How to Get Your Pre-Pregnancy Body Back
Yes, it's exactly like all moms say: Once you've had a baby, it's a bit tougher to rediscover your pre-baby body. But these brave new mommies put their post-pregnancy body issues up against the latest treatments and found a little help where it was needed.
Body Bummer: Deflated Boobs
Melanie (with Connor, 9 months)
"During pregnancy and nursing, my breasts were not my own. And when I stopped nursing, I wasn't sure I wanted them back: My skin was crepey and my chest looked deflated. I tried Mama Mio Bootcamp for Boobs, $85, a 30-day system of skin care (serum and firming cream) and instructions for two fast, simple exercises that target pecs, triceps, and biceps every day. (One of the exercises is push-ups, which I confess I did not do. At all.) Applying the lotions helped me reconnect to that part of my body, and made my chest look smooth, even-toned, and - dare I say, perkier?"
Related: Real Moms' Best Tips for Breast Feeding
Body Bummer: Stretch Marks
Kim (with Elizabeth, 10 months)
"I've never really been too obsessed with my stretch marks, which are mostly from my first pregnancy. I've always assumed that most products out there wouldn't really work, but Mederma's claim that its Stretch Marks Therapy, $40, would improve the appearance of stretch marks - not make them disappear - seemed realistic. I used the cream (which smells great, by the way) twice a day for 12 weeks and definitely saw improvement: It reduced the redness of the marks and made my skin smoother, plumping up the marks to even them out with the rest of my skin. The funny thing is that even though the cream worked, thinking about my stretch marks every day, twice a day, has made me more bothered by them than before."
Related: Your Post-Baby Sex Survival Guide
Body Bummer: Belly Pooch
Cheryl (with Jacob and Benjamin, 9 months)
"Since delivering my twin boys, my lower belly sticks waaay out, then drops off sharply at my C-section scar. (So hot, I know.) I went to Deva Spa in NYC to try out the Phytomer Sculpting Body Treatment Slimming Wrap and Massage, from $90 to $120, by location. I had five sessions over three weeks and used the Phytomer sculpting products at home. The treatment was wonderful: The therapist applied thermal clay from my waist down, then she'd wrap me in foil and I'd get a divine head, neck, and shoulder rub as the clay heated and bubbled. I'd rinse off and get a contouring massage on my stomach and lower body. While my skin felt amazing, I can't say I saw much of a difference in my belly pooch, but I'd pay any price for that divine hour of me time!"
Related: No-Effort Tricks for Losing Weight
Body Bummer: Veins
Julia (with Brayden, 2 years)
"When I told my friends I was undergoing treatment for the veins on my legs, their reaction was: 'What veins?' It was then I realized how good I'd become at disguising them - few people had actually seen the road maps of insecurity that covered my legs. I visited the Vein Treatment Center in New York City, where director Luis Navarro, M.D., did a combination of sclerotherapy [injections of saline into the veins] and laser-assisted sclerotherapy, which was much less painful than I'd anticipated. While the process took longer than I expected - four treatments plus multiple touch-ups, for a total of $2,500 - the results have been life-changing. I'm excited to show off my like-new legs!"
Related: Tips for Going Back to Work After Having a Baby
What was your biggest body challenge after having a baby? Any tips for feeling your best again?
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