Do You Still Look Pregnant After Childbirth?

Postnatal

oi-Anwesha

By Anwesha Barari

Monday, February 20, 2012, 9:06

Are you still looking pregnant after delivering the baby and are losing your nerves over it? Our suggestion is, don't because it is perfectly normal to have a belly after pregnancy that makes you look at least 5 to 6 months pregnant. If you are expecting you abs to fall flat again just as soon as your baby is born then you will be disappointed. There are many reasons for this and they are not all because you have accumulated lots of post pregnancy fat.

Here are some of the reasons why you still look pregnant after childbirth so that you cope better with your body changes after pregnancy.

Reasons Why You Still Look Pregnant?

1. Water Weight: This constitutes at least 50 to 60 percent of your belly after pregnancy. You are not only rounded but strangely bloated. When you are pregnant you body retains unbelievable amounts of water due to hormonal changes. Now all this water does not come out when your water breaks and the baby comes out with the amniotic fluid. The good news however is that you need not do anything about your water weight; it will be excreted from your body via sweat and frequent urination.

2. Your Inflated Uterus: It is true that a woman's womb is elastic but it is not a balloon that can be popped in an instant. When your baby is born, the analogy could be that of deflating a punctured tire; the air slowly but steadily leaks out of it. It you are still looking pregnant then it is because your uterus that has stretched itself to the maximum limits over the last 9 months is yet to recover.

3. Will It Ever Deflate? Of course it will. The uterus takes at least 4-6 weeks to shrink back to it's original size. It is never going to like a girl's uterus again (it will loosen up a bit) but otherwise it will be of manageable size.

4. Lost Weight Not Inches: It is very normal for you to feel that you are only loosing weight and not inches as the weeks pass by. But be patient because weight loos and getting into shape post pregnancy is not the same thing. You will lose at least 10 pounds as soon as the baby is born but that will not affect your belly after pregnancy much. What is left after losing a water weight 8 weeks after childbirth is the real post pregnancy fat you have to work on losing.

5. Post C Section Belly: If you have had a caesarian delivery then it is a little more difficult to lose the belly. You cannot go for strenuous ab exercises for at least 6 months in your post natal care period. It will take you about a year to get back in shape.

If you still look pregnant after your delivery so not be impatient; just work on these areas.