Are muffin tops and love handles automatic after having babies?

[MrsMerryHenry]

I used to have the loveliest little waist. Now it's small-ish but blighted by a small tyre which sits above my jeans. Am I doomed? Is there any way I can regain my formerly Dita-esque physique?

Am watching with interest......if there is a positive solution to your question I want it too!!

so do I!

So do I!!!!

Ooo, I'll be watching this one too. I used to do Pilates but wonder if my saggy bits are just too much for it to solve... (too early postnatal for me to try myself yet).

I had a muffin top anyway.

Automatic in my household I'm afraid. I have the mother of all spare tyres at the moment (Christmas didn't help).

I lost quite a lot of weight in the summer though and was on track to re-discovering my hip bones.

Riven! how dare you be so presumptuous? . I'll have you know I dress with dignity .

I'm wondering whether belly dancing might be the solution? V sexy, too! My former teacher had the best figure I've ever seen - toned and trim, smaller than anyone else in the class.

Riven - good point. Jeans are the worst offenders obviously, especially 'low rise' ones [not my cup of tea].

Hi, MrsSB! Actually, you're right - weight loss might help...which leads me back to an earlier thread which almost nobody answered - can I lose a stone through a hypnosis CD and making no actual effort?

Merry - Pilates is good if it's toning rather than general fat burning required.

Oh sorry Merry - Hi to you too .

And no you can't sorry! Get down to the gym but wait till February when the new year crowd has died down a bit.

I already had a muffin top . I do find low rise jeans are the worst possible thing though - I don't have muffin top in tailored clothes or skirts.

I am 30 in two weeks and I am going to make this year the year I actually start to like my body. I will banish the muffin top and sort out my skin once and for all!

Never had anything like a muffin top after the first two. Its only since my section that I've had a bit I can't do anything with. Not noticeable to other people though

bronze, yes I had a section too and a very karge baby (10lb 14) but I did get away with no stretchmarks so I am counting my blessings and thinking that the little large fold of flab could just be too many pies on my part!

I had a mt after 2 previous pregnancies, and lost it when I lost weight and toned up. BUT I have to say, it is the gift that keeps on giving - since having ds3 in October I've got it back again.

Just starting to diet a little and start exercising, but can anyone recommend some decent tops that come far enough down to cover the mt? Anything fitted looks grim - I hate it when I sit down and the tops go north while the trousers go south.

Greenlawn - C&C California tops are mercifully very long in the body. Great for layering. Selfridges or Ebay.

no. i don't have much to boast about but i am a lovely flat tummied size 8 after 4 children...the rest of me is falling apart and my boobs are gone but never mind. do i get a prize? all your old clothes maybe...

Ooh thank you I will have a look - after seeing in Chat that my long denim skirt is apparently completely naff (one of only three things that now fits me ) I need some temporary cover ...

Long denim skirts not necessarily naff greenlawn. There are nuances involved.

Eg.
Stonewashed - no. Dark / vintage - yes.
Flimsy - no. Thick - yes.

I wanted a Boden one but they sold out in the sale in my size.

Ah there may be hope then. Its long, thick denim - darkish but not indigo - straight style with a split at the back. I think it looks OK with long boots and a chunky cardi, but that's about it!

Sounds fine to me greenlawn!

Yes, automatic for me at least. After DD1 I was back to size 8 and wore my jeans size 10 so no MT at all. But, this time, after DD2, even my once weekly pilates class, and then once weekly bodybalance class, I am still generously love handled.

For me though, low raise jeans work best because I either do not wear belt so have flat tum and no MT (thus can wear tight top), or I do wear belt (unfortunatly enhancing MT situation) and wear a non-fitted top where it's narroest point sits on my narrowest point (thus creating pseudo hourglass figure)

Agree totally that clothes can make a huge difference to the appearance of love handles (like on the anti-aging creme ads, 'reduces the appearance of wrinkles' without actually reducing them)

Stroppyknickers, of course you may have my old clothes...if you don't mind looking like this!

God I can't believe I'm gonna have to put in some elbow grease to shift that extra stone. How unfair is life!

Actually I'm a bit like bronze - have a small post-op bit that I can't shift. Well, okay plus the extra stone and smallish love handles but surely I should be rewarded for sacrificing my body to bring my child into the world?

Did you know that when you've had a baby (especially if you have a boy) your body is left with shed loads of stem cells from your bambino, which buzz around your body doing all sorts of marvellous repair jobs? Yes, it's true. So WHY can't one of them get rid of my tum!!!