Mommy Tummy...

GIBride01
GIBride01 Posts: 328 Member
edited September 19 in Health and Weight Loss
Ok, any ladies out there found any exercise, creams, oils etc that have helped you with shrinking the mommy tummy - short of surgery? I am almost to my goal weight, about 3 more pounds to go, and loving seeing the definition in the arms, shoulders, back and legs again - the only part of my body I am NOT happy with is the lower tummy. Belly button up - not bad, belly button down- not pretty. Apparently that extra fat was helping the skin look not quite so wrinkled, now the fat is happily almost gone and loose skin is in its place. I will be 35 in 2 months, so I am afraid it may not shrink back on its own. Anyone find anything particulary helpfull? Thanks!
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Replies

  • GIBride01
    GIBride01 Posts: 328 Member
    Ok, any ladies out there found any exercise, creams, oils etc that have helped you with shrinking the mommy tummy - short of surgery? I am almost to my goal weight, about 3 more pounds to go, and loving seeing the definition in the arms, shoulders, back and legs again - the only part of my body I am NOT happy with is the lower tummy. Belly button up - not bad, belly button down- not pretty. Apparently that extra fat was helping the skin look not quite so wrinkled, now the fat is happily almost gone and loose skin is in its place. I will be 35 in 2 months, so I am afraid it may not shrink back on its own. Anyone find anything particulary helpfull? Thanks!
  • LuckyLeprechaun
    LuckyLeprechaun Posts: 6,296 Member
    time. what I have heard is that after about a year of staying at goal weight, the skin snaps back into place. stay hydrated, stay on the path, and you will see improvements over time.

    don't waste your money on miracle cures... there isn't anything out there that will do what time will do.

    you are still so young, it will improve!
  • jljohnson
    jljohnson Posts: 719 Member
    time. what I have heard is that after about a year of staying at goal weight, the skin snaps back into place. stay hydrated, stay on the path, and you will see improvements over time.

    This is good to know! I'm about to my goal weight, and am only frustrated with this small portion of myself. All kinds of crunches, planks, etc. will help with toning the muscles underneath; cardio, especially intervals, will help blast the fat; and for the saggy skin left on top, I guess you just gotta wait it out - I've tried shea butter, and anti-cellulite lotion, and both helped for a little while, but nothing I will actually purchase again or advocate to others.
  • AngelaBeaulieu
    AngelaBeaulieu Posts: 109 Member
    I have the same problem, I found what really helped me get a belly button and not just a line that made it look like a second @$$ was putting your treadmill on an incline. You will feel it in your butt, calves and abs. It is the only exercise where I have noticed a difference! I still have some of a pouch though after 2 kids 3 pregnancy's so If you hear anything else let me know :flowerforyou:

    Congrats on the weight loss so far!!!
  • hiddensecant
    hiddensecant Posts: 2,446 Member
    I have one of those. Mine came after the first c-section and got worse with the second .. I also have the deplorable flap that only gets worse when I get thinner. It's one of the reasons I'm not going below 130 even though I'm only 5ft. It keeps the flap from hanging too low.

    Ok, TMI .. but thought I'd mention it because I know I'm not the only one here that has one .. all you moms with c-sections (and some without), I know you're out there. And I'm right here with you :flowerforyou:.
  • Phoenix_Rising
    Phoenix_Rising Posts: 11,417 Member
    I bet if we all posted pictures of our mommy bellies, we would all realize WE ARE NORMAL. Bodies react differently to pregnancy. I started seeing stretch marks at 5 months along, while some women never see them. After 3 abdomenal surgeries, I've somewhat accepted I will never have a perfectly flat stomach. I will always have that yucky dunlap belly. It's due to my body type... My body stretched out funny during pregnancy and never snapped back.

    Good luck with losing yours. :flowerforyou:
  • Amy_B
    Amy_B Posts: 2,317 Member
    I'm not close to my goal weight, but it's depressing to hear that this gross stomach may not go away. My first son was breech, so I have a big "pinch a few inches" on the top. I had three c-sections, so I definitely have the flap. I am also noticing (although it's only been 3 months) that I seem to have a lot of scar tissue down low. I can feel my abs getting stronger underneath, but you can't tell at all because of the lovely scar tissues on the top. How depressing! Good thing I love these kids to death!
  • nhendri
    nhendri Posts: 236 Member
    Im am twenty five and a single mom, so it has been aspecialy distressing to me to have this belly hanging around. My thought was how embarrasing is it to have a man see me this way and im young with one child. I had to start thinking about it a different way. I will someday meet a man who will love me and my big belly will always bother me but it will be my trophy for my children. being pregnant and being a parent is very hard but its a reminder that I am strong and proud of my child!! It helps me to get through the day!!
  • toribug
    toribug Posts: 41 Member
    It's great to hear all you talk about this. I have only lost 11 pounds so far but I already see the tummy getting softer and sinking lower. I already had a breast reduction, now to work on the rest of it, I have so many stretch marks it looks like a road map:laugh: I really can't wait till I lose another 20 lbs and so on. I started at 212 and now I am at 199. :drinker: finally below the 200 mark so I hope to say good bye to the BIG tummy by the fall.
    146785.png
    Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Online Calorie Counter
  • GIBride01
    GIBride01 Posts: 328 Member
    you are still so young, it will improve!
    Well bless you, kind woman, for saying that. I don't know why 35 is a bigger deal to me than 30 through 34, but I think 35 years old and how the hell did THAT happen???

    Glad to know I am not alone, knew I wasn't, but still nice to hear. I know there isin't a miracle cure, and would gladly have 10 mommy tummy's for my sweet little man, but still would like to keep improving my body..My sister has had 3 Csections, and would smack me for complaining. Love the comment about the A%$ on the tummy, I told hubby I have enough clevage upstairs, don't need it down there. Luckily, if I can say lucky, I didn't get too many stretch marks and the ones I did get are on the lower tummy. Something to keep working towards, and anytime I feel yucky about it,,I will just look at my babys face :smooched: Thanks all!
  • mrsyac2
    mrsyac2 Posts: 2,784 Member
    I have accepted that I will either have to deal with skin or fat and Im sorry but I choose loose skin over fat anyday-
    I know that the more weight I lose the more my stomach skin will sag because of the stretch marks on my belly and I will get a tummy tuck to remove them (one day) Snip-Snip :tongue: -

    No creams can make your skin go back- Thats why I think pregnancy needs to come with a warning label lmao.
  • BlissedMama
    BlissedMama Posts: 25 Member
    I had no idea that a csection led to that horrible stomach flap thing until after #2 was born, she was breech so she wrecked my stomach lol. Good thing my kids are so damn cute :) I hate all those celebs that come out 2 days after having a csection and have a flat tummy...they must have done a better job than I did at convincing the OB to do a tummy tuck while they were in there :)
  • mrsyac2
    mrsyac2 Posts: 2,784 Member
    I had no idea that a csection led to that horrible stomach flap thing until after #2 was born, she was breech so she wrecked my stomach lol. Good thing my kids are so damn cute :) I hate all those celebs that come out 2 days after having a csection and have a flat tummy...they must have done a better job than I did at convincing the OB to do a tummy tuck while they were in there :)

    No they just have chefs and trainers and other people to do the silly errands that normal people do lol--

    I didn't have a c-section pregnancy alone wrecked my stomach- I actually thought c-sections were the way to go-
  • hiddensecant
    hiddensecant Posts: 2,446 Member
    I had no idea that a csection led to that horrible stomach flap thing until after #2 was born, she was breech so she wrecked my stomach lol. Good thing my kids are so damn cute :) I hate all those celebs that come out 2 days after having a csection and have a flat tummy...they must have done a better job than I did at convincing the OB to do a tummy tuck while they were in there :)

    No they just have chefs and trainers and other people to do the silly errands that normal people do lol--

    I didn't have a c-section pregnancy alone wrecked my stomach- I actually thought c-sections were the way to go-

    The flap is caused by significant stretching of the skin, enough to damage the elasticity. So any pregnancy can do it really. It's just more common among c-sections. The fat and muscles can get kinda funky too the way the move everything over and back when they're done.

    I read that it's not impossible to take care of the pouch but none of them cared to share specific techniques, lol. The flap, however, needs to be surgically taken care of but not until after you're done having children.
  • krystad
    krystad Posts: 28
    I TOO AM ALMOST 35 (GULP)AND HAVE HAD 3 C-SECTIONS WITH THE TISSUE PAPER WEIRD SKIN, LAST YEAR I TRIED BIO OIL TWO TIMES A DAY, IT DIDN'T TOTALLY ERASE MY STRETCH MARKS BUT IT REALLY REALLY LIGHTENED THEM UP A LOT!!! IT ALSO MAKE MY SKIN FEEL THICKER, DIDN'T TIGHTEN IT UP....BUMMER!
  • GIBride01
    GIBride01 Posts: 328 Member
    Ihad no idea that a csection led to that horrible stomach flap thing until after #2 was born, she was breech so she wrecked my stomach lol. Good thing my kids are so damn cute :) I hate all those celebs that come out 2 days after having a csection and have a flat tummy...they must have done a better job than I did at convincing the OB to do a tummy tuck while they were in there :)

    :laugh: I told my sister she needed to work in a bribe to get her OB to take some skin and fat out with the last baby, I mean, they are already in there, what's it gonna hurt? Stretch marks aren't really a problem for me, I have some, but I am fair skinned and they are in spots that no one really can see, so I need some majic skin re-elasticizer pill to be invented I suppose :ohwell:
  • staceyw37
    staceyw37 Posts: 2,094 Member
    I bet if we all posted pictures of our mommy bellies, we would all realize WE ARE NORMAL. Bodies react differently to pregnancy. I started seeing stretch marks at 5 months along, while some women never see them. After 3 abdomenal surgeries, I've somewhat accepted I will never have a perfectly flat stomach. I will always have that yucky dunlap belly. It's due to my body type... My body stretched out funny during pregnancy and never snapped back.

    Good luck with losing yours. :flowerforyou:

    #1 good attitude
    #2 i never had a flat or hard tummy--even when i was 16 and weighed 95 lbs. i'm what an OT would call "low tone". and i've always had that curve below the belly button.
    #3 Rubens?? anybody see his famous paintings--how the ideal woman was to look, in his eye, in his time ---soft, round, curves. We may have changed much since then, but women are women and are genetically programmed to be this way.
    #4 go to self.com and other websites for lots of exercises and keep working at the cardio.
    #5 find clothes that work WITH this new body shape (no more super low rise) (no bikini??--less skin to be exposed to cancer-causing sun rays). I find eddie bauer jeans do a good job of resting just below belly button and pushing the muffin flat.

    And last---you can squeeze the fat together on my muffin and make a cute baby's tush! :laugh: one day i might appreciate having something "baby" around. :tongue:
  • staceyw37
    staceyw37 Posts: 2,094 Member
    It's great to hear all you talk about this. I have only lost 11 pounds so far but I already see the tummy getting softer and sinking lower. I already had a breast reduction, now to work on the rest of it, I have so many stretch marks it looks like a road map:laugh: I really can't wait till I lose another 20 lbs and so on. I started at 212 and now I am at 199. :drinker: finally below the 200 mark so I hope to say good bye to the BIG tummy by the fall.
    146785.png
    Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Online Calorie Counter

    tori bug--great work so far!
  • NurseMisty
    NurseMisty Posts: 312 Member
    Prior to having my son, I had a pouch. A small just under the belly button pouch. I never had a flat stomach. I also had strech marks on my breasts. A couple of months into the prgnancy I started getting strech marks on my belly. IBy the end of the pregnancy I looked like a cat attcked me. RED strech marks all over!!! Now (my son is 2 1/2) they still have color. There are some toward the side of my belly that are so wide that my finger can lay IN them. I hate it.

    However, when I lose the weight and it's dark, when all you can see is a sexy sillouette of a smaller version of me (with a tiny pouch instead of what I have now), I'm sure my husband is going to be so lustful that I won't care about the marks on my belly. Hopefully!:smile:
  • NurseMisty
    NurseMisty Posts: 312 Member
    Also, I wanted to add that I recently started doing push-ups. I thought I'd feel it in my arms....Nope! It's working my lower abs!!! I do motified push-ups...so even if you can't do a real push-up it still works!

    Just a thought:smile:
  • eammarx
    eammarx Posts: 56
    I have no idea but I sympathize. I am not close to my goal weight but I was hoping my wrinkly, gross mommy "tummy" would GO AWAY! I also have heard time, but or some people I think tummy tuck is the only way to go.
  • christy559
    christy559 Posts: 105
    I have the same problem, I found what really helped me get a belly button and not just a line that made it look like a second @$$ was putting your treadmill on an incline. You will feel it in your butt, calves and abs. It is the only exercise where I have noticed a difference! I still have some of a pouch though after 2 kids 3 pregnancy's so If you hear anything else let me know :flowerforyou:

    Congrats on the weight loss so far!!!

    OMG - you described it perfectly - I HAVE A LINE that make my tummy look like a teeny-weeny @$$!!! I :noway: laughed out loud. :laugh: Well I've had it for a minute so I am well aqainted with my tummy @$$!! LMBO!!

    I'll still try those suggestions though...thanks for the post, it made me smile
  • Chiny
    Chiny Posts: 321
    I have one of those. Mine came after the first c-section and got worse with the second .. I also have the deplorable flap that only gets worse when I get thinner. It's one of the reasons I'm not going below 130 even though I'm only 5ft. It keeps the flap from hanging too low.

    Ok, TMI .. but thought I'd mention it because I know I'm not the only one here that has one .. all you moms with c-sections (and some without), I know you're out there. And I'm right here with you :flowerforyou:.

    Wow! This sounds just like me....I am 5ft and have an ugly muffin top after 2 natural deliveries. I absolutely LOVE low rise jeans but my fat squishes above the jeans and look horrible w/a small shirt on :sad:
  • Phoenix_Rising
    Phoenix_Rising Posts: 11,417 Member
    Ihad no idea that a csection led to that horrible stomach flap thing until after #2 was born, she was breech so she wrecked my stomach lol. Good thing my kids are so damn cute :) I hate all those celebs that come out 2 days after having a csection and have a flat tummy...they must have done a better job than I did at convincing the OB to do a tummy tuck while they were in there :)

    :laugh: I told my sister she needed to work in a bribe to get her OB to take some skin and fat out with the last baby, I mean, they are already in there, what's it gonna hurt? Stretch marks aren't really a problem for me, I have some, but I am fair skinned and they are in spots that no one really can see, so I need some majic skin re-elasticizer pill to be invented I suppose :ohwell:

    I have ALWAYS said those celebs have tummy tucks while getting their Cs!! I mean, how else would teeny tiny Angelina Jolie carry TWINS and get right back into shape without ANY flabby skin? Defies logic! :laugh: Put Britney in that category too. She didn't take care of herself one bit while pregnant. Must be cosmetic, imo.

    I think there are some celebs who probably do it via the personal trainer/ personal chef/ naturalistic route. I think Madonna is one of those. She seems all granola. :wink:
  • duffy78
    duffy78 Posts: 9
    this is good to hear i had a csection 12 years ago and thought i was the only person with a weird looking stomach. nice to know im normal:tongue:
  • btgeisey
    btgeisey Posts: 7
    I definately have the mommy belly, and i too noticed that it actually looks better when there is some fat under there, i can't decide which looks better, other than the thought that if the fat was gone i wouldn't hang over my pants as bad......doesn't matter what size pants i wear, if i go up in size, the butt sags on the pants if i go down my butt looks good but i have serious muffin top!...I am really having a hard time dealing. I have only been doing this for a wk and i pretty much consistantly am going up in weight and size even though i am doing way more excercise than normal and have probably cut my calories at least by 1/3 since i have started....but i can't get down to the calorie count they tell me, i am STARVING:sad: !....I was hoping that pouch would go away, but i am not planning on it..:brokenheart: ..LOL
  • Chiny
    Chiny Posts: 321
    Last night I stood in the mirror and flexed my stomach muscles LOL. I could see the muscles but they were hidden under this thick layer of jelly :frown:
  • hiddensecant
    hiddensecant Posts: 2,446 Member
    I definately have the mommy belly, and i too noticed that it actually looks better when there is some fat under there, i can't decide which looks better, other than the thought that if the fat was gone i wouldn't hang over my pants as bad......doesn't matter what size pants i wear, if i go up in size, the butt sags on the pants if i go down my butt looks good but i have serious muffin top!...I am really having a hard time dealing. I have only been doing this for a wk and i pretty much consistantly am going up in weight and size even though i am doing way more excercise than normal and have probably cut my calories at least by 1/3 since i have started....but i can't get down to the calorie count they tell me, i am STARVING:sad: !....I was hoping that pouch would go away, but i am not planning on it..:brokenheart: ..LOL

    Are you adding your exercise calories?
  • Phoenix_Rising
    Phoenix_Rising Posts: 11,417 Member
    Last night I stood in the mirror and flexed my stomach muscles LOL. I could see the muscles but they were hidden under this thick layer of jelly :frown:

    bwahaharoll.gif

    ME TOOOOOOO!!
    I have the world's BEST abs, hands down.
    (They are just hidden under the wobbly flab!!)
  • Pamela777
    Pamela777 Posts: 66 Member
    Okay, I'm new to this blog. So. hi there! So far I have lost 17 pounds since starting this journey in early March. I have held onto mommy tummy for 20+ years. Just never got around to losing it, I guess. Good for you younger moms for doing something about it now. I am getting really scared :sad: I know I have to lose this fat for my health. But, I guess I will just have to deal with the stretch marks and sagging. At least I will look better in jeans :wink: and be healthier. I have already lost 2 3/4 inches off my gut.
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