Pregnancy may bring forth a beautiful baby, but it often leaves a less adorable legacy with loose skin on the tummy, stretch marks and slack abdominal muscles.

It can be a challenge to improve the appearance of a postpartum belly, but with time, self-care, and a few non-surgical interventions, it is often possible to reclaim your pre-pregnancy body and feel great about yourself again.

However, significant pregnancy weight gain or multiple pregnancies can make this difficult to achieve. When this is the case, tummy tuck surgery can remove excess fat deposits, loose skin, and tighten slack abdominal muscles.

Read on to find out more about non-surgical and surgical ways to transform your post-pregnancy belly and restore a smooth and toned abdomen.

Reversing pregnancy weight gain with a healthy diet

Weight gain in pregnancy is necessary to support the baby’s growth and development, and most women gain between 10 kg and 12.5 kg during pregnancy. Some of this is the weight of the baby, but the rest is fat that the mother lays down to ensure she can produce milk to feed her baby. It often accumulates in the lower body and abdominal area. Breastfeeding can help burn calories, but even so, many women still struggle with stubborn belly fat.

It is crucial to eat well after giving birth, as your body needs fuel to look after your baby. A healthy diet rich in protein and fibre will help you lose weight throughout your body, including the stomach area.

Looking after a new baby is hard work, so the occasional self-indulgent treat is still allowed.

Burn more calories with resistance training

Once your doctor says that you can start exercising again, it is a good idea to exercise a few times a week and to be as active as possible to help your body return to its pre-pregnancy shape.

It is a good idea to include resistance training in your exercise routine as it builds muscle strength and encourages your body to burn more calories. Leaving your newborn to go to the gym may be difficult, but you can perform simple resistance and core exercises at home to strengthen your abdominal muscles. You could incorporate those all-important pelvic floor exercises into your regime at the same time.

Liposuction for stubborn belly fat

If stubborn belly fat persists despite all your efforts to lose weight and tone up with diet and exercise, you may like to consider liposuction.

Liposuction will remove excess fat deposits for good, restoring a slim and smooth abdominal area. If you are planning to have another baby, it may be worth waiting until you have completed your family, as another pregnancy could leave you needing more treatment.

After undergoing liposuction, it is essential to maintain a healthy lifestyle, including regular exercise and a balanced diet, to sustain the results.

Tightening loose skin post-baby

Overstretched skin and stretch marks can make you feel self-conscious about your stomach area, even if you have lost excess fat.

We offer a range of minimally invasive skin tightening procedures that use the latest technology to achieve stunning results on loose skin.

You may want to consider the Excilis Elite System, which uses ultrasound to contour the body, tighten, and smooth the skin with minimal recovery time. This treatment also stimulates collagen production, which helps reduce the appearance of stretch marks.

Transforming your post-pregnancy belly with surgery

If lifestyle changes and non-surgical treatment options can’t give you the post-baby body you want, then you may like to consider plastic surgery procedures.

We offer three different types of tummy tuck surgery.

The full tummy tuck surgery

This surgery is also known as a full abdominoplasty, and it involves removing excess fat and loose skin, as well as tightening the entire anterior abdominal wall to restore a flat, smooth lower abdomen. Liposuction may be used to remove excess fat from the abdomen during this procedure.

Fleur de lys abdominoplasty

This procedure is similar to a full tummy tuck, but it targets the upper part of the torso above the belly button, as well as the lower abdomen. It is particularly suitable for individuals with extreme skin laxity following multiple pregnancies.

Mini tummy tuck

This is the least invasive tummy tuck procedure and is ideal for addressing the slight overhang of loose skin and fat that a C-section scar can create.

You can see full details of all our tummy tuck procedures on our website.

Next Steps

If you are interested in a tummy tuck procedure to restore your pre-pregnancy shape, you could arrange a consultation with one of our surgical team members who will discuss your options.

You can contact us by phoning 01904 675 222 or emailing us at [email protected]