vacuum effect. A substance consisting of toxins appears on your skin. The procedure lasts up to 15 minutes, and you need to wash your hands during the process. After the procedure, you should wash off any remaining honey and dirt that has been released.
Ways to remove belly fat after childbirth
It happens that a woman's body and organism return to normal without much effort on her part and painful thoughts on the topic: how to remove belly fat after childbirth? It also happens the other way around, when the belly looks "pregnant" due to a combination of reasons, such as an unstable emotional state, overeating, diastasis and stretching of the abdominal muscles, insufficient physical activity.
In this case, the woman inevitably begins to look for ways to remove the belly after childbirth. It is important to know that there is no need to rush and that active struggle with the problem, in particular, with the help of sports exercises, can only begin after the uterus has been restored and after consulting with a doctor. The doctor's advice is especially important if a cesarean section was performed.
There are plenty of such methods: from affordable home methods to expensive surgical ones. Each woman in labor can choose the option that suits her best:
- strengthening exercises;
- use of a hoop;
- wearing a bandage;
- massaging;
- wraps;
- cosmetic procedures;
- plastic surgery.
Exercises to remove belly fat after childbirth
The problem of how to remove the belly after childbirth is not new, and to solve it you do not need to reinvent the wheel. Everything has already been invented and developed much earlier. The effectiveness of regular exercises to remove the belly after childbirth has been proven in practice. You need to start exercising after the uterine muscles have contracted to their pre-birth size, that is, not earlier than 3-4 weeks after the birth of the child.
- Pelvic lift while lying on your back. Using muscle tension, lift your pelvis for 10 seconds. Repeat 10 times.
- Crunches. In a lying position, bend your legs and cross your arms over your chest. Using your abdominal muscles, exhale to bring your upper body to your knees. Return back after the peak contraction. Do not lift your back off the floor so that your abs work, not your back. Two sets of 20 repetitions are recommended.
- Back raises. Similar to crunches, but with a greater amplitude. Performed on your back, with your arms crossed. You need to tuck your legs under something heavy and stationary (a sofa, a closet) and lift your torso off the floor, trying to rise. Exhale as you contract. You can start with three sets of 10 reps, then increase the frequency.
- Keeping the body in a static position. Lying on your stomach, rest your forearms and feet on the floor. Fix the body for 30 seconds. It is advisable to do three approaches. The exercise is effective for the press.
- Squats. Do them near a wall, pressing your back against it. Feet shoulder-width apart. Step forward, "slide down the wall" until your thighs are parallel to the floor, and then move up without using your hands. Two sets of 15 repetitions have a complex effect on the muscles of your legs, buttocks, and abs.
There are also other exercise programs that help women get into shape and lose belly fat after childbirth. However, overly intense workouts and overloads are not recommended, as they can have a negative impact on the health of both mother and child.
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Application of the bandage
Some women wear a bandage during pregnancy and then continue to wear it, this is how they solve the problem of how to remove the belly after childbirth. It helps the uterine muscles to contract faster, as a result of which the belly decreases. The bandage can be worn from the second day after the release from the burden.
In any case, it is better to buy a bandage in advance, since with the birth of the baby, the mother will not have time for it. The choice and use of a bandage is individual, but some advice will be useful for young mothers.
- A universal bandage-belt, wide on the back and somewhat narrower on the stomach, suitable after natural childbirth. It does not cover the female organs, does not prevent the free exit of postpartum discharge.
- After a cesarean section, postoperative bandage panties perform their functions better. They tighten the stomach, make walking easier, and reduce the load on the back when caring for the child.
Although you can find completely opposite recommendations on the Internet. The belt is recommended after a cesarean section, for tight support of the abdominal muscles, and panties - for better support of the uterus.
The device works differently in different cases. And this is not surprising, because there are individual skin characteristics, and the situations of women in labor are also different. So, after surgery, the bandage is worn longer than after normal childbirth. All this once again shows that in each specific case, you need to consult with specialists.
To make sure whether the bandage helps to remove the belly, doctors advise wearing it for two to three weeks and see if the result is visible. If yes, then continue, if not, perhaps this is not your way to get back to normal after childbirth.
The bandage is put on in a lying position, worn from four to 12 hours daily. It is always taken off at night. Check that it is not too tight by inserting the index finger between the device and the skin.
There are also contraindications for wearing a bandage: these include diseases of the digestive tract, edema, and inflammation of postoperative sutures.
Removing belly fat after childbirth with a hoop
One of the most accessible methods of how to remove the belly after childbirth is a hula hoop. During exercises with this equipment, the muscles of the waist, buttocks and sides are involved, which helps a woman quickly regain slimness and restore flexibility to the body.
How to remove belly fat after childbirth with a hoop? First, you need to choose the right hoop, as products differ in materials, weight, functions:
- a regular hoop is lightweight and made of aluminum or plastic;
- folding – made of plastic, when disassembled it is easy to store and transport, for example, in a bag;
- weighted - with filler inside, weighs from 0.5 to 2 kg; significantly more effective than usual;
- massage hula hoop; the most popular – burns fat and massages problem areas; there are several modifications;
- with counter: controls the load and the number of calories burned.
When choosing a hoop, you should follow the advice of experts, pay attention to your well-being and level of physical fitness. The hula hoop with massage functions provides the maximum effect.
Beginners only need five minutes of spinning a light hoop a day, gradually increasing the time to 30, and then to 45 minutes, changing the hoop to a massage one. It is important to give the body a chance to get used to the loads, after which the first results will appear. After a month of persistent training, the muscles tighten up, up to 4 kg of weight is eliminated.
Exercises with a hoop are not recommended for everyone. Thus, it is absolutely forbidden to spin a hoop in the first months after childbirth, in case of diseases of the uterus, spine, some internal organs. Such exercises are also not recommended during pregnancy.
How to effectively remove belly fat after childbirth?
You can learn how to effectively remove belly fat after childbirth from experts and women who have tried their recommendations on themselves. We offer one of the easy ways to remove belly fat after childbirth.
The main exercise is pumping up the abs. It should be done daily, morning and evening, and qualitatively, without pauses, warming up the muscles beforehand. When starting classes, it is important to set yourself up for the result, that is, to work purposefully and persistently.
During the exercises, be sure to monitor your breathing: tense your muscles as you inhale and exhale, without relaxing your stomach. It is recommended to eat no later than half an hour before the gymnastics. Exercises for the press:
- 1. Feet together, hands on hips. Squat with inhalation and inflation of the stomach.
- 2. Straightening: arms at shoulder level, strong exhalation with drawing in the stomach.
- 3. Starting position: lying on your back, hands behind your head. As you exhale, lift your shoulder blades and pull in your stomach.
- 4. Sit on the bench, then lie down. Put your hands behind your back and pull your legs up to your stomach.
Each exercise is repeated at least ten times. A noticeable effect is visible after a month of regular exercise. The effect is enhanced by parallel massaging in one of the ways described above.
How to remove belly fat after two births?
The main thing in the method of how to remove the belly after two births is regularity. It is much more effective to perform physical activities daily for several minutes than on Sundays for an entire hour. It is even better to do it twice a day, carving out free minutes in the intense mode of caring for a baby. This is not easy, especially if the older child is still small. In this case, the woman will really need the help of relatives or friends.
As after the first child, to restore your figure on your own, you need to use two tools: physical activity and an appropriate diet. There are also little secrets. Even our grandmothers knew how to remove the belly after childbirth, and for this they tied their bellies with diapers or scarves. Today, stores and pharmacies sell special underwear designed for this purpose. The effect is usually noticeable very soon, even before you can start physical exercise.
If you can't exercise regularly according to the recommended schemes, and the problem doesn't go away, you can do the so-called invisible exercises, that is, train your abs "on the go", in between things - while walking outside, relaxing with your children, or just moving around the house. If possible, swimming is very useful.
- Abdominal gymnastics: without anyone noticing, draw in (as you exhale) and relax (as you inhale) your abdominal wall.
- While swimming in a pool or pond, “make a wave” with your hands up and down, feeling the movement of the water with your skin.
- Holding onto the side of the pool, alternately pull your legs up to your chest, then straighten them sharply.
- Develop the habit of walking with your stomach pulled in.
- During the shower, rub your waist with the removable attachment: in a circle clockwise, then left and right. The water should be cool.
Nutrition should be complete, but without excesses. An approximate menu that will help you lose belly fat after two births:
- cottage cheese, cheese, milk, yogurt, kefir – eat two servings daily;
- fish, lean meat, eggs, nuts – 2-3 servings;
- vegetable dishes – 3-5 servings;
- fruits – 2-4 servings;
- cereals and bread – 5-10 servings.
How to remove belly fat after childbirth without exercise?
In the method of how to remove the belly after childbirth without exercise, nutrition comes first. Products and dishes that cause intestinal slagging, bloating and accumulation of fat reserves should be ruthlessly thrown out of the diet. Here are these products:
- potato;
- white bread;
- smoked products;
- cakes;
- flour sweets.
An effective folk method for removing a belly after childbirth, enlarged due to excessive gas formation, is taking medicinal decoctions. Traditional plants are used for this purpose - caraway, anise, fennel. Natural laxatives are also useful for cleansing the intestines of toxins and poisons.
External methods of removing belly fat after childbirth have also proven their effectiveness – massages and compresses. A simple massage is performed clockwise. Honey is also used for massage, applying it to the massaged surface. At the same time, a honey solution (a teaspoon per glass of warm water, with the addition of lemon juice) is taken internally on an empty stomach. The drink removes toxins, improves immunity, and stimulates the release of bile.
A tried and tested and fast-acting method is to wrap your stomach with thick fabric, cover it with compress paper or polyethylene film. The procedure stimulates sweating and reduces the belly in the problem area. It can be combined with physical exercise.
However, a woman who has recently given birth is quite vulnerable to adverse factors, so she should first agree on such actions with her doctor.
Removing belly fat after childbirth surgically
Plastic surgery works wonders, and many women, despite all possible risks, turn to specialists to remove their belly after childbirth surgically. This is not a cheap operation, but it is affordable for many. The official name is abdominoplasty.
The essence of the procedure is to remove stretch marks, excess fat and tighten the skin. The operation allows you to restore the proportions and desired contour of the abdominal wall. Abdominoplasty is considered a serious operation, lasts up to 4 hours, so its implementation should be entrusted to a qualified and experienced specialist.
Surgical tummy tuck is performed no earlier than six months after childbirth, after lactation has ended, for the following indications:
- prolapse of the anterior abdominal wall;
- excessive accumulation of fat;
- stretching of the abdominal wall and divergence of the rectus muscles
- postoperative scars in this area.
Without going into details, let's focus on the result of the operation. It can be objectively assessed only after a year. During this time, it is necessary to regularly visit the clinic and follow the recommendations of the plastic surgeon.
Abdominoplasty is contraindicated in diabetes, severe obesity, heart and lung failure, and scars above the navel. It is not recommended to have a tummy tuck if a woman plans to become pregnant again soon.
There are quite a few ways to get rid of belly fat after childbirth. If you find "your own", the problem will be solved. But it is good for a woman to know and feel that she remains loved and desired under any circumstances. And loved ones are always beautiful.