Pregnancy changes your body in nearly as many ways as it changes your life. One of the most common complaints of women who give birth is a small pouch of persistent loose skin that seems to hang around even after her body returns back to its normal shape. For some women, time will take care of this condition. For others, conscientious effort will help reign it in. Still, for those with severely stretched skin, surgery might be the best option. While loose skin may be unsightly to you, it's normal and won't effect your overall health.
Step 1
Strengthen and tone your abdominal muscles by engaging in simple exercises such as pelvic tilts, leg lifts and kegels to strengthen these muscles while still allowing tissues to heal, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Perform these exercises once you've been cleared by your doctor to begin exercising. Perform a few sets of abdominal strengthening exercises up to three times per day.
Step 2
Perform 30 to 60 minutes of low impact exercise each day. Swim, walk or cycle to increase physical activity and burn fat without over-taxing your body, according to the American Pregnancy Association. This will help you lose excess belly fat, which can deposit itself in skin folds and make lose skin seem worse.
Step 3
Eat a healthy diet that includes foods rich in vitamins and minerals such as vitamin C and vitamin E, which contribute to skin's health and elasticity according to the Cleveland Clinic. Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins, which are abundant in these nutrients. Avoid processed foods, excess added sugars and foods high in saturated fat. Drink at least eight glasses of water to keep skin hydrated and supple rather than dry and deflated. Consume no less than 1800 calories per day if you're breastfeeding to protect your milk supply according to La Leche League International.
Step 4
Consider medical treatment for lose skin such as plastic surgery, especially if you've given birth to multiples and have a lot of excess skin. Wait until your body heals rather than have plastic surgery at the time of your delivery, according to fitness experts at MSNBC.
Tips and Warnings
- Give it time. It takes up to six weeks for your uterus to to shrink back to its regular size, according to Baby Center. It also takes stretched skin time to shrink back. The rate this occurs is different for each women and depends on how much the skin stretches and how healthy the woman is before, during and after pregnancy. What you may perceive as loose skin could also be lax muscle tissue. Pregnancy stretches and weakens these muscles. Toning and tightening them can help pull abdominal muscles in and upward, reducing the look of sagging skin.
References
- The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists: Getting in Shape After Your Baby is Born
- Baby Center: Body Changes after Childbirth
- Cleveland Clinic: Coping with Physical Changes and Discomforts During Pregnancy
- MSNBC: Battling the Post-baby Bulge
- La Leche League International: Weight Loss While Breastfeeding
