When did your mum tum go away?

[Mummutum]

Did it ever? My body went back to pre-pregnancy shape about a year after my first. Second is now 2.5 and I still have this sort of kangaroo pouch of skin. Makes my clothes uncomfortable and difficult to fit, and makes me a bit self-conscious TBH.

Youngest was a full 900 g heavier than my second so it makes sense I’d be a bit more stretched out, but thought it’d recede a bit more by now.

Bump?

Probably not what you want to hear but less than a week after all 3 pregnancies.

I'm not sure if it was because I was 22yrs, 29yrs and 33yrs so my stomach muscles were much tighter then?

I'm 56 now and menopausal with a big bag of blancmange where my stomach used to be.

Mine never had! I was an older mum though, my mum was 20s and it was fine in a week apparently.

If its skin then I doubt it will go back to how it was, I have loose skin from my 16 year old that never went, I've had 3 other children since and it goes down but the pouch always stays

I had my kids at 19,22 and 25, never had a flat tummy ever🙄

I had twins at full term age 30. They're now teens and I still look 4 months pregnant.

I am tall and otherwise slim though so I have just learnt to dress differently 😭

A lot of us expected things to “bounce back” eventually, but that’s not always how real bodies work, especially after bigger babies or multiple pregnancies. Skin, muscles, hormones... it all plays a part. Doesn’t make it easy, especially when clothes don’t fit like they used to, but it is normal. Your body’s been through a lot, and it’s still strong and worthy, even with the pouch.

My first was 10lb+ and my stomach never recovered. Even when I was thin/toned it still hung like an octopus’s head. I’m fatter now and it actually looks better because the skin isn’t so loose.

@lemontart13 thabk you, yes, I am proud of what my body has done! Have struggled with disordered eating and body image in the past so this is especially triggering, although I’m so keen not to pass that on to DD.

I am definitely an older mum, hadn’t planned on repeat pregnancy loss. So of course grateful for my gorgeous DC. But do feel self-conscious about my kangaroo pouch. Has anyone done anything to boost their confidence around this? I don’t know, a tattoo or some pouch bedazzling??

I am glad to hear that it is normal and there is a range of experience here…