Very superficial question coming up!

[Fleur29]

Ladies,

I hope this post doesnt offend or upset anyone but I'm really intrigued to know if others experiences are the same as mine and if its something to do with having a prem baby.

I was just reading an article about post-pregnancy bodies. I had my daughter at 34+4 and the article interested me (and also what other friends have said about thier post pregnancy bellies/stretch marks, and seeing the pics of the Duchess of Cambridge a couple of weeks ago where she did still look pretty pregnant) because my body went back to its normal shape pretty much immediately after giving birth and I never had that 'still looks pregnant thing' or any big stretch marks or anything like that. I remember a friend coming to visit us when my daughter was in scbu and saying that I looked exactly as I did before I had her with no post-preggy tum or anything.

Now dont get me wrong - I am absolutely not the slimmest person in the world, so its not that I have model-esque physique and was back in my size 8's (I've never owned anything close to a size 8!!!) but I wondered if it is something to do with having a prem baby and I was wondering if this happened to some of the others on this board? I'm just interested really!

Anyway as I said, apologies for the superficial post!

XX

 

[AP]

I've been at both ends of the scale - when I had my prem, i was even smaller than pre-pregnancy and the hospital staff often thought I was a visitor in the building after visitor house so I was stopped twice! I had absolutely no stretch marks either, and i felt robbed!

With my following baby at 40+2 she gave me a few stretchies (yey!) and my tummy was there for about a week or two before I fell back into a normal sorta shape again.

I imagine its down to the size that baby gets to i guess.

 

[25weeker]

I think it depends on the person.

Last time I didn't have stretch marks but had a bit of a belly for a while. This time I am 36 weeks and no stretch marks so far but not sure what shape I will be in after the birth

My friend has had 2 term boys and she is always slimmer after having her babies as she is always extremely healthy when pregnant. She goes to a size 8 with a nice flat belly. Her problem is she can't stay that way and says she needs to get pregnant to lose weight lol

 

[Fleur29]

Thanks girls, interesting to hear your experiences! Esp second time around as we are just starting ttc #2 and I guess I am wondering if I am genetically enabled (ha!) to get a flat (ish!) tummy straight away and no stretchies or if its because I had a preemie, albeit a late one. Time will tell I guess, if we are lucky enough to have number 2! X

 

[sunnylove]

I had my baby at 26 weeks, and I had lost 10lbs during my pregnancy and didn't ever really look pregnant! But the pudge I had went down immediately after birth, and I was skinnier than I had been in years! (I thank the pumping!) Never had stretch marks.

 

[Foogirl]

I had no discernible bump, but given my weight, I already had stretch marks even before I was pregnant. I went back to Pre-pregnancy really quickly. It stands to reason you'd go back sooner. Plus I understand after the section they stick some kind of drug in to shrink the belly to help healing. That and I was BFing. I have to say, with everything else that was going on, it never occurred to me to be bothered by it, I saw it as a bonus! But I know different people react in different ways.

 

[Srrme]

I had a 28 weeker and 35 weeker and both times my stomach was completely flat right after the birth. I also had no stretch marks or anything, but I also don't get very big during pregnancy. I am hoping that happens this time around, haha.

 

[JJKCB]

I had DS at 36 weeks and never looked 'pregnant' afterwards, I dont think I look massivly different dispite being a stone heavy and a jean size/bra size bigger

before hand I was a model (5'7", 7 stone, size 6-8) and went back into it 6 weeks later (5'8", 10 stone, 10-12 : no idea why I grew an inch)

instead of morning sickness I got constant hunger throughout and ballooned up in the last few weeks of pregnancy I only fit in size 16 clothes

after having my DS I had mummy belly for 24 hours (like a deflated bag of skin) then it just sprung back to normal

I was a size 12 after having DS and that slowly dropped to a size 10 over a 1 year (losing 2 stone - still a stone and a half heavier than before but still classified underweight somehow)

I had stretch marks on my thighs only and they faded over the year (now completely blended and not very noticeable at all)

some pics to demonstrate:

pre:
https://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g292/ratisha/pre1_zpsb55d6f85.jpg
preg:
https://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g292/ratisha/preg_zps1daf1de6.jpg
post:
https://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g292/ratisha/post2_zpsc76cbabe.jpg

I used lots of cocoa butter when pregnant and the only stretch marks I got where where I couldn't reach so that might be something

 

[Jes.shortcake]

I had Silas at 30 weeks and everyone kept commenting that they couldn't tell that I even had a baby...And no stretch marks

 

[kirstybumx3]

I got no stretch marks until 30 weeks, had him at 32. But belly went back to normal and I was slimmer than pre pregnancy. But I wasn't eating well while my son was in NICU.

 

[misspriss]

I guess I'm one of the few, my belly didn't go exactly back. I gained 33lbs though, so probably a bit too much. It probably took 2 weeks for my belly to look un-pregnant, but about 2-3 months for the extra fat to get breastfed away. I have pictures from when LO was 3 months and I am shocked at how still pregnant I looked, but I am short and short torsoed and it just sticks out if I have any fat on my belly.

Me when LO was 2 months old, about 2 weeks adjusted.

 

[Srrme]

I gained 30 pounds during my last pregnancy and had a completely flat stomach immediately after giving birth. I gave birth at 38.4 weeks. The same thing happened when I gave birth at 28.6 weeks and 35 weeks during my previous pregnancies. I guess it just depends on the person!

 

[Fleur29]

Thanks for sharing your stories ladies!!

I am actually now pregnant with no 2 so we will have to see how I look in 6 months or so!!!! Tbh I think I would prefer a saggy mum tum for a few weeks than having another preemie and going through the stress of SCBU again. Time will tell!!! No stretch marks yet at 18 weeks (that weren't already there!!) ;-) x