Why does your stomach from having babies take forever to lose??

Options
2»

Replies

  • JeepHair77
    JeepHair77 Posts: 1,291 Member
    Options
    Bah. My tummy was FINE after my daughter was born, but now, 10 years later, it's definitely my trouble spot. I'm fairly proportionate all over, except for my tummy, which on a bad day, looks pregnant. I don't have any advice, just wanted to commiserate. It pisses me off. They're all like, "oh, you have to lose the fat to reveal the kick-*kitten* ab muscles underneath." Dude, I'm fairly certain that I could lose ALL the fat and this dumb pooch would still be here. Hiding my six-pack.
  • GracieLeephillips
    GracieLeephillips Posts: 11 Member
    Options
    I'm bout to start weight training this week and try that.. It just sucks that the world has a certain way a woman should look..having babies does alot on your body and it is a beautiful thing, but people don't see that..I do alot of sit ups everyday when I can..but like some of you I just don't think that excersising will fix that "baby pouch" I drink about 10-12 bottles of water a day and drink meal replacement shakes instead of eating and still no tummy shrinkage..everywhere else is but not the dang ol tummy lol..and that tummy tuck sounds amazing but expensive and scary:)
  • blues4miles
    blues4miles Posts: 1,481 Member
    Options
    MommyMeggo wrote: »
    GracieLeephillips wrote: »
    120 is my goal..:)

    Are you doing any strength training?

    +1

  • Asher_Ethan
    Asher_Ethan Posts: 2,430 Member
    Options
    My kids are 8 and 2 and I have a small amount of lose skin on my stomach. It's only really noticeable when I bend over.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    Options
    GracieLeephillips wrote: »
    I'm bout to start weight training this week and try that.. It just sucks that the world has a certain way a woman should look..having babies does alot on your body and it is a beautiful thing, but people don't see that..I do alot of sit ups everyday when I can..but like some of you I just don't think that excersising will fix that "baby pouch" I drink about 10-12 bottles of water a day and drink meal replacement shakes instead of eating and still no tummy shrinkage..everywhere else is but not the dang ol tummy lol..and that tummy tuck sounds amazing but expensive and scary:)

    To be fair, I think that a lot of the "the world has a certain way we should look" stuff is hogwash. The majority of women and mean who have been pregnant or overweight understand that stretched stomach skin and its associated subcutaneous fat are extremely challenging. It's also hidden most of the time. I'm not saying it's not annoying and disheartening--it can be and I struggle a lot with my body image because of it. But that is self-inflicted struggle and drama. It's not due to societal beauty standards. My husband tells me regularly that I'm sexy and beautiful and besides him, I'm the only person who I try to look good for. It's my own dislike of what I see that makes me a head case about the stomach, not anybody else.
  • GracieLeephillips
    GracieLeephillips Posts: 11 Member
    Options
    Yes ma'am:)
  • kirstenb13
    kirstenb13 Posts: 181 Member
    edited March 2016
    Options
    jemhh wrote: »
    To be fair, I think that a lot of the "the world has a certain way we should look" stuff is hogwash. The majority of women and mean who have been pregnant or overweight understand that stretched stomach skin and its associated subcutaneous fat are extremely challenging. It's also hidden most of the time. I'm not saying it's not annoying and disheartening--it can be and I struggle a lot with my body image because of it. But that is self-inflicted struggle and drama. It's not due to societal beauty standards. My husband tells me regularly that I'm sexy and beautiful and besides him, I'm the only person who I try to look good for. It's my own dislike of what I see that makes me a head case about the stomach, not anybody else.

    I get what you're trying to say, but even if it is just in your head in your opinion, you are still certainly influenced by society. Most social pressure is internalized to this degree (nobody is going to outright comment on someone else's tummy) but that doesn't mean it's not there.

    But on the subject, I know very, very thin mothers who have never had a weight problem in their life and they have a little tummy years after pregnancy. I think it can take a loooong time to disappear and depending on your genetics it might never go away completely. You can try to work on it but should also try to make peace with it on some level.

  • victoria_1024
    victoria_1024 Posts: 915 Member
    Options
    I hear ya! I have 4 kids as well, youngest is 1 and oldest is 7. After my first two kids I didn't feel like my stomach was that bad but after #3... Yikes. I'm 130 lbs and at a healthy weight for my height but the tummy is definitely hanging on! I've had a lot of success with strength training. I've only lost 7 lbs in the past two months but I dropped 2 dress sizes and my body definitely looks different.
  • victoria_1024
    victoria_1024 Posts: 915 Member
    Options
    GracieLeephillips wrote: »
    I'm bout to start weight training this week and try that.. It just sucks that the world has a certain way a woman should look..having babies does alot on your body and it is a beautiful thing, but people don't see that..I do alot of sit ups everyday when I can..but like some of you I just don't think that excersising will fix that "baby pouch" I drink about 10-12 bottles of water a day and drink meal replacement shakes instead of eating and still no tummy shrinkage..everywhere else is but not the dang ol tummy lol..and that tummy tuck sounds amazing but expensive and scary:)

    I've definitely reached an acceptance that I won't be wearing a bikini anytime soon! I carried 4 babies in that belly and it's amazing so I truly don't care if it looks perfect. All I care about is being fit and healthy and I've definitely accomplished that. I do this for me, not other people.
  • aalta2989
    aalta2989 Posts: 5 Member
    Options
    The term I've heard is diastasis recti. Basically pulling of the muscles in the stomach. They have certain exercises to focus on your core.
  • emmam1212
    emmam1212 Posts: 67 Member
    Options
    What @aalta2989 said. Diastasis Recti. It's a separation of the abdominal muscles. I've been dealing with it since I had my twins. Not everyone has it after pregnancy but it's pretty common. Google it and there is a method to check if you have it. Basically it's when your abdominal muscles don't hold in any of the tummy flab and that's why it sticks out no matter what. Surgery is the only full proof way to fix it, but there are exercises that help it. Goodluck!
  • shano25
    shano25 Posts: 233 Member
    Options
    Yep, I was just about to type in diastasis recti. It's easy to find out if you have it. With pregnancy, our abdominal muscles separate and they don't always go back. The more children you have, the higher the chances that the separation remains. If you do have it, doing things like crunches is not going to fix anything, and can actually make it worse. You have to do ab exercises that focus on pushing those muscles together, things like planks and many pilates core exercises. Otherwise the fat just sits on top and you have that bulge.
  • MommyMeggo
    MommyMeggo Posts: 1,222 Member
    Options
    I have this- its mild though. I am 8mo PP from my 3rd. I can feel it when Im in flexing position while "crunching" - but not crunching- my fingers can go in between these muscles right at my belly button. Surgery might be in my future now that we I am done having babies when I reach goal weight we will re-evaluate.
    I found this recently. Keep forgetting to throw it on!
    There are more- just read up- and google - and GOOD LUCK!

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmqjLD_hJ-c

  • MommyMeggo
    MommyMeggo Posts: 1,222 Member
    edited March 2016
    Options
    A quick guide on how to check:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvybTZiLqRE

    Edit:
    A self Check:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ys7mb_PPuqA

Categories