By Plastic Surgeon Dr Dirk Kremer. 

A common topic amongst women who've had children is how do you get rid of that post-baby tummy? There isn't any definitive answer to that question as every woman is different, that's what makes every woman special. Some women may go from baby bump back to stick thin in a couple of weeks without any lasting effects. Others may find it takes longer to return to their pre-baby look, and unfortunately some women never regain all their post-baby figure without some help.

Cosmetic surgery is an option for a woman looking to remove the post-baby weight and remove those annoying stretch marks. However, there are a few things woman can try before resorting to an abdominoplasty, also known as a tummy tuck. I recently spoke about these issues on the Alan Titchmarsh Show but here is a more in-depth look at some of the ways to remove post-baby tummies.

Regular exercise

Exercise is a great way to help reduce the size of your post-baby tummy and also tone up the muscles, but it’s not an overnight fix and requires a fair amount of dedication and time, much of which is taken up by the new baby. It is also important to remember that if you’re breastfeeding, too much exercise can have an adverse effect on your milk and therefore your baby.

Dieting

Like exercise, dieting is a good way of helping you reduce your post-baby tummy, but you should be careful not to crash diet as this will harm not only yourself but your baby. You should wait around six weeks before dieting - preferably longer if you can. As a woman, you’ll need around 1,600-2,400 calories a day to keep your body healthy. Severe dieting will have a detrimental effect on your ability to breastfeed and it may stop your baby receiving all the vitamins and nutrients it needs to stay healthy.

Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding is a great way to help reduce the size of a woman’s tummy because women who breastfeed burn extra calories to make milk, meaning they slim down faster than those who don’t. It is especially effective in the early months after childbirth.

Fraxel Laser Treatments

If you still can’t shed all the baby weight then laser surgery may be an option, the surgery uses laser energy to dissolve fat and tighten the skin. Woman who undergo laser surgery also benefit from quicker recovery times and no large surgical scars. The procedure usually lasts around 40 minutes and can improve the appearance of stretch marks in around 75% of women.

Liposuction

Should all other options fail then there are a number of cosmetic procedures that can help. The first is liposuction, a procedure than can help reduce the amount excess fat left behind after childbirth. Liposuction is one of the most frequently performed plastic surgery procedures and can deliver instant results. However, it must be stressed that liposuction only removes fat and doesn't tighten up the skin. Therefore, women who have liposuction after childbirth could be left with excess ‘flabby’ skin which may require another cosmetic procedure known as a tummy tuck.

Tummy tuck (abdominoplasty)

As a final resort, a tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) may be required to achieve that pre-pregnancy look. The procedure removes excess fatty tissue and skin folds in the mid to lower abdominal region and tightens up the abdominal wall. The procedure is not recommended for women just looking to lose weight and stretch marks that remain on the abdominal skin cannot be removed.

I hope these tips have been useful, remember that plastic surgery should not be entered into without thought and a consultation with a qualified doctor such as myself. During the consultation I will recommend whether plastic surgery is the right choice for you. If you’d like to arrange this consultation or would like to ask me any questions about plastic surgery procedures please get in touch. I’ll be happy to answer any and all questions you may have.