My before, pregnant, and after belly pics
I'm being brave here. I don't know if there's anyone else out there that looks like me but my stomach is HORRIBLE now. I wear Spanx every single day and certain clothing to try to conceal it. DH and I have decided that I definately need to get a tummy tuck. I'm getting it done May 12th! Since I won't look so horrible anymore after that I am okay showing my belly the way it looks now. I have visited several doctors and they all have shown fascination in how separated my muscles actually are! You can't see it well in the picture I'm about to show but I have a huge lump near my belly button and I thought it was weirdly placed fat. NOPE! That's my insides coming through the muscle separation from the babies! They have also told me I have an intestinal hernia as well that needs to be repaired. So I am getting my muscles sewn back together, the extra skin taken off, and my hernias fixed. I am SO EXCITED!!!! So here's my pics.
Before babies
The day before I was induced at 38 weeks and 3 days pregnant. My babies were 6lbs. 14oz. and 6lbs. 15 oz. Sorry about the bra and stuff. I never thought I'd be sharing these pics or else I would have covered up more. And YES I am wearing underwear...they are hard to see though since my belly was so huge.
What my stomach looks like now.
I also wanted to put this out there, because if any of you look similar to me...you may want to look into getting it fixed! I still have back problems and one of my doctors told me that part of the reason I still have back pain is since my internal organs are basically coming through the muscle separation my back still wants to lean in the way it did when I was pregnant. So glad my back pain may be relieved as well!
Re: My before, pregnant, and after belly pics
GOOD LUCK!!! Sounds like it's more a health reason to get it done...I never heard of muscle seperation....is this common?
Best wishes, I hope you feel much better when it's all done!
Thanks for posting this. I look just like you and my back is horrible. If I bend forward to do something awkward, like strap the babies in their car seats, I get stuck sometimes because of back pain. I want to do the surgery as well but we want another baby first. I am excited to see how yours turns out.
Also, I know exactly how it feels to go from your before pic to your after pic, but you really do look great. You can totally tell that is all skin and that the sag is from the separation. You did an awesome job losing the weight
You've officially scared the s&t out of me.
My DH and I already discussed a tummy tuck after I'm done having babies if I want one. My girlfriend plans to do the same and we'll get them done together, and recover together.
I have to say.... I NEVER in a million years would have thought I would seriously consider getting a tummy tuck one day. I'm anti plastic surgery, but the twin pregnancy instantly shifted my views! Enjoy yours- I hope it goes well!
I had mine vaginally. Baby B was breech though and my dr. tried to turn him but was unsuccessful...the plan was to do an emergency c-section but his feet were already out and I had to deliver breech...so I don't have any existing scar tissue before going into my tummy tuck. I'm not sure how soon after they will consider doing it but I am 10 months out and in pretty good shape. I wanted to lose all the weight I could on my own before having it done so that they got all the loose skin there would ever be. I run at least 6 miles 4-6 days a week plus do step aerobics, etc. I would be in the best shape you can be in considering before you have it done. Recovery time wise....they say the first week, you have to stay bent the whole time, the second week after you can move side to side straight up but not do any twisting and obviously no lifting. By the end of the third week, you should be good to go with normal activity but I will still be wearing a compression garment they want me to wear for up to 5 weeks after the surgery. I talked with a girl at the office that had it done and she was back to work at the beginning of her second week....just taking it easy though.
Since I have three kids under three....we have decided to put them in full time day care for three weeks while I recover so I don't do any damage. DH will be taking them to school, picking them up, doing all laundry and cooking etc. for a while. It's definately something you need to plan for!
did you have stretch marks after your first?
yes...most of those are also from my first pregnancy with my singleton. I did not get a single stretch mark until week 33 with her and then they came on like crazy! Then with the twins...it just made the same stretch marks even deeper and wider....the more redish looking stretch marks you see at the top of my belly are where some of my stretch marks lengthened with the twins.
hope the tuck goes great!! any chance insurance will cover at least part since you have real medical need?
my MIL's tummy looks like this... she had a vertical c/s.
Thanks for the info. My muscles also separated. My DH is a doctor. I asked him when my belly button would become an innie again. He looked at me as if I were insane and said, "Ummm....that's a hernia. Didn't you know?" Great...so I have a hernia too. I'm not sure if I'll do surgery or not. We likely will ttc again in a year or so and I've had so many surgeries already, I dread another one. On the other hand, it would be nice to have my insides where they belong and not have back pain. My back is much worse now than it ever was when pg.
GL with the surgery! Please keep us posted!
they should....the dr. said that we they don't actually send in any paperwork to the insurance company until after the procedure is done so they can then report exactly what needed to be fixed hernia wise, etc. So I actually had to pay for the entire procedure upfront and am just hoping to be reimbursed for part of it once the dr. turns in his notes to the insurance company. I don't know if they cover a portion of the anesthesia or what but I do know that they won't pay for the extra skin I am having taken off since that is considered cosmetic.
do they think your first pregnancy contributed to this muscle seperation in any way? I never heard of this..thanks for posting, good to know and let us know how it all works out. When are you having it done?
Thank you for sharing your pictures! Please show us some after pictures as well. I have no idea how my stomach is going to look after the babies are born but I am completely open to getting a tummy tuck if I need to.
Good luck on your surgery!
you are so freaking lucky! best of luck, mama, and can't wait to see the after pics!
i'm absolutely planning on having one when the boys start school (and we aren't paying for daycare anymore.)
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dont be scared. first everyone is different. my stomach looks EXACTLY the same as it did before pregnancy. i am slim build, 5'7" 140 lbs. i gained 55 lbs and the boys came out 5 10 and 5 11. i didnt get one stretch mark and while my skin is a tad looser it prob. wouldnt be if i worked out and it def. isnt obvious that i gave birth to multiples.
in regards to the OP. i am very happy for you!!!!! and it is awesome that you did this. so many things are taboo and women are made to feel so isolated and alone about the things that happen to their body during this process of creating human life and i think thats crap. major kudos!
Steal my kids picture or pretend they are yours, I will find where you live and ship all of their dirty diapers to your doorstep. Promise.
Well put. I feel the same way. Thanks for being brave and sharing. Don't know that I'd be able to do that. I'm all for the "mommy make-over". Good luck with your surgery and hopefully a speedy recovery!
I put it on twice a day every day...sometimes three times. Obviously it did not help me at all.
Good luck to you. I'm all for plastic surgery. I have scheduled it twice, but cancelled because I became pregnant. broke my nose in 6th grade, and can't breathe at night. I just want to breathe.
If a tummy tuck is in my future, I figure they can give me a 2 for 1. I can get both fixed at the same time (tummy and nose).
wishing you a speedy recovery!!
i can't believe how big your belly got with the twins! It seems so much bigger than mine was- and I had 14lbs of baby in mine, too... wow- you were ALL belly! Maybe b/c i'm tall? (how tall are you?)
My belly now is not as bad as I thought it might be- but will still need surgery to look normal again -- thanks for posting yours - makes me feel better to know i'm not the only one with a hopeless belly that needs a knife to fix
Our battle wounds!
sorry you are having such back trouble! that is not fun. I've had a bad back this week (b/c Griffin jumped on it when i was playing with the babies on the floor)... but normally my back is OK. Hope you can get it fixed!
thanks for posting!
Ditto! I am overweight and didn't have a great stomach to begin with and it didn't change much after having DD, but I am curious to see what it looks like after I have twins! DH and I talked about it and if I can get to my WW goal weight I will probably get a tummy tuck! Lots of luck!
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thank you brave brave woman for sharing:-)
I am praying your tuck goes great and you recover with no problems!
you look great in the pic with your dd :-)
I do have to say you have officially scared me to death but at the same time I appreciate you posting :-)
I could have posted the same pics! My trips were my first babies but my stomach looks just like yours now. I think there is something more going on with me too because my uterus is clearly still very distended and swollen. I totally look a good 4 months prego still.
I did not have one stretch mark until I hit 31 weeks (measuring 43). And then.. the big bang. That said, I am blessed with three healthy boys and had over 14 pounds of baby when all was said and done.
I'll be running to the nearest plastic surgeon once I finally decide I am done or after baby #4. Congrats to you. I hope it all goes great and please post pics when it's done so I can dream!
I'm 5'9 and weighed around 140-145 when I got pregnant with the twins. I have no idea why my belly popped out the way it did.
I will definately post my after-after pics!
I am soo happy for you! I will pray to god, that I don't have to go through this. Simply because it would be a long time before we would have the money for that kind of surgery. Omigosh!
Thanks for posting your story and I cant wait to see the doctors work their magic!