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Here's When You'll "Deflate" After Giving Birth

by Olivia Youngs

After nine months of your body changing and growing, you're probably oh so ready to be done with the pregnancy belly and maybe be able to finally see your toes again. Although weight loss shouldn't be your number one priority after giving birth, it's totally normal to wonder how long it takes to "deflate" after giving birth. Or, in other words, when will you stop looking pregnant. Although it obviously varies from person to person — depending on your body type and the amount of weight you gained during pregnancy — you can expect to loose a lot of your pregnancy weight almost immediately after having your little bundle of joy.

According to Fit Pregnancy, most women loose up to 12 pounds in the first 24 hours after giving birth. And considering that the average weight gain is around 20 to 35 pounds, that's a huge percentage to loose right away. Once your baby is born, the placenta is delivered, and you've lost a large amount of fluid, you'll feel comparatively tiny to your full term pregnancy-self.

But even though your baby isn't in there anymore, you'll likely have a bit of a belly bloat for a few weeks. What to Expect noted that your uterus is still shrinking back to it's pre-pregnancy size in the first six weeks, which is the reason for the inflated tummy (as well as extra pounds you may have gained that weren't the baby or fluids.)

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Never fear though, because with healthy eating, breastfeeding (a major factor in helping your uterus contract, What to Expect write), and exercise — after you've gotten the go-ahead from your OB, of course — your belly will deflate in no time.

Remembering that every body is different and that you shouldn't expect yours to "bounce back" right away can help you focus on what really matters in the first months of motherhood — bonding with your little one and adjusting to your new role as mom.