Cs or vb - which destroys a flat stomach most?

[mrsflux]

As above really was wondering if your method delivery had an effect on your stomach and how messed up it is. Or if just the fact that you've doubled in size during pg is what makes the mess.

I think if you had a flat tum before PG you can regain it afterwards.

No exercise, too much wine and chocolate = mufin top maketh I'm afraid.

Plus, I reckon genetics plays a big part too.

I was HUGE with my both pregnancies, had c-sections too and I think my stomach still looks pretty good.. Esp second time around.

it is the pregnancy really , that takes it's toll, but IME , when you've had a c.s you do end up with more chance of an extra bit of tummy just above the scar. so VB prob better from that POV, but your body will be changed in a myriad of ways by pregnancy and delivery

Had a flat stomach before 2 vb pgs and flat stomach after. However, condition of the undercarriage a different matter. Haven't had a cs yet - probable with no 3 - but can't obviously tell you the results.

I had a vb and got my flat stomach back.

I've heard people talking about having a saggy apron of skin after cs, but I guess that depends on the skill of the surgeon and how well they sew you up afterwards.

Then again, a lot of the Hollywood slebs have elcs and tummy tucks at the same time, so I suppose that's a way to get a flat tummy quickly.

I'd say cs is slightly harder to get in shape as the muscles get cut, but my big tip is breastfeeding.

(and not eating cake while you do it )

My CS shelf 'lifted' after a few months. I have a saggy belly but I've done no exercise .

CuppaTeaJanice you can't get the CS and TT done at exactly the same time, they've got to wait for your uterus to contract! (I looked into it!!) A few weeks later, however...

My tummy is reasonable after emcs a year ago. Despite my love of cake and no proper exercise.

I'm thinking of ttc dc2 and will prob go for elcs for many many reasons but was curious if multiple cs made it worse and worse or if that was just due to multiple pgs.

and bf was fab for sorting a lot of it. Even if I only really did about 6 weeks!

it's an urban myth re the c,s and tummy tuck

the surgeon doing a c.s is not a plastic surgeon and the uterus is still swollen after teh birht and is stil around the 20 week size , so a tummy tuck could not be done at teh same time as delivery

Also, the muscles are not "cut", they are parted to the sides. If they were actually cutting through the muscles, the recovery would be much longer.

Part of the problem with CS is they don't rejoin the fat layer so it sits above the scar.

My hospital claims to do a Mummy Tuck for the third section but what they actually do is cut away the old scar during the surgery.

Do they really part the muscles in an emergency c-section too? It didn't feel like they did at the time or when trying to move for sometime afterwards. And given the speed they have to act I can't imagine they have time to cut the skin, part what's left of wafer thin muscles stretched taut over a huge bump then cut into the uterus. Anyone know?

I looked it up on the net, and apparently the muscles would be cut through only if you got a vertical incision, which is very uncommon now..

I had a vertical incision, that'd be why I still look pg! (that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it)

My once perfectly flat stomach is like a baggy empty sack- it was the 9lb odd baby that did the damage- I think if you have stretch marks then you are less likely to get your tummy back as the skin has stretched. Mine is all wrinkly. Had VB by the way.

I think I must have been the only person in the world to gain weight while breastfeeding...

Hmmm. my stomach is currently pretty flat - but then I've had the vile vom virus for several days! I would say it's pregnancy that does your stomach in - I can have a flat stomach first thing in the morning, but as soon as I have a fair sized meal it shows rather more than it ever did before - the muscles just don't hold it in as well - thus my second pregnancy 'showed' rather earlier than my first. And if I lean forwards too much I get that lovely concertina effect. And it's all much jellier softer. I had two sections but my taller, slimmer sister had a VB and has pretty much the same (yes we have moaned together!). With sections the 'ridge' effect will depend on the skill of the stitching - and fortunately my second one left virtually no scar after a while - but belly a different matter. Sorry to depress - it's not awful and I have worn a bikini - but I do make sure I have a good (fake) tan!

Interesting Scully thanks for that, I wonder if them parting the muscles would explain why I could put my hand so deep into my tummy for months after... I could even feel boluses of food traveling down my guts for a while - very, very odd, and grim obviously!

Ew Poppet! vomits in corner

It must be after a CS because I had a CS and I don't have a flat tummy. grr.. kids eh?

Phew - I knew it couldn't be all the cakes and my weekly takeaway habit!

I have a large overhang from my 2nd section the first one I went prettymuch back to normal. I think it depends on the surgeon/ emergency for a c-section

My very flat and lovely stomach was wrecked from my first pregnancy. I had an enormous baby and went way overdue. C-section scar faded fairly quickly, but there is an overhang and my stomach is just jelly-fied and stretch-marky no matter what exercise I do.

I was gutted for a while, but have since had a second child, am ttc my third and couldn't give a stuff. I look Ok in clothes and that's the main thing