Post c-section horrid saggy soft tum - please help me!

[Alibabaandthe40nappies]

Ok so I wasn't exactly trim when I got pregnant, but post c-section I have an awful saggy tum that is out of all proportion to the rest of me. I was a 16/18 before getting pg and am back at pre-pg weight, but what can I do to get rid of my stomach? Trousers and a lot of skirts just won't do up, but if I go a size up then they are huge on the bum/thigh and whole leg in general and look terrible.

Help help help. I have started trying to eat more healthily and am doing Wii fit, I've lost a couple of pounds in the last week but does anyone know what exercise I can do to address my problem tummy!

let us all know if you find the answer! i have always carried weight on my stomach anyway, now there is a charming shelf which i have to tuck into my jeans.

looking forward to the answers to this one. My DS is 13 months and I still have this .

me too. it's revolting. and i'm not one given to self-loathing (too lazy ) but i cannot BELIEVE the shelf i've got.

Well at least I'm not alone - not that that is any consolation to any of us!

Please let some lovely fitness guru-type person come along and help

I use the abdominal thing at the gym and tell myself that muscle weighs more than fat

Sit ups?

Well, I have seen a trainer at the gym this morning (pilates expert) and she said that if you have an abdominal separation you must not do any sit-ups/obliques/etc for at least 18months after the birth. I was quite surprised that you have to wait so long, but she said you must allow your stretched stomach muscles to heal.

I would progressively do

1. lie on back with knees bent. Pull in stomach muscles and do pelvic tilt. Hold for 10 seconds. Do 10 repetitions, 3 times per day. (I got my separation to go from 4 finger widths to 1.5 fingers widths in 4 weeks doing this exercise alone. And you can do them before you get out of bed in the morning!)

1. As above, but on all fours - pull in stomach muscles and pelvic tilt. Harder because you are working against gravity.

1. As 2., but lift knees 2 cm off floor.

1. Abdominal bridge, but on knees rather than full length. Hold for 30 seconds.

BTW, I do not claim to be an expert / trainer - this is just the exercises that were recommended to me following my 2nd c/s and with a 4 finger abdominal separation.

Was told to avoid any rotational movement, DO NOT do sit-ups or crunches, never get out of bed or up off the floor by 'jack-knifing' upwards. That's all I can remember for now, will come back if I remember anything else.

Dd is 20 motnhs old, I didn't have a section and my spare tyre is growing bigger by the day.

Not helped of course by the fact that I'm a lazy cow and think that scoffing vast quantities of chocolate will help the situation.

Oh and of course, then there's the lovely wrinkly stretch marks that have still not faded. My stomach looks like the A-Z of the UK!

tupler technique - book on amazon. Lose your mummy tummy or something like that. been dowing it a few weeks and seeing a difference. Good because most of it can be done while just sitting like pelvic floor exercise but focusing on the transverse abs.

I went on to have a tummy tuck and my surgeon said after that my tummy would have always had looked if i didnt have it done as my muscle seperation was so bad.

SweetEm- what is an abdominal bridge please?

I don't seem to have abdo separation, but have a huge overhang (though DS is only 2 weeks, so that will hopefully improve)

Me too. I have lost a stone since having my DD 3 mths ago (2nd section) but still have the most hideous belly. I look pregnant in most clothes . So depressing. I'm going out tonight and have to wear maternity jeans .

There are instructions on checking for separation (also known as diastasis recti) here

Abdominal bridge - what fuzzypeach said.

It would be a lot better if doctors would rejoin the fat layer, it is becoming more popular but not enough yet.

I'm hoping to convince my doctors I need a tummy tuck later because I can't do the exercises I would need to.

Each, if you have another CS the hospital do do bit of a tummy tuck during third sections

As if I'd be crazy enough to have another!

And surely it would be better if they cut out the fat layer?

I have to say the surgeon didn't cut out my keloid scar from emcs as the consultant said they would, so my wound now is a real hotchpotch mess It is going to heal into a real mishmash of skin, keloid tissue, and new scar.
I suppose I should keep the 'shelf' so I can't see the scar...