So THIS is why it takes awhile for a mom’s baby bump to go away *immediately*
Pregnancy can be quite a joy, but if you’ve just given birth to your baby — yet still have your belly — you might be a little frustrated when people assume you haven’t given birth yet. While a lot of tabloids show our favorite celebrity Moms going from big bump to slim pre-pregnancy bodies, the truth is that women’s bodies have a tough time bouncing back. And that’s definitely natural, and nothing to get too bummed about.
The problem is, though, brand new moms don’t often talk about it. That’s why Catherine Giudici from The Bachelor, who just gave birth to her son in July,decided to get frank about the topic on her Instagram account by posting a picture full-bump, next to the post-delivery after-bump.
The reason why this happens? Well, you can blame your uterus.
See, when you get pregnant, your uterus expands. And unfortunately, it doesn’t just snap back to normal size after you deliver your baby. It takes its time, and there are many aspects about you, as a person, that determines how long that time actually is.
If you’ve just delivered and are wondering when that bump will shrink, here are a few things that cause the delay:
1. Your age
2. The size of the baby
3. Method of delivery
4. Your weight before getting pregnant
Your body changes a lot when pregnant — it’s not just your uterus, but your abdominal muscles as well — so obviously it’ll need some time to get back to normal. It makes sense if you’re not thinking about it much during the pregnancy, since there are so many more worthwhile things to focus on, like having a healthy and happy new addition.
While brand new moms might get annoyed regarding people making comments (which, people — just stop making comments) an average woman just has to wait around six to eight weeks to feel like she’s not about to give birth again. If you’re waiting around wondering why you’re still looking pregnant, think of the big picture. It doesn’t matter what you look like, you just created life with that body. Celebrate it!
