Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Women's health

Mumsnet hasn't checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you have medical concerns, please seek medical attention.

Original poster

Did you go back after childbirth

38 replies

LittleMe23 · 14/11/2019 21:43

Honest answers please.

Did you ‘go back’ after childbirth.

I have friends who said they are the same as before and others that say they no one ever goes back and it is the worst thing they have ever done.

OP posts:
RolytheRhino · 14/11/2019 21:44

Sorry, I have no idea what you're on about. Go back where?

Jaguarana · 14/11/2019 21:47

Was I physically the same after childbirth as before? Yes, I think so. Once I'd completely recovered.

JustHereWithPopcorn · 14/11/2019 21:52

Yes took a fair few months but yes. I allowed myself proper time to recover whereas some friends didn't and they have not 'gone back'

madcatladyforever · 14/11/2019 21:53

Work: No regretted it hugely, should have stayed with my baby.

Physically: No I have never been the same, stretch marks, sagging skin, saggy boobs, larger vag but I don't care. He was worth it.

BlobbyTheLump · 14/11/2019 22:09

I was back in my jeans the day after I gave birth. Everything else seemed to bounce back too, apart from my vagina which took until the stitches healed.

My breasts will never be the same but meh..

Babdoc · 15/11/2019 09:10

I was 8 stone 5lbs before my pregnancy and 8 stone 5lbs five days after delivery. I didn’t have stretch marks, but I was left with some spare skin on my abdomen. DD was an eight and a half pound baby and I’m very petite, so my bump stuck out a long way forwards, needing a lot of extra skin! As I was in my mid thirties, it wasn’t as elastic as a younger mum’s would have been. As for vaginal tone - you need to do lots of pelvic floor exercises to regain that. If you’re left with a significant rectocoele or cystocoele, these can be repaired surgically, plus or minus a hysterectomy if you have associated prolapse. But it’s usually post menopausal women where these become issues, along with mucosal atrophy.

Elbeagle · 15/11/2019 09:14

Back where? You mean physically?
After my first and second... yeah. My third wrecked me! My stomach will never be the same. Worth it though, I can’t imagine saying I’d rather have a flat stomach than have my children.

TiceCream · 15/11/2019 09:15

My stomach didn’t. 90% of women get stretch marks and you’re scarred for life, they can’t be fixed. Plus the loose skin. I’ll never be beautiful again.

MustardScreams · 15/11/2019 09:17

Beauty isn’t about the lack of skin or stretch marks.

My body is completely different post-birth, but it’s no better or worse. Just took some getting used to!

Elbeagle · 15/11/2019 09:17

I have stretch marks and loose skin but I still feel beautiful! Well as beautiful as I did before anyway.

ExtraFirmHold · 15/11/2019 09:21

Nope. Stretch marks, wider hips, bigger feet, prolapse, saggy boobs... The list goes on ! But I appreciate my body more now than I did before, I'm kinder to myself about it, and quite frankly don't care what others think about it.
My DC are worth every change.

UnderHisEyeBall · 15/11/2019 09:23

Guys, I think she is talking about foofs.

Celebelly · 15/11/2019 09:24

Physically no. I had an emergency section so I have a c-section pouch plus stretch marks on boobs and stomach. But I don't give a flying f, as my body carried my beautiful daughter. It's amazing and it's given my a new appreciation for it, saggy bits and all.

Elbeagle · 15/11/2019 09:24

Ah. Well my ‘foof’ is fine (after three natural births). Stitches with my first, none with second or third.
Couldn’t orgasm through PIV before children, now I can!

Celebelly · 15/11/2019 09:24

Oh my foof is the one thing unchanged Grin

DeadDoorpost · 15/11/2019 09:32

Mentally, I'm worse off. Very much so.

Physically I have more stretch marks but strangely enough I'm ok with these as opposed to the ones I had before due to weight gain/puberty.
I'm still waiting to have my weight go back to what it was before though. But that's easy enough to do.

RolytheRhino · 15/11/2019 18:56

Guys, I think she is talking about foofs.

Oh. No difference that I've noticed.

lljkk · 15/11/2019 20:43

Don't they try to stitch you up so it's tighter than before (or is it just my foof that inspires such remedial action)

RolytheRhino · 15/11/2019 20:44

Don't they try to stitch you up so it's tighter than before

No, that's a misogynistic joke AFAIK.

Pannalash · 15/11/2019 20:48

No.

RLOU30 · 15/11/2019 20:52

Emergency section here too 🙋 so my "foof" is also unchanged but like @Celebelly and many others I have the c section apron memorabilia. The worst thing I've ever done? Hell no by far my son is the best thing I've done.

LucileDuplessis · 15/11/2019 20:54

Boobs - yes
Vagina - yes
Tummy - no

Expressedways · 15/11/2019 20:58

Completely unchanged except for c-section scar (fortunately v low) and the fact that my belly button is ever so slightly more rounded as opposed to the oval it was before.

Everyone is different, there’s no normal!

Fatted · 15/11/2019 21:00

Nah, I've had two c-sections. My stomach is fucked.

Mentally and emotionally, my first nearly broke me. I'd say I'm only really getting back to my pre child best now. My kids are 4 and 6.

dirtyrottenscoundrel · 15/11/2019 21:01

I thought you meant go back to work.

Swipe left for the next trending thread