to think recovery from a tummy tuck must be similar to an elective c section??

[Wigglewoo]

Maybe I'm crazy. Tell me if I am.

Since having my ds by elcs I'm hating my tummy. Ok, ok its only been 3 weeks but my gp has already told me my muscles are very weak and have very bad separation (second child) and that they will not go back.

This leaves me feeling very :( :(

I have a little booklet of stretches to do to try and improve things but am I wrong in thinking this isn't going to help much? (Anyone had any success with these??)

When I was younger I had a flat tummy and even though I'm still a size 10ish everywhere my tummy is now a 14-16 :(

So... I'm thinking tummy tuck. Has anyone had one? I'm thinking the recovery must be similar to elcs esp as they sometimes do them together at the same time...? I found recovery very good from my section so just curious...

I'm not sure, I would imagine it's maybe less bad? In that they won't be cutting and stitching your womb at the same time.

But, that said, I'm not sure how the procedure affects your muscles.

I'm not much help am I?

If it involves removal of skin and tissue I think potential for infection is far higher which sets back recovery time somewhat. I had an elc and an op to remove a lump at similar time. The lumpectomy involved removing skin and tissue. It got seriously infected twice and was far harder to recover from. My view since then is that any surgery , particularly major surgery to stomach area is to be avoided at all costs unless medically necessary.

Read this site and join the surgeon on Facebook, there are people typing from the clinic after TT. all above board, legit and safe, clean etc. I ambooked in for next October. Really experienced surgeon with great fixed no catch prices. The price you see on the site is the price you pay.

Don't be so ridiculous it's only been 3 weeks

Why put yourself through another major operation just for vanity

europesurgery.uk.com/

No infections since 2008 at his clinic.

Give your body 12 months. See what stretches etc help, also seek out a personal trainer with postnatel training qualifications and see if they can help.

If after that, you're still not getting results, then start looking at tummy tucks.

After I had my twins I felt hiddeous absolutely discusting!! It was my first section (others natural labour) and my tummy was awful, like you size 10 but I also had a over hang!! I cried and cried!!

6 months later over hang gone tummy a lot firmer!!! Little wobbly still but nothing at all what is was like, I haven't lost weight or done exercise it just (thankfully) went back!!!

I also have really bad separated muscles.

Give your self time it will look so much better!!! My stomach was HUGE measuring 60cm down and mine managed to regain some normality :)

Check with someone medical.

What helped my stomach muscles was a Slendertone belt. I did, however use this some years after my ELCS. So check with a medic

I think it's too early to be worrying about a tummy tuck. Time, and exercises need a chance first

a tummy tuck requires a much bigger incision than a CS, the wound is hip to hip. When I saw one on the TV, the lady had had a previous CS and she looked absolutely wretched after the tummy tuck.

Thanks.. I'm talking in a year or so... I'm not dashing into the surgery next week :)

Its just so :( ... Yeah its a bit vain but on some level who isn't??!

I'm also worried about hernias and I have very bad lower back pain which my gp said is probably due to my lack of tummy muscles...

Hmmm maybe the risk of infection is what makes it worse then... I've been lucky in that my elcs recovery was good so maybe I have rose tinted glasses!!!

Thanks for the replies...

I know someone who has had a TT, they were in agony for a good few weeks after.

Personally, I would avoid any unnecessary surgery and right now, you've no idea whether spending thousands of pounds on an entirely cosmetic procedure will be necessary. After I had ds2 (2nd baby in 18 months) I appeared to be wearing a concertina rather than anything that resembled my formerly flat stomach. This unhappy state of affairs was not permanent.

However, a friend of mine did have a tummy tuck a few months ago, following some fairly dramatic but controlled weight loss. The operation was successful but the recovery period was far longer and more more painful than a c-section. Not a procedure to be undertaken lightly.

I've had a TT, an emcs and an elcs.

In order I would have again:
Elcs
Emcs
TT

Cs pain doesn't even come close to TT. In a nutshell I nearly died and was in chronic pain for 6 months.

I have barely any feeling from "fake" belly-button to section scar (in pubes).

It's a massive operation. I used to watch these "10 years younger" shows and laugh at the idea of 6 weeks on the sofa.

I was walking in town and doing housework 3 days after emcs. TT I thought I'd die.

i would have thought it would be more painful,the cut is much longer from hip to hip.

I know someone who has had both (two cs then a tummy tuck). She bounced back from both the cs really well, but the tummy tuck floored her, she said it was the worst pain imaginable and even now when she is pleased with the result she says if she could turn back time she wouldn't have had it done.

Her dh had to take 6 weeks off of work as she literally couldn't get out of bed, it was a good 3 more months before she was approaching normal.

I have had a TT. My stomach resembled an unmade bed. Having said that, I obviously had healthy self-esteem because I never stopped wearing bikinis etc on holiday - I just hated the overhang and crumpled look beneath close fitting clothes.

My surgeon wouldn't contemplate performing surgery unless he was absolutely certain you had done everything in your power to sort it out yourself - i.e. regular exercise, moisturising skin and healthy diet (healthy diet can vastly improve skin tone because the skin needs to the vitamin E and C to heal and repair). I had separation too but had good muscle tone despite the muscles being bow-shaped!

I would also advise you not to do it whilst your DC are small enough to require regular lifting and carrying. My DC were at school when I had mine.

Despite being fit and healthy (running several times a week etc) recovery was long and arduous. I felt totally knackered all the time for the first 6 weeks. I had 2 weeks bed rest and then began driving from around 3 weeks or so. Some women are standing up straight within 24 hours of the operation. It took me a few weeks. I didn't experience any complications but my surgeon and his team were on hand for any questions or review during the entire 6 week recovery. I would never advise travelling overseas for the op. Seriously, I had a 30 minute drive home in DH's very comfortable car and I was still sore and uncomfortable, I can't imagine having to get on a plane! I would also be fearful about aftercare. As I said, I had no complications but I had questions and they were always there to answer. You should also have regular checks (I think weekly for the first 3 weeks then every 3 weekly until 2 months).

Scar is hip to hip, still slightly visible but so much better than my stomach looked before so worth it, for me at least.

My sister had a lot of success with the exercises for muscle separation (6cm) although she was under the guidance of a physio.

I had 2 CS and a tummy tuck when my DS2 was 6 months old (my stomach was beyond saggy/stretched). Was the single most painful thing i've ever experienced. I looked like I had been run over by a lorry (bruising from knees to boobs, front and back), the wound also went green as part of the healing process! I was on tramadol, diclofenic (?) co-dydramol max doses for 6 weeks.

However, I love my stomach now and still thank my Dr (in my head!) very day as he repaired my stomach to a level that I didn't think it was possible to achieve (given the state it was in).

It was incredibly painful however. I assumed the recovery would be the same as a CS but oh no not in a million. Without the support of my mum (I was seperated from the boys father at the time) I would have been in a desperate state to look after my starting to crawl baby and 2.5 yr old DS. If it wasnt for the fact my mum needed my help I would have happily stayed in bed for the first week alone. i used to stare at the clock desperate for my next hit of painkillers which only took the edge off it. I would wake in the night in agony.

but....3 years on I now have a stomach a teenager would be envious of. and can now wear clothes without camoflaging and disguising myself. Was farking painful but knowing what I know I would still have gone through it was worth it to me.

Just be prepared it is hideously painful.

It also took me 3 weeks before I could stand up straight...i used to stand in the shower and worry he had stitched me too tight and i'd always stand hunched over!!!!

I should add I had lost all of my baby weight and was doing pilates since the birth to no improvement.

fish did you have lipo too? The bruising sounds rather severe. I had a little bruising around the drain sites and that was it really.

I am also completely numb in my stomach region 3 years on. I have to be careful not to put on weight as it goes on odd places too! (fat armpits- wtf??!)

yes they did it free with it as my surgeon said the results are much smoother if they lipo the site at the same time. (I have hips like a teen now)

TT is massive, massive surgery, much, much more invasive than CS, elective or otherwise - do not compare the two!

Sorry you are feeling rubbish about your body just now. As you say, in one year's time it might be more reasonable to even think about that kind of surgery.
Having said that, by then you will have a one year old (yes, really ) and might not want to/be able to submit to a long, painful post-op recovery period.

Look up rectus diatsis or rectus diverarication - there is special exercises to help to. I'll go and have a look if I can find them in a mo'.

Whatever you do, do NOT do conventional sit-ups; they can really ruin things postnatally.

Tupler exercises

I would avoid even too many of these until you are 6 weeks post-natal tbh.
In the meantime, pull your bellybutton towards your spine with your shoulders held back and breathing evenly whenever you are walking. Doing this while pushing a pram is really very effective to help tortured abdominal wall muscles to find their mojo again .