How One Happy Mom Got Back Her Pre-Baby Body

After your baby is born, life is an impossible whirlwind (especially if this is your first child). You’re frantically trying to finish up everything that’s asked of you each day – and that doesn’t leave a whole lot of time for self care. Every new mom is concerned about dropping their baby weight – but they don’t necessarily have the time, resources or information they need to make this a reality.

Need some extra help? You’re not alone. We’ve worked with many moms interested in getting back their pre-baby stomachs – and CoolSculpting has helped them make an incredible difference.

Read on to learn more about what you could gain from fat freezing, and to get the facts on exactly why it’s tough to bounce back to your old body after pregnancy.

Why Your Stomach Struggles Post-Pregnancy

Your abdominal tightness changes after you have a child. It’s typically not possible to achieve the same tone again in your muscles – for a few reasons:

• Muscles stretch – When you’re pregnant, your body has to accommodate your growing baby, and this is a lot to take on. Your muscles in the abdominal area stretch to allow your infant space to grow. After pregnancy, many women find that those muscles do not return to their original positions. They can remain somewhat separated, which makes it tough to get back a slim tummy.
• Loose skin follows – After your stomach has been stretched out for nine months, the skin in the area can struggle to snap back into its former position. This leads to skin laxity in the area and a saggy stomach.

Getting A Slim Stomach at Home

After your baby is born, it’s best to start working on your body at home when possible. If you were at a healthy weight before your pregnancy, and gained the recommended amount of weight during (usually between 25-35 pounds), you should be able to lose the weight in several months with healthy eating and exercise.

But if you were overweight prior to your pregnancy or gained more weight than expected during, your weight loss could take a lot longer – up to a year or more. And not losing the weight during this key period could become your new normal. Lingering post-baby weight has actually been associated with being overweight or obese later in life, which you want to avoid at all costs to ensure your longevity and future health.

Here’s where to start with your healthy home habits:

• Get the right nutrients – If you’re still breastfeeding, this is especially important – you want both you and your baby to get the nutrients your bodies crave for healthy development and ongoing wellness. Choose foods high in fiber to gain fullness and also get a wide range of vitamins. We’re talking fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and monounsaturated fats.
• Limit your portion sizes – Smaller portions help with weight loss – if it’s not presently on your plate, you’re much less likely to eat more than you need. Don’t undersize your portions – go for the recommended amounts of problematic foods, and get plenty of fresh produce.
• Keep junk food out of the house – The bad guys that you tend to go for in weak moments shouldn’t have a place in your fridge or pantry.
• Don’t try magic diets – If a diet sounds too good to be true, it definitely is. You’re likely to gain back any weight you lose after you get off the diet, and the diet isn’t sustainable in the long term.
• Start exercising soon after delivery – Unless your doctor says otherwise or you had a complicated delivery or C-section, it’s usually possible to start exercising soon after your delivery. Choose light exercises that feel comfortable and ask your doctor what they recommend. Choose exercises that will strengthen major muscles groups. Focus on your abdominal and back muscles and always stop if you experience pain. With many exercises, like walking, jogging or yoga, you can bring your baby along or have them next to you during your workout. Look for other mom exercise groups in your area to get some additional motivation!
• Drink plenty of water – Hydrating is always important, and in this transitional time for your body it’s a big help (and helps you feel fuller, too).

When CoolSculpting is the Right Step

Been trying diet and exercise and not seeing the results you’d like? Learning more about CoolSculpting is a great next step. Because fat freezing offers spot-specific fat reduction, you can target your efforts to your tummy to slim it down and get to a pre-baby place.

CoolSculpting patients need to be at a healthy weight with localized areas of fat in order to see good results from treatment, so it’s best a few months (or more) after pregnancy when you have already lost some of the baby weight.

If you’d like to learn more from our expert CoolSculpting team, schedule a free consultation so that we can evaluate your tummy, talk about your needs, and learn more about what you’re hoping to gain from treatment. We look forward to helping you get back to a confident shape!