Honestly - what was your tummy like after delivery?

[pippinleaf]

I used to have a flat tum, it was probably my only good feature. I miss it already as my stomach swells up with this lovely baby. Will I ever get it back? Please tell me what to expect in the hours, days and weeks following delivery. I know it's not that important in the grand scheme of things, but I'd like to be forewarned

[3pigsinblanketsandasausagerole]

Empty and wobbly at first

Gradually shrinking back

[Jenninlw]

Mine felt empty the day after delivery - it was really weird, I felt like I had to hold it up when I walked. In the days after I could feel it contracting back as I breast fed. After 4 weeks or so I started doing gentle exercises, just sitting up a little in bed- then progressed on to more tummy exercises as I felt comfortable. I
Didn't have any splitting and had a straight forward birth

I had my flat muscly tummy back after a few months

[Mrsgrumble]

Straight after - still very big
Nine days after - able to wear Fitted trousers but loose

Took five months to be relatively flat again - nearly normal but got a bpf

[pippinleaf]

Bpf? Is that some device or a typo for bfp?

[callamia]

Straight after, I looked like a deflating hot air balloon.

A few weeks later, basically fine - still a bit bigger than usual, but mainly hips/pelvis being wider.

Two months: non-maternity jeans.

One year: pretty much normal, bit lighter. Slightly (if you squish it about a bit) baggier tummy, mainly due to lack of focused exercises. No one else can tell.

[Poolbirthx2]

Mine felt wobby and saggy!

With my first it didn't take long to go down, probably about 4 weeks. With my second (6 months ago) it is taking a bit longer...

[TallulahTwinkletoes]

It wil come back. It may be a different time frame than you expect but simple exercise will bring it back

I remember being large straight after and for a while. Within four weeks after DD I'd lost 12 of the 30kg I gained and had a flat ish but definitely not toned stomach. I had a c section and didn't start exercising for a while. Can't remember how long tho.

[libertychick]

Back to same as before (which wasn't flat ) in about 6 months. I was surprised how quickly it looked normal again.

[Only1scoop]

Empty and wobbly but went back to normal at about 3 months

[naturalbaby]

Blow up a balloon, let the air out. That's what I thought about after delivery. I didn't really notice until I was lying down in the bath.
Focus on pulling your tummy button in to engage the muscles as much as you can and that should help.

[Mrsgrumble]

Sorry bfp

[bigTillyMint]

Wobbly. But then I have never had a washboard stomach.

It wasn't too horrendous after DD and I was back to my normal size after 9 months, but then I fell pregnant with DS and it was wobblier and much slower to tone up even a bit.

[Tractorandtree]

As others have said like a deflated balloon straight afterwards, with dc1 was back to normal clothes after 2-3 wks, dc2 about 4-6 wks. Now flat as before, skin slightly wrinklier but only I would notice iykwim. Have to work a bit harder with toning exercises etc but that might be age too. I've been quite lucky though. I found pilates (both ante and post natal) helpful.

[MistletoeBUTNOwine]

I still looked pg for about a week after dc2 was born. By 4-6 weeks all the weight was lost (bf) but Tummy still wobblier. Skin slightly wrinkly now, I've lost too much weight

[pieceoftoast]

Saggy and deflated. Took about a year to resemble what it did before (was never toned though!) but the skin was a bit softer and stretchmarked/pitted. 3 1/2 years later I felt confident enough to wear a bikini... then got pregnant again so I'm sure it will be even worse this time!

[sleepyhead]

After delivery it had the most amazing texture, sort of like risen dough.

Now, after 2 births and 18 months after the second, it's not that much different to before. A few stretch marks, my belly button is a different shape, and I've got a strange little numb bit just above my belly button (tiny, about the size of a stamp. No idea why).

Well, that's not quite true, it's about a stone different. But that's mostly biscuits.

[Sabrinnnnnnnna]

Like porridge in a pillow case.

I did shape back up though - took a few months. Was still wearing a bikini even after dc2.

After dc3 this was out of the question though - but I was late 30'a by then so meh.

[HarriettandBob]

Mine looked almost the same as before within 24 hours after all three pregnancies. I realise I am fortunate though. Breasts will never be the same again sadly.

[Smartiepants79]

Wobbly and blobbly. Took a few weeks and still hasn't really recovered 2 years later.
That's probably because I've not done much about it though.......
I'm quite slim naturally but my tummy will never be the same again. ( unless I do some sit-ups, so, never!)

[Honeybear30]

The wrinkly balloon description was accurate for me! Have to say though that it was flat again almost immediately, I was incredibly lucky. The midwife on the post natal ward called me a cow for having a flatter stomach than her! I was back in pre pregnancy clothes and back to my pre pregnancy weight within 2-3 weeks. I understand this is totally not the norm though.

[pippinleaf]

Ok, sounds like I can just about hope to have something near my old tummy again. I'd just be happy with a belly button!

[TallulahTwinkletoes]

You'll just have to exercise and you'll be fine I promise

[AlexD72]

I was 38 years old when I had my baby. Had a flat tight tummy before. No exercise or gym just lucky to have a slim build.I didn't have stretch marks ( just one on breast) and my tummy looked like a deflated balloon after birth. Very strange feeling. My muscles tore during the last four weeks so had this funny gap as well. But if you want a tidy tummy there are ways and means. My midwife said I would never get my figure back unless I had a personnel trainer. So I became my own personal trainer! It didn't bother me for a couple of years after so I didn't worry. I won't have that flat wash board tummy EVER agin but then I'm not going to be wearing crop tops EVER again.

[Sleepyhoglet]

Depressing thread