I will tell anyone who will listen that if I knew exactly how my body would change after the birth of my first child, I would have worn a bikini even in the midst of winter. It’s the old saying of, “you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone” and I regret not giving my flat stomach airings while it still existed.
Even on its flattest days it still resembles my grandmother’s jowls when she’s forgotten to put her teeth in and I can’t help but envy the celebrities that are spotted sporting tankinis just weeks after their babies were born.
I have found ways to lose it though, some quite unconventional, none requiring a gym membership and all great at tiring out baby too.
Burping
When burping a new-born, I found it best to sit them snugly on the knee and gently rock my upper body forwards and backwards while supporting their head under the chin. Not only would this bring up any burps with ease it also tightened the stomach muscles, as I realised when I ached after ten minutes of doing it one late evening.
Row the Boat
When baby can sit up unaided try playing, “row the boat”. You both sit on your bums facing each other with your legs apart, then hold hands as you sing the song and rock backwards and forwards. You’ll be amazed how many muscle groups this targets.
Bouncy Baby
Another exercise that is ideal for the baby belly as it attacks the lower abdomen and the pelvis is the bouncy baby. You sit baby on your pubis and lift your bum in the air again and again as baby jiggles on top.
Horsey Horsey
If you have a sound back you can also be horsey for ten minutes, your little one will love this. Let them climb on, holding your clothes or your hair and walk slowly around the room on all fours. As you concentrate on keeping baby balanced on your back you’ll use your stomach muscles to make sure you stay stable at the core, which is great for all round toning.
