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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

Does everyone have "overhang" after c-section?!

37 replies

conkeyhead · 22/01/2008 17:23

I'm due to have an elective in three weeks, having had a nightmare and an emergency C-section 4 1/2 years ago. I never really got all the weight off after the last one, which was completely my own fault and down to some circumstances, but this time really am hoping to do better and will have more time etc. But I didn't have an overhang or ledge thingy....just a bit of a fat tummy!! (and bum..and thighs!!)

But now I've been reading on here about women who lose weight but still have this overhang after their second or third c-section and I'm starting to get into a panic!!!

Does everyone get it after 2 c-sections?? is there anything I can do to avoid it (slip the surgeon a handful of fivers!?!?!)

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LoveAngel · 22/01/2008 17:25

I have a slight overhang after having a c-section 3 years ago (it was there despite losing all of my baby weight...which I have subsequently put back on...well, some of it anyway ). to be honest, I have never known a woman who had a c-section and didn't have a very slight one, even if it's just skin.

MrsCarrot · 22/01/2008 17:28

I know a couple of people who don't have one at all but I think most do. I am one of them. It's worse when I put on weight but mostly I forget about it. There's not much you can do really short od asking the surgeon for a tummy tuck.

needmorecoffee · 22/01/2008 17:30

nar, had 3 sections, no 'overhang' although scar issue was raised for a while. Just normal podge tummy.

LoveAngel · 22/01/2008 17:31

I actually think the slimmer you are, the more it shows, unfortunately (or maybe fortunately?) :-)

Ash80 · 22/01/2008 17:32

I have a friend who has a perfect flat smooth belly follwing her C section 1 year ago, i was very impressed

MrsCarrot · 22/01/2008 17:38

loveangel - thats what I thought before, but since having another baby there seems to be more fat left in the hang. God that sounds rank - sorry!

My friend showed me her flat stomach after a section and I was aghast at my bad luck. Hers really was flat.

LardyMardyDaisy · 22/01/2008 17:44

i think it depends on how you are sewn up. if the fat layer is stitched then no overhang, but it is usually left unclosed, so can cause overhang.

I'm sure i got that from a website called cesaeriansection.org or something. I'll see if I can find the link.

I had a slight one after first section, am expecting it to be biggeer still (if i ever lose my baby weight that is )

blueshoes · 22/01/2008 17:50

I have had 2 c-sections. It can be completely flat. I was like this 11 months into my maternity leave with my second child - he was a demanding one and I just never stopped moving. I went a few kg below pre-pregnancy weight and was smaller than size 6.

Since I have gone back to work, I have put on a little weight. Size 6-8. Still no overhang.

Minkus · 22/01/2008 17:50

If it's any compensation I have an overhang and I didn't have a section- I think that my belly got stretched but the flesh on my, er, "pubic mound" didn't need to, hence the overhang. And I lost all the blimmin weight too.

MotherFunk · 22/01/2008 17:57

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FioFio · 22/01/2008 18:00

This reply has been deleted

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Original poster

conkeyhead · 22/01/2008 18:07

Ha ha ha - "pubic mound"...that's so funny!!

(God I'm such a child, good job you don't have to be grown up to be a mother!!....... doh! )

OP posts:

TuttiFrutti · 22/01/2008 18:10

Have had 2 c-sections. No overhang any more BUT that's after huge efforts at weight loss and exercise.

Twiggypiggy · 22/01/2008 18:10

Two sections. Mine overhangs.

Sanwi · 22/01/2008 21:53

i have overhang on one side - 1 c section, no weight gain or loss really, so i guess it's all down to the stitching

alfiesbabe · 22/01/2008 21:57

Yeap

squilly · 22/01/2008 22:00

I didn't get the overhang or stretchmarks. Hubby reckons it's cos I was big already, before baby, so my bod didn't have to stretch too much (always a charmer!). I'd think I was smug, were it not for the fact that I've got ledges on my thighs...and no ops as an excuse

whomovedmychocolate · 22/01/2008 22:03

I have no overhang - the surgeon sewed my stomach muscles together really tightly, hurt like hell for a few weeks but my stomach was amazingly flat by four weeks post partum. Of course I'm pregnant and bulbous again now

doodledandy · 22/01/2008 22:29

I have a small overhang after 2 sections but it is not noticable if the 'join' is covered with my pants. I put on a lot of weight when pregnant which I don't think helped. Mind you, I did first time around and had no overhang at all. Now I have lost the baby weight it is not too bad really - it all looks ok in a swimsuit. Haven't made any effort with exercise though which would probably improve things further if I had time/could be bothered. I reckon how resiliant your skin is is probably genetic?

Sycamoretree · 22/01/2008 22:40

I've had two c-sections, and don't really have any overhang, and I put on loads of weight through both pregs. DD now 2.5yrs and DS 5 months and I have been on this lighterlife diet for 10 weeks and have lost 2 st 4lbs - yay me! Was nearly 4 stone overweight, but I think cos of stitching on both I was lucky. My consultant did staples with second DC - he told me it would look really ugly at first but would give me best scar in the end - he was right. Also, thing they stitched me up really tight inside and I felt the burning pull of my stitch knot for about 3 weeks after. Now my only overhang is my remaining jelly belly which I am determined to banish, though am sure it will require more than calories counting - am guessing some sit ups will be in order....

kitstwins · 23/01/2008 11:24

I don't think it's a foregone conclusion. I think it depends both on weight gain and how you are stitched afterwards as I think it's the layer of fat 'overhanging' the ridge of scar on the skin that causes it.

I'm pretty slim & did/do lots of exercise and didn't put any weight on in terms of fat during my pregnancy and I don't have an overhang. I have a slight ridge in my scar as I had healing complications and the layers of scarring in skin and muscle are all glued together (lovely) but there's no overhang. I zealously oiled and creamed my bump twice a day which may have helped (in terms of skin condition) and I also had a really good consultant who prided himself on his small, neat scars. Thought he was pretty anal and humourless at the time but he is now forgiven as, in spite of the disaster with healing, my scar is okay. Still bruised nearly two years on and will always be quite solid and 'ridgey' to touch, but no overhang.

Also, I know lots of other twin mothers who, like me, all had caesareans and none of us have an overhang. Some have massive scars (on call surgeons doing last-minute caesareans and slicing from hip to hip) but in spite of our massive girth and the superfast stretching we all escaped.

LiegeAndLief · 23/01/2008 13:22

Sorry slight hijack: whomovedmychocolate, I wonder if that's what happened to me? The surgeon said she was going to do my cs the way they do it in private hospitals , it hurt like buggery for weeks but I only looked about 4 months pg the day after the op and like you had flat stomach at 4 weeks. (Sadly no longer flat - due to chocolate biscuits and not pregnancy!).

In answer to OP, no overhang. Don't know whether this was due to the way the cs was done, or luck, or both!

Sycamoretree · 23/01/2008 15:10

How funny liege and leif - my super tight stitching was also done in a private hospital (which health insurance covered because of previous complications with first pregnancy- am not made of millions ). Wonder what the difference in practice is. Mine also hurt like hell but all ok now.

whomovedmychocolate · 23/01/2008 15:29

Liegeandlief - you didn't have this done by Victoria at the JR in Oxford did you? Yes this was by an ex-private sector consultant. Apparently they do layered stitching (kinda like building a basket) on the inside

LiegeAndLief · 23/01/2008 15:30

Is this a special private hospital way of sewing you up? Is it more expensive?! Sadly was not in private hospital (also not made of millions ) but had been in hospital for 3 weeks already so knew the ob who did my cs fairly well. She did private and nhs. It was past the end of her shift but she told my dh that she had stayed for my cs as I was young and slim (both a bit of an overstatement I think!), I was one of "her girls" and she didn't want to leave me to one of the other butchers in the hospital!!! And she was doing it this special private way so my stomach would be instantly flat. She was right about that - do hope she was wrong about the butchery...

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