Flabby stomach "Mother's apron" Urghhhhh

[shinyshilling]

Oh no...has anyone else got a stomach like a deflating lilo?...you know when you have to jump on it to get the last bits of air out and it just won't go away! I've just had a baby five month ago and I look so awful. I'm normally really confident, but in this sunny weather and having to wear cropped trousers, I just feel awful. How do I get rid of it or make it go away?

[Chellesgirl]

Hi shiny...is it loose skin or can you feel 'fat' underneath?

[shinyshilling]

No it's just a mammoth flap of loose skin, there's no fat, at least I think not. I'm not a thin person by any means but it's soft and if I press it, it sort of squishes up and moves somewhere else!

[jumpingbeans]

I call mine a"frill"

[muffle]

A midwife I know told me that if it dangles below your fanjo, you can have it removed (in an "apronectomy") on the NHS. Don't know if that's true but thought I would get into the spirit of the thread!

You don't have to wear crops though - couldn't you get some (not too hot or tight) flattering pants that cover your stomach, and wear a dress? I bet you don't look awful - I remember a friend of mine felt like this 5 months post-baby, but actually it looked minimal to others - she looked fine.

[tonysoprano]

mine is the same and it's got fat in it as it's all lumpy. i eat really healthily too so not sure why it's all stored up there. Am a size 10 with a lumoy stomach and my youngest is 3!!

[southeastastra]

have this too, (though mine is now fatty) i'm trying out a slendertone . don't hold up much hope that it will work though.

[chocolategal]

shiny, if theres def no fat there and you have tried exercise to tone etc etc and causing you psychological distress then you would probably qualify for surgery on the NHS, (if thats what you want of course) as no other real means of getting rid of it.

[mousemole]

callanetics is the only thing that shifted mine. I just to be able to tuck it into my jeans ! DH was almost sick when I told him that.

[welshmoomin]

Have the same thing shiny. Have you tried hold me in pants from M&S? They do ones that got right up to your boobs and I wear them when I'm going out and have to fit into a dress. My DS2 is now 9 months and I am finding that the stomach (which looks like it belongs to someone else) is slowly slowly starting to shrink all on it's own so perhaps 5 months is too short a time to expect it to ping back? Have not tried exercise much as have no blumin time but am sure it would help me.

Good luck and I can strongly recommend the huge pants route!

[morningpaper]

If it's just skin then it is very wrinkled and very thin between your fingers

If it's got fat underneath then it's squidgier and blancmangy

Either way you are unlikely to get assistance on the NHS unfortunately - it is generally reserved for people with massive weight-loss and rare then

[ruddynorah]

how does it affect cropped trousers? the flap isn't poking out around your ankles is it?

[Twitmonster]

I'm the same, I'm pretty much ok every where except my stomach and I can't tell you how much it winds me up. I'm trying pilates for post pregnancy at the moment, it seems to be helping, although at certain times of the month, it just seems to fill up with water and I often look pregnant. I sometimes wish I had an old fashioned corset, just to strap it down.
my youngest is 18mth ish. I think you'd have to be severely traumatised by it, and no, at just 5 months post baby, I don't think they'd do it.

[morningpaper]

Corsets YES they were a FANTASTIC idea

Mine is terrible - seriously friends ask to prod it and gawp at it when we are all drunk

I look fine in clothes but yuck yuck ...

It seems fairly common though - particularly in women who were slim before pregnancy

[Twitmonster]

Now see, mine looks big with clothes on too, although I can kinda disguise it for most of the month.
I can lie on my back and pull it up quite some way. yuck.
And yes, I was thin before children. hmmph.

[stressed2007]

I know this is a serious matter and I have similar issue (being large has certainly not hhelped with pregnancies) but had to say this:

"A midwife I know told me that if it dangles below your fanjo, you can have it removed (in an "apronectomy") on the NHS"

has really made me laugh today (maybe it was the word fanjo and me being stupid his morning). I needed cheering up and this has done it. Also it means I am not the worse case which is good news.

[stressed2007]

Also we all have lovely babies/children as a result and I will focus on that - unfortanately in life you can't have it all.

[BonsoirAnna]

Only after having been pregnant did I realise why French obstetricians are so terribly fierce about women not gaining more than 9 measly kg in pregnancy - to avoid flabby tummies...

[Jacck]

I have been asked 4 times in the last couple of months by strangers when my baby is due. I am not pregnant. Had my third child nearly 2 yrs ago. I am quite slim on the rest of my body but have a really fat stomach. Is getting me down now as don't know how to get rid of it. Don't want to lose weight anywhere else. only on stomach.