She had that baby WHEN?

[JanH]

\link{http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2006120240,00.html\Rachael Flintoff}

It's not fair, is it?

It's not her tum, I'm pretty sure she has a flesh coloured top on under her zip-up thingy.

How can you be fooled by this? its just the way the photo is taken that makes her look flat bellied again, they have airbrushed her belly.

your belly is likely to be worse if you have a cs as they have to pull the muscles apart to get the baby out.

It's not her tum is it, looks like a top underneath.

If it is her tum then i dunno what she has to smile about cos her trousers are about to fall down judging by that pic.

lol nutty !

I'm not lucky enough to be one of those who almost immediately "snapped back" into shape after giving birth. But most of us know friends, or friends of friends who have been - including some very fortunate ladies here. As someone else already said, we really shouldn't judge anyone else on their size.

HOWEVER ............. how come that the vast majority of celebs seem to fall into the "snapped back straight away" category (the normal Jade Goody excepted) ??? In real life, I'd hazard a guess that maybe 10% (at most) of women are naturally slim and quickly regain their figure. Celeb-wise it would seem that it's only around 10% of them who actually struggle - can't help thinking that at least some of the other 90% are therefore getting a bit of extra "help" (and I don't just mean the personal trainer, nanny, personal chef, hoem gym etc which of course we'd all look a damn sight better on as well).

Suppose as well that many celebs, whether they admit it or not, continue to eat low-calorie, low-fat during pregnancy, so terrified are they of appearing human after the birth ??

I'm one of those who snapped back right away. With both girls. I had dd2 10 December and I've been back in my pre-dd1 jeans for a few weeks now. Can't say I really worked at it at all, either b/c I'm not back at work - my main exercise is walking 5 miles/day to and from work.

I've been the same size since I was 13.

You always make up for it somewhere, tho! My purse is very nearly always empty .

leogaela is that right? My tummy is transformed beyond recognition since my c section. Plus having a ten pounder baby. I've gone from a size 8 to a 12 which i don't mind too much, but oh my tummy! Don't think I'll ever be able to wear skimpy tops again...

OK quick question for those who did NOT 'snap back straight away ' but were left with that saggy belly (like me-back in my jeans at nine days but with OVERSPILL and I was a runner and very toned)
did you ever ever get rid of it??
And if so how???
(ds 7 months -still not made it to the gym or out for a run-I know I know only myself to blame....)

I have an accquaintance who when pregnant with her 1st went up to a size 8, with her 2nd stayed a size 6 and this time - has gone up to a 10/12.........

And hurrah for England winning the final test in India. You've got to love those Flintoffs.

Size 6?? Qof Q are we talking USA or UK sizes?

LadyG, some lucky people manage to get rid of their 'overspill' or 'baby belly' as dh calls it but then there are the rest of us who still have it almost 3yrs on.

After having ds1 i went back in my normal clothes straight away but after ds2 i left hospital still looking pregnant, remember joking that there was another baby in there but as the belly is still there i must be having the longest pregnancy ever

Well I got straight back into my old clothes after having ds, but I was a 20+ size before I had him

ruty - UK sizes - the with her first baby it was so far against her back she kept passing out !

The woman in the bed next to me in hospital was walking round with a concave tummy the day after giving birth. I could honestly not believe it - my stomach was virtually needing an extra bed of its own at that point.

QofQ.
oh yes, rememeber giving birth and looking down at my tummy the next day and thinking, is there another one in there?

Ruty, sorry I didn't catch up on this thread earlier. Yes, its true (according to the doc that did my CS and filling in gaps from reading). In most cases the stomach muscles separate a certain amount during pregnancy, which is what causes the belly to look saggy. The more trained they are the less they should separate and they should go back fairly quickly after the birth if they are trained - if they are well traine and don't go back you will feel a gap down the middle of them. If you have a CS they have to pull them apart and its harder for them to go back together. In my case (had very well trained muscles) mine didn't separate at all so they stitched them back together after, but I can feel a ridge from my belly button upwards where they couldnt stitch them. My belly is pretty much flat again apart from a little extra fat - it looks fine covered up with tight clothes, but with a nicely creped skin I won't be wearing skimpy tops or a bikini again either :(!

I snapped back v. soon after my first 2 boys who were 21m apart, no "overspill". I also more or less got back to normal after no3, but it took longer. My 4th is now 27m and I still have a muffin top . The actual weight went really quickly and I was in size 8 jeans again after a week, but I can't get rid of this last roll of blubber. I have a small frame so it's really obvious .
I'm 41. Do I accept I'm a knackered old bag who's been pregnant 4 times, or will a million ab crunches a day really help ? Any ideas?

Oh god. I am close to fitting the clothes from before dd but after ds.

Dd is 9 months.

I'm going to blame extended breastfeeding for this. Or maybe not having a car.

Also not being a celebrity.

Or maybe my heavy green & blacks habit...hmmm...

Weight plopped off within 3 weeks of giving birth and had not only boobs, but a new slightly concave stomach for the first time ever (or at least since age 14, the stomach that is, never had boobs). Was rather smug for about a fortnight then the concave-ness made way for my not-very-satisfactory pre-pg belly. Welcome back, not. Escaped stretch marks though, not sure if down to Clarin's or heritage!

Agree that it's a bit sad we are all so obsessed although feel less bothered about being skinny than pre-pg. Hey, a girl's gotta eat.

NB When I say 'boobs' I don't mean I fill the kind of bra one could use for headgear. I'm probably maxing out on a B cup, but who wants big boobs anyway (ask me again when the bf-ing is over)...

Waaaaahhhh

I have stretch marks. I have never had a concave tummy.

I must leave this thread now and remember I am a goddess. Espcially on the inside.

When I was pg, I read "best friends guide to pregnancy" which said I would return to normal, but might have bigger feet.

9 months on, my feet are the same size, but the leftovers are:

(1) Muffin top
(2) Scone arse
(3) Crap tits
(5) Stretch marks
(6) Crepe tummy (could make whole nativity costume from it)
(7) odd fringe

Any others?

HAs anyone had or would consider having a tummy tuck to improve what pregnancy left behind?

funny, I have begun to think that will be my last resort if my stomach still looks like this after I finish shifting the weight.

im lucky that my stomach didnt suffer and i was back to my pre pregnancy size within days but although my stomach looks flat it is wobbly as my muscles seperated and no amount of crunches will give me back my abs!! no stretch marks BUT my boobs took a massive battering went from 32e to 36gg and stayed that size for 6 months whilst breastfeeding now gone back to 34d and they are saggy and horrible cleavage has vanished unless i get help from an wonderbra and im saving up for a boob job!