By Julie Watson

In just about every class and every one on one session I do with a postpartum Mom, I get asked how to get rid of the baby belly.  Sometimes moms will grab their little “C-section sack” and show me what needs to be trimmed and toned, other times moms will ask about the “inner tube” they feel they have acquired since pregnancy.  And then there are the moms, who have a fairly flat stomach, but still feel their mid-section needs work. 

The point is that as a woman, I think we are all very conscious of our bellies, and what shape they have taken on since giving birth, regardless of how big or small.  I have many tips to help flatten your tummy (see afterglowtoronto.com/blog for 7 tips to flatten your tummy), but I also have some advice that has nothing to do with a crunch, yoga, or holding it in.

Perspective. 

Here are a few things to consider before judging yourself, and your baby belly that the magazine’s, moviestars, and modern society don’t talk about:

1.  How old is your baby?  Are you two months postpartum?  Three, four, five or six? Did you know that it takes up to a YEAR for all your bits to return to their natural habitat?  That’s right!  Hips, organs and the like have all been displaced in order to carry your bundle.  So give it time before you get that tummy tuck because your body needs to re-jig itself, and what it needs most is TIME.

2.  Are you breastfeeding?  This can go one of two ways.  Most women tend to hang on to extra fat during breastfeeding for how long?  Wait for it…until they stop breastfeeding!  For some that could be over a year.  So pull out the perspective and give yourself a break.  You will only feed your baby from your breast for this amount of time ONCE in his lifetime.  Stop and smell the roses, it will be over before you know it. The other side of the coin is that you lose weight while you breastfeed.  It’s not as common but congratulations if this is you… you may find that at some point you plateau, so know that this is totally normal.

3.  Another bit of perspective right here is exactly that… it is totally NORMAL.  Think about it.  You have just carried around a big ole baby in your belly for 10 months.  Imagine what that does to your body parts? Perhaps before having that baby you should come to the understanding that your skin will stretch, your muscles will change, and your six-pack may never be the same.  That said, it is totally possible to regain all of your belly strength.  Just give it time.  Did I say 10 months?

4.  Are you sleeping?  Lack of sleep and stress hold onto belly fat.  You may not be able to do anything about this until your baby gets older, so once again take it in stride.  It won’t last forever.

5.  Expectations can drive a person mad.  Seriously mad.  It is unrealistic to expect that after pumping out a baby (or two or three) that your body will just sink back to your 20-year-old self, no issues.  Now if you happen to be one of those women who’s bodies do the miraculous transformation to “skinny bitch”, then consider yourself lucky but one of the very few.  It is not as common to see that, and do you know why?  Because it’s not a part of the process.   You may always have that womanly curve – which by the way, used to be the sexiest part of a woman.  Where did we go wrong? Or slightly wider hips.  The sooner you accept it, the sooner it will disappear.

6.  You are not a movie star.

Embrace this process and this part of your life.  Your body has provided your babies a safe and healthy place to start, your body did the unthinkable, and pushed, shoved, or c-sectioned your baby to life.  Your body fed your baby, carried your baby and probably rocked, played with and slept with your baby. 

Be proud of what you are capable of, and the uber-power you have performed.  But most of all, have some perspective on this completely natural and transitional time in your life.  And give yourself a break.  You look great, and so does your tummy!

Julie Watson is the owner of AfterGlow Health & Fitness in Toronto, for prenatal, postnatal and beyond. When not training, speaking, or writing about Moms & Babes, she apparently spends too much time on her computer, and does her best to listen to her 3 kids. Not necessarily in that order.