Although exercise alone will not help you shed baby weight, abdominal exercises can help you tone up and tighten your belly, which can give it a flatter, trimmer appearance. To shed the baby pounds and tone your belly, follow a sensible diet and combine abdominal toning exercises with a workout plan that includes at least 90 minutes a week -- 30 minutes a day, 3 times a week -- of aerobic exercise, such as walking or running. Check with your doctor before starting an exercise plan to make sure it is safe and appropriate for you.
Bridge
Exercises that target your core -- the muscles around your trunk and pelvis -- work your transverse abdominals to give your stomach a flatter appearance. The transverse muscles lie horizontally and help keep your organs in place by putting pressure on your abdomen. To form the bridge, lie on your back with your knees bent. Tighten your abs, raise your hips off the floor and align them with your knees and shoulders. Hold the move for three breaths, then relax and repeat.
Head and Shoulder Lifts
The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists -- ACOG -- recommends starting with head lifts, then advancing to shoulder lifts as your abdominals grow stronger. To do head lifts, lie on your back and gently bend your knees. Slowly raise your head off the floor while exhaling. Inhale and lower your head back to the floor. When you can do 10 head lifts with ease, proceed to shoulder lifts in which you lift your head and shoulders off the floor while reaching with your arms.
Pelvic Tilts
Do three sets of 15 repetitions of pelvic tilts each day to strengthen all of your abdominal muscles, including the transverse ones. Lie on your back with your back pressed firmly against the floor. Bend your knees and keep your feet on the floor. Lift your pelvis and hold it for 5 to 10 seconds before lowering it back to the floor. You can also try the kneeling variation -- get down on your hands and knees, press your belly button toward your spine and hold it there for three counts.
Oblique Crunches
Lisa Stone, an ACE-certified Pre-and Post-Natal Fitness Instructor, tells the She Knows Pregnancy & Baby website, that working your obliques -- the muscles that sit on each side of your abs and help you turn your torso from side to side -- is essential to toning post-baby flab and creating a shapely waist. To work your obliques, lie back on the floor with your knees slightly bent. Place a hand behind each ear, so that your chin faces the ceiling and your elbows point out to the sides. Press your lower back into the floor, take a deep breath, then exhale while lifting your right shoulder blade diagonally toward your left knee. Return to the initial position, then repeat on the other side. Try eight to 12 repetitions at first, then increase it to three sets of 12.
References
- Babycenter: Abs and More: Exercises for the First 4 Weeks and Beyond
- Pregnancy-info.net: How To Get A Flat Tummy: Stomach Exercises that Work!
- American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists: Getting In Shape After Your Baby is Born
- MayoClinic.com: Exercise After Pregnancy: How to Get Started
- Pregnancy and Baby: Abdominal Exercises After a C-Section
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