Q For Those Who Have Had Their Twins (size after birth)

MommyWannaB10 · April 2014

What size did you shrink to after birth (not exactly sure how to word that)? With DS they said typically after birth you shrink to the size at about 6mos pg. is that the same with multiples? Would it look like 6mos with multiples or a singleton?

shaunah816 · April 2014

I haven't had a singleton, so I can only speak to my experience with twins, but the 6 months pregnant figure held true for me. I looked and fit into clothes the same as I did around 24 weeks. I continued dropping weight and shrinking over the next few weeks.

carrotcake06 · April 2014

My twins were a c/s, so I had a fair amount of bloat that I didn't have w my singleton (vag delivery).

I'd say in the neighborhood of 5-6mo pg and it was slow to go down. At a f/u appt at my OB maybe 2-3mo later my uterus had still not shrunk back to size which made me feel better about still looking slightly pg.

TheDairyQueenx3 · April 2014

With my singleton I was about what I was at the 3 month mark ( within 24 hours) with my twins a vaginal delivery I was back to a flat stomach I just didn't have my abdominal muscle definition like I did pre-pregnancy. I didn't get huge while pregnant with my twins I always measured the week I was I or a week behind.

MommyWannaB10 · April 2014

I didn't realize there was bloating involved with a c-section. I'm glad I asked, but we're not scheduled until the end of May.

daisy19782011 · April 2014

I probably looked about 6 months for several weeks after....the "weight/fluid" kept falling off and I ended up only about 8-10 lbs. over where I started....guess I need to start working on those! I didn't have a lot before, but I feel like my stomach muscles are shot and my stomach still sticks out more than before.

24karat · April 2014

I looked the same as I did at full term with DD after my twins' c/s. It wasn't for very long, maybe three or four weeks, before I had lost all the weight and looked more "normal". I still have the twin skin and general loose flab, the weight is just distributed differently.

seawater · April 2014

kjkarats03 said:

I looked the same as I did at full term with DD after my twins' c/s. It wasn't for very long, maybe three or four weeks, before I had lost all the weight and looked more "normal". I still have the twin skin and general loose flab, the weight is just distributed differently.

This.

And yes, there will be bloating. As in, you won't fit into your shoes and your stretchy pants will feel a lot less...stretchy.

Rynleigh · April 2014

Due to GD diet regs and a couple weeks of bed rest, I was effectively 30lbs smaller after delivery than I was pre-pregnancy, with my twins. I put pretty much all of that back on over the course of about 6mo postpartum.

Labyrinth3000 · April 2014

I gained about 32lb by the time I delivered at 32 weeks via emergency cesarean. I left the hospital 3 days later at about 10lb lighter and my tummy shrunk a ton! My feet and ankles did swell horribly. I'm 2 weeks post-op and can fit into my pre pregnancy tops but the bottoms won't fit over my lower belly. The breastfeeding helps a lot with the tummy shrinking.

LucyRicardo3 · April 2014

I had a c/s with the twins and I had a LOT more swelling in my legs and ankles post c/s than I did before I went in to the OR. I'm guessing it was from the extra IV fluids? I did not have any of that with the other vag deliveries.I also had terrible gas bloat and couldn't walk the day after even though my nurses were trying to make me. I started getting shakes and running a low grade temp.
I couldn't even wear my sneakers without pulling the laces all of the way out. I had to ride on one of those electric scooters at Target when DH got me out of the NICU for a few hours. I think that was 5 days post delivery. I was not prepared nor aware of the swelling issue being a somewhat common thing for c/s recovery.

I'd say that with my post-twin c/s that I had the equilvalent of a 6 month singleton belly, as well. I recall walking into the hospital to go to the NICU and a stranger asked me when I was due.
8-|

It took a few weeks for the leg/ankle swelling to go completely away. I think I was about 3 months when I finally packed up the last of my maternity clothes.

eandk18 · April 2014

I had a c/s so I was pretty swollen after delivery but my stomach was more flat and wide. I'd say I looked 4-5 months pg. I also had pre-elampsia so that contributed a lot to the swelling. Once my bp went down (one week after delivery) I was within 5 lbs of my prepreg weight. At two months post partum I was at my pp weight.

MommyWannaB10 · April 2014

Thanks for all your input ladies! I had some swelling with DS, but was still able to put on my tennis shoes to go home. Of course the laces were pulled out a little. I did buy some maternity shorts/capri's for summer and have some t-shirts too. at least it's getting warmer here in WI and wearing flip flops will be ok.

TommysGirl56 · April 2014

I agree with all the others, I experienced a lot of bloating/swelling post c-section. I was not expecting it since my previous deliveries were vaginal. Tummy-wise, I think I looked like I was about 6 months along with a singleton. Leg and feet-wise, I looked like I was 8 months along and experiencing pre-E! It took about 2 weeks for the swelling to go away. 6 weeks out, I think I still look about 4 months pregnant, though

yinyang124 · April 2014

I gained 40 lbs during my pregnancy (delivered at 34 weeks) and had lost 15 when they weighed me at discharge. I actually can't recall exactly what my belly looked like--besides a hot mess, but I'm sure I looked around 5-6 months pregnant.

24karat · April 2014

LucyRicardo3 said:

I had a c/s with the twins and I had a LOT more swelling in my legs and ankles post c/s than I did before I went in to the OR. I'm guessing it was from the extra IV fluids? I did not have any of that with the other vag deliveries.I also had terrible gas bloat and couldn't walk the day after even though my nurses were trying to make me. I started getting shakes and running a low grade temp.
I couldn't even wear my sneakers without pulling the laces all of the way out. I had to ride on one of those electric scooters at Target when DH got me out of the NICU for a few hours. I think that was 5 days post delivery. I was not prepared nor aware of the swelling issue being a somewhat common thing for c/s recovery.

I'd say that with my post-twin c/s that I had the equilvalent of a 6 month singleton belly, as well. I recall walking into the hospital to go to the NICU and a stranger asked me when I was due.
8-|

It took a few weeks for the leg/ankle swelling to go completely away. I think I was about 3 months when I finally packed up the last of my maternity clothes.

I had that happen to me too! Only it was in the maternity ward of the hospital 2 days post partum as I helped myself to some food and drink in the snack room. It was a woman waiting on her daughter in law to give birth who asked when I was due.

kdarden15 · April 2014

6 months pregnant seems about right to me too!

ballygirl · April 2014

Immediately after the csection - I was back to a flat belly - I couldn't believe it . But, then the bloating set in and by the next day I looked like a stuffed sausage.

I had to leave the hospital wearing the hospital socks they gave me because I couldn't get my sandals on my puffy feet. It took awhile for the swelling to go down but it gradually got better over the next several weeks. I lost at least half of my pregnancy weight immediately and the rest fell off pretty quickly afterwards. I was back to my pre-pregnancy weight by 4 months.

BeesKnees181 · April 2014

@TheDairyQueenx3 - good to hear another twin mom who was small and measured a week behind...I am measuring about a week behind size-wise as well. What week did you deliver your twins? Did doc let you go longer because you were smaller?

TheDairyQueenx3 · April 2014

@BeesKnees181 I delivered at 34 weeks but not because of my belly size. I could have gone to term and my MFM would have let me go until week 38 / 39 but there was an issue with cord flow on baby B that my midwife made the call to induce me. I have very chubby healthy babies

I just carried smaller. No one believed me I was carrying twins and when they were born they were a great size although while in the NICU lost a pound each.

ETA i was bigger with my singleton than my twins and he was a 36 weeker

BeesKnees181 · April 2014

@TheDairyQueenx3 Thank you! This all makes me feel so much better. I get the "No way you are carrying twins; you are so small" comment daily. So good to know you had healthy chubby babies. That seems to be my biggest worry when people tell me I am small. I just automatically think that means my babies won't be healthy or big enough to leave the hospital with me. How long were your babies in NICU? That is great that your MFM was willing to let you go 38/39. My OB is still saying it will happen by 36/37 weeks, but he says it more like he is having a psychic moment, and less like he will induce at that time.

TheDairyQueenx3 · April 2014

@beesknees181 They were in the NICU for 14 days thats all. It would have been sooner by about 5 days but it fell over the thanksgiving holiday and the 2 doctors that they needed to see took a few days off for the holiday. Due to their specific jobs (genetic councilor and pediatric urologist) they didnt have anyone to fill in their absence. Turned out all was good on the genetic end so they just got an extended stay

But they came out absolutely screaming!

fanofanne · April 2014

carrotcake06 said:

My twins were a c/s, so I had a fair amount of bloat that I didn't have w my singleton (vag delivery). I'd say in the neighborhood of 5-6mo pg and it was slow to go down. At a f/u appt at my OB maybe 2-3mo later my uterus had still not shrunk back to size which made me feel better about still looking slightly pg.

this was true with me too. my legs (feet/toes, cankles and calves) were really very swollen/bloated for a couple of weeks.

MommyWannaB10 · April 2014

kjkarats03 said:

LucyRicardo3 said:

I had a c/s with the twins and I had a LOT more swelling in my legs and ankles post c/s than I did before I went in to the OR. I'm guessing it was from the extra IV fluids? I did not have any of that with the other vag deliveries.I also had terrible gas bloat and couldn't walk the day after even though my nurses were trying to make me. I started getting shakes and running a low grade temp.
I couldn't even wear my sneakers without pulling the laces all of the way out. I had to ride on one of those electric scooters at Target when DH got me out of the NICU for a few hours. I think that was 5 days post delivery. I was not prepared nor aware of the swelling issue being a somewhat common thing for c/s recovery.

I'd say that with my post-twin c/s that I had the equilvalent of a 6 month singleton belly, as well. I recall walking into the hospital to go to the NICU and a stranger asked me when I was due.
8-|

It took a few weeks for the leg/ankle swelling to go completely away. I think I was about 3 months when I finally packed up the last of my maternity clothes.

I had that happen to me too! Only it was in the maternity ward of the hospital 2 days post partum as I helped myself to some food and drink in the snack room. It was a woman waiting on her daughter in law to give birth who asked when I was due.

After DS was born and I went back to work, maybe 2 months after I had been back, a lady asked when I was due. I looked at her and said "my baby was born in February". I had already been feeling bad about the weight i couldn't shed, she made it worse & I was doing weight watchers. If only people would shut their mouths.

JoDoc · April 2014

When I was pregnant with my boys everyone too said "I can't believe you're having twins, you're so small!" I felt like a blimp though. I had massive swelling in my legs and feet, mainly in my left side. I measured around my legs and my left one, 1" above my knee, was 6" bigger around than my right leg. I couldn't fit my shoes at all. For about a week or 2 after the babies I still had the leg/foot swelling, but it did go away. My stomach shrunk pretty quickly, but to be honest I can't say how long it took. I wore loose sweats or bib overalls for quite a bit due to the incision rubbing. I couldn't wear maternity pants because my leg wouldn't fit in them, then when it would the seam on the belly piece would rub on my incision. Anyhooooo, When I was all healed up with my incision I jumped on the scale. I weighed 18 pounds LESS than before I got pregnant. No clue how that happened, but I'm pretty dang happy about it. My normal pants are now really baggy and loose, I look silly I think. I need to get more but need to find time (and money) to do so.

I just realized this may not answer your question. I think my stomach went down within 3 weeks.

megs2011 · April 2014

I haven't had my singleton yet but I was still fairly big after I gave birth. I held a lot of water weight after my c/s. I only made it to 7.5 months pg so I guess I went down to about 6ish months size. All I know is I was still wearing the stuff I was wearing as mat clothes in the hospital and for about 1-2 weeks later.

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