Tummy overhangs. Is the post-birth sag better left to shrink...

[TheDuchessOfNorksBride]

naturally for a few months or worked off at the gym?

Of my friends, it would appear that all the fit gym-bunnies seem to be the worst affected whilst the mums that did nothing for a year (or more) before losing weight & getting fit, don't have them. It doesn't seem to make any difference whether they had CSs either.

It is causing me a dilemma - I'd like to be fit for my 40th - one year from due date, but I don't want to be left with a loose fold of skin as a 'reward' for shifting the weight quickly.

So, did you get fit quick and do you have an overhang?

I haven't done any exercise since having babies and i'm thinner now that i was before. My stomach is flat but my skin has gone a bit crepey. I don't know what remedies loose skin, other than surgery. You could always buy some firming body cream, but they only have a temporary effect.

How funny all the women I know, myself included who had cs all have overhang over the scar at varying degrees. And many managed to get slim very quickly straight after.

you need to make sure you don't exercise your rectus abdominis (the big muscle that go from your ribcage to your pubic bone) until it's joined together again, otherwise you separate it more and more and end up with a big gap (like me ), which will take a lot longer to sort out and does give you a bit of a pot belly because there's nothing to hold it in.

If you do any abs exercises concentrate on the transverse abdominals (the ones that go round like a girdle).

V. technical geekgirl

Does this sound like a plan? I think I'll just walk for 6 months (will have huge b/f norks anyway) and then start running again (when norks are more manageable), if running goes OK I could start rowing etc next spring and hope for the best come the summer.

Duchess, had DS 11 months ago and no sign of any tummy overhang (I had a C-section as well). Nothing hanging over the scar either, although the left end is slightly less flat than the right end (apparently this happens because they always start the incision on the left and go in deeper that side).

I was a marathon runner before getting pregnant so very fit already. I ran until 32 weeks pregnant, although probably from about 26 weeks on this consisted of very short distances as the pressure on my bladder didn't allow me to go any further! Started back running 7 weeks post-birth and spent about 4 months building up VERY slowly - my first runs were literally 1.5 miles. I lost all the baby weight without exercising within about 6 weeks, but everything felt very loose and untoned. Once I started running again, even doing such short distances, I quickly toned up and am now the same size as I was before DS was born. Only difference is that my belly button isn't as small and neat as it was before - it's now slightly stretched-looking. But a small price to pay!

I would say - running works! But take it very slowly. I'm now up to about 30 miles a week again and almost as fit as I used to be.

currantbun - I only run 5k about 2 or 3 times a week. I did my last 5k at about 16wks and have been power-walking the same distance since. And I shall continue for as long as my sciatica can stand it. at losing post-baby weight without doing any exercise. I shall probably do a walk-run-walk routine to get back into it.

Would love to see a 32wk pregnant woman running but I don't suppose you were that big.

I second geekgirl. But to make it less technical:-

Don't do sit ups! Don't do any at all until you've had your tummy checked by a trained physio/someone who has had training & can tell whether your muscles have knitted back together. This is really important, if you exercise the muscles before they have knitted together you'll be pushing them further apart, getting a bigger gap, and more of a muffin top.

Do 'the cat' - on all fours, pulling your tummy up towards your backbone - as often as you can. And pull your tummy in whenever you remember, your everyday posture makes a huge difference to tummy muscle tone and how your shape looks.

Running/walking will help you lose overall body fat but won't change the basic shape of your tummy, so won't make any difference to that. But will make you thinner overall if you're watching your diet too.

HTH