Flat stomach after C section - Is that possible?!

[moomsy]

Hi

I had a c-section 6 weeks ago. Already lost my baby weight which I am convinced it was nearly all water (had the sweats like crazy for 2 weeks after birth) however, I have a strange looking belly still.

Because of the scar and the whole butchery to the abdominal area / muscles I am starting to wonder if I will ever have a flat stomach again?

Basically I have a little bag of fat hanging on top of the scar and I am starting to believe this is the shape of things to come.

Is that the case that fat will deposit on top of scar and hang over it?

[frutilla]

Yes you can have a flat stomach again. I've had 2 sections and mine's pretty flat, DS2 is nearly 8 months but it was fine after 4 or 5. I don't do ab exercises cos of back, but if you can do those (not yet obv.) you can get it washboard again. I wore a waist cincher thing for a month and that helped.

[moomsy]

Hi Frutilla

Thank you for posting - I now have hope lol

Where did you get your waist thing from?

I bought a VERY expensive compression garment from Brazil but it was made to measure and obviously this is now big / not tight enough.

It did help at the start as I could then sleep on my side without feeling as if my insides were going to fall out from me.

Only wore it for a week or two though. In Brazil women wear it for months... it is not supposed to give you a figure you never had but it is supposed to help tuck things back in.

[frutilla]

Mine wasn't made to measure but it was a brazilian one, I live in Lat Am. This is the one I got, you can have them sent from US, but I'm sure you can get something similar here. It has two settings.
www.classicshapewear.com/ann-chery-clasica-latex-waist-cincher-2025-p-2385.html

It can't double up as club wear though (!) it's grey latex on the outside....

[NellyTheElephant]

I've had 3 sections and I don't have any sort of overhang - a slight indent at the actual scar site but nothing you would notice really. After my sections I wore spanx control pants most of the time for the first few weeks (just luck that I discovered this - I went to a party a few weeks after first section and needed to try and squeeze into something and look nice so hauled them on and then couldn't believe how comfortable it felt to be firmly 'held in' over the scar area). I found them incredibly comfortable - like a compression bandage and as they come up to your waist they don't get in the way of the scar or anything.

[ShowOfHands]

I had my 2nd cs 6 weeks ago. The overhang is worse this time but already disappearing. I got rid of it last time by exercising and losing the excess weight in a controlled manner (too fast and the skin seems to sag more).

Be careful though, you can't work out until you're 12 weeks post cs and then take it easy. You can easily damage yourself if you do too much too soon.

I can't wear any kind of spanx type affair atm. Really hurts.

[ShowOfHands]

And the sweats post cs? Bloody ridiculous aren't they?

[TooImmature2BDumbledore]

[QTPie]

You don't have to wait 12 weeks post-CS to workout.... I started gentle gym and swimming 7 weeks post ELCS (after checking with my Consultant at the 6 week check). Of course you have to be VERY careful what you do (postnatal pilates and exercises - no sit-ups or crunches) for a loooooooong time!

Check with your consultant/GP re starting exercise.

I never did have an overhang (lost all baby weight within 2 weeks of birth - despite eating like a horse - I blame breastfeeding/sweats), just a bit of swelling (which took a few months to settle down). However my skin has never quite gone back: I look perfect standing, but sitting down I can feel some looseness (wasn't there before!). But I am 37 (DS 21 months). I worry what will happen during a second pregnancy :(

Yes I had amazing night-sweats too - no-one warns you about that!

[Yama]

I was fine after my first c section. Number 2 buggered me though. Flat(ish) stomach with an indent where my scar is.

[ShowOfHands]

Oh you can exercise yes. Sorry, meant you can't work your stomach ie no sit ups, no crunches. Certainly no intense fat burning exercise that will put a lot of strain on your mid-section and core. You need to protect your core. Swimming and gentle exercise fine.

[moomsy]

For the ladies that managed to have a flat stomach again. Did you have an overhang to start with and then that kind if went away.

I have one now so If that is going to stay I want to start preparing myself psychologically lol

[ShowOfHands]

I had an overhang yes. And it went.

[QTPie]

ShowOfHands - completely agree with that :). Infact, from what I have heard, post-partum women (not just C Section) need to take extra care of their core/abs for a very long time...

[frutilla]

Yes, I had overhang too and the area under the scar was very swollen. Had infection there, stitch popped when I got up too quickly to answer telephone! Don't worry about the overhang, your body needs time to get back to how it was. Think it took best part of 6 months to fully go.

[ionysis]

The overhang goes. Just give it a couple of months and smother in bio-oil. I never lost my baby weight either but did lose the little pouch completely.

[StoneSoup]

It is possible, but in my experience, not likely. You'll need to do hardcore pilates/abs exercises.

[ionysis]

Every single one of my girl friends who has had a cs found the little pouch of skin above the scar just went on its own - some took longer, some shorter. Mione tok about 4 months. And we have varying body shapes.

[Ferino]

So glad to read this - I was beginning to get worried about my overhang! I've still got 4 weeks until my 6wk check up and impatient to be getting on with lots of things...!

[moomsy]

Thank you everyone for their messages. I will certainly look forward to when I can excercise again and I have also ordered a waist cincher ;o)

Glad there is hope for the 'ovehang' lol

[SuchFunSuchFun]

so pleased to read this, I made the mistake earlier of reading the thread about body changes after having children, and so many people mentioned CS overhangs. I'm having ELCS soon for a breech baby and was beginning to think I was doomed to have a deformed stomach for the rest of my life!!

[kickingking]

I am a size 6/8 and went back to that about 8 weeks post cs. I never had a board like stomach before and still don't but the damage/difference is pretty minimal. It looks fine in clothes and swimwear but a slightly different shape when naked. I'm quite happy with it.

We'll see how it looks after my second cs in April

[MissingCoffeeandWine]

I know this is a zombie thread. But for anyone else recovering post c-section (mine was very much a not wanted emergency that I will be grateful for forever), I have found this incredibly reassuring.

Yes, it may be vein to worry about how I’ll look. But having had hyperemisis and a hard pregnancy, I was looking forward to having my body back “for myself” if that makes sense? And for me, this is encouraging - and countering to all of the “doom” stories I have personally heard.

Hence bumping: if others would like to share their post to be stories of recovery, if very much find it helpful to hear them too.

For now, I’m a wee bit emotional, and although I know everyone’s experiences will be different, and all are valid and educating, I’m no longer in a position to choose how to proceed, and would ask people don’t post if they feel their experiences could confirm my (somewhat irrational and misplaced I know 😂) worries.

[Weathergirl1]

@MissingCoffeeandWine I had an ELCS 6 weeks ago and my stomach is pretty much flat. It's not firm yet as I need to lose a bit of weight (I'm about 3-4 kg over pre-pregnancy weight still) and tone up my abs but I don't have the overhang/pouch that some people talk about.

I've been using a Belly Bandit wrap and 2in 2 hip wrap. That combined with being pretty sporty is probably helping!

Best of luck for your recovery 🤞