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Childbirth

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

What's your 'overhang' like after 2 Csecs?

56 replies

MolotovCocktail · 25/02/2014 20:29

If you have one, that is?

I had an ELCS almost 2y ago and aside from the silvery scar, you would never know.

Dh would like another child. I am leaning towards the idea but am concerned about the effects of a 3rd pg / 2nd CS (dd1 born vaginally in 2009; dd2 ELCS 2012).

I know it's a vain question and there are other concerns re. CS, but this is something that is on my mind.

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Edenviolet · 25/02/2014 22:06

I've had four cs and have no overhang, after dc4 I thought I would as for the first couple of weeks I still had a bit of a 'bump' and was sore and swollen but it all went down fine.

Theonlyoneiknow · 25/02/2014 22:06

I have had two emergency CS.

After the first one you could make out a faint scar but no overhang at all, couldn't tell I had had a baby, scar aside. Maybe because pre and during pregnancy I was in good shape, who knows.

Second time had done no exercise since delivery of no.1. Have got a distinct overhang now. Gutted as can't see how to shift it. From what I have heard it's really hard!

HappyAsEyeAm · 25/02/2014 22:07

Ive had two emcs and have no overhang. Im quite fleshy, and could do with losing half a stone and seriously toning up, so I am very wobbly. But no overhang.

HappyAsEyeAm · 25/02/2014 22:10

Listen, what am I supposed to be looking at on the photos of those two women in bikinis? I can only see flat tummies, no overhang at all. Im confused.

HaveYouTriedARewardChart · 25/02/2014 22:11

I have a shelf rather than overhang, two years after 2nd CS. Have to sort of lift it out of the way to see the scar or shave. It gets a bit better if I lose weight but I'm a 8/10 normally so mainly it's just there.

But - no worse after second than after first. And I had a massive bump both times on a small frame.

Mignonette · 25/02/2014 22:11

2 CS, one classical, one LSCS plus three abdominal surgeries where they went in through the lower segment.

My insides resemble Charlotte's Web but no overhang.

HaveYouTriedARewardChart · 25/02/2014 22:12

I think it's about which bikinis are ok to wear or not! None for me due to the additional benefit of crepey saggy doughy skin. Nice!

TheFowlAndThePussycat · 25/02/2014 22:12

Yeah, it's bad. 2 sections plus emergency surgery post 2nd C-section (they sewed me up & then had to go in again). I'm a bit chunky anyway so I guess that doesn't help.

OTOH it doesn't seem to bother DH and I don't show that bit of my belly to anyone else - I don't think it is obvious through clothes...

Also, I wouldn't change a thing when it comes to my two lovely DDs, they are worth it without a doubt Smile

AuditAngel · 25/02/2014 22:14

I have a big overhang, but that is because I am fat.

I have 3 DC, 2 and 3 by CS. My overhang is bigger now than after number 2, but I am a clothes size larger than I was after number 2 (I lost a stone through stress) I'm heavier but the same clothes size as before/after number 1.

Even though my last CS was over 3 years ago, I still have no feeling in my skin from about an inch below my belly button, that still seems weird.

HaveYouTriedARewardChart · 25/02/2014 22:14

And I don't think (personally) it's much to do with exercise or not TheonlyoneIknow - I was really strong and slim before both pregnancies.....alas.......... Grin

ListenToTheLady · 25/02/2014 22:15

Sorry happy they are an example of a bikini I would wear and one that would be out of the question. The bodies are not illustrative of my gunt! (Or indeed any of the rest of me)

Mignonette · 25/02/2014 22:16

I have no skin or pinch sensation in my lower abdomen 19 years after my last CS but that's not surprising- I have had a lot of surgery.

HappyAsEyeAm · 25/02/2014 22:19

Thanks Little. I thought I had completely misunderstood what a c section overhang actually was!

MrsCDNinUK · 25/02/2014 22:20

Not much of one and I've had 2 c/s and a laparotomy using the same incision (so 3 surgeries). C/S #3 is next week but I don't tend to gain a lot of weight pregnant - 15 lbs or so. I'm on the fluffy side so we'll see what happens when I lose the weight I want to.

Eatriskier · 25/02/2014 22:20

I've had an EMCS and an ELCS, I was done up so tightly after the first the overhang was bad (emcs). The second didn't worsen anything. However I was very overweight after both which didn't help. I've lost 6 stone recently and my overhang isn't horrendous which I attribute to hula hooping 3 times a week.

ListenToTheLady · 25/02/2014 22:21

(strangely bikini models with gunts were not forthcoming in my google search :o)

HappyAsEyeAm · 25/02/2014 22:22

Yes, I have the crepey saggy doughy stomach too. No overhang, but that hardly matters as my stomach is such a mess. I am a size 10, buy seriously doughy and crinkled.

1944girl · 25/02/2014 22:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PrimalLass · 25/02/2014 22:30

Mine is getting much better with fasting and avoiding gluten.

HaveYouTriedARewardChart · 25/02/2014 22:45

Nice to know I'm not alone Happy - it feels like it sometimes!

Imagine my face when ten days after dc1 was born I asked my community midwife when the wrinkles would disappear.... and she said probably never and told me to start saving my child benefit for a tummy tuck Shock

I can laugh about it now.... [ grin]

Teatimecakes · 25/02/2014 22:52

I had an elcs - no over hang at all. Was a size 12 before ds and now am a 14 - I have a bit of a tummy still, but that's more to do with over indulgence than pregnancy or cs :) the only thing I find now is that any weight I gain goes straight to the bump area and makes me look pregnant again!

lotsofcheese · 25/02/2014 23:07

After 2 EMCS, it's pretty grim. It wasn't so bad after the 1st, as I was really fit prior to & during pregnancy plus didn't gain much weight. It was a female consultant doing the surgery. Next time it was a male registrar doing the surgery late at night - I got a butchering. My shelf hangs out by a good few inches. I'm hoping diet & exercise will help - but not massively optimistic.

Beckamaw · 25/02/2014 23:15

I have 3 children. 1 vaginal (forceps), 1 EMCS, 1 ELCS.
2nd was borderline GD and polyhydramnious, 3rd was at age 39.
Gained 3 stone each time.
I have no overhang, no stretch marks, no visible scar.
I'm lucky maybe?

HappyAsEyeAm · 26/02/2014 08:55

Haveyoutried I had quite a doughy tummy after I had DS1 6 years ago. He was 8 lb 8 oz. I lost all my pregnancy weight, but my tummy was never the same.Then 2 years ago I had DS2. He was 9 lb 5 oz. I am a short, small framed size 10. I took months to lose the bloating second time round, and until about 4 months post partum, I looked like I'd had a drastic weight loss surgery type thing because I had so much exceess skin on my tummy. Nowhere else.

Then when he was about 5 months, I got back to my pre pregnancy weight, but I am still in serius need of toniging all over. I don't know how I could possibly shift this excess and doughy crinkled puckered skin on my tummy though. I am 8 stone 5 pounds, so hardly enormous, but my tummy is a mess. I find spanx are marvellous at holding it all in so that I can feel confident in some dresses, so I 100% recommend those (the ones that go up to undernerath your bra and down your legs like cycling shorts)!

HaveYouTriedARewardChart · 26/02/2014 10:54

Happy I think to some extent time helps. Not a huge amount but a bit! I also did a 1:1 pilates session for a year or so which helped..... a little bit! (Luckily it was very very cheap I normally couldn't afford that sort of thing)

I remember properly crying when the sun had a picture if Kate Middleton's glimpse of toned tum just a few months after birth (I was pretty drunk though!) DP said if it really upset me we could think about a tummy tuck but I'd never be able to go through with it!