To ask how loose the squishy belly after a baby?

[NomsQualityStreets]

I'm 5months postpartum and I'm actually slimmer than I was before I became pregnant which I think is down to EBF as my LO is a very big baby and feeds a lot.
I haven't been exercising or watching what I eat so it can't be anything else.

I'm quite happy with my weight but I'm really self conscious about my wrinkly, stretch marked tummy area. From what I can tell I think it's all mostly excess skin, if I press it there's nothing there IYKWIM.

If I wear high waisted jeans they tuck it all in but as soon as I take them aft all the skin just kind of pops out. It's making me wear baggy clothes all the time.

I know some people might say that time helps but it's coming up to the summer months and we might be going away and I'd love to be able to at least do something with it.
Is there anything I can start doing to get rid of it? Any particular diet/excersises?

Watching with interest! Exactly same op. I have 3 kids. Smaller than before kids but very wobbly now! And extra skin

There's nothing you can do about excess skin unfortunately - moisturizing with vitamin E cream might help a bit but what's really needed is time. If it's still not back to normal after a year then surgery is your only option.

I have this a bit too and have learned to just live with it. Think of it as a battle scar :)

Had my first over a decade ago. Been trying to get rid of the saggy sack of fat/skin ever since. Sadly the solution has so far eluded me.

If I ever win the lottery I'm heading to a fancy cosmetic surgery clinic and will have EVERYTHING sucked and tucked.

These replies don't fill me with confidence oh dear

But surely something can be done? I'm always seeing the mums out there who look like they've never even been pregnant in the first place a couple of months after having babies, are they magic??

Some people ping back, some people don't - I think it's a variety of factors, probably mostly genetics.

Eat healthily, do exercise that aims to strengthen your core, moisturise (will improve the look of the skin but can't do anything to firm it) and that's your lot - unless you go down the surgery route.

Surely some of it is genetics.
But I found a mix of running and HIIT has made a huge huge difference to my legs and tummy post babies. I didn’t have stretch marks so not sure what helps with that but definitely think weight based exercise tones overall and pulls everything in

I hate to say this but a lot of it is down to muscle tone before you enter pregnancy as well. Good abs and drinking plenty of water before and during pregnancy makes a big difference. But honestly, your body did an amazing thing and it will get back to normal eventually

How old are you? I’d imagine (I could be wrong though) that if you are older it will be more likely you won’t ‘ping’ back than if you are say, 23...

If the skin is still loose after 9-12 months then it will not go back unfortunately. Exercising can obviously help tone the muscles but will not shrink the skin.
So the two options you have are:

1. Learn to live with it, you’ve had a baby and look at your tummy as the amazing home it has been. Spanx are amazing at disguising it in clothing, but naked you’ll have to get used to your new body.
2. Surgery

But honestly, your body did an amazing thing and it will get back to normal eventually
Nope not always! I had my children young, exercised, used bio oil and vitamin E creams. Nothing will make it what it was before I had children Genetics plays the biggest part I was told by my consultant.

But I have 2 amazing kids!

Nothing you can do, no.

It does improve over time IME. I had dc at age 21 and 23 and was left with stretch marks and saggy skin for a few years. By the time I had another dc at 31 it was so much improved that it didn't bother me. Not sure if it will improve much this time as I'm in my 30's not 20's though.

I’m afraid there’s nothing you can do. I lost a lot of weight following my three DC (who were born in the space of 2.5 years) but still had the saggy lower stomach. I worked out really fucking hard, I ran four times a week as well and ate a very ‘clean’ diet but nothing would shift it because it is skin not fat. The only way to get rid of it is a tummy tuck.

Everyone's skin is different. My sisters have 6 children between them and are slim toned size 8 and 10. I have had 1 and have a loose stretched belly. I always got more stretch marks growing up, my skin just tears.

However... mine did start to go back when Dd was a little older, it wasn't immediate for me and now she is 7 it's significantly better. Time really does help and keeping your skin moisturised, hydrated, helps.

Now if you can just tell me how to get my boobs back to where they were, that would be great!

Sorry. Nothing you can do. I've managed to get muscle tone back underneath it but the skin on top will never be the same. It's just part of me now, you'll get used to it