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A space to talk openly about weight loss journeys and challenges. Mumsnet hasn't checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. You may wish to speak to a medical professional before starting any diet.

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Original poster

cesarean overhang and numbness

45 replies

margobambino · 28/03/2008 02:42

Anybody knows any woman who has been able to get rid of her cesarean overhang or who didn't have an overhang (or pouch) at all? And I would like to ask same question re the numbness after c-section.
If you have any "yes" to either questions, can you tell me how could the manage that?
Please help, this is very important for me.
Love.
M

OP posts:

suey2 · 03/04/2008 14:42

hi margo,
i am 3 months post emergency CS. I do not have an overhang. I am still a stone over PPG weight and am usually a size 14 at 5' 10"
I did not get a diastasis at all, so was able to use my TA normally straight after birth. I was very conscious about sucking in lots straight away as it occurs to me that all the care post cs (ie avoiding lifting etc) would tend to make you even floppier. (I am a physio)
If you still have a diastasis, you need to sort that out first. (no knowledge of the book, but a woman's health physio will be able to help) Then lots of TA work to 'tighten the girdle'. Try some spanx pants or similar to get a feeling of what the normal support should be. Good luck

Original poster

margobambino · 06/04/2008 05:29

Hi Suey2,
I saw a physio with a special interest of postpartum women. She said I have a mild diastasis and recommended some core exercises with ball. I am not very good at doing them religiously but doing as much as I can. In the second appointment she said it improved a lot.
What are spanx pants and do you know where I can find them?
I am still a bit confused about what overhang is. Girls who don't have an overhang, does this mean your scar is at exactly the same level level with your abdomen?
For example, do you think Geri has an overhang in this picture?
justjared.buzznet.com/gallery/photos.php?yr=2007&mon=08&evt=geri-bikini&pic=geri-halliwell-bikini-01 .jpg
Zazen, thank you very much for your very helpful posts. I am going to buy the book hopefully tomorrow. I think it is available at WHSmith. Have you ever tried the splint they mentioned on the internet? If yes, how did you find it?
Thanks...

OP posts:

Original poster

margobambino · 06/04/2008 05:37

... and here
justjared.buzznet.com/gallery/photos.php?yr=2007&mon=08&evt=geri-bikini&pic=geri-halliwell-bikini-09 .jpg

OP posts:

stillfat · 06/04/2008 21:44

hi i have got a friend who had a bad cut and the probs that go with that but i ended up with em sec. i have got overhang, numbness etc, despite being told it wouldn't happen. i'm still at least 2 stone heavier than i want to be, and i hate looking at my stomach in the mirror. and altho this friend has been a good m8, she didn't stop to think before she spoke when i told her my target weight - she was at the weight i wanted to be at at her 6 wk check. i can truly say i hated her for that, and i hate her for her flat stomach and ability to wear her normal clothes. our little ones are 20/ 21 mths now and my stomach still enters the room b4 i do. i f*ing hate it!!! so nice to at least hear of some normal people. still don't feel better bout it tho

Monkeybird · 06/04/2008 21:53

rofling at margo. Er, no Geri does not have an overhang, just a tiny bulge. If that's what you look like love you do NOT need to worry. I suspect what we're talking about is more like this but my case, MUCH worse...

suey2 · 07/04/2008 09:48

hi margo,
I would be very pleased if i looked like geri in that picture! No, imagine muffin top, but only over the scar.
Spanx pants you can get online, or at john lewis. I would go for the all the way up ones.
RE abdominal ex- the absolutely most important thing is to use the muscle when you are performing normal tasks, eg lifting, sitting walking etc. It is a postural muscle, so needs to be used at low intensity but for most of the time. Wearing the pants will give you an appreciation of what it should feel like when the muscle is doing it's job normally and you should try and emulate the pull from the pabnts when you are not wearing them. By all means keep going with the ball work, though as it will help to push things along.

Divvy · 07/04/2008 10:12

I am 24 weeks pregnant, 13 months post e c/s. You would think it have pulled up a bit but alas no!

It now looks like I have 2 lumps bumps, one is my overhang, and one is my preg bump a bit higher up

zazen · 11/04/2008 19:47

Oh dear I love those pics of Geri!
But no she deffo does not have an over hang.
I'm with you monkeybird: I find that if I even look at cake I have my overhang back.. and late at night I have to almost do a backbend to keep my overhang from drooping!!

I used the splint for a while margobambino - and my diastisis has now closed - it helped me with my posture as well, and reminded me to use my transverse muscle all the time, as when I 'sagged' and let it all hang out, the splint was tight very tight.

I had lunch today with a friend who had an e-section 3 and a half months ago and she's considering a tummy tuck - this time her belly just flabbed out and she's numb from her ribs to groin.

It's pretty horrific that some cesareans go so badly - my yoga teach says some people are 'unlucky' and that it sometimes takes years to get back.

fingers crossed we can all 'regain our svelte selves'!!

lisa34 · 11/04/2008 21:02

Hi i had an ovarian cyst removed 7 years ago - i now have an overhang now didn't have one before and i still haven't got full feeling back. No amount of sit up will get rid of it!!!

orangehead · 11/04/2008 21:16

I have a very bad overhang my section was 6 yrs ago. A couple of years after it I saw a gyna consultant for something else and as I had tried every exercise under the sun I asked him about it and he said it is the way they have stitched me up and no amount of diet and exercise will get rid the only thing would be a tummy tug . But I have other friends who have had sections and have got rid of thier overhangs

Original poster

margobambino · 14/04/2008 22:56

Zazen, where did you buy your splint? I haven't been able to find one in local sport shops.

OP posts:

Fizzylemonade · 15/04/2008 17:37

I have what Geri has (apart from the body)which is that the overhang has now gone but the stomach does go in where the scar is.

The trick is to put your knicker waist band onto the scar so the top of Geri's bikini sits in her scar. It makes it look good. If she wore a slightly higher bikini bottom then you would see the scar through the material as her belly would bulge just above it.

I have had 2 c section, I still have a little numbness but it isn't anything that worries me. My last c section was 2 years ago.

Original poster

margobambino · 16/04/2008 01:51

Zazen, please please please see this question.
Where did you buy the splint? Very important for me, as I bought the Tupler's book and want to do all exercises.
Thanks.
Margo

OP posts:

zazen · 16/04/2008 02:20

Hi Morgobabbino - I used a very long strip of cotton and I crossed it over and round my waist, especially lower down over my lower abs, and then I pinned it. so i wore it from my belly button down. I wore it religiously when exercising also and pulled pulled pulled in my tummy as much as I could. I was walking 5Km in 45 mins with my splint on and pulling in my tummy as much as I could the whole time - it was HARD! I was really sweating, but little by little.

I got the strip of cotton in a fabric shop - it might have been cheepo curtain lining - I folded it so it was about 6 foot long and about a foot wide. it didn't 'give' much, but wasn't totally inflexible.

If I had the time I would have (a: slept a bit ) b: sewn some velcro strips onto it - but the big safety pins (old style nappy safety pins I got in the chemist) worked as well.

I'm crossing my fingers you get rid of your mummy tummy Margob don't forget to take piccies of before and after - it's a great motivational tool to see how far you've come - often we have achieved huge steps, and we forget how far we've come, as we are only thinking of how far we have yet to go!!

I was looking at some piccies I took of me just post op last night and I really am a skinny minx compared to then - I still have a ways to go, but I'm on my way there. Regular (every two or three weeks etc) photos are a brill way of keeping track of progress!!

Keep me posted OK?

Original poster

margobambino · 20/04/2008 02:59

Thank you ever so much Zazen. I am also crossing my fingers too. I will keep you posted.
Love.
Margo

OP posts:

poncho · 20/04/2008 03:13

OP- I was lucky but used clarins oil all through being pg. Had numbness that went after a few months - still have scar 15 months later, but it is fading.

Vmama · 24/05/2008 19:06

I too had an emergency section with my DS now aged 15 months -however I also had my appendix out when i was 14 and ever since then I've hated my stomach -I've always had an overhang over the scar which is still there -has anyone else had both ops and is it possible to get your stomach back into shape after having 2 different kinds of abdominal surgery?

I'm not bothered about getting a totally flat stomach because I've always had a little tummy but would be good to not look pregnant still! I'm 9st 10 and used to be 9st pre-preg and am 5ft 4 -working on losing the last 10 pounds

does running help?

JessieNg · 11/06/2009 14:52

Hi,

I am 20 weeks post emergency ceasarean, my first and I'm a bit worried about my overhang (or fat, not sure which) as it's in a "w" shape if that makes sense... it's smaller near the belly button and larger on both sides. Anyone else have anything similar or am I just a freak?

poshsinglemum · 13/06/2009 18:00

I thought my overhang was just me but it's obviously a phenominum. Since the c-section a year ago I havn't been too careful with my diet as have bf and craved cakes etc. However, I am getting sick of the sag and may start dieting. My overhang might be here to stay but at least I could shift some of the flab so it dosn't look so pronounced.

MumHadEnough · 28/06/2009 23:46

My overhang is DISGUSTING! Its more than I can grab with two hands. I still have about 2 stone to lose, having lost almost five since I had DS, but that was nearly 7 years ago.

I showed it to GP once and she said if I got down to 9.5 stone she'd refer me for surgery as it will never go away as its sooooooooo bad

I also have absolutely no feeling at all below my belly button and about a third of the way across my tummy in either direction from my belly button.

I know I had ripped muscles when I was pregnant (I put on almost five stone) but nothing was ever done about it.

The best to describe it is that my stomach looks like an arse . So looks like surgery might be the only way to go.

I'm down to 10st 5lbs now, so think i might go back and see her soon, but I don't think I want a tummy tuck

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