Are there other C-Section Mommys out there???

Nikstergirl

I knew I wasn't alone in this, but it's nice to have a place to vent about it!

I had 2 c-sections, 16 and 13 years ago. I was overweight before my pregnancies and never had a flat belly going all the way back to childhood as I was born with a small hernia that healed itself when I was a toddler. Plus I'm just an apple shape naturally. Since my second son was born I have an area about 3 inches wide that goes from just under my belly button to my scar that is completely numb. I know that the only way to get rid of the deflated balloon that is my tummy is a tummy tuck, but that's not in the finances now and possibly for a very long time. I've lost a lot of weight and have managed to keep this off for six months and looking to lose just a little more and it's WAY better, but still have a pooch. I just started P90X in addition to my running (just started training for my first marathon this fall) and hopefully the weights will help. I noticed a bid difference when I was lifting last winter but got out of the habit last summer and fall. Took me until just this week to really get back into strength training.

So let's hope this hard work (and yes, I'm watching the diet as much as I can right now) pays off with a flatter tummy!

petersoncl

I had 3 c-sections in 4 years. I got my figure back quickly after each by modern dancing at a dance studio and running, I worked out 1.5 to 2 hours a day between dancing and running. It took away the shelf and gave me a very toned body. Unfortunately I had another c-section 10.5 years later and my muscles separated permentally. The doctor sewed the muscles back together because the more I exercised the further apart the muscles separated.

lorforde

Wow hearing all of your stories I really feel like we all have so much in common. Those who have not have c-sections do not understand what it is we go through. I was told once that if I just lost weight, that shelf would not be an issue!!!

The muscles are the problem!!!

Does anyone have any photos of success with defeating the shelf???
What did you do to get rid of it????

dckeable76

I had an emergency c-section 3 and a half months ago due to a prolapsed cord. I am struggling with my weight post-natally and have today taken the decision to start my diet. I hate the scar I have been left with but know there really isn't much I can do about my shelf, if it wasn't for that I wouldn't have my beautiful daughter so I am now going to concentrate on trying to shift my spare tyres instead. Please feel free to add me. I will need as much support as you can offer as I am a serious chocoholic.

picassoadagio

I had an emergency C-section with my first and planned C with my second. I don't even feel like I can engage my lower abdominals when I exercise. I would be grateful for tips too. Thank you for posting this!

My 1st c-section was an emergency c-section, the 2nd one was planned, too. Everything is tightening & shrinking, but it's not going away. If it is, it is VERY SLOW. Most people say, having a tummy tuck is the only way to get rid of it. I will learn to love "shelf."

CawfeeLuv

I have a ton of weight to lose, but the c-section area has been the hardest so far!

AthenaErr

I think once its just skin you can only gte rid of that surgically. I have c-section scar and a shelf - dreading slightly getting rid of the fat as then will see how badly skin is stretched.

dresha41

I HAVE HAD TWO C SECTION THE LAST ONE WAS 7 YEARS AGO WHAT WEIRD IS IS DID NOT GAIN WEIGHT DURING MY PREGNANCY BUT AFTERWARD I HAVE THE OLD C-SECTION WHICH IS THE UP AND DOWNi HAVE WHAT THEY CALL THE BOOTY IN THE FRONT i DON'T LIKE IT I STILL HAVE NOT GAIN ALL MY MUSCLE BACK FROM IT AND IT IS ANNOYING AND UGLY.SO NO YOUR ARE NOT ALONE.:flowerforyou:

BronzeLady

Had an emergency c almost 8 and a half years ago. I have sensation in the skin and can also engage my abdominal muscles. The area is trying to tone up, I can tell, but only time will tell if it will totally lift. That skin is persistently just sitting there. I was told I am still able to use my lower abdominals because I was a serious belly dancer before I got pregnant and used those muscles heavily. I don't know how true that theory is.

I still have about 25-30 pounds to lose, so I guess I'll see how the stomach turns out next year since I am trying to lose weight slowly with time. My body has toned nicely, but tummy overhang doesn't want to leave for now! :-)

hyper_stitch

I'm another, emergency c-section 7 years ago. I gained 70lbs during pregnancy which took me 4 years to lose 53lbs, just with very small lifestyle changes.

Like other's have said the scar area has little sensation but for those who have not long had one the scar does improve, mine was like a red rope and now is barely visible and only slightly raised :happy:

One thing I do get is pain occasionally when working out is a kind of tightening pain on the right side of my scar, it burns and I have to stop working out, has anyone else experienced similar???

BronnersHarris

I've had two sections, one 6 years ago and one 3.5. Unforunately I also have two scars about an inch apart. First scar was too high for them to use so they had to cut a second one. Even at my smallest I still had the pooch. I will look forward to seeing success pics from people.

Marie047

I have a crash C-Section with my little girl nearly 18 months ago, I still havent totally go feeling back in my stomach, I have decided once I have lost my weight if I still havent got rid of the over hang I going to have a tummy tuck to make it nice and flat.
However I have just got the insantiy workout dvd`s which is meant to be fantastic for toning especially on our ab area. Have you thought about giving this ago?

cramernh

For me, it was almost 19 years ago - emergency C-section - Toxemia/preclampsic and was already showing signs of dying because I was never diagnosed with gestational diabetes... My daughter was 9lbs 7 1/2oz - almost 22 inches long... Aint no way I was capable of delivering naturally if I had no problems, let me tell you - INSTANT TODDLER! LOL!!!!

Ive noticed that a good method is to start with building your core muscles.

Instead of a traditional chair at your desk, use a large workout-ball to sit on. This will help GREATLY!!!!! Working out with leg press will contribute to the lower portion of that surgical site, good body positioning for situps (alternating position via sets/reps).

In the 60+lbs that I have lost, I can definitely say I do see improvement. the only thing I know I will have an issue is, will be with loose skin. That part Im not too worried about.

Good body mechanics with exercises that involve the core muscles will definitely be key.... but it will require hard work.

sammys1girly

I had 3 c-sections and an ovarian surgery that involved a cut at the c section scar. (first was emergency, other two planned)I with I would've looked more into having a lil tummy tuck with my last c, but I think I will never have a totally flat tummy, mostly due to stretched skin from pregnancies. It's smaller than it used to be, though, by steadily doing lots of cardio to drop the lbs, now working on strength training. Slow and steady...

MelissaL582

c-section births= easy birth? Obviously, they've never had one and had to deal with the pain. I had an emergency c-section in 2007 and a repeat c-section in 2008 (my oldest was born vaginally in 2004). With my scar being up and down, my pooch is just ugly. My scar seriously makes my pooch look like another set of *kitten* cheeks. Ugh... It has gotten smaller since I've lost some weight and I don't expect it to completely go away by just losing weight. It's a reminder of what my family and I have gone through. A "bump" has grown near my incision and I've had it checked. Turned out to be a muscle bump and the only way to help make it go down is to massage it before doing any abdominal workouts. It doesn't hurt..it's more tender than anything after a hardcore workout.

donnam40

Hi

I have had 2 c-sections - one 18 years ago and the other 16. I had no problems with scarring or a pooch from those despite 30kg of weight gain. It was the hysterectomy 7 years ago that left me with the pooch because that was done higher up. It's not big but it is still there and I don't think it's going anytime soon in spite of all my training efforts!

Donna

123Linz

Thank you for writing this, I was beginning to wonder if my scar/stitching was normal.
I have fat below and above the scar, and a belly to go with it, even when I've been overweight my belly was always pretty flat, now it's my biggest problem, it's going down now I have lost a bit of weight, but it's p____ing me off!!!

twinmom01

I'm another, emergency c-section 7 years ago. I gained 70lbs during pregnancy which took me 4 years to lose 53lbs, just with very small lifestyle changes.

Like other's have said the scar area has little sensation but for those who have not long had one the scar does improve, mine was like a red rope and now is barely visible and only slightly raised :happy:

One thing I do get is pain occasionally when working out is a kind of tightening pain on the right side of my scar, it burns and I have to stop working out, has anyone else experienced similar???

Tightening may be scar tissue???

I had horrible pains for 2 years - did all sorts of tests - looked for an ovarian cyst - checked my small intestine for polyps or other obstructions- looked for scar tissue everything came up empty...finally one day while exercising (of all times to happen while I was doing the Hula Hoop thing on Wii Fit with my daughters) had a big POP occur and went to a different Dr. thinking I had a hernia - he sent me for an ab ultrasound (all those different tests I went through and not one ab ultrasound - grrrrrrr to think I didn't have to have my intestines checked) and they found a small mass along the C-section line....

Turns out I had incisional endometriosis - when I had my C-section a small amount of lining must have gotten caught up in the incision when closing...what was happening since the lining responds to hormone fluctuations - when I was ovulating it would swell and cause intense pain (like being stabbed...) - supposedly it is fairly rare according to papers written (seem more in women who have hysterectomys) and my surgeon had only seen 3 cases in his entire 35 year career (I was his last surgery - hope he saved his best for last) but I have had 2 friends (both have had multiple birth C-sections) who complained of the same type pain as I had and I suggested they take the diagnosis of incestional endo to thier Dr's and sure enough....they both had surgery to remove it as well...

Anyway when they did surgery to remove the mass they also found 2 areas of roped scar tissue that they removed. My surgeon said the one area of scar tissue could have been restricting movements and when I felt the pop it was actually the scar tissue being pulled and ripped because I pushed to far.

lorforde

I will learn to love "shelf." HAHAHA LOVE THAT!!! picassoadagio

sgv0918

Sounds like quite a difficult birth experience! Judging by your profile picture, I take it it all ended with a healthy mom and baby?

As for the c-section, you are not alone! Just this morning I was looking at my own little pouch hanging over my scar and wondering I'll ever get rid of it. I don't have any suggestions though. My c-sections were 11 and 7 years ago, I've lost a lot of weight since then, I do situps regularly, my abs are decently toned, but still have the excess skin and fat being shelved by the scar (great description!). I'm interested in what others say!

this accept 11 and 8 years ago

LizKurz

I had a Category 1 Crash C-Section almost two years ago due to a placental abruption.

I have a huge pouch overhanging my scar that has reduced in size as I have lost weight but is still like it is being shelved by the scar.

I need your help with motivation and support as well as things that have worked for you and exercises to do to try to increase the use of the muscles to see if I can reclaim some of this tummy that is a distant memory.

Success stories would be amazing too!!!

I haven't read the whole thread yet, that's next, but I can say, I have had four c sections. And after the third, I got back down to 140ish and I still had exactly what you describe as a shelf. It was certainly smaller and I didn't feel near as self concious as I do about tit now that I'm sitting at 190 after this last baby, but mine never went away. No matter how many planks I did, no matter how I dieted, I got down to a 20% or so bf before, and it was still there. From what my OB told me, only surgery can fix it, and it's a cosmetic surgery and you'll be down and out as long as you were with your csections.

I should also say, I ran to get rid of belly fat, which it did, training for 10ks and higher, but not in that area. Also things like reverse crunches which I because phenomenal at didnt help either.

God I feel like such a debbie downer.

Meggles63

I've had 4 c-sections and I know what you mean about the shelf. I can only echo what others have said about working on the core and building lean muscles. I still have a slight bulge, but it really doesn't bother me anymore. I figured it's a small price to pay for my four beautiful boys!

WVHeather

I've not had a C-Section so I hope that it's ok to post on here. I did, however, have an abdominal hysterectomy almost 2 years ago, and my scar is almost from hipbone to hipbone. I immediately gained weight and now that I've lost some my belly looks like a deflated basketball below my belly-button. As a matter of fact, I was just in the bathroom studying it in the mirror and wondering if it would ever tighten up. Actually, I'm kind of obsessed with it and worried that I will always have it. I am getting ready to start C25K and wondering if that will help.

silvermane7682

Wow to say the least!! You had a rough delivery there and i know exactly what you mean..Ive been fighting this pooch for the last 27 years.. i jokingly tell folks my baby fat has all grown up and is adult fat now..still have the pooch it NEVER goes away...ramdon thought... c-section tummy tuck combo...i mean they are right there trim a few inches of that extra skin and fat off...ive done situps, crunches,planks... i do Taekwondo and still the evil pooch remains...just short of that tummy tuck ive got no idea how to get rid of this thing so if anyone has a reasonably good idea im game!!!

chewbee16

I too had a planned c-section 5 years ago and have the same problem I dont know a fix other than loosing weight . if any one else has a fix we would all love to hear it!

silvermane7682

yep i get that too or if i sneeze while im laying down it hurts like the ****ins..i always thought it was cause the dr gave me a silly grin kind of scar kinda like:-/ def not a stright line and skin is sensitive on the scar as well btw that c section was 27 yrs ago

candykay0605

i have had 2 emergency csections i feel your pain, we are all here to support each other

pg1girl

I had two natural births and one emergency c-section. I didn't get any stretch marks and only have a tiny scar from the incision. No overhang or anything. I truly think this is a genetic thing though. We all carry our weight very very differently and sometimes it is impossible to get rid of in certain places. My problem area is the thighs....ugh!

SheilaParker

I had an emergency c-section almost 5 yrs ago and then a planned c-section 18 months ago and I also have the shelf. I do notice that it is decreasing in size as I lose weight but it is still there. I'm hoping if I continue to work hard and get to my goal that it will be gone. I guess only time will tell.

Jewel1201

I had a c- section 8 years ago because my twin boys were both breech. I hope someday I can lose the flab but time will tell.