Do you think c sections Ruin your stomach?

[LardLizard]

Sort of tight underneath the scar and chubby above

Yes, a dreadful overhang. Never had a great stomach but now it's horrendous.

2 sections, 3 years apart. First one was very tidy and I had no overhang/ bulge at all. Second one not as good, one side is decidedly more pronounced above the scar. But to be honest unless I am naked you couldn't notice it and even then it doesn't look horrendous.

My surgeon said whether or not you get the overhang is down to the skill of the surgeon. I have a slight indentation where my scar is but no overhang. I wonder if I would if I put on loads of weight though. I asked him to do mine as low as possible - it is very low.

Yep. Although I think it is to do with having a c-section whilst also bring massively pregnant. Twice.
The 'pouchy' bit is just not going anywhere, but then neither are the stretch marks which I think for me are worse and do more damage to my overall appearance!

I think the general elasticity of tissues etc must have something to do with it - I've had a section and my abdomen looks ok but then I've been lucky and I don't have stretch marks either. Maybe my skin is quite springy?

My stomach is fatter from having my baby but I have no overhang or shelf etc from the section. I have a very neat scar. Look the same apart from that (just half a stone heavier).

I wasn't overweight, but I did have a massive bump (9lb 13oz baby) and then another pregnancy straight after (babies 13 months apart) who was a weeny 8 and a half pounds...

I'm a little overweight now but tbh what weight I am makes no difference.

I'd say so.

I've had two and even at fighting weight my belly still looks chubby. I'd have to be extremely underweight to not have an overhang.

Yes.
There is an overhang which is fat and skin; and even when I'm at my lowest weight there's still an overhang of skin, so it's never smooth and flat.
Skin has been stretched well beyond its limit by 3 x 10lb babies (not all at once!!) and of course the c/s meant its tight and smooth below the scar. Apart from a tummy tuck, there's no kind of diet or exercise that would fix it for me.
I am however eternally grateful that my fanny's still the same as it was!

Totally gubbed!

I have an overhang but am trying to loose weight. I had an emcs with horizontal scar and a small vertical one crossing it. I didn't know they even did that. The ends of the horizontal scar took a very long time to heal and are kinda puckered / gathered.

Once I lose weight I am defiently having a tummy tuck with muscle repair (already had consultation)

Not in my experience. 2 CSs here with no overhang.

No. Mines fine. Admittedly I could stand to lose a few pounds but that not related to the c section.

Elective c section 5 months ago. I have a tiny bit of mum tum but it's not really a big deal. No overhang, scar covered by knickers. Did help that I lost a lot of weight in pregnancy (hyperemesis).

I'm more bothered about the fact my hips are wider tbh!

My stomach is totally ruined - I think a combination of 2 CS and big babies close together put paid to my bikini days!!

DS1 was a crash section and my scar is quite high - whether that was due to the urgency I don't know but it has caused a big overhang. DS2 was huge and I got covered in stretch marks and I think my skin gave up......

So my stomach is a wobbly baggy stretchmarked area but it doesn't actually bother me. I buy nice one pieces with tummy control for swimming and I have huge boobs and a naturally curvy figure so it's quite easy to disguise with the type of clothes I wear anyway. DH has never expressed any thoughts on it and so it hasn't knocked my confidence being naked.

My MIL had same issues (family of big babies!) and finally had a tummy tuck for her 50th birthday after it depressing her for years. She recovered well and it was a great decision for her. She's now in her 60s and has the type of stomach I'd of been proud of in my 20s!!

I haven't got a apron or anything and my tiny scar is hidden just under my hair line, but I have noticed that if I put on a bit of timber then my belly sticks out a little bit more then it did but it's not noticeable and maybe it's always been that way! I'm currently the largest I've been since having my son but I've never been hugely over weight. When I got pregnant I was a size 12, I'm tall so I would say I was slim, and now a large 14. All in all I'm happy with my belly and scar. It does sometimes ache a little but I suppose that's to be expected, I have been diagnosed with Crohn's so maybe that's what aches!

Yes and no. My first EMCS @ 35 weeks went to a tidy silvery scar that you had to look for. Now 9 weeks post a second EMCS and the scar inside feels like they have rolled something up like a Cornish pasty. The scar has a pucker where a stitch popped and it got infected. It is now healed and I'm rubbing with bio oil every night. However, I also have a pouch this time. Don't know if it is thanks to already stretched skin and muscles as second pregnancy, longer and larger due to extra 6 weeks of pregnancy and bigger baby or that they went through previous scar so the tissue is tougher and less soft and supple. I don't think it is a weight thing, my gorgeous beautifully toned friend with no fat on her still has a little pouch five years on. I am viewing it as a small price to pay for my gorgeous little bean, and glad to have fanjo intact and no stretch marks. You win some you lose some.

Congrats Goolash.

Yes!

I had to have two.

Didn't help either that I had big babies 9.4 and 9.6. I have a small frame and only 5ft. My tummy area has never ever been the same.

Mine was ok after first section but is a mess after my second one. That was only a month ago though so I'm hoping it might improve.

Thanks silver!

Here's hoping time and healing are our friends Snuggly. Be gentle on yourself it is early days. Easier said than done if you are as impatient as I am.

Oh yes.

#1 EMCS no issues afterwards.

#2 elective, I have the NHS overhang . Granted, I could do with losing some weight but it'll never go completely. Like someone upthread said, it kind of went in then out again in the months after. Scar is very neat and healed well, underneath doesn't feel right though, kind of lumpy and uneven. Used to get a lot of sharp, pulling sensations, and 3 years on it's still numb-ish up to my belly button. GP referred me but the CCG flatly refused to even let me see a consultant. A friend who's had a private second CS has no issues at all even though she is much, much bigger than me.

I didn't even have big babies or was particularly big in pregnancies. In my case I'm convinced it's due to the poor skills of the surgeon.

Oh, and to those with fairly new scars. I didn't know this but apparently you need to do a deep tissue massage in the area which will hugely improve the healing. Once the scar is fully healed of course.

Mine seems fine. Scar very low and neat. My belly is quite flabby though but I don't think there would be any overhang or anything if I just lost a bit of weight and toned up.

Hmmm. I have a bit of a new overhang already - we're ttc and I was thinking of having a c-section for various reasons. Would it make my belly dramatically worse, do you think?

Nearly 3 years post ex-section and I don't have an overhang or a wrecked stomach.

If it helps, I'm 4 months post vaginal birth and my perineum feels a bit cross crossy. I imagine it looks a bit Frankensteiny. Ah never mind.