Understanding the changes
45 days is absolutely nothing to worry about. As a rule of thumb, six months is about the time it takes for your body to reverse the effect of a pregnancy. Remember, it took nine months for the changes to happen in the first place.
A lot of this is of course also subject to genetics. We're not all the same. Some women can regain their previous stature in a matter of weeks. Others take months. And months is the most common.
Helping the process along
There are lots of things you can do to help speed up the process of getting your figure back.
- Breastfeeding, because lactating can burn about 500 calories per day
- Five fruits/vegetables per day
- Maintain a fibre-rich diet (oats, beans, lentils, grains, seeds)
- Gentle exercise, particularly pelvic floor exercises
- Take walks! Of course, this is quality time with your child as well
Tummy slack
It's very common for tummies to feel slack after birth, because the added volume over-stretched it. You may see a bulge on the front of your tummy, above and below the belly button. This is known as Rectus Abdominis Diastatis (RAD) and is a divarication of your abdominal muscles.
If you believe you have this, you should go see a midwife or a doctor. Leaving it untreated isn't directly harmful, but it can lead to back problems later, and it will make it harder to have a flat stomach post-pregnancy.