Help me dress my "mummy tummy"

[Zombiemama]

Hi all

Im almost 1 year after having an emergency cesarean & quite a horrid nasty recovery period which left me unable to exercise for quite some time.

Currently in the process of discussing Diastatis Recti with my gp but it's not going to get rid of the bulge anytime soon...

I look on a good day..6 months pregnant! I have a bulge that starts under my bust I hate going out as I can't disguise it very well and am getting comments about how we didn't leave a big gap.... Getting dressed is no fun, clothes shopping is depressing! I am a size 12/14 everywhere but needing to buy 20/22 just to get tops not to cling to the bulge!

Any recommendations on how to dress better to flatter or disguise it? Casual style

Thanks

Bumping for those that weren't awake at 6 am this morning

Sympathies OP, I've had DR after each pregnancy, it's no fun. What did you GP say? I was referred to a really good physio, it took a while but my muscles are pretty much back to normal now. If my physio had not been so good I would have paid for private post natal physio as it makes such a difference.

While I still had the DR I wore spanx control pants and shopped in places that were good for an apple shape. Fat face jeans seem to come up big in the waist and their tops come up loose round the tummy. I avoided anything that looked even remotely like maternity wear, so no leggings or smock tops. I also wore DCs in a sling for ages as that hid a multitude of sins and also make me remember to stand with my muscles engaged.

Ah, my sympathies OP. I own many many scarves to hide my tummy.

Standing up straight also makes a bit of a difference.

There's a reason soft blazers are so ubiquitous - the tailoring helps present a waist. I also recently stopped wearing t-shirts they just cling and increasingly they are made of very light weight material. Cotton tailored shirts/tops are a bitch to iron but you look must better - it can come down to what you hate more - ironing or clinging material. Tough with a young kid when soft stretchy clothes are exactly what you want to wear !
Ultimately it's exercises and rebuilding the muscles which are the only thing - can you sign up to Pilates classes while you wait for the GP?

Pumpkin how bad was yours? My locum gp mentioned it I googled it and it sounds right even as far as the back pain & digestion issues...my actual gp basically told me I'd just had a baby of course I was going to be fat! locum is back again and has told me to make an appointment with her to discuss further however any physio or further referral needs to come from my actual gp. I tried to check myself and it seems like a 5 finger gap between muscles!

Orange squash I have a drawer bursting with scarves :) loving the cold weather so I can wear the really long warm ones!

yakari thank you I must get a few cotton tops rather than those stretch t-shirts and iv been wearing polyester cami tops that are a bit floaty and don't cling to my belly. They say not to do pilates sit ups etc as it can make it worse. Conflicting advice everywhere I look

About 4 or 5 finger widths wide, this was after DC4 and I was worried that they were ruined for good!

It's a shame your locum can't just do the referral and get your gp to sign it off. Your GP made a silly comment there imo, there is a difference between carrying a bit more weight after pregnancy and having separated muscles. Could you see another Dr at the surgery? I have been referred to the hospital by someone other than my actual named doctor.

Sit ups are a definite no no, they will make it worse. Some pilates exercises are ok, others are not. The physio was all about teaching my muscles to work again because after DC3 I couldn't even feel them anymore, then strengthening them, and eventually getting them back together.

Pumpkin what kind of things did you do with the physio? I'm going to have to be quite firm about this I think and not let them fob me off.
I have been so good out walking with dd at least once a day cutting out the junk etc but it's so disheartening when nothing changes...well I have fab legs from all the walking it's just a pity they can't be seen under all that bump!!

how long after dc did you get help with it? I'm scared iv left it too late

Good fabrics help. Those with modal in seem to be the worst culprits, but you need to make sure you're wearing something that hangs well under its on weight, but isn't so drapy or stretchy that it clings to everything. Linen and heavy cotton is good. Harder to find in recent years, unfortunately. As other have mentioned, layers are excellent and it's rapidly approaching the time of year when you can just hide in a coat, some of the time.

Oh - and if you have anything up top, a good bra is a must, even if the result (as it is with me) is that you look matronly, rather than pregnant.

My middle looks huge for a different reason, and as well as being careful about fabrics and using layers, I do have a couple of good smocks which (I think) work well. Also learned to aim for "interest" either higher - ear-rings, hair, jewellery & scarves- or lower than bulge - fancy tights, smart shoes etc. And ponchos seem to be fashionable again!

Ouryve - I know what you mean when I'm out shopping as soon as I touch a top I can instantly dismiss it because of the stretch to it. Thankfully I got a little boob left over from pregnancy too so I do think that helps once I find a top that skins the bulge!
I'm loving layering at th minute and have so many scarves, iv been praying for cold weather so I can just throw on a coat!

Emnetta iv actually just bought my first poncho at the weekend and I love it!

Anyone any recommendations on trousers? I'm quite short so wide leg jeans swamp me, skinny jeans have to be tight on the waist so the legs aren't lose and flapping about at the Inese but that obviously makes the bulge worse than ever and I would love to be able to wear a skirt or a dress come christmas time.

I've short legs, unfortunately, but have found straight-leg pants look best, and if pants don't have an elasticated waist, I've got used to doing this alteration, including for a couple of skirts, which now hang a lot better. I've also altered pants using a straight line on sewing-machine to make legs fit/look better, amazingly simple and effective so give it a go.

They were very gentle exercises to start with Zombiemama, lots of learning how to engage my core and get the deep muscles working again. I left it fairly late with DC1, I was on the case after that and with DC4 I was organised enough to have an anti natal appointment. I didn't lift anything when I was pg with DC 4 (apart from DC3 occasionally) to try and minimise the damage. You should be ok after 6 months I would have though, perhaps even longer than that?

Zombiemama DS2 was 5 YEARS before I realised that I had DR and physio has almost completely closed the gap. Still doing the exercises and hoping to get it gone altogether.

Exercise
Take a breath in
On the breath out pull your belly button towards your spine.

Once you get the hang of this, do lots. At traffic lights, waiting for kettle to boil etc.
This deep muscle works with pelvic floor muscles too so if you can, add exercises for them in too.

Thank you all for advice gingerlemon I'm currently sitting on the sofa trying to get the hang of this breathing in & out holding my muscles when I breathe out but I'm finding I'm just constantly holding them in!

Blue eyeshadow how long did it take before you could really see the results?

I never realised I had this until I read this thread - so thank you! You have my sympathies OP. I have a huge pregnant belly, I look about 6 months along. I tried sit ups, not knowing they would make it worse, and when I sit up, a mountain forms in the centre of my tummy. I'm guessing this is the gap. Youngest DC is five now, is it too late for me? Will my GP refer me??

Iv had no luck with a referral so far but Google has been great for exercises that can help and iv finally got the hang of pulling my belly button to my back when I breathe out! Apparently it's something that can be worked on no matter how long ago you had a baby. So there's hope for us yet!

I shall have to add that exercise to the ones I do for my lower back - I'm badly lacking in core strength, anyhow.

i find that M&S lift and sculpt skinny jeans work well without too much of a bulge. I have to wear a belt, though, as I have no arse to hang anything off.

Ourvye iv been blessed with an arse so I need jeans to fit it, not accentuate my tummy and not hang around my knees ..shall I just give up and wear pyjamas!??

When I said I had the hang of that exercise I actually think iv spend most of the evening with my muscles pulled in tight forgetting to only do it when I exhale...is this bad for me??