Calling all moms, especially MoM's!

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2

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  • SPNLuver83
    SPNLuver83 Posts: 2,050 Member
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    <---- I'm a mom!!! of 2! But it's been nearly 3 years since my youngest was born, and I still have poochy lower abs.
  • i8yourcookie
    i8yourcookie Posts: 2 Member
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    I have twin boys who are 3. They were born at 35 weeks via c-section and like you, I wore a belly binder and I felt that helped enormously with keeping the muscles where they need to be. Honestly, I did not feel anywhere near myself 15 weeks postpartum. I think you are doing awesome working out 6 days a week! I took me a year to regain my shape. My tummy is relatively flat, but I do have that crepe paper skin just below my belly button. Hang in there, you are doing an amazing job exercising and looking after twins! Congratulations.
  • TinkrBelz
    TinkrBelz Posts: 888 Member
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    I have not had twins nor C-section BUT, I have 6 kids. The first four were within 5.5 years. Then baby 5 came 6 years later and baby 6 came 3 years after that. I did not get any stretch marks until the 4th child. Then got more with babies 5 and 6. My last four babies were over 9 pounds, so I got HUGE!! 50-60 pounds per pregnancy.

    Also, baby 6 was born when I was 39...so I have age working against me too. You younger girls could have better results just because your skin is young.

    I was very upset at the site of my tummy after the 6th child. More stretch marks (mostly on one side) and lots of loose skin.

    Joined gym January 2011. I started to lose weight and look better, but just looking good for having 6 kids.

    Around Feb of this year I was SICK of my tummy and wanted it to look better. And it does now, not pre-baby perfect, but it is looking better.

    I want to add, that your babies are just 15 weeks, even though I breastfed all of my babies, I never felt that I had my prebaby body until that 6month marker. Like I was always within 10 pounds...but at 6 months that last 10 just went away (except for baby 6, I had to work to get that off). So, your body might be holding on to some fat just because you are nursing two and the rest might just drop off in a couple of more months.

    OK, back to the skin. This is what I have learned. This is not a formula that is 100%, BUT I feel it has helped.

    1. A friend told me that body builders get their body fat pretty low and that is how their skin shrinks up. Now, I did not believe it...but I have to say, I can tell a huge difference. My bf for a 42 year old woman is 18%. I am not a fan of BF testing because as we age it goes up even if your body has not changed. So, just for this purpose since you girls are younger, if I was 32 my bf would be 17%, and if I was 22 it would be 16%. So, you are going to have to get your body fat into that Athlete range, which is below 20%

    2. Dry Brush: A female competitor told me about dry brushing. Google it. But, it makes the skin regenerate. I do this all over my body, but really focus on my tummy and butt. Your skin is the largest organ on our body, so it made sense to take care of it.

    3. Coconut oil. I eat a table spoon of virgin coconut oil each day. Google it as well, again the female competitor told me about this as well. I buy the cheaper coconut oil and rub it all over my body. So, I buy the virgin coconut oil online and eat it and buy the cheaper stuff at the grocery stuff and rub it on my skin.

    4. Work on your core. I do planks and ab vacuums (Youtube ab vacuums) Now, I can not do it as good as the people on Youtube, but I can do it a lot better than I could in Feb of this year. Working your transverse abs will pull in your abs. I do not do any crunches. I teach Zumba and we put our hips A LOT, but I do planks and vacuums and I can tell that has pulled my muscles in.

    I know that everyone's skin is different, but these might be some things that can help it look better.

    8 months pregnant with baby 6
    8MonthsSide-1-1.jpg

    One year later. I still look pregnant! I never looked like this one year after a baby.
    Summer2010-3-2.jpg

    December 2011. I do not look awful but you can still see that pooch and loose skin in my belly.
    Dec2011Before.jpg

    14 pounds of weight loss and doing everything that I mentioned above. Again, the tummy skin is not perfect, but it has improved a whole lot.
    AfterJune2012.jpg
  • AmyW4225
    AmyW4225 Posts: 302 Member
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    prego.jpg

    The first picture is probably one month after giving birth and the second is 5 months post-partum. I still have a long way to go, but I am getting there.

    progress2-1.jpg
  • AmyW4225
    AmyW4225 Posts: 302 Member
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    I just took a peek at your pictures and, if that last picture is recent, you already look AMAZING! You just had TWINS, don't be so hard on yourself(I know it's easier said than done)!
  • TinkrBelz
    TinkrBelz Posts: 888 Member
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    prego.jpg

    The first picture is probably one month after giving birth and the second is 5 months post-partum. I still have a long way to go, but I am getting there.

    progress2-1.jpg

    You look great. I can not see any stretch marks at all!!!!
  • shakespearessister
    shakespearessister Posts: 42
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    I had four babies in exactly five years (baby 4 born on baby 1's 5th birthday!) And while I didn't have twins, I had a 9 pound baby, two almost 10 pound babies, and an 11 pound baby. My newest is 3 months. I am nearly back to my pre-baby, baby, baby, baby weight, but my belly is still a little saggy. It's relatively flat (looks flat in clothes), but I definitely have a "smile" down there as one of my mom friends says, and I have never had a c-section. I think it really depends on your skin type...some skin stretches better than others. Mine is crepe papery and saggy, and I think I would have to have surgery to get rid of the extra skin. I've lost so much weight and I feel really good about myself, so I'm trying not to let the mommy belly bother me.

    You moms who posted pics look fantastic!
  • jnh17
    jnh17 Posts: 838 Member
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    Let me start by saying in reference to these pictures (my 1st pregnancy) I gained a whopping 100lbs! Got up to 260. Determined doesn't even begin to describe my mind after I had her. I lost it in 7 months (after picture).

    34h8dhg.jpg
  • 4Munckins
    4Munckins Posts: 15 Member
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    Hi there..I've never had multiples or a c section but had lots of back to back pregnancies. I have 4 children but have been pregnant 9 times. But I lost them by 3 months so not to much weight or stretching by that point..still however being pregnant losing a baby and within a month pregnant again. Anyways. I have a 9yro, 7yro, 2 1/2, and 18 months. Last 2 are 11 months apart. First 2 18months. After my 3rd and especially 4th was really hard to tighten up my skin and loose the weight. And I had small/average size babies. But I am a small framed person too. And i gained Almost the same weight each time. I've always used cocoa butter and bio oil all over my body throughout my pregnancies and still do now. I do feel my tummy is and always has been the hardest to loose. After my last I'd say 8 months later I lost all the weight plus 15 lbs and I'm happy with my body.

    I know a few of my aunts had hysterectomies very close to a c section scar. And they all have had a very hard time with the belly pooch after and never had weight problems before. I think the incision cutting thru the muscle makes it very hard to have it tighten back up to pre baby. I've seen women do lasers to once they've lost all their weight or tummy tuck to put the muscle back together. Without the surgery I still think you can have a really good result especially from your photos lowering your body fat and eating healthy and keeping the weight off so not rest restretching the skin again. My abs even with 2 rounds of p90x and 18months later of working out have not come back together. I have the lateral lines going down but there are still abs I can feel and almost see! I don't know if I can ever get them together without surgery but it's not noticeable. Also have a umbilical hernia from my last pregnancy muscle was just to weak from back to back preggo belly! but not bad enough to fix just yet. You are doing an amazing job so far!! Especially only 15 weeks and with twins dang girl! I'm not much help but wanted to share my experience and if you keep working hard and you will get to where you want to be! Good luck! Xoxo

    Also wanted to say congrats on twins!! Beautiful picture of the 3 of you!
  • AmyW4225
    AmyW4225 Posts: 302 Member
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    Let me start by saying in reference to these pictures (my 1st pregnancy) I gained a whopping 100lbs! Got up to 260. Determined doesn't even begin to describe my mind after I had her. I lost it in 7 months (after picture).

    34h8dhg.jpg

    That is AMAZING!! So INSPIRATIONAL!!!!
  • qtiekiki
    qtiekiki Posts: 1,490 Member
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    I didn't have multiples. My kids are 18 months apart; they are almost 4 and 2.5.

    Some of the pictures are kind of dark. The now is actually from February.
    wvepgh.jpg

    These two are from 6/13/2012. Front and close up of abs.
    2cs9yfb.png
    1sy03m.jpg

    I still have stretch marks, but they don't show up well in pictures.
  • Lkoblara
    Lkoblara Posts: 137 Member
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    I had a band placed surgically a type of surgically placed cerclage - abdominal cerclage) to keep the babies in at 11 weeks. It was the exact same as a c-section incision (they used the same incision at my delivery). It's permanent so now I have to deliver via c-section no matter what....at least I can keep the babies in though! That's a little OT :)

    I wonder if that is making it even worse....I did have diastasis too, but I think it's better now....It's hard for me to tell when doing the check, but it seems my muscles have closed up to where they should be!


    I wonder why a c-section causes a pooch?!? I got pretty big, but maybe the c-section is the culprit?? I've just never had this issue before and I have this spot of loose skin. After seeing some tummy tuck incisions, it scares me....but I would probably get one at some point if I can't get rid of this skin! I don't want to live the rest of my life with it....the stretch marks are OK....I can live with those!

    This was hours before my water broke, twinkles were 4 lbs and 8 oz and 5 lbs 2 oz :)

    IMG_0276.jpg


    I didn't have a c section, still have the pooch. Its a pretty common thing. Think of how much your belly stretched, I'm surprised mine isn't hanging to my knees, lol.
  • parkermegan
    parkermegan Posts: 167
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    I have not had twins nor C-section BUT, I have 6 kids. The first four were within 5.5 years. Then baby 5 came 6 years later and baby 6 came 3 years after that. I did not get any stretch marks until the 4th child. Then got more with babies 5 and 6. My last four babies were over 9 pounds, so I got HUGE!! 50-60 pounds per pregnancy.

    Also, baby 6 was born when I was 39...so I have age working against me too. You younger girls could have better results just because your skin is young.

    I was very upset at the site of my tummy after the 6th child. More stretch marks (mostly on one side) and lots of loose skin.

    Joined gym January 2011. I started to lose weight and look better, but just looking good for having 6 kids.

    Around Feb of this year I was SICK of my tummy and wanted it to look better. And it does now, not pre-baby perfect, but it is looking better.

    I want to add, that your babies are just 15 weeks, even though I breastfed all of my babies, I never felt that I had my prebaby body until that 6month marker. Like I was always within 10 pounds...but at 6 months that last 10 just went away (except for baby 6, I had to work to get that off). So, your body might be holding on to some fat just because you are nursing two and the rest might just drop off in a couple of more months.

    OK, back to the skin. This is what I have learned. This is not a formula that is 100%, BUT I feel it has helped.

    1. A friend told me that body builders get their body fat pretty low and that is how their skin shrinks up. Now, I did not believe it...but I have to say, I can tell a huge difference. My bf for a 42 year old woman is 18%. I am not a fan of BF testing because as we age it goes up even if your body has not changed. So, just for this purpose since you girls are younger, if I was 32 my bf would be 17%, and if I was 22 it would be 16%. So, you are going to have to get your body fat into that Athlete range, which is below 20%

    2. Dry Brush: A female competitor told me about dry brushing. Google it. But, it makes the skin regenerate. I do this all over my body, but really focus on my tummy and butt. Your skin is the largest organ on our body, so it made sense to take care of it.

    3. Coconut oil. I eat a table spoon of virgin coconut oil each day. Google it as well, again the female competitor told me about this as well. I buy the cheaper coconut oil and rub it all over my body. So, I buy the virgin coconut oil online and eat it and buy the cheaper stuff at the grocery stuff and rub it on my skin.

    4. Work on your core. I do planks and ab vacuums (Youtube ab vacuums) Now, I can not do it as good as the people on Youtube, but I can do it a lot better than I could in Feb of this year. Working your transverse abs will pull in your abs. I do not do any crunches. I teach Zumba and we put our hips A LOT, but I do planks and vacuums and I can tell that has pulled my muscles in.

    I know that everyone's skin is different, but these might be some things that can help it look better.

    8 months pregnant with baby 6
    8MonthsSide-1-1.jpg

    One year later. I still look pregnant! I never looked like this one year after a baby.
    Summer2010-3-2.jpg

    December 2011. I do not look awful but you can still see that pooch and loose skin in my belly.
    Dec2011Before.jpg

    14 pounds of weight loss and doing everything that I mentioned above. Again, the tummy skin is not perfect, but it has improved a whole lot.
    AfterJune2012.jpg

    Your belly looks AWESOME. I would be totally happy with that tummy :):) I will google what you said, thanks SO MUCH for taking the time to type all that out. Hopefully it will help me as well as others :)
  • parkermegan
    parkermegan Posts: 167
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    I just took a peek at your pictures and, if that last picture is recent, you already look AMAZING! You just had TWINS, don't be so hard on yourself(I know it's easier said than done)!

    Thank you! Those are my last month of progress, first picture was 5 weeks ago on Saturday. I am making improvement.....but the sag is there....more obvious from the front!!

    Everyone looks great!!!
  • Raidergurl1787
    Raidergurl1787 Posts: 1 Member
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    Think you should try some rumba classes, they focus a lot on core, and if find a great instructor she can help you out with getting that tummy back. My son is 1 year and 3 mo. old, and he left me lots of flab, I got the "pouch" my fiancee calls it. But I noticed with the core work outs she has oven me, its been getting a lot better. But she has told me it takes time. (By the way: My instructor Kiki has a twin boys, and 2 daughters and she is amazingly hot... couldn't place her beyond 25 when I met her and she's actually in late 40s.) So I know it can work, so I honestly say try it out, or other work out sessions that help you work that core.
  • parkermegan
    parkermegan Posts: 167
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    Thanks for all the encouragement!!

    *bump* in case anyone has anything to add!!
  • parkermegan
    parkermegan Posts: 167
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    Here is my belly this morning, 16 weeks PP on Tuesday. See the wrinkle/saggy at the bottom?

    photo-8.jpg
  • qtiekiki
    qtiekiki Posts: 1,490 Member
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    Girl, you look great for 15 weeks postpartum. You just have to give the sagginess some time. Your skin should tighten up over time.
  • parkermegan
    parkermegan Posts: 167
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    Girl, you look great for 15 weeks postpartum. You just have to give the sagginess some time. Your skin should tighten up over time.

    Thank you!!
  • twinmom01
    twinmom01 Posts: 854 Member
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    Here is my belly this morning, 16 weeks PP on Tuesday. See the wrinkle/saggy at the bottom?

    photo-8.jpg

    I wish I looked like that 11 years post partum....but alas I still have a ways to go...

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