Successful moms: belly/ab shaping? lose skin fixes?

Jugie12 · May 2012

super bump!

Kia148 · May 2012

Bump!

mostein · May 2012

I was in recovery from anorexia the year before I got pregnant so other than walking I didn't exercise at all. When I got pregnant I was advised to just continue walking and nothing else. I gained 45 pounds during my pregnancy and had Diastasis Recti. I ended up having an emergency c-section and figured there was no way I would ever have a flat stomach again as that was what "everyone" said. However, 6 weeks post partum I slowly got back into exercising with my daughter. We started with once a week stroller classes and by the time she was a year we were taking 3 stroller classes and a salsa babies class a week plus daily walks. Now she is almost 4 and I have continued to workout almost daily on my own. I have found that doing core exercises like planks, burpees and mountain climbers are far more beneficial then the traditional crunches although I do still do those. Try not to put a time limit on yourself i.e. 6 pack by summer. Our bodies go through so much with pregnancy so be patient with your transition back. And good luck!

jallen1955 · May 2012

There is no magic bullet, it is all diet and regular exercise. All 3 of my babies were over 8lbs and I got huge with each of them. Six months after number 3 I was winning "hot tan" contests and the tummy was flat.

My acupuncturist says that wearing a belly belt or other abdominal support garment after birth will help with the skin issue....and she also recommends one if you are more than 30lbs overweight and getting back inbto shape.

Mel_roe · May 2012

Bump!

EmilyMarieMo · May 2012

3 abdominal surgeries here (c/s with twins, gall bladder & hysterectomy) 6 1/2 years from first to last. While I *want* and *desire* the flat ab stomach, I'm not sure it's a realistic goal for me. Always been obese during my adult life, never athletic or fit, will my body know what to do when I drop the 100+lbs to get to my goal weight?

I'm down 36lbs now, and can already see the saggy pooch developing. I do crunches to develop even a bit of ab strength.

<sigh>

you tube and google core exercises instead of crunches. It will help tone you up. No idea how flat your body will let you go... but you can tone up! It all starts with the core though.

Rae6503 · May 2012

I don't have any stretch marks or very much lose skin. I consider myself very lucky. I don't do any specific ab exercises. I find the big compound lifts such as squats work my core enough to produce the level of muscles I want. Revealing those muscles has merely been a matter of fat loss and muscle maintenance.