I’m 33 now, our oldest son is 8 and the twins (boy & girl) are 5. Both pregnancies were term and all babies big and healthy (Oldest son – 8lbs, 9oz…twin daughter – 6lbs, 9oz…twins son – 7lbs, 6oz). Twins had to be induced at 40 weeks + 1 day (40 weeks is term for twins)… I was fortunate not to need a c-section and the deliveries were safe, and uneventful (except that it was x2 !). I was so proud of myself for carrying the twins so long and growing them so big and healthy inside me. Never even considered what that massively stretched tummy might look like after they vacated. Hmmm.
My pride for creating and delivering 3 healthy kiddos outweighs my vanity when I consider how my stretchy tummy came to be. But I don’t think of my loose skin and stretch marks are ‘badges of honour’ — I would be quite happy to be rid of them soon (I’m saving for a tummy tuck and hope to have it completed before I am 40)… just as one wouldn’t think twice about getting braces for a child with badly aligned teeth… I don’t think there is anything wrong with altering your body to better represent how you feel about yourself (I don’t feel like a woman with a poochy tummy — I still feel like a hot mama!). But until I change my tummy, this is what it looks like…I don’t mind it… I don’t mind my husband and kids seeing it, I don’t mind sharing it with other moms. But it’s not the way I want the rest of the world to see me, so I wear clothes that keep it under wraps and lord knows NO BIKINIS!
Counting my blessings & keeping it in perspective (but still checking myself out in the mirror :)
Your tummy held up really well for carrying your twins for as long as you did, good for you! I totally understand how you feel, I dont mind my tummy, but when I have the means ($) I would def love to have a tuck as well. My stretch marks dont define me, but Id prefer to not have my belly skin hang over my jeans :) You look really great, best of luck to you!
You look so tiny and petite. Obviously you’ve lost all the pregnancy weight and are in good shape. Of course, that doesn’t always take care of the wee bit of extra skin hanging around. For that, the old scapel is necessary. So for whatever it’s worth, I say get that surgery if you like and wear the bikini with pride.
I feel the same way as you. Im waiting for a consult for a tummy tuck. I dont hate my body, and Ive showed alot of women my stomach (because they are curious). I am torn between learning to love my body and making the choice to have plastic surgery. Ive saved up the money and am making the choice to be a little bit more happy with my physical self.
Good luck on your venutre. Congrats on your beautiful children.
God Bless.
ya, your belly is really flat! good job!
You look beautiful! I love this photograph! Your body tells a million more stories… So beautiful!
My twins were born at 36 weeks, and my doctors had told me that 37 weeks was a full-term twin pregnancy. But I do admit that your belly makes me happy, cause maybe mine will look that good one day?
Your belly looks just like mine and I too hope to have a tummy tuck one day once I have finished with making babies :-) I am 8 months pp and back to my old weight if not slimmer and fitter from all the hard work I put in to try to regain my figure. Not realising that exercise will not get rid of the saggy, wrinkly skin :-( As for the bikini I have discovered the monokini which is brilliant for women with bellies like ours who still want to wear a bikini but don’t want to show off the belly button area. Check it out.
Thank God! Someone I can relate too. Like you I had twins(9months pp)and I am very proud to have been able to carry two babies at once. I know this may sound strange but I think I would be a bit disappointed if I looked in the mirror and there was no evidence that I had had my boys. Dont get me wrong I want the extra skin gone, but I am proud of my body and you should definately be proud of yours. KUDOS !
Thank you for all the supportive feedback. (and you’re right, Andree — twins are term at 37 weeks (my typo) and we went 37 + one day).
It’s so interesting how I celebrated my body when it had everyone in awe — how I could carry and deliver 2 big beautiful babies together. And how I feel so divided now that they have long since vacated the womb. I guess back then my body was not a sensual thing — it was a miracle worker! Now that childbearing is behind me, I want my mojo back. I’m finding my mojo is not enhanced by tummy jowels! LOL! Lucky for me, my husband finds me irresistible just the way I am.
P.S. I recommend yoga to all my fellow mommies. It won’t cure twin tummy but it may help transform your perception of your body and nourishes the spirit.
My stomache looks almost identical to yours. I also had twins and my belly went straight out when I was pregnant. I went through serious depression afterwards partly b/c of my pp body but now I’m finally ok with it. I’m saving up as well for my surgery one day! I believe I’ve worked hard for it and I owe it to myself. I’m sure you do too!!Good luck with everything
I’m so jealous. I got more extra skin and only one baby :( But your acceptance of yourself is really great. I’m really struggling to get there. My baby’s father left me, I am unemployed and see no way to ever afford a tummy tuck. I don’t know how to accept myself and I don’t know how anyone else will either.
Hey Sara, you’re not alone. I had a ten pounder…she was as big as twins. I also have the stretch marks and the “tummy jowels.” I’m recently divorced, and as poor as a church mouse, so there’s no tummy tuck in my immediate future. It was easier to live with this body when I had a partner so I understand that needling fear. Invest in yourself…do things that build your confidence and nourish your spirit. The truth is that women of all shapes and sizes have fulfilling relationships, whether their shape or size is created by motherhood or something else. Give yourself time to accept yourself.
I’m sitting here crying because there’s someone else with a belly like mine, i had healthy twin boys 5mos. ago and feel so ashamed of my belly, everything weighs the same as pre-pregnacy but is just in another place and wrinkly, anyways its good to see other bellys because i feel like less of a woman(b/c my sexuality is gone right now) and its good to know your a hot woman, so i’ll get it together soon too…
Girls I am with you all!!! My stomache looks alot like your pictures, My daughter is 4 1/2 (to term) and My twins (boys) are now 22 months (I carried to 37 weeks 5days) My stomach muscles have a 5 inch separation and I dream of the day I can afford surgery, Not just because of the psychological side effects but also the physical! Do any of you guys experience back pain? My back is killing me because it’s compensating soo much for my long lost abs!! please feel free to email me, I’ve yet to meet anyone with the same experiences as mine outside of here! petersonmama@yahoo.com
My stomach is pretty close to looking like yours. We had boy/girl twins Oct. 2004. I’m very petite. Just over 5 ft. 1 in. and 98 lb. I gained all my weight (31 lb) in the belly while prego. And lost all of it almost immediately after delivery. I feel the same as you. I’m proud to have carried our babies to 34 1/2 weeks. But the extra skin and torn ab muscles are hard to deal with because you know there is no excerise that can help. I to would like to have surgery once I know we won’t be having any more babies : )…but surgery or no surgery we are who we are and better for it. Thank God for the miracle of babies and what our bodies are capable of doing. It’s hard to accept our post baby bodies sometimes but little things like how we dress can really help our self confidence. So take a little extra time in the am and go out into each day tall and proud. God Bless.
i had my girls at 39 weeks,non identical. was only 116 wen i fell preg! i was wantin to post a story but i cannon figure out how to??
I had identical twin boys at 38 weeks, I always wonder how much longer they would have stayed in there if we hadn’t needed to schedule a c-section. They were 5lb 13oz and 6lb 4oz when they were born. That was a year ago, and I guess I just kept wishing my skin would return to shape the way it had after my first son was born (he’s 2.5yrs now). I had to have a section for him too, so the section scar doesn’t bother me much now. But I have to say, your skin looks amazing! Mine is at least an inch or two “longer” than yours when it hangs over my underwear, I guess I just need to man up and buy some tummy-control panties and get over myself! I’m not really into elective surgery at this point of my life (31), does anyone have any other suggestions for helping to “contain” my tummy skin? I’ve heard it called a “c-shelf” too on many websites, since it falls over the bikini scar.
Same belly. I use to have a hot tummy. I started at 105 pounds pre-pregnancy, I had two healthy full term babies totaling 14 pounds. I look fine with clothes on, but I don’t like my husband seeing the belly. He says that it doesn’t bother him at all, but it bothers me. I’m a little scared to do the tummy tuck. Anyone have experience with it? Is it worth it? I would hate to undergo surgery for sub-par results. I can live with my current tummy, but I would love to have it fixed. I appreciate knowing there are others like me out there, thank you for the post.