What is the belly pooch I hear about that people have after

Scorpioangel

I keep reading and hearing about this pooch people have that they can't get rid of after having a child that sometimes requires a tummy tuck to remove. Is it just loose skin or is it something else that never goes away? I have seen pictures here and there of what I think it is... but why don't all women get it? I read somewhere that it has to do with the abdominal muscles tearing or something while being pregnant and they won't go back? Is this true?

dargytaylor

maybe getting a C-section? not sure, I have had 3 kids and don't have it.......only a beer belly that I am trying to loose!! :drinker:

Scorpioangel

I don't think I have it but I do have loose skin that I could cut off but I thought maybe that is what they were referring to

jenluvsushi

Having a baby can actually tear holes in the muscle on your abdomin....genetics plays a big role in that, how big your baby was and how elastic your skin is. I had a tummy tuck done to repair the damage to my muscles plus remove the saggy skin. It was worth every penny too by the way! I even had a baby after I had a tummy tuck......my stomach still looks great!

nycko20

I have had a c-section and I don't have a pooch. I do work my *kitten* off to stay in shape. I do know it was harder to get my muscle back after it was cut.

Scorpioangel

Having a baby can actually tear holes in the muscle on your abdomin....genetics plays a big role in that, how big your baby was and how elastic your skin is. I had a tummy tuck done to repair the damage to my muscles plus remove the saggy skin. It was worth every penny too by the way! I even had a baby after I had a tummy tuck......my stomach still looks great!

That is what I have been reading about - I don't think that happened to me but I do have the saggy skin I wish I could just cut off have it gone LOL I think the only option for me to get rid of it at this point is a tummy tuck. I did the laser skin tightening but it only faded the stretch marks a bit. I gain 60 pounds when I was pregnant and lost it all within 3 weeks after having the baby so I guess that's what I get for not taking it off gradually LOL

After losing it though I gained weight to be almost my weight when I was pregnant rather quickly and then went back down - oh the torture I put my stomach through!

Scorpioangel

I have had a c-section and I don't have a pooch. I do work my *kitten* off to stay in shape. I do know it was harder to get my muscle back after it was cut.

I just looked and your stomach looks great girl!!!

StefSays

" During pregnancy, many women experience a separation of their stomach muscles. Known as diastasis recti, this condition occurs when the main abdominal muscles (called the rectus abdominus) begin to pull apart. The left and right sides of this muscle separate, leaving a gap in between." (http://www.pregnancy-info.net/separated_muscles.html)

This. I have the pooch and also a shelf from my two c-sections. The only way to help the muscles heal is through exercise and sometimes special "corsets."

It just looks like I carry extra belly, and while my weight is significantly lower than it was pre-pregnancy (by +/- 35 pounds) I'm just about the same jeans size as I was before. I used to be able to do crunches, and I still can but it's a real challenge. Something I have to really focus on.

Scorpioangel

" During pregnancy, many women experience a separation of their stomach muscles. Known as diastasis recti, this condition occurs when the main abdominal muscles (called the rectus abdominus) begin to pull apart. The left and right sides of this muscle separate, leaving a gap in between." (http://www.pregnancy-info.net/separated_muscles.html)

This. I have the pooch and also a shelf from my two c-sections. The only way to help the muscles heal is through exercise and sometimes special "corsets."

It just looks like I carry extra belly, and while my weight is significantly lower than it was pre-pregnancy (by +/- 35 pounds) I'm just about the same jeans size as I was before. I used to be able to do crunches, and I still can but it's a real challenge. Something I have to really focus on.

Thank you so much for the information I will read up on that. You would think with how much I put on that would have happened? Maybe it did and it healed though?

StefSays

Also, I'm totally up for a "mommy makeover" now that I'm done breastfeeding and my body is getting closer to it's ideal size! Holy boob-shrinkage, Batman!

StefSays

It can heal! I have the excess skin too, though. My stomach is a mess. Kids are totally worth it but my bikini days were over before they ever began.

Scorpioangel

Stefsays you have been a great help thank you very much and thanks for the hope that it does shrink! I read somewhere that it takes time - I will keep moisturizing in the meantime and hope it does

Fitwam

Well, after having two children and experiencing what you all say is the Pooch...and working my butt off..it never went away. I had the "mommy makeover" 5 weeks ago today! Love my stomach...and the boobs (well, hubby likes those.... :-)...swear he slipped the doc an extra $100 for extra cleavage!)...but again all worth it. I still want to get back into the swing of things with working out, but taking it slow like the doc has requested. I don't do "slow" very well, but trying to be good. I am definitely not saying this is the way to go for some, but for me, the loose skin was not ever going to snap back into place.

jenluvsushi

Well I did it totally backwards...I had a kid, had a mommy makeover from the top down....and then I went and had another kid! Be sure you are done before you make the investment....I think I look better before I had the surgery for sure, but I definitely need a little touch up especially on the boobs (I breast fed for a year!).......I can't wait to lose all of this weight and see what the real story is. I know my tummy held up pretty good at least.

radosti1

I have diastasis recti. If I lay on my back and tighten my abdominal muscles, I can stick two fingers side by side into the space in the middle. I can have it fixed eventually, by having the muscles pulled back into place and sewn together. I'm done having kids, so it would be fine.

I had gestational diabetes with all three kids. The first one, I passed the glucose test by one point, so the ob did not diagnose it. I had no clue what was happening. But I was retaining so much water that I was forced to wear super soft slippers to work many days because of the swelling. My feet would still overflow the slippers on top. I have stretch mark on the sides of my knees from trying to bendmy legs while the skin was stretched with the extra water. My son was 9 lbs 12 oz at birth and the delivery was horrific, as in I ended up having an out of body experience because the pain was just so incomprehensibly intolerable. They turned off my epidural too because I wasn't pushing right. I remember screaming at the ob that perhaps they underestimated the size as he was not coming out. He did eventually... I ended up with 46 stitches, not being able to sit for two weeks, and a new ob.

The second son was 10 lbs 1oz, but this ob caught the diabetes. I had strict control, testing 4x a day, and oral meds. No water retention at all. So, that pregnancy, it was only my abdomen that suffered. Baby doll was an oops, born only 17 months after the middle one. She was 9 lbs 12 oz, and the diabetes was also controlled very strictly, so no swelling. After that, there was no going back to normal for my stomach.

I looked 5 months pregnant for at least a year. It seems like all my fat is sitting right there. Now that I am losing the weight, i just looks fat, not actually pregnant. Which is a major improvement. The Not Your Daughter's Jeans brand of jeans really helps with the muffin top. I will lose the weight and if it still looks awful, I will have a combo tummy tuck and diastasis correction. My skin on my stomach is also tissue thin and puckered, so not sure what can be done about that.

radosti1

Oh yes, the boobs. When I was breast feeding (18 months, a year, and 17 months), I had what a coworker described as porn star cleavage. Now, I just have chicken cutlets.

jenluvsushi

I have diastasis recti. If I lay on my back and tighten my abdominal muscles, I can stick two fingers side by side into the space in the middle. I can have it fixed eventually, by having the muscles pulled back into place and sewn together. I'm done having kids, so it would be fine.

I had gestational diabetes with all three kids. The first one, I passed the glucose test by one point, so the ob did not diagnose it. I had no clue what was happening. But I was retaining so much water that I was forced to wear super soft slippers to work many days because of the swelling. My feet would still overflow the slippers on top. I have stretch mark on the sides of my knees from trying to bendmy legs while the skin was stretched with the extra water. My son was 9 lbs 12 oz at birth and the delivery was horrific, as in I ended up having an out of body experience because the pain was just so incomprehensibly intolerable. They turned off my epidural too because I wasn't pushing right. I remember screaming at the ob that perhaps they underestimated the size as he was not coming out. He did eventually... I ended up with 46 stitches, not being able to sit for two weeks, and a new ob.

The second son was 10 lbs 1oz, but this ob caught the diabetes. I had strict control, testing 4x a day, and oral meds. No water retention at all. So, that pregnancy, it was only my abdomen that suffered. Baby doll was an oops, born only 17 months after the middle one. She was 9 lbs 12 oz, and the diabetes was also controlled very strictly, so no swelling. After that, there was no going back to normal for my stomach.

I looked 5 months pregnant for at least a year. It seems like all my fat is sitting right there. Now that I am losing the weight, i just looks fat, not actually pregnant. Which is a major improvement. The Not Your Daughter's Jeans brand of jeans really helps with the muffin top. I will lose the weight and if it still looks awful, I will have a combo tummy tuck and diastasis correction. My skin on my stomach is also tissue thin and puckered, so not sure what can be done about that.

OMG.....I can't believe you had another one after that first experience....OUCH! You are a real trooper! I had preclampsia with both of my pregnancies so I can totally relate to the edema issue....I couldn't wear any type of shoe but men's flip flops....it was horrible! I hope to have one more baby and I pray it doesn't happen again. Common sense tells me I'm outta luck but maybe I will get lucky this time.

radosti1

I have diastasis recti. If I lay on my back and tighten my abdominal muscles, I can stick two fingers side by side into the space in the middle. I can have it fixed eventually, by having the muscles pulled back into place and sewn together. I'm done having kids, so it would be fine.

I had gestational diabetes with all three kids. The first one, I passed the glucose test by one point, so the ob did not diagnose it. I had no clue what was happening. But I was retaining so much water that I was forced to wear super soft slippers to work many days because of the swelling. My feet would still overflow the slippers on top. I have stretch mark on the sides of my knees from trying to bendmy legs while the skin was stretched with the extra water. My son was 9 lbs 12 oz at birth and the delivery was horrific, as in I ended up having an out of body experience because the pain was just so incomprehensibly intolerable. They turned off my epidural too because I wasn't pushing right. I remember screaming at the ob that perhaps they underestimated the size as he was not coming out. He did eventually... I ended up with 46 stitches, not being able to sit for two weeks, and a new ob.

The second son was 10 lbs 1oz, but this ob caught the diabetes. I had strict control, testing 4x a day, and oral meds. No water retention at all. So, that pregnancy, it was only my abdomen that suffered. Baby doll was an oops, born only 17 months after the middle one. She was 9 lbs 12 oz, and the diabetes was also controlled very strictly, so no swelling. After that, there was no going back to normal for my stomach.

I looked 5 months pregnant for at least a year. It seems like all my fat is sitting right there. Now that I am losing the weight, i just looks fat, not actually pregnant. Which is a major improvement. The Not Your Daughter's Jeans brand of jeans really helps with the muffin top. I will lose the weight and if it still looks awful, I will have a combo tummy tuck and diastasis correction. My skin on my stomach is also tissue thin and puckered, so not sure what can be done about that.

OMG.....I can't believe you had another one after that first experience....OUCH! You are a real trooper! I had preclampsia with both of my pregnancies so I can totally relate to the edema issue....I couldn't wear any type of shoe but men's flip flops....it was horrible! I hope to have one more baby and I pray it doesn't happen again. Common sense tells me I'm outta luck but maybe I will get lucky this time.

Yeah, me either. I spent months begging my new ob practice for a scheduled c section. Especially after the high risk ob told me he was measuring 4 weeks ahead of schedule, was huge and would likely get stuck coming out since he was bigger than the first. The ob's at the regular practice all basically said the same thing, that my diabetes is controlled, I got the first one out and the road was paved, how the c section recovery would be so much worse. They even had a hospital counselor come talk to me while I was in for my weekly non-stress test. And she basically said the same thing.

When it came down to it, I was almost 6 cm dilated when I got to the hospital, the epidural was a dream, the ob acted like a mid-wife, doing perineal massage and quietly coaching me. He came out easily, I only needed 6 stitches, and it turned out I possess the rare "adequate hips" otherwise known as good birthing hips. His head was 14.5 cm and the ob was telling me in awe that I could have fit another 2 cm out. She even asked me if it was ok to show her student as she was unlikely to come across such open hips again.