C-Section Help

**crabbyrach** · May 6th, 2009, 03:04 PM

I started Phentermine on 4/30/09. I have lost 7 pounds in one week. I feel great. I run 1.5 miles everyday on my treadmill and drink a lot of water. I had two babies in 18 months via c-sections. My youngest just turned 3 years old and my oldest is 4 years old. I don't know how to get my stomach back to normal...Any suggestions????

**ryleighsmommy15** · May 6th, 2009, 03:08 PM

Good luck on that one. My daughter is 3 and i still cant get back the lower stomach. Once its cut it seems like its impossible to get it back to how it was before preg. best of luck.

**Gabrielle1701** · May 6th, 2009, 03:28 PM

I've had 3 c-sections, one which was pretty high and cut through a lot of muscles. I honestly don't have much hope for my tummy. However, I really won't know until I lose the weight first. If there's anyone out there with multiple c-sections, has lost the weight and has a nice tummy again, we would LOVE to hear about it!!!

**crabbyrach** · May 6th, 2009, 04:20 PM

Both of my c-sections were very little and low. My stomach doesn't look real bad. But if i touch the middle I can feel where the muscles seperated. My first baby was 8 pounds and 11 ounces. I only gained about 23 pounds with him, with no strech marks. I don't think my body ever recovered from the first one and I got pregnant again. She was little, 6 lb 15 ounces. Again very little weight was gained. Now I just can't seem to get it flat. I will see what happenes when I loose around 25 pounds.

**nurseashley** · May 6th, 2009, 04:51 PM

if anybody has had any luck with the c-section belly i could use some tips too! i am right there with yall, only i have a 2 year old and a 4 week old... both by c-section. My doctor did a great job he used the same incision area the second time. Right now it just looks so floppy and my belly hangs down over the scar

of course it has only been four weeks. however with my daughter after a year the skin seemed to have regained most of its elasticity but i still had a pooch there. I have seen a lot of girls and women with c-sections and their bellies all look different.. most of them still have a bit of a "smile" in the area but ive seen a few women who have managed to get rock hard abs after a c-section and when i tell them how awesome their belly looks they say "oh yeah it went right back to normal after the baby". I guess some people are just luckier than others...

**ldybugn01** · May 6th, 2009, 04:55 PM

the only way to tighten your muscles back up (which is cut during a C-section) is to have a tummy tuck so the doctor can repair your stomach muscles back to normal

Im sure thats not an answer anyone would like to hear, but unfortunately its the truth.

**gutterfly** · May 6th, 2009, 05:53 PM

Hi there. I had two csections about three years ago and seven years ago. My scar actually acts as a sort of Indicator that I'm gaining weight. Any where over 150 I start to get this lump or roll thing over the scar. Basically an accumulation of fat that can't get under the scar so it just sort of rolls over it. I think having babies changes your belly permanently no matter what way they come out. But if you have the cute roll over your scar,like I do, that does go down as the weight comes off. But as far as the belly itself, I got SO lucky to get my weight in my thighs and hips instead, so I'm not much help with that. Try to enjoy your battle scar, you've earned it

**Mary-Mary** · May 6th, 2009, 06:48 PM

I had a C-section 3 years ago and my belly is looking alot better then before but i dont know if I will ever have flat stomach.

I heard that some of you said that it depends were you get the cut that we might get the stomach back to normal, so were should be the right place to get the cut done?

**StillFierce** · May 6th, 2009, 07:12 PM

i have only had one baby and i had to have a c-section. My stomach looks ruined, i have the saggy flap that hangs over the incision. Its been there for 10 months since I gave birth. But then again i havent really lost a ton of weight so i dont know how it would look if i slimmed down. Right now its saggy and covered in strech marks. I was hoping the skin would regenerate over time but its still kind of hanging. its been almost a yr.

**elemteach5** · May 6th, 2009, 08:19 PM

You can improve it a lot by exercise, but after a c-section, Ldybug is right. The only way to get it 100% back is a tummy tuck. Sounds like yours isn't too bad so you should have good results. I had a vertical c-section 22 yrs. ago and a horizontal cut 15 yrs. ago. (not one with my middle son) I have to say, the vertical cut is the one that is impossible to do anything with. The horizontal cut isn't that bad. Just work at it and you may be surprised at how good you can make it look.

**haydensmomma7407** · May 6th, 2009, 08:25 PM

Originally Posted by elemteach5

You can improve it a lot by exercise, but after a c-section, Ldybug is right. The only way to get it 100% back is a tummy tuck. Sounds like yours isn't too bad so you should have good results. I had a vertical c-section 22 yrs. ago and a horizontal cut 15 yrs. ago. (not one with my middle son) I have to say, the vertical cut is the one that is impossible to do anything with. The horizontal cut isn't that bad. Just work at it and you may be surprised at how good you can make it look.

I have a vertical cut and it looks like an @$$ on the front of me! There is NOTHING I can do about it except a tummy tuck (my mom just had one and looks FABULOUS) and I'm not done having kids so I will have to wait...blah! Good luck!

**StillFierce** · May 6th, 2009, 08:29 PM

I cant believe they used to do vertical c-section incisions. I can see how it would be hard to get a stomach to look normal after that. But even with the horizonal cut, it seems like im stuck with muffin top forever because of it. Idk maybe i just need to find the right exercises to do to get it back to normal.

**StillFierce** · May 6th, 2009, 08:30 PM

Does anyone use firming lotions on their stomachs? I've tried the palmers brand, the suave brand and now im using Nivea My Silhouette. I dont know if they made a difference or not, but has anyone had any success with any skin firming products??

**Mospiritstalker** · May 6th, 2009, 08:43 PM

The only way I know of is having a tummy tuck, I have had 3 C-sections and my stomach is horrible!!! It hangs over and it is the one thing on my body I hate the most!!! I am hoping to have my C-section by January! We will see how things go on the phen!

**haydensmomma7407** · May 6th, 2009, 08:45 PM

Originally Posted by StillFierce

I cant believe they used to do vertical c-section incisions. I can see how it would be hard to get a stomach to look normal after that. But even with the horizonal cut, it seems like im stuck with muffin top forever because of it. Idk maybe i just need to find the right exercises to do to get it back to normal.

they STILL do them hun! I'm only 20 and my son was born 7-4-2007!

This is yucky but this is what gaining over 100 lbs (went to 259, I'm only 5'1"), stretch marks, then a vertical c-section, then losing almost 100 lbs does to your stomach!

not to mention the sick scar from my belly button ring that I took out when I started gaining weight during the pregnancy....

**ldybugn01** · May 6th, 2009, 08:49 PM

i had a tummy tuck in 2006 and LOVE IT!!! Even after having my son last year, i wouldnt trade it for the world!!

i reccomend it to anyone who is deciding to get one!!!!

**haydensmomma7407** · May 6th, 2009, 08:54 PM

Originally Posted by ldybugn01

i had a tummy tuck in 2006 and LOVE IT!!! Even after having my son last year, i wouldnt trade it for the world!!

i reccomend it to anyone who is deciding to get one!!!!

You got one before your son!?!? Did it "mess it up"? My mom just got one but she is DONE having kids and I LOVE it and I wanted to have a consult with her doctor but she said it would be a "waste" to do it before I have another child.

**ldybugn01** · May 6th, 2009, 08:56 PM

NOPE!! If anything, my stomach is flatter NOW than after I had my tummy tuck. My skin didnt stretch or anything. After my first one i had that lose skin. Then i got my tummy tuck and the skin and flab was gone. After having Blake in August, I was affraid that skin/flab would come back but it didnt!!! People where shocked to find out that I had just had a baby b/c my stomach was still flat.

My best friend got one done too and her stomach looked like yours. It looks amazing now!! Just wait, you will see if you get one done. YOu will LOVE LOVE LOVE it!!!

**haydensmomma7407** · May 6th, 2009, 09:01 PM

Originally Posted by ldybugn01

NOPE!! If anything, my stomach is flatter NOW than after I had my tummy tuck. My skin didnt stretch or anything. After my first one i had that lose skin. Then i got my tummy tuck and the skin and flab was gone. After having Blake in August, I was affraid that skin/flab would come back but it didnt!!! People where shocked to find out that I had just had a baby b/c my stomach was still flat.

My best friend got one done too and her stomach looked like yours. It looks amazing now!! Just wait, you will see if you get one done. YOu will LOVE LOVE LOVE it!!!

HeHe, I am definitely getting one, just debating on doing it now or after we have another baby. My mom just got hers done in December with breast augmentation/lift at the same time and she looks HOTT! I can't wait to get mine done!

**nindy** · May 6th, 2009, 10:30 PM

I've had 2 babies by section- one is almost 9 and the other is almost 5. You can't see my scar at all- my docs were awesome but I think I'll always have a pooch there. I have noticed that the pooch is getting a lot smaller but thanks to genetics I don't think my skin will gain back elasticity. (and I know I can't afford a tummy tuck) I don't mind the pooch- I just wish my boobs looked good again!!!

**Dying2Change** · May 6th, 2009, 10:47 PM

I've had 3 sections and my stomach will never be the same.. I'm not sure why they don't go back like the bellies of natural birthing mothers.. The least I can do is make it smaller..I can't afford a tummy tuck and that would be scary to me...

**waiting2xhale** · May 6th, 2009, 10:52 PM

I guess it all depends on the doc who performed the c-section. I had a c-section about 11 years ago with my youngest son and I am always been told that I don't have a stomache...at least with clothes on that is!!!lol.

**nurseashley** · May 7th, 2009, 02:31 PM

what is the ballpark price of a tummy tuck? I am going to a consultation later in the year for a breast reduction but my insurance is going to cover it. After I lose as much weight as possible in the next 6 months i was going to see how my belly looks and think about a tummy tuck but i would have to start saving now...

**ethansmommy23** · May 7th, 2009, 02:40 PM

okay i'm not going to debate this one BUT a tummy tuck is NOT the only option... i had two c-sections and gained and lost over a hundred lbs... u have to get ur body fat percentage way down before it tightens and tones up... my stomach looks better than a lot of my friends who have never had kids... if ur interested look for my thread titled TIPS and there is how i did it.

**nurseashley** · May 7th, 2009, 02:52 PM

Originally Posted by ethansmommy23

okay i'm not going to debate this one BUT a tummy tuck is NOT the only option... i had two c-sections and gained and lost over a hundred lbs... u have to get ur body fat percentage way down before it tightens and tones up... my stomach looks better than a lot of my friends who have never had kids... if ur interested look for my thread titled TIPS and there is how i did it.

you look awesome, it is encouraging!

**ldybugn01** · May 7th, 2009, 02:57 PM

Originally Posted by ethansmommy23

okay i'm not going to debate this one BUT a tummy tuck is NOT the only option... i had two c-sections and gained and lost over a hundred lbs... u have to get ur body fat percentage way down before it tightens and tones up... my stomach looks better than a lot of my friends who have never had kids... if ur interested look for my thread titled TIPS and there is how i did it.

did you have a vertical C-section?

**ldybugn01** · May 7th, 2009, 03:00 PM

Originally Posted by nurseashley

what is the ballpark price of a tummy tuck? I am going to a consultation later in the year for a breast reduction but my insurance is going to cover it. After I lose as much weight as possible in the next 6 months i was going to see how my belly looks and think about a tummy tuck but i would have to start saving now...

i had a mini tummy tuck and it was 4500. A full one runs 6000-8000. Depends on which one you get. I financed mine.

If you have stretch marks and the lose skin, the only way to get rid of it is a tummy tuck. NO matter how many sit ups you do, the skin wont go tight again. It all depends on how bad your stomache is. If all you have is fat to lose, than yeah you dont need a tummy tuck, but if you have stretch marks and the lose skin, the only way to get rid of both of those is a tummy tuck.

Thats great that Ethansmom didnt need one!! She saved a butt load of money. Me however, I had the skin and stretch marks that did not go away no matter what I did. So, thats why I got one. And dont regret it for anything!! I love it!!

**ethansmommy23** · May 7th, 2009, 03:17 PM

no i had a horizontal bikini cut... and i was told the exact same thing by a doctor that once that skin is stretched and dimpled and all gross it would never go back in but i didn't believe him and kept working at it... i can't say if i've built up so much muscle underneath it that the skin is a lot tighter or firmer or what happened... u see the before in my sig here's the front view of it.. my stomach was the worst i've ever seen.

.. if i hadn't just had a baby a few months earlier and had a three year old to take care of i'd have gotten one a few months ago too. thank god i waited.

**ldybugn01** · May 7th, 2009, 03:35 PM

do you have a front view of your stomach now that you have lost all that weight? so we can see your amazing transformation?

i would love to see what it looks like since you didnt get a tummy tuck and see if i wasted all my money for no reason if i would have waited

**ethansmommy23** · May 7th, 2009, 03:43 PM

i don't i'll have to get someone to take one the flash in the mirror makes it hard to see the front for some reason... i don't think u wasted ur money if ur stomach is perfect bc mine isn't completely perfect and i'm still working on it but if u had showed me 4 months ago that my stomach would look like this now i'd have been thrilled.

**ldybugn01** · May 7th, 2009, 03:49 PM

well girl, thats all that matters. If you are happy with the way it looks and you did it with out surgery, than thats awesome!!

**Mrs.Determine** · May 7th, 2009, 04:20 PM

i had 1 csection a yr ago my stomach was really flabby but now its toneing up my scar is so low n short in length that u can barely see it jus these stretched marks are getting me mad but im still not happy wit my stomach until i get it back the way it was b4 my son but im working on it