Did your body change much more after having a second?

[Maddie2019]

Just as the title says really.

After my DS my breasts became noticeably more saggy and small, however i was lucky enough to not get any stretch marks and was able to bounce back pretty quick.

Is it true that everything becomes worse with a second? I’ve heard that babies are typically bigger, so more stretch marks... and would
it effect my boobs again and make them even more saggy (if that’s even possible!)?!

I know it all sounds very superficial but with someone who has confidence issues anyway this is something that really worries me.

Following with interest.

FWIW, I don't think it's superficial at all. Your body is a part of your identity and its totally ok to want to keep a part of how you were pre baby.

No advice to offer but hoping to hear something reassuring. X

I would say I’ve really struggled to get my stomach back to what it was. It was never pancake flat, but now I feel I look permanently pregnant. But I don’t know if that could be an age thing too, and my second was a big baby at 10lb 11oz.

Also following with interest. Due baby number 2 in 7 weeks and worried about how my body will look after.

So far I’ve experienced more stretch marks than the first but it’s more the post partum tummy I’m curious about and whether you can get it back to where it was.

I can’t say there was a huge difference, possibly harder to lose baby weight as there was more demands on my time. No stretch marks either pregnancy

Not massively no. Like you, my boobs became slightly more saggy after my first DC and only gained a few silvery stretch marks around my hips. I bounced back in 6 weeks (being so stressed I lost all my weight quickly, not advocating that though)!

Second DC, I looked bigger more quickly but only gained a few more silvery stretch marks around hips again and boobs didn't get anymore saggy. Took me longer to 'bounce back' but I did it in a healthier way, maybe 6 months.

Unless you put on loads of extra pregnancy weight with your second I really don't think there is any reason you won't look very similar to how you looked after your first baby.

Leave time before baby no 2. I didn't, so got pregnant adding baby weight onto a body that still hadn't totally lost all the first weight.

I'm now fat. No two ways about it. 12 stone 11 and I was 9 stone 7 before pregnancy. And nothing I do now gets the weight off. Before I could just cut out the odd glass of wine and drop pounds without really trying!

I'm starting Team RH next week so hoping to get at least 2 stone shifted, but ideally 3. In terms of my shape, I have an enormous stomach now whereas before my stomach was my best bit (last one was a section)

Boobs do suffer the more you use them i did bottle feed my first for 3 months and I tell you: bring on the saggier boobs! It was so much hard work!

I have been coming to terms with saggy boobs for a long time. I have big breasts so they've been travelling south since my early 20s....

In my experience I "bounced back" quicker and further than with the first. More busy, I suppose. I was down by 2kg after the first pregnancy and a further 2kg after the second pregnant for the 3rd time and let's see what happens!

Does a section make a difference to your shape after?

@NathanNathan in my experience no.

I've had two c-sections and my second scar isn't as neat and flat as the first one, in fact, half of it is a bit puckered IYSWIM? In regards to my shape it hasn't made a difference.

unfortunately yes for me, but not in the typical way. After first dc (c section) i didn’t exactly bounce back but had few stretch marks, lost the pregnancy weight plus a bit more with some effort (unfortunately then gained it again) bf only 2 weeks so boobs slightly saggy but still pretty good. c section scar neat and stomach fairly flat. Second lregnancy has hit me much harder. Gestational diabetes diet meant i barely out any weight on during the pregnancy. I was half a stone lighter after giving birth than at conception. But my boobs are now a shadow of their former self (bf 4 weeks) and my second c section has changed my formerly neat scar and it’s now got an ugly overhanging apron, even with a fairly flat stomach

1st pinged back v quickly. 2nd was still wearing maternity jeans months later. Ribcage weirdly much bigger now which is never going to change.

I'm doing a daily fitness and pelvic floor programme after DC2 (8m). Nothing major just 15 mins all in. Was sick of being blobby and feeling a bit er, loose down there. Body has responded quicker than expected so pleased to see progress. As the fat is going off my tummy I can definitely see the skin has stretched, but skin is elastic so I'm thinking it will gradually improve.

Uncomplicated VBs both times.

Boobs do refill over time. 3y between DC and they had improved in that time. Now the exercise has made them noticeably more elegant in shape too. I must be developing pecs under there?!

Pretty much no difference with my second. Probably bounced back even quicker with having 2 under 2 and always being on the move with little time to eat properly. I gained 2 small stretch marks with my second but I was 40 weeks when I had him and got them in the last 2 weeks, compared to having my first at 37.

Also my boobs are also small and saggy since my first and they stayed just as small and saggy after my second, they didn't worsen much

My boobs went back to normal size after dc2! No other changes.

Comparing pics and myself post baby 1 and now 5 months post baby 2

Post baby 1: carting around 3 extra stone, huge by my standards, exhausted, no focus on work, falling behind in career despite FT work, comfort eating through PND

Post baby 2: 4 stone lighter (!), thinnest I’ve been, career spectacularly ahead, high metabolism, lots of exercise, great MH despite lockdown, great skin and looking 5 years younger compared to post baby 1.

Not a fucking clue why.

@Trinketsfor20 I was similar post dc4: at my lightest ever by a stone, 5 stone lighter than post dc1. I think it was a combination of no PND/ no comfort eating and no time to snack/eat with a career and 4dc!

@Yorkshiredolls

unfortunately yes for me, but not in the typical way. After first dc (c section) i didn’t exactly bounce back but had few stretch marks, lost the pregnancy weight plus a bit more with some effort (unfortunately then gained it again) bf only 2 weeks so boobs slightly saggy but still pretty good. c section scar neat and stomach fairly flat. Second lregnancy has hit me much harder. Gestational diabetes diet meant i barely out any weight on during the pregnancy. I was half a stone lighter after giving birth than at conception. But my boobs are now a shadow of their former self (bf 4 weeks) and my second c section has changed my formerly neat scar and it’s now got an ugly overhanging apron, even with a fairly flat stomach

Couldn't comment on the effects of second pregnancy as I only have DS, but I just wanted to add in response to this comment that I don't believe there's necessarily a direct correlation between breastfeeding and saggyness. I've breastfed DS for 18 months so far, albeit only once a night for the past 6 months. There was a long phase between 10 weeks old and around 7 months when he was feeding 5-6 times a day and then every hour through the night and I'd say if anything mine are exactly the same as they were pre-pregnancy, if not a tiny bit smaller/firmer.

Fine for me. First was 8lb 7 and I pinged back after about 6 weeks.

Second was almost 11lb and it took more like 6 months, but went back to normal as soon as I stopped inhaling Maltesers (breastfeeding craving).

I think it took a year or two after stopping bf for my boobs to fill out a bit / stop looking like empty socks.

12 years on, and stomach is fine, only sign of pregnancies a few faded stretch marks.

@rottiemum88 I think sagginess can come after breastfeeding has stopped and breasts are no longer filled with milk.

My breasts are quite saggy and empty looking (they don't look terrible overall) but this only became visible a few months after I stopped breastfeeding. Of course, there are many variables to the causes.

It takes up to 6 months after stopping bf for the milk making tissue to be replaced with fat again, so you need to wait until then to properly judge to before and after difference.

I breastfed for 13 months and they were bigger 6 months after I stopped (not much) but no more saggy.

I’m pregnant with baby 2 and struggled to lose the weight after baby 1 such that I started this pregnancy 4kg up on my previous pre-pregnancy weight, but haven’t put on as much this time so roughly similar to where I was by this stage first time round. Hoping I can lose all of it after this one!