If you’ve just welcomed a little one, first of all, congratulations! Pregnancy is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful experiences in a woman’s life. That said, pregnancy and childbirth do leave their mark, starting with a change in body shape: a wider pelvis and fuller hips. If you’d like to slim your hips and rediscover your pre-pregnancy figure, here are a few tips.
Why do hips widen after pregnancy?
Two reasons explain this phenomenon.
The first relates to fat storage. During pregnancy, levels of female hormones rise sharply throughout the nine months. These hormones support a healthy pregnancy and prepare the body for breastfeeding. But this hormonal surge comes with a few downsides, including increased fat storage. This naturally occurs around the buttocks, hips and thighs (the typical distribution of fat cells in the female body). Added to this is the “storage reflex” characteristic of the first trimester, which fuels foetal growth during the second and third trimesters. As a result, lipid storage in maternal adipose tissue increases, along with insulin secretion (which converts carbohydrate intake into fat reserves). This partly explains why weight is gained during pregnancy and, above all, why body shape changes — including a rounding of the hips.
A second reason also explains wider hips, though it applies only to women who gave birth vaginally. To allow the baby to pass through, the bones of the lower pelvis shift during delivery. This isn’t an extreme widening — just 1 or 2 cm of extra circumference. In most cases, the change isn’t dramatic. However, you may notice a slight difficulty fitting into your old clothes (especially fitted cuts), even after losing your pregnancy weight. Nothing to worry about — your body has simply become that of a wonderful mum!
What can you do to slim your hips?
As you’ll have gathered, there’s nothing you can do about the natural widening of your pelvis — it’s a direct result of vaginal delivery. However, a few months after giving birth, you can start adopting some healthy lifestyle habits to lose the extra weight and achieve slimmer hips. One important piece of advice first: be patient! It generally takes around a year to return to your ideal weight.
1- Adopt a balanced diet
To slim your hips after giving birth, diet is undoubtedly the first lever to work on. We all know how all-consuming those early weeks with a newborn can be. And of course, very few new mothers have the time to prepare healthy, delicious meals. Even so, paying attention to nutrition is important:
- To avoid nutritional deficiencies
- To maintain your energy levels
- To return to your ideal weight
Please note: we strongly advise against any restrictive post-partum diet, which could leave a new mum even more depleted. After giving birth, it is recommended to eat:
- Plenty of fruit and vegetables to benefit from their micronutrients.
- Low-fat dairy products rich in calcium — fromage blanc, semi-skimmed milk, yoghurts.
- Protein, to replenish iron levels and rebuild muscle mass. Opt for lean sources — white meat, fish, eggs, pulses. A note on soy and soy-based products if you are breastfeeding: soy is a phytoestrogen and a potential allergen for your baby.
- Complex carbohydrates with a low GI, as new mothers need a great deal of energy.
- Plenty of fluids (especially when breastfeeding), primarily water, herbal teas, broths and homemade fruit juices.
- Home-cooked meals, eaten at regular times where possible.
- Added fats should be kept to a minimum, as should sugar, salt and snacking (though a healthy snack is perfectly fine).
This balanced approach to eating will help you gradually slim your hips while giving you the energy to keep up with life as a super mum — without (too much) exhaustion!
2- A gradual return to physical activity
To slim your hips, the natural instinct is to turn to exercise. That said, a few precautions are in order.
Childbirth is tough on the body, and new mothers often need time to rebuild their strength and stamina. To begin with, short daily walks with the pram are highly recommended. It’s an excellent way to ease back into regular physical activity and engage all the muscles of the body — including the hip area.
Before moving on to more intense exercise, it’s strongly advisable to complete pelvic floor and abdominal rehabilitation. Muscles have been weakened by the surge of hormones, the weight of the baby and the birth itself. Rehabilitation helps you reconnect with your body and rebuild muscle tone.
From the 6th month post-partum onwards, you can consider resuming sport — but gently and progressively. Good options include brisk walking, water-based activities (swimming and aqua aerobics are particularly effective for slimming the hips), as well as Pilates and fitness exercises targeting the thighs and pelvis.
3- Targeted treatments for effective results
As a new mum, finding time for yourself can feel like a luxury. Yet dedicating a few moments to body care can be a real release — a chance to unwind and recharge. And since you may as well make it count, why not build a dedicated hip-slimming routine?
We particularly recommend our two intelligent slimming treatments: Cryo Slimming Gel Stomach & Hips and our Night Slimming Cream Stomach & Hips. The first, formulated with destocking Oriental Lotus and invigorating menthol, stimulates the metabolism through a cooling sensation. To lose centimetres around the hips, simply apply it each morning using small circular movements. The second, enriched with lipolytic pineapple bromelain and nourishing, firming sunflower oil, works continuously throughout the night. A daily application each evening helps encourage fat release while restoring the skin. Softness and suppleness guaranteed!
This cosmetic routine can be complemented by daily massages using our Electric Slimming Device. 4 massage heads in different sizes and shapes, each delivering a different action (destocking, firming, reshaping) on every area of the body. The device is perfectly suited for slimming the hips: just 15 minutes of massage a day is enough to lose centimetres and restore a beautiful contour. Worth noting: the design of our device has been redesigned for an even easier grip!
