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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

Original poster

is the belly overhang after a c section permanent?

36 replies

Billy11 · 19/06/2012 23:25

i decided to have a c section for various medical reasons. I just read that there is overhang over the scar....is that a permanent thing...does that mean your belly never goes flat again ...
it made me a little sad

OP posts:
amck5700 · 19/06/2012 23:30

I had two sections and mine never went. I had a friend who went and got hers removed (some kind of tummy tuck - it was major surgery) as no amount of exercise or dieting ever helped it. tbh I was an older mother so never really worried about whether I would look good in a bikini again so i never really bothered about it, she was a lot younger when she had her kids (twins) so it really affected her.

However, maybe there are other people who have a different experience.

Original poster
Billy11 · 19/06/2012 23:44

thanks for sharing...how much of a overhang are we talking here...i suppose that depends on your weight as well eh ...

OP posts:
ThePetiteMummy · 19/06/2012 23:50

I had a c section 2 years ago, due to dd being breech, & I never got an overhang. I've always been slim though, & used to be a dancer, so prob quite toned (although haven't danced for years, & by no means fit recently!). I think it depends very much on your physique beforehand. Prob having another c section for dc2, due soon!

pushmepullyou · 19/06/2012 23:51

I don't have one. My scar is about 5 inches long and very low down. I was a size 10 pre preg and a 14 after. 10 again now. My tummy is a bit saggy and flabby but I am quite old

Maryz · 19/06/2012 23:53

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

zookeeper · 19/06/2012 23:54

I have an overhang and all three of the friends I know who had a CS have one too

Devora · 19/06/2012 23:54

I don't have an overhang.

amck5700 · 19/06/2012 23:55

lol - yeah - I have two kids 13 months apart - I was very slim and fit before getting pregnant but No1 son was 9lb 13 and I had a fist sized split in my tummy muscles after he was born by section - that didn't really have a chance to improve before i was expecting again! Then i had another large baby by section and whilst the overhang and muscle split did improve as I lost the baby weight, it never really went - I think more noticeable in normal unsupporting underwear than in swimwear. Now at 46 post menopause and with a couple of stone to lose it's fairly noticeable but might not be too bad if i could get back in shape a bit, but the middle age spread combined with lack of motivation/tiredness is not helping :o(

TaytoCrisp · 19/06/2012 23:59

No obvious overhang. Size 10ish before and same a year after, though did do a little pilates which is helpful. Not as toned but totally get away with it.

ASillyPhaseIAmGoingThrough · 20/06/2012 00:03

Yes overhung as do friends who had cs.

hellymelly · 20/06/2012 00:06

I have the typical "shelf" over the scar. It doesn't overhang the scar but it does bulge out.(as though the scar is tight elastic and my softer tummy is dented by it) I was ok after dd1, but dd2 made the difference and I do hate it but it is very common. I think most of my friends who've had c-sections have it to some degree. There is a website, i think its called "shape of a mother" or something along those lines, with photos of real women post c-section, should give you a rough idea of the average.

NunTheWiser · 20/06/2012 00:06

Yes for me. Worse after 2nd section.
It's not the end of the world, though, and nothing decent knickers or a good swimsuit can't fix!

PreciousPuddleduck · 20/06/2012 00:17

Bump

MiniTheMinx · 20/06/2012 00:27

NO for me, I was a size 8-10 before and within 3-4 weeks back to a size ten and I have no overhang. Although I did wear these very unflattering nasty tight knicker things that my mother recommended. A panty girdle thing which was great as it seemed to help push everything back to where it should be! I wore those for about 6 weeks, they actually started to seem quite comfy after a while.

Lunarlyte · 20/06/2012 07:41

I'm almost 9 weeks post CS and usually a size 8-10, currently a 10-12 (I'm 5ft 8). I had huge swelling that looked like the 'shelf' that so many describe for about 5/6 weeks that jutted out above the scar, then it settled down quite a bit. I'm still aware that there's swelling, but when I look in te mirror, I can't really see the shelf in profile (Probably as my uterus shrinks and the body rids itself of baby fat/fluid, etc. I've recently started a post partum exercise programme, too).

It puffs out a little more on the right-hand side, but that is where the majority of the swelling was in the beginning. My scar is more 'set' to the right aswell. And, i guess that it's all still healing! If I'm busy or overdo things, it swells up a bit, but abates if I rest.

To a large extent I think it's to so with your weight, how you store fat, the skill of the surgeon and how you're cut/re-sewn. Try not to worry. I'm amazed at how much the swelling has gone down so far. Even when the shelf was visible, you couldn't see it through my clothes x

missingmymarbles · 20/06/2012 10:01

It's 7 years since my last section, but I don't have an overhang (except for my current ginormous pregnant belly Grin). I certainly didn't pre-this pregnancy, but I can't remember exactly how long after, I didn't notice it anymore, iyswim.

Jules125 · 20/06/2012 10:06

I have not quite got rid of mine (dd now 18 months) but honestly its very very slgiht and wouldn't show in a bikini (I wouldn't wear one but that's because of my wobbly thighs! - my tummy looks fine, probably flatter than average).

I was in good shape before and with a very flat stomach (although not exceptionally slim, hence the thighs).

ChopstheDuck · 20/06/2012 10:11

I managed to gt rid of mine through exercise. I just have a fat belly now though, after putting most of the weight back on.

henrysmama2012 · 20/06/2012 11:15

I am currently 12 weeks out from an elective c section, and did have an overhang but I've been really disciplined with diet & exercise (hard to do as much as id like with little one around, though!) & it is definitely going. Hopefully it'll disappear completely!

Original poster
Billy11 · 20/06/2012 11:20

great ladies ...good to know that with excercise and diet its not huge and you can tuck it in to a bikini

OP posts:
BeehavingBaby · 20/06/2012 17:40

I have had 3 normal deliveries and have a little overhang where a c/s scar would be. I am slim-ish and survived DDs1 and 2 intact but DD3 left me with a little shelf and slight venetian blind effect. Pretty normal whatever way you deliver I think.

SuiGeneris · 20/06/2012 17:50

Am nearly 9 weeks post-c-section and have no overhang. Was size 8 before and am between a 10 and a 12 now. The separation between the abdominal muscles was 3 fingers wide at 4 weeks and is 1 finger wide now, mostly due to postnatal Pilates. It seems that you don't necessarily get overhang, so good luck OP!

Original poster
Billy11 · 20/06/2012 18:20

wow...Suigeneris
How can you tell the distance of the abdominal seperation?
I am going to go for a post natal personal trainer as well to do pilates

OP posts:
SuiGeneris · 20/06/2012 21:08

The best thing is to get your instructor to do it because to test it you need to do a sort of crunch, which is generally not recommended while the muscles are separated. Will see if I can find a link showing what to do.

SuiGeneris · 20/06/2012 21:13

Cannot do links on the phone, but search for diastasis recti self test.

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