After nine months of going through all kinds physical changes and having shared your body with your baby, you might be anxious to get back in shape. Although it might be a while until you recover your pre-pregnancy figure (there are always exceptions), you can take some steps to be as healthy as possible at this time, which will help you get back to normal.

Getting your waistline back

Right after giving birth you will still look as if you were a few months pregnant. Besides experiencing fluid retention, the fact that your uterus hasn’t been able to get back to its normal size yet will make you look this way. After giving birth, your uterus will slowly but gradually contract, and go back to normal. Breastfeeding will aid the process because it secretes a hormone that helps the uterus contract and also avoids hemorrhages.

It will take about six weeks for your waistline to start looking like it did pre-pregnancy. The skin around your abdomen has stretched out during pregnancy and it will probably look flabby. Although you might be eager to start exercising, take it easy and start exercising moderately.

Eliminating fluids

Once your baby is born, a part of the weight you gained during pregnancy will disappear instantly with the baby, the placenta and the amniotic fluid. Nevertheless, the volume of fluids you have accumulated these months will take a few weeks to gradually be eliminated.

In these first days you will probably pee less frequently than before, but much more volume. Right after giving birth and especially if you have had a C-section, you might find it difficult to empty your bladder. If your baby was born by C-section they will leave a catheter in for a few hours and if you can’t urinate hours after the natural birth of your child, they will insert a catheter to help you urinate.

Make an effort to urinate frequently, although you might not feel like it, because if your bladder is too full, you will find it difficult to empty your bladder. Your kidneys are working overtime to filter all the fluids you have accumulated. In spite of that, keep hydrated to enable the elimination of fluids. As you gradually get rid of fluids you will feel less bloated and will be able to wear the clothes you wore before pregnancy.

Moderation and persistence

Gaining the appropriate weight for your baby’s development took you nine months. For this reason, consider that it will take you at least another nine months for everything to get back to normal. If you are aware that losing weight and getting toned will take a while, you will avoid yourself unnecessary anxiety.

On the other hand, being patient doesn’t mean forgetting your figure. Just as when you were pregnant, the right nutrition and exercise, as well as perseverance, are essential to get back in shape.

Also remember that if you have gained over what the baby, the placenta and the extra volume of blood weigh, those pounds accumulate in the form of fat, just like when we gain weight for other reasons. You will have to lose those pounds with the same patience and persistence as with any weight-loss program.