Post-Children Stomach Muscles...

MinMin97
MinMin97 Posts: 2,674 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hello ladies (or gentlemen, even),

Question about the...what's it called...linea alba...anyway,

When pregnant, those muscles end up separating to make room for growing baby. Afterwards, of course, they come back together and normalize. However, do they return completely, and does exercise make them close back together?

My youngest is 4yo and I've not specifically exercised my tummy muscles, so I am wondering if my measuring tape will get back to the 27-28 in waist I have had in the past.

Replies

  • stephyy4632
    stephyy4632 Posts: 947 Member
    well when I got pg with my first daughter in 2004 I was 184pounds (12Jeans) and that was my normal size since I had gotten out of college. Now two kids later I am 166.6 (size 8 jeans same brand) and much small waist size than I was before even my first baby so yes




    ( my heavyest weight was in 2007 after my second daughter was born I was 213 (size 16 jeans tight) and stayed right around that size until I started working out last May 2011
  • MinMin97
    MinMin97 Posts: 2,674 Member
    Congratulations, stephyy4632:)
  • pinklily905
    pinklily905 Posts: 106 Member
    Bump
  • Spanaval
    Spanaval Posts: 1,200 Member
    In most women, the stomach muscles would go back to normal, I believe. Some women can have diastasis recti, in which the muscles stay separated, and It can sometimes be corrected or minimized by the right exercises, and sometimes it takes surgery to fix.
  • 1SlimShaylee
    1SlimShaylee Posts: 204
    <--- i had 4 children in less than 3 years (including twins) and even though i do tons of planks, crunches, pilates, you know it and i guarentee my tummy will never ever be the same. motherhood is a blessing though :)
  • 1SlimShaylee
    1SlimShaylee Posts: 204
    In most women, the stomach muscles would go back to normal, I believe. Some women can have diastasis recti, in which the muscles stay separated, and It can sometimes be corrected or minimized by the right exercises, and sometimes it takes surgery to fix.


    i think i may have this from my twinners
  • MrsPong
    MrsPong Posts: 580 Member
    When I got pregnant I was about 175, and a size 12. 2 years after my baby I lost 40 lbs down 135 and fit into a size 2...and even a 0 at one place!! I've gained back about 20 lbs due to medical reasons this past year...So I'm back up to a 8/10 155. Trying to drop back down again.

    But I was in the best shape of my life AFTER having my daughter. So it's possible to get back to it..or smaller! :)
  • leanneb205
    leanneb205 Posts: 76
    oh mine are completely shot, i think mines going to be one of the operation cases. Too fat to tell at the minute :laugh: but when i sit up i notice a huge bulge inbetween the muscles that isnt supposed to be there. Only time will tell for me but pretty sure mine are BAD! Not too fussed though, my body shows my life story im a proud mummy with a saggy stretched tummy :laugh: !
  • ivorytears
    ivorytears Posts: 2 Member
    Sometimes the muscles do not go back together properly and this can cause problems such as urinating when you sneeze or cough (see a midwife to get checked out). Excersise will help especially the plank (crunches can make it worse) or you may need surgery. I have a little bit of this and found the plank has been helping.

    Good luck!
  • MostlyWater
    MostlyWater Posts: 4,294 Member
    I assume they do and that's a discussion to have with your dr. Did you gain a tremendous amount of weight with pregnancy ?

    I'm also in the best shape of my life. I'm 47 and my kids are in their 20's. I was skinny-fat before; now I'm toned and muscular and more lean.
  • MinMin97
    MinMin97 Posts: 2,674 Member
    Sometimes the muscles do not go back together properly and this can cause problems such as urinating when you sneeze or cough (see a midwife to get checked out). Excersise will help especially the plank (crunches can make it worse) or you may need surgery. I have a little bit of this and found the plank has been helping.

    Good luck!
    Not issues with the bladder....that's pelvic floor muscles...I'm talking about the muscles that meet in the middle in the stomach area...
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
    There's no way mine will ever be the same. A lot of exercise has helped, but there will always be a slight gap between the muscles.
  • asti303
    asti303 Posts: 1
    Keep up with the pilates, not just a class a week, use the prinicples as part of your daily activities....getting out of bed, chair etc it's the best exercise for those split abdominal muscles.
  • MinMin97
    MinMin97 Posts: 2,674 Member
    In most women, the stomach muscles would go back to normal, I believe. Some women can have diastasis recti, in which the muscles stay separated, and It can sometimes be corrected or minimized by the right exercises, and sometimes it takes surgery to fix.
    Interesting. Not sure if I have that. I'll have to read up!
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
    In most women, the stomach muscles would go back to normal, I believe. Some women can have diastasis recti, in which the muscles stay separated, and It can sometimes be corrected or minimized by the right exercises, and sometimes it takes surgery to fix.
    Interesting. Not sure if I have that. I'll have to read up!

    All the women in my family have a gap after children. I assumed that was the norm.
  • twinmama1987
    twinmama1987 Posts: 566 Member
    I had a set of twins 2.5 years ago.. i was 38 weeks and 4 ft around (at 5 ft tall) , I have A LOT of muscle separation, a hernia and excess skin... all of which are so bad they cannot be fixed with diet or exercise. I will need operations.
  • MinMin97
    MinMin97 Posts: 2,674 Member
    Okay, so I found this...
    http://peainthepodfitness.com/tupler-technique/

    Looks interesting, but it seems like I could look further before paying for something like this....
  • ivorytears
    ivorytears Posts: 2 Member
    It is related in some strange way as I got checked out. Not all woman have that problem with the bladder. :smile:
  • abaka123
    abaka123 Posts: 48
    bump
  • tierraaf
    tierraaf Posts: 12 Member
    I've read a lot about diastasis recti (I am not an expert) because I thought I had it and what they say is that the muscles can mend but with very specific exercises. If you have it (you can actually self diagnose through a simple technique), traditional ab exercises can and most often will make it worse. BUT, by doing these specific exercises, you can still correct the issue. As always, consult a physician (bc I can pull an article from any nut job off the Internet). Good luck!
  • secretgirl4611
    secretgirl4611 Posts: 474 Member
    I had my daughter 6 yrs ago. BUT sometimes those muscles you talked about DONT go back together I dont know what its called but they stay separated. And well that's what happen to me.. So I have not yet seen my abs since I had my first and only child but I am on my journety to finally tighten up this saggy belly at least the best I could cuz well it really saggs and hangs there. But I notice when I do ab workouts I can actually see and feel where my ab muscles separate in the middle...
  • dlyeates
    dlyeates Posts: 875 Member
    I have diastasis recti (the separation of the stomach muscles) pretty bad. My hubby says it's open a "few fingers" wide. The research I've done on the Tupler Technique shows that it can work to get them closer together but also says that 1 wrong movement or sit up can undo all the hard work you put into it.

    Unfortunately, if your stomach muscles did not go back together on your own, the only way to get them back together and not worry about them separating is through surgery. My hubby is already pricing it for me!!
  • MinMin97
    MinMin97 Posts: 2,674 Member
    I had my daughter 6 yrs ago. BUT sometimes those muscles you talked about DONT go back together I dont know what its called but they stay separated. And well that's what happen to me.. So I have not yet seen my abs since I had my first and only child but I am on my journety to finally tighten up this saggy belly at least the best I could cuz well it really saggs and hangs there. But I notice when I do ab workouts I can actually see and feel where my ab muscles separate in the middle...
    So I went to youtube to see what videos and info are available on this diastasis recti. Some good videos there. One thing I keep seeing is that the average exercises can easily make it worse, so find the specific exercises, and correct this problem first. I am glad to know this!
  • ixap
    ixap Posts: 675 Member
    I gained 45 pounds with both pregnancies,from 120 to 165 both times, and now I have saggy tummy skin. As I lose weight (down to 118 now) it does look better, but I'm thinking it's never going to be totally flat like back in the day. Oh well.
  • RaeN81
    RaeN81 Posts: 534 Member
    I have the waist measurement that you mentioned (28 inches)--and get this--I did not focus on core exercises. I have done sporadic some ab work but it mostly gets omitted in favour of running or biking (which also engage your core). For me, I actually had a mild hernia with my second child and there is still a small gap between the muscles more than two years later and I have one strange belly button LOL. Mostly, the waist measurement came through consistent, slow weight loss and as my body fat percentage went down from regular training. It is possible but it does take time and patience.
  • NavyKnightAh13
    NavyKnightAh13 Posts: 1,394 Member
    See when I was pregnant (I have an almost 6 month old), i was 243, and within the first month dropped down to 225, and then 220 the next month, stayed at 217-219 and then after he was born, i dropped to 204, and am now down to 193. When I went into the obgyn, she told me "good luck with your ab exercises." whatever that meant. I still have the saggy skin, though you can see what parts of my tummy are shrinking and what isn't. As of right now, my muscles feel back together, but only time will tell.
  • MinMin97
    MinMin97 Posts: 2,674 Member
    I have diastasis recti (the separation of the stomach muscles) pretty bad. My hubby says it's open a "few fingers" wide. The research I've done on the Tupler Technique shows that it can work to get them closer together but also says that 1 wrong movement or sit up can undo all the hard work you put into it.

    Unfortunately, if your stomach muscles did not go back together on your own, the only way to get them back together and not worry about them separating is through surgery. My hubby is already pricing it for me!!
    ^^^^^^^^^^Thank-you for this info, and the effectiveness of that technique...i was wondering.
    I can feel the separation in there, it is small, and I can't say i am distressed about it. I would be interested in correcting it.

    Just had to say about the surgery, that I know one can choose to correct the skin on the tummy, or one can also choose to correct the actual stomach muscles...a more involved surgical procedure. My husband is an orthopedic nurse, and works with post-op patients all the time. Something he does not think is emphasized or explained to people before surgery is the risk of general anesthesia on the brain. He very often sees post-ops left with lingering confusion. Know that general anesthesia is very hard on the brain. Talk to people who have had it....they may tell you their short-term memory is affected.

    My husband is not enthusiastic about elective surgery for this reason. and the risk of infection. And spinal anesthesia has risks also...paralysis for one. He knows many doctors, of course, as he works at a major hospital on the orthopedic floor. It matters what doctor and anesthesiologist you get...they are not all the same...he has his favorites:) Anesthesiolgists have told him, that they themselves would not get a spinal.

    NOT to be negative or alarmist, but rather to allow you to have this knowledge beforehand.
  • MinMin97
    MinMin97 Posts: 2,674 Member
    I have the waist measurement that you mentioned (28 inches)--and get this--I did not focus on core exercises. I have done sporadic some ab work but it mostly gets omitted in favour of running or biking (which also engage your core). For me, I actually had a mild hernia with my second child and there is still a small gap between the muscles more than two years later and I have one strange belly button LOL. Mostly, the waist measurement came through consistent, slow weight loss and as my body fat percentage went down from regular training. It is possible but it does take time and patience.
    Thank-you, that's encouraging. I noticed some vids on youtube describing exercises for the hernia...
  • vleconte
    vleconte Posts: 6
    I have one daughter but gained 70 lbs during my pregnancy and after giving birth got a hernia. The separation in my stomache due to the hernia will make it impossible to get my stomach back to where it was pre pregnancy. I refuse to do the surgery after the doctor told me it would be approx 3 to 4 hours. So i decided to see what i can do with exercise that will allow me to be content with my stomach. I do a combination of exercises and do alot of plank, leg lifts and crunches on a decline bench along with 3/4 days of cardio that consist of jogging, jump rope, stair masters and bicycling. My stomach muscles have gotten substaintially firmer and am content.
  • ckyte1
    ckyte1 Posts: 34 Member
    bump

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