You're welcome lulururu - and there is every chance that you will get your shape back, I have a friend who had twins a few years back and she is in great shape. Also, even though I had the issue with my muscles, my skin had gone back amazingly by itself. So good luck and enjoy those babies - even though there were many difficult moments, I look back at it quite nostalgically now!

hi porty - thanks for sharing your experience. its good to know exactly what they do. i'm still "hoping" that my tum will "absorb" some of that excess skin. the twins are only 10months old and each month it does get slightly ever so slightly better so maybe one day! in the meantime, no harm in saving my pennies for a rainy day anyway!

Hi Leoloopydoo and lulururu

What they did was sew together the rectus muscles in my upper abdomen which involved going in through my tummy button so I just have a small scar around that but for the lower abdominals, I have the hip to hip scar which followed the line of my c-section. It is big but it will fade to a thin white line by the end of a year.

In terms of recovery, I think its very dependent on how old/fit you are. I'm 43 so it took a few weeks to get over the anaesthetic but it really wasn't that sore after the first few days. However, it was a pain not being able to lift anything heavier than a couple of pounds for a couple of months. You really do need a lot of help around the house and with the kids.

As for the cost, it was VERY expensive (£5000) but in terms of me feeling stronger and happier in myself its been well worth it.

ah, Shabs, so sweet! THat jelly belly is a comfy place for little ones to snuggle up! For me its more the intestines poking out of the gap and the back problems that I have developed than the beauty of my belly that i am worried about (although I am still coming to terms with how my belly looks and I am vain enough to want a tummy tuck thrown in when they do cut me open!)!

<<Shabbs looks down at her jelly belly with pride and affection>>

My twins are 27 yrs old in December!! I only put on 18lbs carrying them - but I was very overweight to start with. Over the last 5 years I have lost 7 stone but still a way to go.

Ho hum - at least I can see my feet now!!!

My first grandchild now enjoys snuggling on my jelly belly so its not all bad

hi porty, do you mind me asking how much it cost? are the scars 2 short ones or one long hip to hip one?

Hi Porty, can you give more details of what they did. Did they put a mesh in or sew the muscles back together? Tell us more about the recovery.

I've just had an abdominal repair 3.5 years on from having my twins (full term 7.5 lbs and 8lbs and I'm not big so I'd stretched a lot in the abdomen). I'd been doing Pilates for 9 years and just knew I wasn't going to be able to get my muscles back as strong and I was hurting a lot every time I lifted the twins.

I had my muscles repaired above and below my belly button and a tummy tuck too and I have to say that 3 months on I'm really happy to have done it though its a big deal in terms of recovery time.

I have an appointment with a specialist for my stomach in a couple of weeks. I will post details on when I am back....!

So nice to read these messages and realise I am not the only one. I have had 4 children (last one is now 8 months old). I still look at least 6 months pregnant and finally got fed up of being asked when the baby was due. I went to see my GP last week who told me I have a significant separation of the abdominal muscles despite more than 2 months of Pilates and a personal trainer! The GP said no amount of exercise would fix it and has referred me for surgery. I got very excited and thought that I would have a tummy tuck at the same time and come away with a flat six pack! But having looked on the internet I am now a bit worried as everything I have found tells me that the surgery has only limited results. So I am going to see a specialist physio first to see what they say (although the thought of having to remember and then find time to do daily exercises is depressing me!) Has anyone else been having physio and how long does it take to see results?