10 Tips To Tighten Belly Skin After Pregnancy, Without Surgery

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While some women accept their postpartum body, others may look for ways to tighten belly skin after pregnancy. It is natural for the skin around the belly to loosen after pregnancy and appear saggy. But it usually shrinks back to its normal state due to uterine contractionⁱPeriodic tightening of the uterus muscles during childbirth or menstruation that occurs from hormonal fluctuations. Although it may take some time, with these useful tips and efforts, you will start to notice the original shape of your stomach. In this post, we have shared some effective tips to help you get tightened belly skin post-pregnancy.

Tips To Tighten Belly Skin After Pregnancy

The following ways might help in restoring and tightening loose stomach skin after pregnancy. However, they may not work the same way for all.

1. Eat healthy

Your skin requires nutrients to maintain its elasticity. Therefore, you need to take enough nutrients for the skin to remain resilient and soft. Have a balanced diet of fruits, vegetables, lean protein, and fats to promote elasticity and the tightening of the loose skin (1). Consuming a healthy diet may also help in a few more ways:

• Fruits and vegetables such as broccoli, spinach, and strawberries, contain vitamins A and C. Vitamin A can help prevent drying of the skin (2) while vitamin C helps produce collagenⁱA structural protein that helps build the connective tissue, skin, bones, and tendons and provides body flexibility that gives firmness to the skin (3).
• Almonds, sunflower seeds, and hazelnuts contain healthy fats. They also have vitamin E and antioxidants that help keep the skin healthy (4).
• Sweet limes, oranges, blackberries, strawberries, and raspberries promote collagen production that helps in tightening the skin. Vegetables such as lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, broccoli, carrots, beetroots, and bell pepper are also good sources of collagen.
• Zinc-rich foods, including pumpkin seeds, chickpeas, cashews, and mushrooms, also might help in tightening the skin (5).
• Protein-rich foods such as eggs, pulses, soy milk, sprouts, and quinoa may tone the muscles.

2. Exercise to lose weight gradually

Postnatal exercises are an excellent non-surgical option to help tighten saggy skin by strengthening the abdominal muscles. It helps you lose excess weight, tones stomach muscles and reshapes your body. Exercising also promotes circulation, which improves oxygen supply to the tissues and helps boost collagen and elastinⁱA protein found in the skin and other connective tissues that provides strength and elasticity to the body structures .

Your exercise regimen may include (6):

• Cardio exercises help tone the abdominal muscles by burning excess fat. For example, you may try brisk walking, jogging, bike riding, or swimming. But talk to your doctor about how soon you can start your tummy tuck exercises after your delivery.
• Strength training exercises strengthen and tone the muscles, which helps improve the skin’s elasticity and core strength. Cycling, crunches, and leg raises are some of them you may try.

Darian Healy, fitness instructor, and trainer, offers tips on selecting postpartum exercises. She advises choosing workouts that feel comfortable and enjoyable while supporting your postpartum lifestyle rather than adding stress (22).

Add variation to your exercise by either starting with cardio or strength training. Warm-up and stretch before you begin the workout. Try changing the exercise protocol every two weeks since you may get bored with the same workouts every day.

3. Practice breathing correctly

Before you participate in any exercise regimen or activity, correct your breathing rate. Breathe in deeply through your nose and let the air fill your lungs. Exhale slowly through the mouth to empty the lungs. The expansion and contraction of the belly through breathing may also work in tightening the loose skin.

Luca Williams, a blogger and mother, shares how a yoga technique helped her manage Diastasis Recti—a condition where the abdominal muscles separate, causing a bulge in the midsection, “I had Diastasis Recti, but I didn’t know it. I went to my NP, but she didn’t catch it, so I just kept thinking that I wasn’t doing enough exercise. Once I knew what was going on, I started to work with myself. The most important ‘exercise’ I did was a yoga move called Nauli- an abdominal and inner organ strengthener and toner. In just 5 minutes, my organs went home!!!  My pooch was reduced in half (I have witnesses). I also started exhaling my air out of my mouth slowly while gently bringing my belly towards my spine (ii).

4. Keep a healthy mind

Do not lose your calm if you are unable to tighten your belly skin. It takes time, and you need a healthy mind to focus on it. Involve yourself in activities that will keep you happy.

• Practice deep breathing and meditation
• Listen to your favorite music
• Play with your little one
• Have some outdoor activities such as gardening
• Utilize the baby’s sleep time to take a nap. A research study states that new mothers who slept for less than five hours a night are less likely to lose their post-baby weight and have also gained extra weight (7).

Focusing on your emotional and mental well-being will contribute to physical wellness that is essential to work on the loose belly skin. But you will require patience to attain the results.

5. Drink sufficient water

Adequate hydration helps promote and maintain the skin’s elasticity (8). Keep drinking water regularly throughout the day (9). It reduces water retention and burns calories, which can make the loose skin less noticeable. Using a moisturizer also contributes to the skin’s ability to tighten skin.

6. Breastfeed your baby

Breastfeeding is helpful for both you and your baby. A few studies show that breastfeeding might help a new mother lose a few extra calories a day (10). Some studies indicate that breastfeeding may also aid in reducing waist circumference (WC) in the years following pregnancy, promoting long-term maternal health. However, the extent of weight loss differs for everyone and depends on other factors like diet, activity level, and metabolism (25).

7. Exfoliate your skin

Exfoliation helps in removing dead cells and promotes new skin growth that will be healthier and tighter than the old skin. It is believed to improve the appearance of the skin. Use a loofahⁱA natural sponge used for exfoliating and cleansing the skin a sponge, or a bath brush to scrub your belly while taking a bath (11).

Some homemade exfoliating scrubs you may try:

• Combine one egg white with half a teaspoon of lemon juice and two tablespoons of sea salt. Mix well and massage onto your belly.
• Combine half a cup of oatmeal powder, two cups of sea salt and a few drops of olive oil and grape seed oil, and scrub on your belly.

8. Try belly wraps at spa

Getting a skin wrap at the spa may add firmness to the skin, but it is temporary. A spa wrap contains sea salt, powdered kelp, clay, algae, or nourishing oils. All of them detoxify the skin (12) and help in tightening it. However, ensure the ingredients are non-allergenic and safe for nursing women. If you’ve had a C-section, wait until you have fully healed before undergoing this treatment, and consult your doctor beforehand.

9. Go for a massage

Getting an abdominal massage can promote blood circulation. However, check with your doctor before including it in your routine. You may use olive oil to rub the tummy line since the oil contains antioxidants (13).

Recalling her postpartum period, Nikki Sky, a mother, and entrepreneur, says, “Another thing that I did after getting out of the hospital and also up until the 6th week of 7th week postpartum mark was daily tummy massages. I cannot tell you how important it is to make sure that you massage that area really, really well. It gets all of the fluids out, helps with inflammation, and helps with muscle recovery (i).”

10. Try body wraps for skin tightening

Postpartum abdominal binding is a time-tested method to tighten the belly skin after pregnancy. It involves wearing a flexible and wide abdominal belt around the belly to compress the abdomen. These wraps provide support to the belly and back muscles and improve posture. They also help restore the shape of the uterus quickly and aid in the realignment of the organs in their pre-pregnancy positions.

Belly wraps have been proven to help with abdominal healing after a cesarean section by improving blood flow, decreasing pain, and supporting post-operative mobility. However, the binding should not be too tight to restrict your breathing or cause blood clots and injuries around your waist. In addition, you should also go for natural plant-based materials like cotton for the band and avoid wearing the band while sleeping for prolonged periods, especially at night (14) (15).

How Long Does It Take To Tighten Belly Skin?

The speed and degree of belly tightening after delivery depend on various factors. For some, it might just take a few months, while for others, it may take longer. A few factors influencing this transition include:

• The size of the belly before conception
• The weight gain during pregnancy
• Activity levels during pregnancy
• Maternal bone structure and body shape
• Genetics and age of the mother
• Skin elasticity and skincare routine 
• Hydration levels and postpartum nutrition 
• Multiple pregnancies

Depending on these factors, women may experience different postpartum recovery patterns, including belly tightening and weight reduction. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle with a balanced diet, adequate hydration, regular exercise, and proper skin care can help support and accelerate the process (7).

Illustration: Tips To Tighten Belly Skin After Pregnancy Without Surgery

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