One of the last areas to bounce back into shape after childbirth is the stomach. The day after giving birth to my first child, I looked in the mirror, startled and dismayed at the squishy mass of tissue where my stomach used to be. I sat down on the hospital bed, fighting tears. I could have passed for five months pregnant! At the naïve age of 19, I had believed that all I would have to do to regain my pre-baby body was give birth. Boy, was I wrong! I had gained 60 pounds with that pregnancy, and even after the excess weight was lost, my stomach still hadn’t returned to normal.

Eventually, I discovered some great exercises and tips for flattening out that post-baby bulge. I’m not promising "washboard abs in two weeks," like those supermarket rags, but if you stick to this plan, you’ll slowly notice a change in your body. Your jeans will fit better, as your stomach gets back into shape.

How to Measure Success

Don’t expect instant results with abdominal exercises. Before baby, you may have been lucky enough to see a change in your abs with as little as a week of hard work. During pregnancy, though, your whole abdomen was stretched beyond recognition. It takes time, and plenty of work, to reverse such trauma.

I’ve found two great ways to measure the success of my abdominal exercises. The first is a tape measure. Start today by measuring around your middle. Sling the tape measure around your abdomen, as if you were wearing a belt, snug it up, and read the measurement. Don’t freak out if it’s higher than you expected; you’ll take care of that soon enough. It’s a good idea to take two measurements: one at the level of your belly button, and one that is even with the top of your panties. Write these measurements down, and keep them in a safe place where no on else will find them! Practice the following exercises, and don’t measure yourself again for at least three weeks!

The second way to measure success is simply how well your clothes fit. If you stick to the exercises below, you will slowly notice that your pants fit less snugly. Then, you can do the happy dance!

The Balloon

• Sit up straight, in a chair with a back.
• As you inhale, force your stomach outward, like a balloon. Hold this position for ten seconds.
• Inhale, and bring in your stomach. Squeeze your abs, pulling your belly button toward your spine. Hold this position for 30 seconds, as you breathe in and out.
• Next, squeeze your stomach muscles ten times, bringing your belly button even closer to your spine.
• Repeat this exercise three times daily.

Leg Lifters

• Sit up straight, in an armless chair with a back. Grip the sides of the chair seat, a few inches in front of your hips, with your thumbs on top of the seat, and fingers beneath the seat.
• Slowly, lift your bent knees toward your chest.
• Repeat, working up to three sets, with 12-15 reps daily.

Bicycle

• Lie flat on your back, with knees bent, and fingers laced under your head.
• Pump your legs, as if riding a bicycle.
• As each knee comes up, pull the opposite elbow toward it.
• Repeat, working up to three sets, with 12-15 reps (on each side) daily.

Lower Ab Crunchers

• Lie flat on the floor, with your legs extended in the air, straight above your hips. (If this is too difficult, modify the exercise by bending your knees at a 90 degree angle.)
• Lift your hips, imagining that you are trying to tap the ceiling with your flat feet.
• Use your abs, not momentum!
• Repeat, working up to three sets, with 12-15 reps daily.

Other Essentials

These exercises won’t be very effective unless you practice good posture and eat right. Also, if you really want to slim your midsection, be sure to work regular cardio exercise into your schedule. Good luck! I’ll be doing the happy dance with you!