The best exercises that aids in flattening the tummy are sit-ups, pushups and leg lifts. Do not start exercising until you are sure that you are fit enough. It is advisable to start when your baby is 6 months old so as to give your body time to heal from the rigours and strains of childbirth on it.
a) Firstly, avoid drinking anything cold for the first 8 months after birth. Old fables tell us that new mothers who drink cold fluids will continue to have bulging tummies. They say it would prevent the fat and blood cloths in the uterine wall from melting away. Don’t know how true this may be but you know what they say!!! “There is no smoke without fire”. You might as well do what the fable says. While lying flat on a mat or blanket with your back to the floor, raise your upper body from your head to your waist off the mat at 90° and return back to the starting position. Do 50 repeats. This exercise works on the upper abdominal muscles.
b) Lie flat on a mat or blanket with your back, lift your leg 90 ° off the floor. Repeat 50 times. This exercise work s on the lower abdominal muscles.
c) While seated upright, try to pull in the part of your tummy that is below your abdomen such that your belly button is pulled up towards your spine. Hold for 10 seconds and release. Do as many as you can. You can also try this exercise while standing or lying down.
d) Lie flat on your back. Place your hands under your bum. Lift you’re your legs one after the other is scissors motions. Do 10 repeats. Rest for 1 minute and repeat the exercise. Do a total of 3 sets while resting for 1 minute in-between each set.
e) Lie down flat on your back. Raise your knees up perpendicular to your body with both feet on the floor. Lift your hips and waist off the floor and hold for about 12 seconds. Do 10 Repeats.
f) Place a piece of strong long fabric on your back while lying flat on a mat. Hold both ends of the fabric with both hands such that they cross in the middle of your waist. That means you should hold the left end with your right hand and the right end with your left hand. Slowly lift up your shoulder and waist of the floor while squeezing the fabric around your tummy. Do 10 repeats. Also tie the same fabric round your tummy when ever you want to sleep and remove in the morning to replace with a tummy girdle. This is to keep the loose muscle in place so as to remind it of where it is supposed to be.
Mothers breast feeding exclusively become easily hungry, most especially in the night. If you have to eat late, make sure you take fruits after your late night meal, most preferable, oranges. Also, do not sleep or lie down immediately. Wait at least an hour so that the food will digest instead of sitting in your stomach when you lie down immediately. I usually do my sit-up and other tummy exercise in the night when the kids are asleep. This helped my tummy go down faster. Please do not do your sit-ups or other exercises immediately after eating, wait at least an hour.
