Still look pregnant 2 weeks after C section

[pebblescat]

Really keen to hear from anyone in a similar position.

I had my second baby by C-section 17 days ago and I still look 5 months pregnant and on the one occasion I went to the shops without the baby I was asked if I had given birth yet. I put on two stone during the pregnancy and I have lost 1 stone 5lb already, but I still look pregnant and it doesn't seem to be going down much. I wasn?t overweight before I got pregnant (but I never really exercised on a regular basis either)- I was a slim size 10.

I have had two babies in quite close succession (DD1 17 months old, DS2 17days old). I know it takes time for a tummy to go down (after DD1 it went down within two weeks) but something about the shape of it worries me- it looks so pregnant when I stand up, but flat when I lie down.

I have googled this and read lots of horror stories about the condition diastasis recti and women with pregnant looking bellies for months or years. I have done what I think is the correct diastasis recti test on myself and it would seem that I only have a 1 finger maximum 2 finger gap- and research would seem to imply this is normal. There a several threads on mumsnet from a few years ago but they are mostly horror stories too.

I am really keen to hear from anyone in a similar position whose tummy did go down on it?s own and if so after how long?
Also, if anyone saw a physiotherapist for this sort of thing it would be good to know if you thought it worth while.

You don't want to know... DS2 is 8 now and I haven't been asked for a good while

But seriously - I had major separation because both my boys were big babies anyway and in addition I had a lot of excess fluid in both pregnancies.

When the midwife did the measuring with the tape measure, I was measuring about 6-8 weeks ahead towards the end with DS2 (and size 10, pre-preg, so emphasised the bump even more than if I'd been bigger beforehand.)

I never had any treatment and I honestly cannot remember when it stopped, but certainly for a good few years after DS2 was born, I'd get a really noticeable pointy-ridge down the centre of my belly whenever I sat up from laying down on my back. As I said, though - my muscles were pretty majorly separated. I'm sure yours will knit back together much more quickly! :)

Give yourself a break pebblescat, it is such early days I am sure you will be ok. I was worried after my second section, 23 weeks ago. My ds and dd are 27 months apart, so we are in a similar position.

I put on 2 and half stone with the second pregnancy going from 8 stone12 to 11 stone 7. I lost only a stone straight away and was down to 10st 7, where I stayed for about 8 weeks, I have lost another 10 lbs, though do have a health condition that has contributed to that, and only just got back into normal trousers last week, although they are bigger size as I am 9st 11 at the moment. I was still wearing maternity jeans up until a week ago.

anyway, I want to reassure you that with the second, for me anyway, it has been a much slower process, but still I'm only5 months down the line. There is plenty of time.

Also I remember looking at the scar after a week or two and noticing a sagging flap bit hanging more towards it and worrying it was going to always look like that. Well, it doesn't, my stomach is not yet back to it's former self at all. But I am sure it will be and I can see it is slowly returning to itself as the pounds drop.

Ps it's usual to still look pregnant a couple of weeks or more after the birth, c section or normal delivery. I know loads of women who have had babies recently, I am a sahm and go to loads of toddler groups and all of us with 2 year olds seem to have just had another, I can tell you I am amazed at the ones who are out and about after a couple of weeks, but the thing is, that they all still look pregnant for a while, it's normal.

Try to relax, if you are anything like me your hormones will be all over the place, just enjoy your new baby and if you still worried at your 6 week check then mention it to the doc. Take care

Give yourself a break. Bloody hell, it's only been 17 days.
I am not going to be much comfort, I still look pregnant and DD is almost 11.