C-SECTION MAMAS HOW WILL 'WE' DO THIS???

:drinker: bump

I'm 26 mother of two 3 year old and a 8 month old both c-section I do yoga abs and although it's not all the away i have seen a HUGE difference. It's bob Harpers yoga dvd 9.99 at best buy and it had a 15 min abs section. I kicks my butt but i can feel them getting stronger... thats what i do hope that helps

Hey ladies... I'm right there with most of you with 2 C's and believe me, I've gone bonkers over this very issue, as even when I *was* in shape, I still had this horrible thing hanging from me... especially if I bent over; it's like having deflated udders. ick.

Good news: you *can* work off a bunch of it and the skin WILL smooth and flatten out - to a point. You probably won't be able to wear a bikini again, but you'll be able to show a little tummy without being mortified and grossing everyone out. Oh, and for those worried about stretch marks - skin regenerates approximately every 7 years. They'll fade. :-)

Bad news: it's called the cesearean (good lord my spelling is horrible lately!) hang for a reason. The only way to REALLY get it all firmed up and gone away is.. yep, you guessed it - a tummy tuck. Yet ANOTHER abdominal surgery. Go fig, right?

Good news: alot of plastic surgeons can use what's called a micro-cut and it's a minimal slice; just enough to pull the skin taught and get it smoothed out and minimally scarring. The other good news is that this particular type of tuck, since it's just skin, is not AS invasive because they don't have to cut through muscles and so many nerves. Recovery (I would presume) would not be quite like a C-section. I've seriously thought about getting this done some day, but considering I'm pushing 40, it seems kind of pointless and will be even more pointless by the time I could afford it.

So, overall, I guess it depends on what your ultimate goal is: to be relatively comfortable in your existing skin or to be able to walk around in a bikini. That will pretty much determine which course you want to go in. BUT - if you get a tuck, make sure you're done having babies first. :-) Would hate to spend all that money and then have it ruined and having to do it *again*, which will be even harder on your body (in fact, I really wouldn't recommend it - think Joan Rivers). I'm probably going to go with the more natural route.. unless middle age hits me way too hard and I suddenly have a desperate need to look 25 (or as close to it as whatever money I have at that point will buy me! lol). I figure if the worst of it stays below the "bikini line" - what the hell do I care? I mean really... I may never WEAR a bikini again, but regardless no one by my bf should be lookin' that low anyway! And it's most obvious during those more private moments anyway and if he's not running away screaming then what do I have to worry about? If I can wear hip jeans and cropped sweater again, I'll be thrilled! :-)

Hope this helps!

Lots of core work seems to be helping me. I do yoga 3-4 times a week and anything that activates the core muscles (plank, etc.) give me a pretty good workout.

I was fortunate with both of my c-sections though. My first, while an emergency, healed nicely and for my second (pre-planned) my OB said, "Hey, you don't mind if I thin out this scar do you?" Um, heck no! She also, because she didn't have anything else going on, stitched the muscles back together. It hurt like mad but I don't have a large pooch.

Lots of core work is helping me too- especially yoga. Plank and push ups are probably the best things you can do to tighten up your core. I am an INSANITY grad and he has a great 15 minute Cardio Abs routine that I do a 2-3 days a week(as an addition to my other workouts). I've had 2 c/s and it was the 2nd one in 2006 that I had problems with. I only got feeling back around my scar last year. My tummy is not flat, but it is less poochy that it was. I credit planks(any yoga that activates the core really), push ups and Insane Abs for that.

I don't know the truth to this, but I knew a woman that lost 100+ lbs. She was a knock out except she had the dreaded pooch (I always laugh and say that mine had somewhere to be before my pregnancy and after it was over, it just decided to hang out where it was). She tried lots of things to get rid of the C-section bulge but never could and she was extremely fit. She ended up and had a tuck. The Dr. told her that with as many years as she was overweight on top of multiple c-sections (I think that she had 2), that there was only so much she could firm up. Depressing, huh? I don't know if this was the Dr.'s take on it because he wanted the $$$ or if there is truth in this. I know she didn't choose surgery as a quick answer. I also think she looked great the way she was. You didn't notice her pooch when she was dressed. Of course, I never had to see her naked.

I have seen competitive body building C-section moms that have zero pooch. It's kind of amazing because I saw (in pics) the scar but on a rock hard stomach. So, physically, it can be done.

Whether or not, I will have that kind of commitment to make it seem like I've never had these babies via surgery (not for lack of trying...36 hours of homebirth labor before my hospital transfer for Ms. Head Flex!) is a different story.

I think I might be ALL DONE with major abdominal surgery thanks! :bigsmile:

I have the same fear. I am 19 and I have had two c-sections. I know that a lot of people will automatically go to judging because of my age, don't think that bothers me much. ANYHOW...

I have the same issue with my stomach. I have worried forever, but I have seen pictures of a member on here that had twins, and had the same pooch. It was dramatically reduced and she isn't done yet. While some women can get rid of the pooch, some have to resort to tummy tucks.

As for the numbness, it goes away. I had it for my first c-section for over a year, but it does pass.

bump....2 c sections for me and have unfortunately had the dreaded "pooch" all my life so mine is not going anywhere anytime soon.....just hope i can lose weight and look great no matter if i have a pooch or not (i have never worn a bikini, im not about to start now)