Losing my baby belly - what should I do and what's a reasonable timescale to do it in?

[Miaou]

OK, it's only 2.5 weeks since I had ds, but I am keen to make a start on shifting my baby belly. I haven't put weight on anywhere else, fortunately, but my stomach is still huge and I'm still in maternity clothes. I'm usually a size 10 but guess my stomach makes me around a size 16 atm!

So... what do I need to do to get rid of it? And how long, realistically, will it take? Any ideas welcome!

I found after about 6 weeks it started to look a bit more normal again !!
Still need to do lots of muscle toning exercises though to get it flat though !

i lost all my weight (and more!) by doing weight watchers. and i had most of my weight around my tummy. i didnt go to any of the classes, i just did the 'at home' thingy, where you call them up, send a cheque for £50 and you get everything you need to do ww for a few months, you do it all yourself (req a lot of willpower, but none of the classes nonsense)

would highly recommend it, you get recipe books and everything

Pilates

bloody hell, 3 years on and I'm still wondering how to do it!!

It's been nearly 2 years for me, and I still have the weight all-around. Everyone here will probably tell you to focus on sit-ups if your focus is the belly. There was a good thread on this the other day with links on proper sit-ups to attack the lower abdominal area. I sound very knowledgeable, but to look at me, you'd think I'd never done a sit-up in my life. . .

Oh - and your doctor will probably tell you not to even think about exercise until 6 weeks after birth. Just focus on your little one and congratulations.

I couldn't sit around for six weeks! I'm climbing the walls already and can't wait to start swimming again!!! (got a uterine infection though so I can't go yet ). My diet's pretty healthy and I'm breastfeeding atm so that side of things is probably ok.

So - abdominal exercises. Sit ups? Anything else? I'll have a look for that link now...

If you're desparate for physical activity, I would suggest walks until 6 weeks - then you can swim again, which is great also for the abs.

What you have now is not what you will be left with. As each week passes it will get better. I found running was the best thing to tone me up. Sit ups will help.

I thing tummys after having baby's are always a bit 'fluidy' and never as toned as before.

Thanks almost40 - just waiting for buggy to be delivered then I shall be off

We were hoping to manage for the first three months with just a sling but my back is too bad unfortunately (getting old!!)

Wouldn't do sit ups yet, but yes lots of walking/pram pushing and then sit ups after 6 weeks.

Absolutely northerner - I never really lost my "baby belly" after having dd2 6 years ago!! I'm not over-worried about it, but my style has changed and I wear clothes that are quite fitting now, instead of baggy things, so I'd quite like to be able to get back into them this time. And being a very impatient person I want to speed up the process! Certainly not looking to wear a bikini or crop top

Just healhtily and walk your baby a lot. I think Swimming and then a good sauna is good too! I lost my excess weight in a couple of months, but after 3 children I will never have a flat stomach and I can't say it worries me.