Post-Baby, How Far Will You Go?

Alyssajoy87 · January 2011

After you ladies have your babies (or are done having kids), how far will you go to get your pre-pregnancy bodies back?

After giving birth to a 9lb 14oz baby, I have stretch marks all over my tummy and the skin on my belly is loose and saggy. I don't see that improving with this pregnancy, only getting worse as my belly is expanding faster than it did last time around.

Once we're done having kids, I plan to have that extra saggy skin removed if we can afford it. I don't want to walk around feeling self-conscious about my belly for the rest of my life. How about you ladies? How far will you go?

Unknown · January 2011

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NeonEyeliner77 · January 2011

I'll get back down to my normal weight but that's it. Diet and exercise. I'm not a fan of the plastic surgery movement.

Alyssajoy87 · January 2011

NeonEyeliner77:
I'll get back down to my normal weight but that's it. Diet and exercise. I'm not a fan of the plastic surgery movement.

Never thought I would be a fan of plastic surgery either, but then I never thought I would have a bunch of extra skin just hanging off my stomach even after I lost the baby weight!

NeonEyeliner77 · January 2011

Alyssajoy87:

NeonEyeliner77:
I'll get back down to my normal weight but that's it. Diet and exercise. I'm not a fan of the plastic surgery movement.

Never thought I would be a fan of plastic surgery either, but then I never thought I would have a bunch of extra skin just hanging off my stomach even after I lost the baby weight!

Yeah I guess I can see that. I'll just deal with it when I come to it. I'm just not into how expensive all that stuff is to have done.

NurseLaLa · January 2011

I'm happy to be in a very lucky place in life right now. I don't put much emphasis on looks at all. I want to be fit and healthy, though... For health reasons more than looks. I love running and weight lifting, so it shouldn't be too much of an issue.

With my first, I was below my pre-pregnancy weight by the 6 week check up (5'7, 115 lbs) so losing the weight wasn't my issue, it was keeping it on. That will have been 5 years ago come this baby, so it'll be interesting to see what happens :x

ShannonSky · January 2011

Just diet and exercise. I had a C-section with DD, so I have that saggy skin thing going on, for sure, but I just consider it the price I have to pay for a beautiful daughter. Besides, everyone's looking at her, now, anyway, when you're a mom you're invisible :-P lol

McKenna81 · January 2011

Something I've been wanting to do since high school...implants. Never thought I'd actually do it, but my post-nursing boobs are even more, ahem, 'diminutive' than they were when I was twelve, and I'm tired of just wishing I was happy with my breasts.

Lindsaywillo · January 2011

Hey, I am right there with ya! I never thought I'd have stretch marks and after I had my daughter they are all over my lower belly! However they have faded so much that I can barely see them now, unless I think I am in direct sunlight! Anyways, that skin is a little saggy too. I did a bootcamp for 7 months 3 days a week and I think it helped a lot. I'm going to try and do what I can on my own after this baby and if nothing helps I would definitely consider having a tummy tuck or something of the sort. I don't think we should have to suffer with feeling uncomfortable in our clothes and un-attractive just because we've had kids! I am a little scared of elective surgeries though so we'll see if I actually go through with it! OH...and my boobs are now lopsided BUT that I think I can cover up a little better with some padded bras!

Lotzodotz · January 2011

I have lost a lot of weight before I got pg with my dd, so I have always had extra/saggy skin. I would love to get a tummy tuck, but I just can't do it. If it was really bad,caused other issues and deemed medically necessary, I would do it, otherwise I won't do it. I just can't put myself through that procedure with the risks of infection, general anesthesia and other risks associated with surgery for the way I look. God forbid something happen and I have 2 kids at home, it's not worth it for my vanity. I have never had a "perfect" body and I have been very heavy in my life, so saggy skin and stretch marks are nothing to me. A good gut sucker (spanks) can work wonders.

With that being said, I can totally understand why women do it and if it makes you feel better, go for it.

denmanam · January 2011

I'll probably just stick with diet and exercise to lose the weight. The only surgery I'd consider is a breast reduction. My boobs are big to begin with, and I know pregnancy is just going to make them bigger. DH is excited. I'm not. It can be uncomfortable being 5 feet tall and carrying around big boobs. Stick out tongue

12bailey18 · January 2011

My body bounced back pretty quickly after DS #1- within 5 monts. (And I gained 55lbs!) I'll probably just do the good ol' fashioned diet and exercise. I'm not too worried about it. Sure I've got some stretch marks and things shifted around a bit but I just wear what's flattering to me and don't think too much about it. I think I look good, that's all that matters! However, we'll see what damage is done after 2 kids....LOL.

Matt Dvorak · January 2011

just diet and exercise for me. If I was younger I would probably be more freaked out about the physical consequences of pregnancy, but in the past few years I've become more comfortable with my imperfections and have realized that being healthy and fit makes me feel good, but anything beyond that will not change my overall happiness.

mightymartha · January 2011

My 9lb 3oz baby did some damage. I look like I was attacked by a tiger, not to mention the hanging belly that won't go away even though I've lost all the weight. I'm just going to live with it. Hopefully with time, the belly will bother me less. It doesn't seem to bother my husband, and I don't wear bikinis anyway.

That said, I was at the cardiologist and the tech was putting wires and stuff on me and looked at my belly and said, "Lord, what women do to themselves to have babies!" I felt pretty crappy after that.

But no, no plastic surgery for me. Scars and a pooch are part of it for some of us lucky women.

phillybride1206 · January 2011

mighty i cant believe the tech said that! how rude!

i plan to be a lot more aggressive with exercise this time. My DD was born in January and we hibernated. I didnt start exercising until May. And I never lost it all. So this time, i am being much more careful with what i eat, and I will keep exercising and start again (easy stuff- like walking, of course) ASAP after birth.

I think i would consider plastic surgery if I didnt have to go under. But I dont know.

grace_smith03 · January 2011

Prolly a tummy tuck, and maybe a boob lift.

Def diet and exercise.

BryelleSullivan · January 2011

Ive always planned on getting my girls done once we are done with all our kiddies. & I am a fitness person. I have been a runner for awhile now & can't give it up, so I will continue that which should help with post baby issues. Plus I enjoy eating healthy anyways its not a big lifestyle change for me to go through. I am not going to over indulge during pregnancy as the babes only needs an extra 300 calories a day. I think that with all that combined I will gradually lose the baby weight, stretch marks well heres hoping but what are ya gonna do. I will just have to wear one piece bikini's which I am fine with if that happens.

EveKing79 · January 2011

I will probably survey the damage done and then decide. If I end up with loose skin on my belly, I will probably get that removed or get a tummy tuck (I don't even know what you would call it) and I'll see what happens to my boobs. I have always been pretty happy with my breasts- I have always been *um* voluptuous but not to the point where they were in the way or annoying. I don't know exactly what a breast lift does, but it sounds like it might be a solution;) However, I would not want to lose any sensitivity, so we'll see. I have always been a big exerciser and eat fairly healthfully (fast food and soda are not a part of our lives, except in a dire emergency) so I'm hoping that's enough!

I must say, my SIL had her daughter at 16 (she's 32 now) and she has a *much* better body than I do. I don't know if you just bounce back better the younger you are or what. She's a strict vegan who works out a good amount and does yoga, too. I don't know if it's her healthy lifestyle or her youth, but I hope that happens to me. I don't have youth on my side-I'm 31;)

Breezy1979 · January 2011

I try to take care of myself, and like the PP, could live with stretchmarks, but if my stomach resembles anything near my mother's stomach after kids, I will be working a part time job in order to finance my tummy tuck! I don't expect to have a perfect figure- I didn't have one before getting pregnant- but I do want to feel comfortable in my own skin. I don't think I would ever have a boob job, but who knows what the aftermath will look like in several months?

BetsyDavis · January 2011

I plan on working out a lot! I also plan on eating very healthy. My body was just starting to go back to what it was pre-baby when I found out about baby number 2 was on it's way. I have talked to many moms and they all told me it can take up to 2 to 3 years to get back to pre-baby or close too. My stretch marks from DD are just now fading I'm sure they will get worse at the end but for now they are fading and getting smaller not sure how that happened. This our last baby so we'll see how operation get body back goes this fall. I BF my DD until 13 months and my boobs went back to normal almost immediately and this time they have not changed at all which my doctor said is normal for 2 plus moms. So I'm hoping after this baby I can get back to where I want to be before my wedding in fall 2012.

Corbin30 · January 2011

Well, I didn't plan it this way, but with DD I was deployed to Iraq, to do a very very physical job, when she was 8 months old. I came back in fantastic shape (not worth having to leave my baby, but at least there were some up-sides, right?)

And this time? Well, it looks like we might have the same situation. Not for sure yet, but I might be going to Afghanistan when this one is only 6 months old. Again, I don't want to leave. I hate the very idea and I have already cried a lot of tears over this. But it is an effective weight loss method for me. In my line of work, you have to be all about the bright side!

JenWhite123 · January 2011

I will definitely undergo plastic surgery if I need it. My mom has a great deal of excess skin on her stomach from having me/my brother - she is very tiny otherwise (a size 4).

I would definitely consider a tummy tuck if I need it, and already plan on having a boob job as my 40th birthday present to myself

chandwy11 · January 2011

I'm getting the full mommy makeover for sure! My sister did after her three kids and she looks fabulous. She was working out hard and eating well but just couldn't get rid of her tummy and of course, the boobs never came back. I will give it a year after having this peanut and then schedule it. I am also older (40 yrs old) and it just doesn't get easier to lose the extra lbs. AT ALL!

mooninlv · January 2011

Alyssajoy87:

After you ladies have your babies (or are done having kids), how far will you go to get your pre-pregnancy bodies back?

After giving birth to a 9lb 14oz baby, I have stretch marks all over my tummy and the skin on my belly is loose and saggy. I don't see that improving with this pregnancy, only getting worse as my belly is expanding faster than it did last time around.

Once we're done having kids, I plan to have that extra saggy skin removed if we can afford it. I don't want to walk around feeling self-conscious about my belly for the rest of my life. How about you ladies? How far will you go?

i'm with you! i plan on having something done about my stomach. even though i was fit before getting pregnant with our first, worked out until 37 weeks, and gained a respectable 32 lbs, i have stretch marks and saggy skin on my belly - despite losing all the baby weight. i ran 3 1/2 marathons in between having him and this BFP and still the belly remains. i'm kind of scared to see what things will look like after #2! but i definitely don't feel bad about doing something about it if it makes me feel better, even if it means some type of plastic surgery.

JaysonandKristin · January 2011

denmanam:
I'll probably just stick with diet and exercise to lose the weight. The only surgery I'd consider is a breast reduction. My boobs are big to begin with, and I know pregnancy is just going to make them bigger. DH is excited. I'm not. It can be uncomfortable being 5 feet tall and carrying around big boobs.

I've had nice breasts my whole life. Then, I had a child and BF'd that child. They're still nice and pretty... in a bra. They are completely deflated and I have so much extra skin...

I'm in a very different place than most women... Because of his birth defect, my son swallowed next to none of my amniotic fluid, I had too much amniotic fluid in my uterus and a lot of swelling everywhere on my body. I ended up with stretch marks pretty much everywhere... armpits, breasts, stomach, groin, hips, inner knees... everywhere!! So, the stretchmarks are here to stay. Oh well...

As far as the deflated breasts and deflated stomach, I'll see where diet and exercise gets me this time around. I got back down to below pre-pg weight before I got KU'd again, but the sag in the stomach from the c/s remains...

My mom waited until my sister and I were both adults before she had her plastic surgery done. She had a tummy tuck and lyposuction. She looks fantastic, but it remains to be seen if that's something I could go through...

rayandbrit · January 2011

I'm with the ladies who said breast reduction. My chest has always been "plentiful" but with my last pregnancy they just got cartoonish. Post baby everything on my body went to "normal" really quickly and my chest went back to it's original size but not shape. Once I am done having children I will definitely pursue a reduction/lift (if money allows and I don't chicken out!)

chillyupnorth · January 2011

I'm in the diet & exercise boat. I know feeling good about yourself is important, and for me diet & exercise are key for that. I think it helps that I also work in higher education, which (in my experience) is probably more accepting of a variety of body types than some fields may be. Not trying to ruffle any feathers, that has just been my experience.

I am also praying that I inherited my mother's ability to bounce back after childbirth, but I guess we'll see about that!

KangarooMom · January 2011

McKenna81:
Something I've been wanting to do since high school...implants. Never thought I'd actually do it, but my post-nursing boobs are even more, ahem, 'diminutive' than they were when I was twelve, and I'm tired of just wishing I was happy with my breasts.

Yep!I'm considering the same thing. Exercise and diet got me back to pre pregnancy body except for the boobs after 13 months of EBF. But not sure if I'll d it after this pregnancy or wait until after my third...

TheLastCall · January 2011

I'm definitely re-joining Weight Watchers. I lost 30 pounds right before my BFP and loved every minute of the program. I'll be happily going back once I'm allowed so I can lose the baby weight and more.

As far as surgery goes, I'm going to have to wait until I'm at goal with Weight Watchers and then evaluate where I'm at.

Bernadette5 · January 2011

If I can afford it I will definitely get my boons lifted or something. I have a lot of stretch marks too on my sides. I am hoping they will eventually fade with time. The things we do for out children, sigh...

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