Why do women still look pregnant for a while after giving birth?

Because it takes time for the uterus to go back to its original shape and size. It took 9 months to stretch it from the size of a pear to the size of a watermelon...and with water weight and fat gained during the pregnancy (to support the baby), it'll take the body awhile to get things back to pre-pregnancy.

Because their stomachs have been stretched for nine months - it can't just magically ping back into place. If only!

over 9 months your uterus has stretched to accomodate for a human being, it may take 2 weeks or so for the pronouced belly to go away due to the uterus can't shrink all in one day...when it has been stretched for 7 out of 9 months.

After giving birth, most woman continue to have a little 'tummy'. Doesn't look like a pregnancy tummy, just a little pouch. This is due to the uterus and various other muscles which have been stretched during pregnancy. This 'little pouch' disappears after a few weeks. It is why many experienced woman, during pregnancy, are very careful with their diet and constantly weigh themselves. They expect to put on some pregnancy weight, but they don't want to put on their own natural weight. There are also many physical exercises that some women perform after giving birth which encourages the loss of this 'little pouch'.

Its just the excess fat and water accumulated during pregnancy,especially around the belly area. The uterus also took 9 months to grow into the size of a watermelon. Returning back to its normal size can't occur overnight. But it definitely goes with time and some crunches.

I was very bloated during pregnancy because of pre-eclampsia (I was in the hospital for 3 months at the end), anyway, I was so distraught because I had gained 72 pounds, and only lost 13 pounds when they first weighed me after having a c-section. Then, when I started urinating, my body returned back to normal pretty quick, and I lost 50 pounds in 4 days. This was an extreme. Women look pregnant even after giving birth because the muscles have been stretched and the body has been through a lot, and with the stress, the body swells, even inside. Simple exercises, like sucking the belly in while exhaling for 5 seconds can help.

Hormones are still circulating (they circulate for six months postpartum) the skin is stretched out from their uterus growing and the excess fluids from pregnancy, they have excess fat from the body's processes during pregnancy...

Although I didn't get my pre baby body back after I had my daughter (I'm all droopy and flat from being stretched out and milk production and the like) I wouldn't change things for every last cent in the world. My angel is worth it, a million times over.

for the same reason it takes for them to show they are pregnant in the first place......... time