When did you jelly belly go away??

[megangrohl]

I had a csection and had a TON of extra hanging skin. I lost all my pregnancy weight by 4 months PP but I lost it too fast so that left me with a lot of loose/hanging skin on top of the already loose csection skin (ewww lol). Now at 11 months PP its shrunk down quite a bit! There is still some loose skin but its not nearly as bad and I have come to terms with my new body.

Don't fret it will happen, but remember that it took 9 months to gain the weight (and alot in my case LOL) so it will take 9 months, sometimes alot more (especially for csection mamas) to lose it and tighten up. Also, if you are older it may take longer, and it also has alot to do with genes. Drinking alot of water helps!

I also had the ab muscles split AND I have an umbilical hernia which is getting worse. So I was in rough shape after my pregnancy. I had to repair the split muscles, there are gentle exercises you can do but I don't recommend them until about 6 months PP as thats when I did mine. PM me if you would like more info.

 

[icklemonster]

Mine has gone but I have a different shaped belly button which I am sulking about.

Haha my belly button too, I used to have the deepest looking innie which I was proud of, but now it is all wide and flat. I am back in all my skinny jeans and down to pre-pregnancy weight,all I have is a bit of a little ridge when I sit down, but I'll take that xxx

 

[Shadowy Lady]

I agree that it has a lot to do with genetics, but genetics is not the only factor. I'm a curvy girl (not chubby, just with major T&A lol) and I have never been a size 0 and I know I will never be.... I also cannot have a 6-pack without exercising. I can get toned fast but it does take work on my part.

I remember reading somewhere that how your body looks is 80% related to what you eat, 10% exercise and the other 10% is genetics. But most ppl I know have had to work hard to get the muscle abs back after delivering. My fitness instructor told me once that based on her experience the average age for women to get their toned abs back is 8 months, and that with hard work and committment....

Those of you guys who have a 6 packs with absolutely no exercise are def super lucky

 

[megangrohl]

Sit ups and a front loading carrier will make it worse. You'll need to use a splint for front loading (not necessary for back carry) and no situps!

REPEAT NO SITUPS!!! Promise yourself this ladies Read up diastasisrehab.com

This is how I went from 5 fingers to under 2 fingers. I can't believe I did Ab Ripper X after my first kid and made it worse

Listen to Aliss, I did this with her advice and my diastasis is gone. Sit ups will make it worse! (if you have a muscle separation/diastasis).

 

[lomelly]

Oh you mean the 2 acres of extra skin? Yea still there. Jiggle belly is going away slowly (thank you Jillian)

 

[aliss]

Sit ups and a front loading carrier will make it worse. You'll need to use a splint for front loading (not necessary for back carry) and no situps!

REPEAT NO SITUPS!!! Promise yourself this ladies Read up diastasisrehab.com

This is how I went from 5 fingers to under 2 fingers. I can't believe I did Ab Ripper X after my first kid and made it worse

Listen to Aliss, I did this with her advice and my diastasis is gone. Sit ups will make it worse! (if you have a muscle separation/diastasis).

Oh hunny I'm sooooooooooo happy to read that!!!!!!!!! Hooray!!!! Don't thank me, thank Julie Tuplet diastasisrehab.com!!

I'm *personally* genetically screwed in that I have pale skin and get horrible stretch marks (and diastasis). So, I bust my ass in the gym at least 3x a week (and that's through both pregnancies and starting 3 weeks after) because it's what I need to do....

This is my progress so far, I started training December 2012, dieting in January, and the last pictures are March. 3-5x a week workouts, 2000 calories a day. Certainly wasn't natural, I wish!!! Now I just gotta tweak it a bit - hoping that stomach will be down further by the end of the year.

 

[megangrohl]

thats how i look now aliss! the last pics..i cant get it any smaller either! i do have some love handles on my sides, i want to get rid of those but not sure how since i cant lift heavy due to the hernia. the diastasis is gone, though. YAY!! and I was blessed with pale skin as well lol

 

[aliss]

thats how i look now aliss! the last pics..i cant get it any smaller either! i do have some love handles on my sides, i want to get rid of those but not sure how since i cant lift heavy due to the hernia. the diastasis is gone, though. YAY!! and I was blessed with pale skin as well lol

The last little bit (for me at least, maybe you too if you look the same) is leaning out body fat, this comes down to long-term calorie deficit rather than training (training only to maintain the muscle). I'm 132lbs right now (5'5) and about 120lbs is when I look quite lean.... so... 12lbs to go, sigh. I was 150lbs to start (and 170lbs when in labour with Philippe!!!).

The last little bit is always the hardest!!

 

[lomelly]

Hey aliss can we trade bodies??

 

[Feronia]

My flab went away after a couple of days postpartum using a wrap but I did have a 4 finger separation. My stomach was completely flat by about a week, and by my 6 week appointment I still had a little over a 2 finger separation. I still have the linea nigra and I don't have any tone yet, it just looks flat. (Which I'm happy about!)

I definitely have less than a 1 finger separation now, but I can still poke my finger through the muscle if I push. It certainly doesn't feel like my husband's abs! Do you think it's okay to do sit-ups yet? Or do you have to wait until the muscles completely knit back together (that will happen, right)?

 

[aliss]

You might not ever get less than 1 finger, one of the great gifts of childbirth eh??? If you have under 1 finger you can do situps (although situps are a crappy way of building abdominal muscle, I personally recommend planks, Russian twists, etc). Just keep an eye on it and if it starts to separate more, stop.

 

[Feronia]

Thanks to reading BnB, I didn't do any situps at all postpartum (which I totally would have done otherwise). So glad that I didn't make the muscle separation even worse! I've just been so paranoid to do any abdominal workouts because I can't find any information on when it's okay to start again!

Thanks, aliss! Now to look up what planks and Russian twists even are, lol.

 

[megangrohl]

Planks are awesome!

 

[aliss]

If you are insane....... you can do a TGU (*note the baby in the background)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GS7wQEMl7kg&feature=player_detailpage

 

[Bevziibubble]

I like Russian twists as they're the very last part of my workout

 

[Feronia]

If you are insane....... you can do a TGU (*note the baby in the background)

Hahaha yeah right! I'll take her abs though, thanks!

 

[LittleBoSheep]

almost 12 months PP and still look pregnant... so mad!!!!!!!!

 

[SmartieMeUp]

I don't exercise (too lazy for that) haha, it's like a swear word to me but, I lost mine within the first 2-3 weeks of having little one, that's with a c-section too. I think it was more or less to do with my stomach muscles as I had a super toned belly beforehand. Less than 3 months later I dropped one jean size smaller than pre-pregnancy.

My stretch marks on the front of my belly are more noticeable now as the skin is tighter and pulls together around the belly button, where as the ones on my side are fading.

Thanks to LO, I'm now rocking a symmetrical hourglass figure

 

[Jaylynne]

Aliss, I'd drop that weight on my face... Not coordinated.

I'm trying to lose the weight now. Was on bedrest for a bit after having LO, moved, got a knee injury and then started work full time again. So I've been lazy with getting back into shape. But I've lost about 10lbs in the last 30 days and have noticed my tummy going down again- yay! Goal is to at least get my weight under control and have a routine with exercise before end of spring.

I'm terrified that if I lose all the weight I'll have that apron thingy of loose skin over my c section scar!!

 

[mizzywizzy]

I still have mine
Not been able to excercise as i had gallstones after pregnancy and then had an operation to remove them...now im too busy running around after LO

I lost all my baby weight (around 30lbs) straight away, weighed myself either the day i gave birth or the day after and i was back to pre pregnancy weight! Im now 3lb lighter than pre pregnancy and my belly looks awful

First pic 2 days before i gave birth. Second pic 5 months PP

https://i1302.photobucket.com/albums/ag138/Pixie5912/DSC_3504_zps8ab16c63.jpg
https://i1302.photobucket.com/albums/ag138/Pixie5912/DSC_3506_zps0fb9ae09.jpg

Omg my belly looks exactly the same ughhhh the wrinkly skin!!!