Advice for my weird massive tummy

[BirthdayCakeforme]

Hope someone on MN knows more than I do! So I’m a size 10, generally quite slim, but even 5 years after giving birth, I just have this weird massive tummy, which looks like I’m 6 months pregnant.

I work out a decent amount - around 3 times a week and can hold a plank for a minute/ do crunches.

It’s not really flabby either, more firm and round????

If it’s relevant, I did have an emergency c section followed by complications so didn’t work out for at least 6 months after I had DD.

It’s just so awful! I’m only 5,3” and quite small everywhere else so I literally look pregnant ALL the time. It makes getting dressed an absolute minefield. Well meaning relatives keep congratulating me on my impending ‘bundle of joy’

What is it? Am I stuck with a huge belly for life?

Following as I'm exactly the same! Although with added flab around hips.

It may be your normal (and probably isn't as obvious as you think) or it may be indicative of something else. Have you mentioned it to your GP?

Separated abdominal muscles? It’s common after a pregnancy and doesn’t always go away.

Have you been checked for diastasis recti? If your stomach muscles have separated, there are specific exercises that you can do to bring them back together, I'm almost certain that planking is one that exacerbates the problem.

@popehilarious

Me too! But my tummy is enormous

OP has it been like this since you gave birth or has it happened more recently?

Is the muscle inversed, as it were?

Diastisis Recti

Another one here thinking you should see your GP. It could be caused by diastasis recto, or if a recent issue, be caused by any number of medical issues.

Probably isn't this but get checked for ovarian cyst.

Second (third) GP. If your stomach is abnormally large it needs investigating- as pp said cysts and other lumps.

Get it checked out.

Another one saying you should get it checked out by a GP to rule out anything medical first.

I was thinking Diastasis recti also.

I'm thinking ovarian issues need to be investigated

Don't mean to scare you but someone else was on here with a similar thread about a year ago and it wasn't good. Would recommend you go and see your GP to get anything sinister ruled out, if everything is as you say it is.

@Her0utdoors I don’t think it’s diastasis recti - when I started working out (around 6 months post partum) I went to a boot camp class. The instructor checked and said she wasn’t quite sure but didn’t feel separated to her. I know that’s not conclusive, but I guess if it was awful separation it would have been obvious

@MidnightVelvetthe7th

Not sure. After giving birth, I was quite unwell and had to be readmitted to hospital for a while, and lost a lot of weight so looked tiny. After about 6 months when I felt more myself, I returned to eating normally/ working out and have returned to a bit above my pre-pregnancy weight but with a huge tummy added.

If you lie down you will be able to feel if it's diastasis recti, it literally feels like a gap running downward.

Thank you for the advice everyone! I absolutely HATE going to the doctors, I assume if there was anything terribly wrong id have other symptoms?

Not necessarily op! Best to get it checked!

I assume if there was anything terribly wrong I'd have other symptoms?

Please don't bank on that. A swollen or bloated tummy that stays swollen or bloated all the time (as opposed to bloating in the evening which is gone by the morning) is one of the symptoms of ovarian cancer, sometimes the only symptom, and should always been checked out by a doctor.

I'm not saying that to scare you and I hope it's something innocent which can easily be solved, but in your shoes I would definitely want it ruling out.

Sorry, I think that did sound scary. It's probably nothing sinister, but I think every woman should be aware of what's normal and what's normal, and should feel able to see a doctor if something's not right.

Please go to the doctors. I don't want to scare you and it's very unlikely, but this is a symptom of ovarian cancer and you'd be unlikely to have any other symptoms. Go and get checked, just to be safe x

Yes, try not to worry op because it could be nothing or a benign cyst of some sort (my dsis had a huge one that made her look pregnant but she was fine in the end). I also had a benign cyst and two large fibroids. But best to go to doc to rule out anything sinister just in case. Good luck.