Size of tummy immediately after birth??

[lumpydaisy]

I'm booked for a section in a few days and trying to pack my hospital bag. Advice is comfy loose clothes for afterwards, that won't rest on wound. Thanks to lockdown I've made it through pregnancy buying hardly ANY maternity clothes, and the ones I have bought will definitely rest on the wound. So I'm trying to work out what on earth I can wear!

I realise that your tummy doesn't magically spring back to pre-pregnancy size straight away, but there should be SOME deflation surely? I've gone from a 28 inch waist to a 45 inch waist (all bump), so I'm like a planet at the moment! I can't find any guidance on roughly what kind of reduction in tummy size to expect, other than that I will still look pregnant, so any personal stories appreciated! Thanks!

I would say that mine deflated by about half (post section too). What was left was quite saggy and there was a lot of water retention which gradually reduced. I bought a couple of cheap maxi dresses and mainly wore those for the first few days and then moved into maternity leggings for a bit. My scar is actually really low down so none of my clothes ever sat on it, much to my surprise!

It's the same size minus the baby. Less balloon more water balloon.

I know you say you’ve managed to avoid too much maternity stuff but you really want to be comfy after the section! Maternity leggings and vests with cardigans will be my go-to

Get some maternity leggings, I wore mine for months post partum anyway so you'll get your money out of them.

My top tip would be gigantic granny pants! I bought what I thought were big pants, but they sat at the wrong place for the c section wound, you want them to sit well above this!

Defo get big pants, you don't want them resting on your scar and take regular painkillers. I was in agony when I forgot one day!!

For some reason I hadn't really understood how swollen I was going to be after my c section. I don't really understand why I didn't think about more sensibly about this.
I was size 10 pre pregnancy, had maternity clothes and actually bought size 14 stuff afterwards as I didn't fit the maternity stuff that well either.
And instead of being a neat all be it large football like bump it was a saggy deflated bulge so stretchy maternity stuff looked awful.
Thankfully it did sort itself out over the next few months.
Large pants are useful.
The babies made it worthwhile though.

Giant granny pants and oversized wrap dresses worked great for me (had 2 emergency sections), handy for breastfeeding too if you plan to. I still use the dresses now as lounging around clothes and my children are now 2 and 5.

Pretty much then same size initially. I wore a band afterwards as I didn’t like it wobbling about.

You want tops that don’t go in under your bust. Ie straight rather than empire line. I’d just get a couple of large T-shirts and jogging bottoms.

I read (maybe even on MN, actually) that as post birth tummy looks a similar size to when you’re 7 months pregnant.

I’m taking maternity leggings, loose tops and a cardigan.

For me my belly didn't really shrink that much it was ju st more jelly like so you'll need maternity leggings rather than normal sized leggings before you were pregnant and you'll want massive knickers to hold in the massive pads you'll be wearing and yes make sure any waist bands are high if your having a section as you don't want then running your scar x

Mine was like a great flabby elephants ear, I was completely unprepared for how I would look or be post birth ( hadn't discovered Mumsnet) - so kudos to you for finding out.

Echo everything above.

Have you got siblings? I think there is a genetic element - similar to stretch marks so ask around your family and it may help

I actually got bigger after my section due to swelling everywhere 🤦‍♀️. I still looked very pregnant but could touch my toes and put on socks....

Mat leggings (or folding yoga leggings ) loose dress, big pants. Like Bridget Jones on steroids big.

And make sure you’ve got something like lactulose available to you. No one EVER talks about the first post partum poo... you’d think it wouldn’t be so “tricky” post section but don’t be fooled!

Hospital staff forgot to give me compression long socks and my legs became very swollen, they then found some.
( I didn't know I should have been given them, the staff mentioned this when they gave me some)
I don't know how universal this issue is but thought it might be worth mentioning.

IME (one section, two vaginal deliveries) it takes longer for your stomach to go down after a section, so bear that in mind too.

Mine went down about half after c-section. I just wore nighties. I was told off for wearing leggings 2 weeks after, more likely to get infection in wound but we're taking 25yrs ago so things change!
Definitely get big, loose cotton granny pants, I bought bigger full briefs but they weren't big enough, had to get my sis in law to go buy some for me, they were huge, flowery patterned but comfy 😂

Yes to big pants! Black joggers (a few sizes bigger than normal) and vest tops were my go to. I'd treat yourself to some nice new pj's too. It's all about comfort in those first weeks!

Can I ask where you ladies get these massive pants from? I'm normally a size 8 and have been ok with size 8 maternity wear so far (I'm 28 weeks) think I'll go up to a size 10 soon. What size pants do you think I'll need? Size 10/12?

Mine came from m and a - I also was told to put a maternity pad along the line of my cset inside granny knickers. Very helpful

If you're an 8 I reckon you'll be a similar size to normal post birth. With DC1 I had a tiny bump for a day then DC2 it went straight back to normal (lock down is helping push it out though )

Can you buy those net pants? They come up high

I’d say my bump shrunk to half the size post birth - probs the size I was at about 5/6 months pregnant. I was a 10 pre pregnancy but a 12/14 after even when bump shrunk (did lose it all eventually!).

Deffo need the big pants. Black too!
You will live in them for at least 2 weeks after.
They will need to pull up over your scar & good enough to wear a big pad with.
I was a size 10 before pregnancy & I bought size 14 pants.
I just bought elasticated cotton ones off EBay. They come in multipacks.

Maternity leggings also a god send for weeks after csection.

@Pinktruffle it’s not so much the size as the cut- you want pants that go up to the waist, practically under your boobs, rather than normal hi-leg or bikini style. It’s the top of the knickers that is in the “wrong” place initially. Although my scar sits firmly in my underwear now (2.5 years later), so it’s a temporary measure.