Right after the birth when your newborn sleeps soundly by your side and your motherly love takes over, you don't really care about how you look. All that lingers is the brimming of emotions and the intense love that you feel in that instant. That which will last forever and ever. But then a few weeks later, the belly fat that has lasted post delivery, starts to get you uncomfortable. You want the old, almost flat stomach back. But how? How will that happen and how are you going to get back to your original figure? Is it even possible? Of course it is. And don't let anyone tell you anything otherwise. It just takes a whole lot of hard work and some discipline and you can rest assured that it will happen for you. While controlling your diet is one important factor that cannot be ignored, the other factor is increasing the physical activity so that the excess fat is targeted and done away with. In that direction, certain exercises to flatten one's stomach after pregnancy are important and are to known to help plenty. A combination of abdominal, cardiovascular and aerobics exercises is known to be the best solution for the desired results. The details of what these are and how one is supposed to bring them into practice is what the following sections will deal with. Tips for Flattening Your Stomach Tip # 1 The process of pregnancy and delivery does not go easy on a woman's body. During both these events, the body is put under tremendous amounts of pressure and it has to deal with a lot of wear and tear. It is to be understood, first and foremost, that the body will require some time to recuperate. Allow the body to heal before starting out on any of these exercises. Tip # 2 In case of a normal pregnancy, the body takes lesser time to heal and the exercises can be started about 4 weeks after the delivery. If on the other hand, the procedure has been a C-Section, then it'll take more time to heal and exercises can only be started after 6 weeks of rest. In both these cases, it becomes important to consult a doctor and ensure that the body is healed enough to start exercising. Tip # 3 Always start out with simple exercises and gage whether you are able to take the pressure and intensity. In case of any strain, consult your doctor and reduce the intensity of the exercises or start exercises after some more rest. Tip # 4 Concentrate on including not merely abdominal exercises, but cardiovascular exercises as well. The overall body fat is targeted that way and the abdominal exercises help to tone and give definite shape to the abdominal muscles. What is also important is that you control your diet where ever possible, but do not ever starve yourself or leave out ingredients - you need to be healthy for the baby, especially if you're breastfeeding. Exercises for Flattening the Stomach

Exercise # 1 - Scissor Kicks

Lie on an exercise mat with your legs stretched out. Place both your hands under your butt cheeks and press the lower back into the floor. With your legs still stretched, raise the right leg about 8-10 inches off the ground. You'll feel a stretch in the abdominal muscles. Keep the leg there for 1 second and then bring down to the original position. While you're bringing the leg down, take the left leg up in the same manner, hold and bring back down. This is one count. Begin by doing 10 repetitions and increase to 16. Do 3 sets of the same.

Exercise # 2 - Curl Up

Lie on your back on an exercise mat and bend your knees so that the feet are flat against the ground. Take your chin to your chest and let it almost tuck into the chest. Inhale and reach your hands to your knees. Exhale and lift your shoulders off the ground, Come back to the floor and repeat 5-8 times. Start off in this manner and when you feel like your strength has regained, you can fold your hands over your chest or take them at the sides of your head and carry through with the same exercise.

Exercise # 3 - Side Crunches

Lie on your back on an exercise mat and lift your legs into the air. Bend the knees at a 90 degree angle. Place your hands behind your head and crunch up. While crunching up, rotate yourself to the sides taking the left elbow to the right knee and then the right elbow to the left knee. Make sure that you have twisted your upper body completely to the side when you do these crunches. Bring the body back to the original position as you lower yourself down. Repeat 20 times and do about 3 sets of each.

Other than these exercises, you can start out with walking, cycling and jogging. Including stretching in your schedule is also one other safe exercise to start out with. These will bring about the desired results and will not get to be too intensive for the body either. In this manner, by targeting overall body fat, you will automatically get rid of the excess tummy flab as well. One day at a time.