My story is 2nd c section was a uk size 10 never had to diet or exercise before even after my first son was born. This time coming to terms with my shape is troubling me its not the weight issue its the shape my tummy has become. 15 months i thought my shape would be alot better. Its not although excersise and crunches done on a reg basis still not gettin there. I still look 5 mnths preg. Appreciate some comment here and if i am not the only one out there with such a pushed out abdomen. Thanks
You look beautiful. And what a gorgeous baby! I think you look great. You look really fit and healthy.
Like the previous post says, you do look fit and healthy. What might also be helpful to know is that you possibly have a herniated diastasis. Doing regular push-ups can actually make this worse. There are ways to exercise to improve the strength of the muscles and when you know for sure that you are done having children a surgeon can help to repair the hernia. Google diastasis and talk to your doctor.
You look great. I struggled with the “poochy” belly too and i’ve only had one baby! And almost 2 yrs on my tummy is still getting flatter and firmer. I don’t do sit ups or crunches tho. Pilates and yoga as well as cardio and really being aware of your posture all help. PS- what a gorgeous child!
I haven’t read it myself but I’ve heard lot of good things about the book Lose Your Mummy Tummy by Julie Tupler and Jodie Gould. The downside of the book (I hear, don’t know for sure) is that it’s hard to find time to do the exercises. But that’s true for any exercise program.
Anyway, just thought I’d share.
To agree with the previous posters, you look like you have rectus diastasis (seperated stomach muscles). I also have this after one pregnancy. I was very tiny before and had a washboard stomach -there was no where for the baby to go!
you definatly need to stop the crunches, and take care sitting up from lying down and when twisting. I’ve been doing the tupler tequneque and have found it helped: https://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=56021
I also saw a physio on the NHS(your British right?), you need them to do a ‘rec check’ to see the degree of your seperation -our midwives are supposed to do these but often don’t. If it realy bad it can be fixed surgicaly when you’ve compleated your family.
best wishes, Robyn
I also had this look of being pregnant months after giving birth. People would often ask me when I was due!!!! mortified, as I was quite slim before pregnancy but during pregnancy I gained 25kg and most of it went on my stomach I have since lost almost all of my weight gained over my pregnancy but am still left with that im a few months pregnant look…Total empathize with you and just want to let you know your not the only one! My son is now 1 year old.
I had my 2nd baby 4 1/2 weeks ago and I also have this…my doctor says I have a very large diastasis. I’ve just started the Be-Fit Mom exercises (which focus on the same muscles as the Tupler ones) to hopefully start bringing it together. I totally sympathize with losing the weight but not the belly…hang in there! Your son is just adorable. :-)
I’m not a doctor but will second what the others said; you look like you have an abdominal separation (diastasis recti). It’s where the abdominal muscles that separate during pregnancy (to allow the uterus to expand) don’t come back together as they should. Normally they move back of their own accord during the six weeks following delivery, but sometimes they ‘split’ and remain separated. The level of separation can vary from person to person – some people have a mild two finger separation and others have an eight finger-width gap. Your doctor should have checked for this at your six week post-birth check (it normally involves doing a stomach crunch and pushing the fingers in around your belly button to measure the gap) but not all of them do it.
I had a slight separation after my twins (around 2cms) but it did cause problems with my back and running and so I was keen to close it. The good news is that you CAN close the separation. The bad news is you must stop doing standard abdominal exercises as these can make the separation worse. You need specifically designed exercises that target the right muscles. You do them ever day for a few months and although they are small and intense movements they do help to move the stomach muscles back. It’s slow progress and you wont get overnight results but you WILl see a huge improvement. Google the ‘tupler technique’ as she has a book/articles on specific exercises to target abdominal separation. I did her exercises for three months and my separation closed.
I’d also recommend going to your doctor to discuss it. Ask him/her to check the separation and refer you for physio. If the separation is really bad then you can have surgery to close the gap but often exercise is enough and a physio would be able to help you with these. The chances are you’ve been experiencing back pain too (due to the lack of core support from your abdominal muscles) so it’s important for you that you get this sorted. If you emphasise the back pain issue then your doctor should be sympathetic to referring you for further phsyio.
Hope this helps. Your baby is gorgeous!!
K
OMG, your baby is so beautiful!!! I don’t think you look pregnant at all. You look gorgeous!
your belly looks fine i was a size eight before i had my first son naturally but went up to a 20 after, i got down to a 14 but went on to have 2 more by csection, my third just 12wks ago and as i never shifted the tummy from the 1st i know after 2 more it aint going anywhere. mine hangs over though so you can see a bulge in all my trousers and i have to lift it when washing to clean under it. at the birth of my 3rd child they had to lift my tummy and tie it up in order to perform the csection which destroyed my confidence but thanks to this site im still low but feelin a lil beter im a 14 everywhere but due to the belly i have to wear a uk 18.
The way im startin to look at it now is i have three perfect kids to be proud of why worry and stress about something you cant control and change. tried my best i can loose weight but it never leavs the belly area so i may as well focus on hat i can control and chill about what i cant
you look amazing love, youve tried your best love yourself for you
Your little one is adorable…Your stomach looks exactly like mine…I am 10 1/2 months postpartum and I have the same stomach…seriously..I lost all of my pregnancy weight except for a 3 pounds and I look six months pregnant. I purchased the Mummy Tummy DVD by Julie Tupler and have been working on my diastasis..have you been checked by your midwife or doctor for this? Some things to avoid…regualr abdominal crunches, sitting up from laying down flat…it will make it worse..turn to your side then get up..You are not alone and you will get there!
You look beautiful :) I am now 8 months PP and am finally starting to get my body back, but still get asked when I am “expecting” and am still 20 lbs over my prepregnancy weight. I just put the comments behind me and keep trucking :) It is so hard after a C-Section to exercise because the abdomen can be Very sore! Mine still is! Hang in there :) You are doing great :)
After 2 babies, 3 years apart, my body looks much like yours, only you look better because you have the hips to compliment and a narrow waist. I am now pregnant with a 3rd, yet another 3 years later, and am so nervous about how I look and feel once I recover from this bout with diastasis recti. I will definitely need to find Mummy Tummy, and I’ve also heard about Elizabeth Noble’s books Essential Exercises for the Childbearing Year and Essential Postpartum Exercises. I hope these help us both!