Leftover baby belly...

You're 16 months out from having a c-section and you just had a plastic surgeon try and make a sale.

Please don't take that too much to heart. He's trying to make a living on your insecurities. I have the VERY same belly, scar, pooch and whatnot. Now that I'm within 10 lbs of where I want my weight to settle, I'm even more positive that I can get rid of it.

I had an appointment booked for a full mommy lift - tummy tuck, breast lift and augmentation. I ended up canceling the surgery. The tummy tuck is crazy invasive and the healing can take a long time.

Are you at a healthy body weight now? Try adding muscle and cutting a bit more fat to see. Even if the doctor says you have very little fat left (which is probably true), consider the source. He's someone who wants you to get surgery. Try asking a trainer, your GP or any other health or fitness professional.

I'm just starting a lifting program and eating closer to maintenance in order to eventually do a proper bulk to put on muscle. I believe this will eventually take care of the problem. I think, for me, it's just going to take being VERY lean to get rid of the belly fat. But then, I've always held any extra fat right on my waistline (apple shaped).

But I know your struggle... I want to love my body too...

Thats where I hold my weight too, although I did have a flat belly years ago. I am at a healthy weight now. Actually very happy with where my weight is just not the belly pooch. If I lose anymore I won't be able to sit on hard surfaces anymore as my poor butt has NO cushioning left! I lift 3x a week and run 3x a week.

The doctor was absolutely a money grubber, but I know some bellies don't bounce back no matter what a woman does. I have friends with 20 year old kids that are fit and still have loose, shrivelly (probably not a word, huh?) skin. We aren't all built the same. Of course get to a weight/size you're 100% happy with, do lots of strength training, and see where you end up. Some people have surgery, and that's okay. It's not for me, but I'm sure it's hard to hear everyone tell you you're just not doing enough. The woman in the pictures that were linked clearly had fabulous skin to work with. Not everyone can be so lucky.

A plastic surgeon asked you to see your C-section scar and immediately told you that plastic surgery is the only way to make it look better?

SKEPTICAL CAT IS SKEPTICAL

Of course losing weight will improve your baby belly. Why don't you do that first and if you're still not happy, then consider plastic surgery?

Ummmm... I have lost weight all I have to lose actually. As I said there is little to no fat left there to lose.

I'm not trying to be a jerk, but If you didn't have fat to lose then you wouldn't be trying to get rid of fat.

It's always possible to take off body fat. It doesn't mean you're going to enjoy what it takes to take that little bit of body fat off and keep it off. From personal experience - I had a very flat stomach for a year but it took too strict a diet to keep it off, and now I'm fine with a small amount of "pooch" because I know it's not worth it. Is it possible to get rid of without surgery? Yes. But even if you DO get a tummy tuck or equivalent, you'll still be prone to gaining fat in that area... My response wasn't intended to be snarky, when someone responds with "ummmm..." I assume they are responding to something they find offensive. I'm not trying to be offensive, but if you have any body fat, then it's possible to get rid of it without surgery.

Edit: Unless what you're looking at isn't fat, but skin, then yes it would probably mean surgery

I mostly responded because your plastic surgeon was so laughably trying to "up-sell" you it was like he wasn't even trying to conceal it :P

Last time I was at GNC picking up my supplements/vitamins the guy that worked there showed me a picture of his wife on his phone (it wasn't random..I too was complaining about my belly skin). His wife had 3 kids, and now competes in fitness competitions, no surgery, just hard work and time. This woman looked amazing!! Flat stomach, tight skin! You'd never even know she had kids! The guy assured me that if I kept eating healthy and exercising that the skin will tighten up over time...but he did emphasize...TIME. It really does take a few years apparently.
My youngest is going to be 2 in December, and I'm still trying to get everything tight again. It's looks like it's starting to tighten up a bit, but I still have a long way to go!
(The worst is when you're on your hands and knees doing an exercise or in a downward dog and you can see the skin hanging down eh!? OMG!!! It makes me cringe every time!!)
Hang in there!! Keep up the great work you've already been doing!

I have a friend who has gone on to competitive body sculpting after having a big baby. She still has that skin thing going on and I believe that will never go away. If you feel your dr is right and it is just left over skin, why not go and get a 2nd opinion and if you feel surgery is right for you then do it? it can be disheartening to work so hard for a great body except for the the skin that may never go away. Good luck to you.

I have the same and my son is now 8, it doesnt go back. He was 9.5 lbs. and 22.5 inches long and I was 5'3" 115 size zero to start! To know if you have loose skin or just a fat pooch its all in the appearance of your belly button. If it still looks normal and intact its just fat. If its completely caved in and no longer looks like a belly button then its skin. I had a doc tell me the same btw at 6 weeks! he isnt lying or trying to make a buck its most likely the truth.
I havent had the surgery yet as I am a huge chicken :-)
Its upsetting and makes you super self conscience I feel your pain. No matter how fit I am I will never wear a bikini again unless I opt for surgery I am doomed to Monokinis!

THANK YOU! This is what I'm dealing with! I honestly didn't feel like he was either, again I trust NO doctors but I was feeling what he told me, he just confirmed it for me.

You know what you have girl, dont listen to ppl that havent expirienced it for themselves and like another poster said every body is diff. some ladies are lucky and bounce back, others like you and I not so much. You gotta just do the best you can and decide for yourself if it bothers you enough for surgery. I have gone back and forth myself, amd leaning towards the surgery side over the last year or so but want to see if there are less drastic options, like thru the belly button instead of the whole across your abdomen business~!