Postpartum skin sagging: What actually works?

Ever since I gave birth, I’ve managed to drop about 55 pounds, but now I’m facing a whole different struggle: this loose skin. Honestly, I’m feeling pretty desperate at this point; I feel like I’ve cycled through every single moisturizer on the drugstore shelves.

With summer right around the corner, I'm dreading the fact that my skin just hangs over my waistband. You don't have to take my word for it, but there are days when it really does pull me into a bit of a depressive funk.

I’ve tried putting in the work at the gym, too, but it feels like even exercise isn't making much of a dent...

I’d really appreciate any advice you might have.

Consistency is everything when you're looking to tone up.
Stick with it—and make sure your form is actually correct.

Honestly, I felt just as soft and sluggish after having my baby. I didn't actually gain a ton during pregnancy—maybe 20 pounds total—but half of that vanished during labor, and the rest just burned off through those endless sleepless nights. Now, at six weeks postpartum, I’m actually weighing less than I did before I got pregnant 😁

It’s just such a weird way for the weight to shift 🙄

I look in the mirror and don't even recognize myself. I'm basically living on moisturizer at this point. I try to stay consistent with working out, but then I see these moms on Instagram who look better a year later than they ever did before kids!

Look, when you're in the thick of delivery, just give yourself some grace 😉

And please, don't be so hard on yourself 🙂

I know it eats at you—it can really spiral into depression—so if things get heavy, reach out here. Keep moving, sure, but set goals that actually make sense for your life

I told myself it took nine months for my body to change, so it'll probably take at least that long—if not longer—to feel like myself again.

Be kind to yourself 😉

Look, if you're dealing with extra skin after pregnancy and it’s hanging down past your bikini line, there's no magic fix. No fancy creams, no endless hours at the gym—none of it is gonna cut it. If there's that much excess tissue, surgery is basically the only way to actually get things tightened up again.
Just do me a favor and do some digging online. Go browse through some top-tier plastic surgeons' websites and see for yourself.

Just give your body a little more breathing room to get back to its former self...

We need to take a hard look at the reality here—is the skin just sagging, or has it actually lost its integrity? If it’s cracked and broken, there isn't much you can do about those changes.

I know plenty of women who can literally "roll" their stomach skin up and tuck it into tight jeans. That is what happens when the skin has completely lost its elasticity.

In extreme cases, aesthetic surgery is the only way out. Such procedures are often just a necessary follow-up after weight loss surgery.

Give it some time, even if that's the last thing you want to hear right now.

Even those little crow's feet you picked up POST-pregnancy... they're gonna fade!

Speaking from experience here.

A woman’s body goes through hell to recover after giving birth, but you won't see the magic happen overnight.

After my second kid, I literally looked in the mirror and thought, "Well, there it is. You're officially aging now."

Total bummer, right?😁 😉

But hey, this all works assuming you actually stick to a skincare routine... obviously.

Look, just give nature some time to do its thing. Your body went through nine months of massive changes; don't expect it to snap back overnight. Usually, by the time the baby hits their first birthday, things are more or less back to baseline.

In my case, the weight dropped off pretty quickly, but I spent several months staring at my stomach in total disbelief. Now, though—sixteen months postpartum—it’s finally back to how it used to be.

I also dealt with cellulite on my thighs during pregnancy, but that cleared up within the first four or five months without me doing any fancy treatments.

Don't waste your money on overpriced creams. If you're dealing with stretch marks, those creams won't do much; they might help them fade from purple to white a little faster, but they aren't going to tighten your skin.
Exercise is key, and it takes time. Also, drink plenty of water—your skin actually needs it.

bigblue my cellulite isn't exactly going anywhere on its own 😉 but this belly fat—I don't even recognize it as mine anymore... 🙄

When did you start working out?

placidjackal97, you could probably jump into a regular fitness or aerobics routine after about three months.

For those first three months, it’s better to stick to programs specifically designed for postpartum recovery. I'm not sure what your core strength is like right now—there's actually a condition called diastasis recti, and if your abdominal gap is already at 2 cm, you definitely shouldn't be doing any side crunches or torso twists during the first two months. That said, I'd really suggest starting some basic core work, like straight sit-ups (just straight up and down, no twisting!), which you can actually start as early as ten days after delivery...

thanks 😉

Oh yeah... I just thought of something else, which you probably already know—don't forget about those Kegel exercises.

There’s actually this theory floating around that overworking yourself and building up too much lactic acid can change the flavor of milk, so they suggest not going longer than 30 minutes at a stretch (though you can definitely do multiple 30-minute sessions throughout the day). To be honest, I haven't really dug into the specifics or checked if there's actual scientific proof behind it, but that's just what we were taught back in college...

Yeah, I heard that too. I actually checked with my doctor—she thinks the whole theory is pretty baseless.

I’m not saying it’s a total certainty, but her take is that it’s perfectly fine for a mom to get some light exercise in—like, maybe an hour three times a week—while breastfeeding without any issues.

Honestly, I’m actually hoping a little movement might give me some energy back; it definitely wouldn't hurt.😉

My mom used to go totally overboard at night, chugging milk and yogurt just because she thought it’d make my supply "stronger." She ended up packing on the pounds... and I think they told her to stay on bed rest so she wouldn't lose any milk too.🙄
Sadly, even with her whole "farm-to-table" obsession, my supply was still pretty pathetic.

I couldn't exactly afford to just sit around resting and following all those breastfeeding "wellness" tips, plus I wasn't exactly binge-eating either... but somehow, I still managed to nurse a really healthy, well-developed baby.

placidjackal97, you've gotta just live life normally. You need a sense of balance with everything. There aren't really things you *have* to give up—except maybe alcohol (and probably a few other things, lol).

As for your body? Time is the only thing that’s gonna give you that "definition," maybe paired with a little mental pep talk and some workouts meant more to strengthen your spirit anyway.

Can't wait to see your posts ten months from now. Just watch, girl... you'll see!😉

placidjackal97, you’ve gotta live a normal life—with a sense of balance for everything. There aren't really things you *have* to give up, except maybe alcohol (and probably a few other bits).

Thanks for the positivity, northernfalcon30 🙂

I'm currently trying to cut back on booze, coffee, and cigarettes—though the caffeine withdrawal is hitting me hardest (it wasn't an issue during pregnancy, but now, combined with the lack of sleep 🙄 ),

Oh, and I'm also trying to ditch the stress and the irritability. I've realized the baby basically drinks all that up through my milk; they feel every bit of my mental state

So now, if the house isn't spotless or dinner isn't ready and I'm not feeling 100%... honestly, who cares? 😁 ...As long as the baby and I are happy and healthy 🙂, we can deal with the rest later
...
The first few days were brutal—the guilt and the depression were just... well, you know how it is 🙂

So, can you actually drink it like a cappuccino? I mean, it’s not even that strong—super mild, especially if you load it up with milk...

One day you’re gonna look back on these days with so much nostalgia... and honestly? You'll probably wish you could do it all over again...🙂 😉
Because let's be real—there is no chaos quite like this post-baby whirlwind we've all been through.
Life just has this way of pulling the rug out from under everything you thought you knew about yourself... shaking your entire mental foundation... but I guess it only happens so you can come out the other side even stronger.
It doesn't mean your old foundations were shaky or that you were faking it before... you weren't. It's just a blessing you have to lean into... just another step up the ladder... if you know what I mean...

Good luck!🙂 Give the boss a kiss for me!🙂

northernfalcon30 said:One day you’ll look back on these days with such nostalgia... you might actually wish you could relive them...🙂 😉
But honestly? There’s no kind of chaos quite like this—the post-baby whirlwind we've all navigated.
Life has this way of shaking everything you thought you knew about yourself right down to the foundation—but it only happens so you can come out stronger on the other side.
It doesn't mean your foundation was weak or that you weren't in control before... it's just a blessing you have to lean into if you want to grow. It's just another step up the ladder—you know what I mean...

Good luck!🙂 Give the boss a kiss for me!🙂

Exactly.👍

copperridge912, a cappuccino is way milder—I think that works better.🙂 Personally, I think the real struggle starts when you're knocking back several cups of that heavy, jet-black coffee.