for those women who had csections:

[brcj4]

I know I will never lose the sag, but does it go down at all??

[gkephart]

YES!!!! when i started walking on my treadmill, my "saggy pouch" lifted up some!! That was the first thing my hubby noticed! the more i walk, the more it "lifts" and of course , I am also losing the inches too.

[Dana114]

yep, it does go down!

[bybs54]

my incision is up and down...so I have two little pouches on either side. As much as I walk and do my pilates....I still have 2 little pouches. Doctor told me when they cut that way through 5 layers of muscle...you cannot ever gain back the tightness.

Oh well....at least I am skinner and the pouches are smaller!! and more importantly I got two fine young men out of the whole deal!!

Bybs, I also got 2 great boys out of the deal! I have vertical and horizontal scars.

Yes, it goes down, but I lost 187 pounds so my skin is like a deflated balloon.

Incidentally, I had two different OB/GYNs for my pregnancies (14 years apart). My second OB thought I would want to try natural childbirth, but said he didn't recommend it. I asked why and he said just because the skin incision is vertical doesn't mean the uterine incision is (depends on where the baby is located) -- vertical uterine incisions can rupture during labor. He said the only way to know would be to get my old medical records (I said 'no thanks' remembering 23 hours of labor and then having a c-section anyway!)

[THINNER-2003]

YES IT DOES!

I have had 2 c-sections and hysterectomy... not to mention I also had 3 pregnancies where my stomach was HUGE (too much fluids with each- getting worse with each pregnancy... polyhydramnios) so it got really stretched out. I didn't get stretch marks until the 3rd pregnancy though.... got pretty big with her though- even compared to the other two huge pregnancies. 52 inches around at 27wks along and got bigger after that- had her almost 2wks early by c-section (due to the fluids problem couldn't have her VBAC like my middle child).. 52 inch around stomach- on my 62 inch tall body... visualize it. LOL


When I started Atkins- I looked about a REGULAR 4-5mo pregnant person (I can't say that for me though- because my 4-5mo preggo belly was always much bigger than the "norm". LOL) Here- take a look.... see for yourself in my beginning pictures where I'd already lost tons of inches and 12lbs even in THAT picture!!!

http://www.low-carb-friends.com/bbs/...hreadid=125522

And that shirt was one that sorta "hid" my belly as much as possible.. so it doesn't even look as bad as it really was.

When I started Atkins I thought even if I lost a LOT in my belly- there was no way it was going to go down nearly enough and even if it did- I figured since it was hanging already... that it would hanging down past the nether regions God knows how far down if you know what I mean. LOL

But it has really surprised me.. and this without any exercising in that area at all (all I've done is walking and WATP tapes and stationary bike occasionally-nothing stomach related in the way of exercising). It has gone WAY down... I've lost 10.25 inches in my waist and 9 inches in my abdomen. That's a lot!

I still have a pooch there- but it actually hangs over the c-section area LESS now. I hope in time the skin will shrink up a bit more even. (hope hope hope). And it's less far out- to the point that in jean type clothing it can be held in where it barely looks like a pooch at all in clothing. Unless I sit down then it shows more unless the jeans really hold in well in the stomach area. LOL

(When I wear things like right now cotton athletic shorts with elastic or tie string waist.... my belly makes a roll there when sitting- very visible- and pooches out more when standing than when wearing jeans or denim shorts)

But it's amazed me so much at the incredible improvement that even though before I thought that there was NO chance of ever looking close to "normal" in that area that I'd for sure have to have plastic surgery there (tummy tuck) -that now I'm thinking maybe if I give it some time it will get even better.

Oh btw- it looks really gross there now. From belly button down is so wrinkly icky looking. It's like the stretch marks (which weren't that deep to begin with- I only got them with my last pregnancy and they were like top skin only and were faded within a month or so after having her.... they never "split" like further down in the skin deep like I have seen some do) had shrunk up with the skin so now it's tiny billions of lines all over and all really GROSS looking. But thankfully it's not seen except by me and hubby. LOL I won't be showing it to the world or anything... ofcourse.

So there IS hope!

[abbymommy]

2bethinagain, you are so funny!

I have to confess that I have the EXACT same wrinkly area on my belly.

I joke to dh that it looks like an empty bag, but really it is really and truly odd looking.

And I can't blame polyhydramnios! Just two regular deliveries, although I was huge both times.

I am doing Winsor Pilates and I can tell it has really pulled in those muscles, but now that I have lost lots of abdominal fat there is lots of extra skin - oh, well, the price of motherhood, huh.

But even in the last few months I have not lost too many pounds but I have noticed a reduction in that area.

I think with some time and more toning it will continue to improve!

Congrats by the way on your siggy!!

[THINNER-2003]

Thanks!

Well about the stomach... from the way you describe it -it does sound like mine. Atleast I know I'm not the only one with this odd looking stomach. And it sure is odd looking... can't even hardly describe it accurately!

My dr had told me long ago that after all the surgeries and such there was no way I could just do exercising to bring my stomach back to close to the resemblance of "normal". I think he's right... I don't have stomach muscles there anymore- atleast not in one lower area I can't seem to even use muscles there. When I try- I end up using muscles higher up and even to the point of getting like a cramp in the muscles just above my belly button area if I over do it trying. It even did that when trying to push with my VBAC middle child (and that was only after ONE c-section- so probably worse after the 2nd) .... I couldn't push with the lower section at all- like I had no muscles there or something. I know I do... but maybe they are cut or something so I can't use them? But anyway, I kept getting cramps in my upper stomach- painful. Like a muscle cramp- yanno? Does that now too if I even ATTEMPT one stinking crunch... even the kind you just barely crunch up a little. I just can't do them period.

It may improve some more and with time the skin shrink up a bit- but I'm not going to hold my breath that it's going to shrink up entirely and those wrinkles from the stretch marks are never going to disappear. My belly button is lower now too from the sagging and it's atrocious also. Doesn't even look like a belly button.. it got so stretched out from those huge pregnancies. I need a new belly button too and put back where it belongs. LOL

[xfatchik]

Oh, I am so relieved! I had a c-section almost 5 years ago and have that horrible pouch to go with it. I have lost 25lbs so far and have noticed it shrinking. I am so glad to hear that it does go away!!!

[Marmaduke]

I was worried too about the extra "baby pouch"! I have 6 children, no c-sections, and I still have it! (Just no scar!)
I had heard somewhere that drinking lots of water helps the skin retain it's elasticity better, is that true? I don't plan on wearing a bikini, but I don't want to look hideous in the tummy area!
I am sure hoping it will go WAY down!
Thanks for your input!