C-Section Pooch--when does it go away?

maykat

When does this yucky c-section pooch go away?  Also, how soon can you usually work out after a c-section? I know I have to wait until at least my 6 week doc apt, but am wondering if I can work out right after that?

I am happy that I'm within 2 lbs of my pre-pregnancy weight, but NONE of my pants fit and I so don't want to have to buy bigger pants for work.:(

TIA

MrsL1022

I was cleared at 6 weeks to work out again. My friend had her running shoes in the car when she went for her 6 week pp appointment.

Daisygirl613

not sure about when the pooch goes away.. i still have a little bit of a pooch down there.  hence - boot camp

i went back at 7 weeks for my appt and my dr told me that i could start exercising right then.  if you are healing well, i'm sure you will be able to do the same.

I wore maternity pants for the first 5 months b/c I couldn't fit into pre-pregnancy stuff and wasn't buying anything new.  I can finally fit into some of my mom's clothes.  but i also didn't start exercising right away to be able to really tone up.  mine isn't so much about weight as it is about how everything redistributed itself.

Good luck

myrall

From everything I've heard from other moms and read, it never really goes away. Most of us get stuck with the flap. This seriously depresses me. Thus "Mom Jeans" - they fit up OVER the pooch.

I wore maternity pants up until about two months ago. I was pre-pregnancy weight 3 weeks after DD was born and my regular jeans fit me everywhere but my belly (where the pooch is). I still can't get into them 10 months later. I ended up getting some jeans from Lane Bryant. I'm stuck in a no-man's land between sizes 12 and 14.

Wooo, I sound like a downer. 

amanda_holbird@hotmail.com

My recovery experiences with both c-sections have been very different. I was back to my pre-pg weight and pre-pg clothes 5 weeks pp with Ethan. I was also able to do some exercises and walking at 6 weeks pp. As for my recovery with Jack, I was actually cleared to work out at 4 weeks, but I had such a difficult time healing that I still haven't begun working out. A lot of that has to do with me returning to work and by the time I get home, I have no time to work out.  I'm pretty much wearing all my pre-pg clothes now but they are tight and just don't fit me right.  I still have 10 lbs to go before I'm at my pre-pg weight.

As for the muffin top??  I'm afraid that will never go away.  No matter how much excercise I did with Ethan, it was still there and now that I've had Jack, it's far worse!  Sad :-(

delta21

It goes away?  Haha!!  If I knew the answer to this question I would be a happy girl but unfortunatly me and my "mushroom top"  look like we are going to be life long friends!! 

virginia&alan

As for the pooch, I think it just depends on your body.  Some of my friends and family dodged the pooch, others didn't.  I do think the size of the baby seems to play a factor.  Even though Merritt was 7lbs, I never really grew that big around during my pregnancy (~40 inches) and I believe that made it easier to get my post partum pooch back under control.

And once you get the clear from the doctor, you can start working out immediately (or sooner if you're a rebel and feel up to it).  I healed very quickly from my c-section and I started running around 3 weeks PP.  By 10 weeks, I felt fine enough to compete in a triathlon.

I was back to my pre-pregnancy weight by about 8 weeks, but my pants didn't fit until at least 12 weeks or so when my hips went back closer to normal.  If you don't want to spend a lot of money on transitional clothes, try consignment shops.  That helped me bridge the gap without breaking the bank since I refused to wear maternity clothes after the baby.

Sadlebred

(disclaimer: I have no kids but know about tummy tucks from my research. I'm not a doctor and don't play one on tv or the Nest.)

I know the C section pooch can go away for some with diet and exercise, but for others it never does. A lot of it has to do with genetics, luck, and a roll of the dice. That's why some mommies get a "mommy makeover" once they are done having kids. A tummy tuck may be the only answer, especially if you have a lot of hanging skin. If the skin has a lot of stretch marks on it, it's lost its elasticity. The skin will never go back to where it was. Sometimes we need a little nip and tuck! TT's are not instantaneous, though. Swelling can take up to a year to go away, and it's a long recovery. I'm almost 7 weeks post op and can just now fit back into my preop jeans. I'm 3 sizes bigger at the end of the day than when I wake up. (Swell H*ll) I'll also have revisions at 12 months and am trying to drop 10 pounds on my own.

Of course, I'd try a good, well balanced diet and exercise first. It's certainly the cheapest and most healthy way to try to get rid of it!  You can't argue with being healthy, so you can keep up with DC!!

missmlp

myrall: you said it perfectly. 

maykat:  I had a vaginal birth and this pooch thing is out of control.  Even  though I'm pretty much the same size before Connor the pooch has made my clothes fit different.  I had to buy larger shirts that don't rise when I sit and the pooch makes my pants in the front a little tighter. 

slwprincess

Well, I don't know b/c I still have mine, but that is probably mostly my fault b/c I'm so damn lazy.  I really believe it is different for everyone.  I think that I MAY eventually be able to lose it b/c if I suck in really hard I can make my tummy look flat ;-)  But unless I want to walk around holding my breath- this is not a long term solution... hahaha.  Next time around, I will definitely start exercising a little as soon as I get the ok from the doc.  I was just being lazy and thought it would take care of itself b/c I was BF.  Ummm, no.  I fell into that category of women who GAINED weight while BF.  My doc says it was b/c I was underweight to begin with and my body needed to beef up to feed a baby.  Whatever.  I stopped BF 6 mos ago and my muffin top is still hanging around.  Who's it feeding now?

runblondie26

Mine is pretty much gone already. I credit good genetics on my mom's side because the women seem to escape stretch marks and "the pooch". However, my backside is another story. ?Based on size, I think the baby took up residence there during my pregnancy. I feel pretty good already, and hopefully I'll be exercising regularly again after my 6 week pp appointment.