All things post c/s and feeling yuck....*A bit of a vent*

[Tanstar]

I know it is early days but I am just feeling SO yuck about myself and wanted to find out from others how long it will take to heal/repair/return to relatively normal.

1/ I have a 6 cm diastasis and as a result my c/s "hang" is terrible. I have lost 14 kgs of the 20 I put on but still need to probably lose 10 kgs.... I know that is a way off but I wonder how long it will take to repair this damage??

2/ Does the "hang" ever disappear? My clothes sit funny because if they are under it they look horrible and if they are over it they cut me and give me extra rolls.

3/ I have 2 scars- they didn't cut on my old scar and they are about 2 cms apart. This doesn't bother me so much because no-one except DH will ever see it (maybe one day)but just wondering if anyone else has had this happen.

I am breastfeeding and will be for a long time so I know I can't diet or go on any shake things like I would like to in order to lose the weight relatively quickly, so will be doing heaps of walking and trying to eat as healthily as I can considering I am a terrible junk food and sugar addict!

Ugh not too sure why I am posting I guess but I'm just feeling so yuck about myself and I feel like the damage done from 2 pregnancies so close together won't ever be repaired. I know that the stretch marks, no tummy tone and result of this is 2 gorgeous babies and I don't regret them obviously but it is still getting me down quite a bit. I don't let DH see my right now either because I know he will think I look yuck. I've always been a 12 with a flat tummy so this will all take a bit of getting used to I guess.

[Arimeh]

I'm sure it will get better - give yourself some time - it hasn't been very long. I'm with you on the hang - mine is terrible too

My scars are basically over the top of each other - and has healed really well so you can barely see them now... come back in another few months to this thread and things may have changed

You are beautiful though and no scars, stretchmarks, or hangy bits are going to change that fact!!!

[Sarah_H]

I was very very lucky with Zander & didn't get the hang, but after Juliette I got one & I absolutely hate hate hate it. I just want it to go away. Im not sure if it ever does???

My second scar is annoying, I really dislike it. The first one was dead straight, the second one starts in the same spot as the first then halfway along it curves upwards so I have like a sideways v if that makes sense? It's just yuck.

I know how you feel Tan. I wish I had some wonderful words of wisdom, but I'm struggling to get over my body issues this time round.

[Astrid]

My 2nd scar is over the first one (I think), to be honest I really don't look at it. Well to do so, I have to lift up the overhang and I really don't like doing that. I have heaps of weight to lose though. They weight may go, but I know I will have the saggy baggy skin afterwards as my skin does not have great elasticity in general. It sucks.

[Danielle_M]

Hun I just wanted to give you a hug. Sorry you're feeling so down about your body, I dont have any advice for you so just giving the hug.

xxx

[njd]

I know what you mean about the hang, not something I was expecting (couldn't someone have told me). In terms of the weight, you might be one of these lucky b/f mummies who loose the weight while b/f (I definitely wasn't one of those ) however someone said once that it took 9 months to carry the baby & it will take 9 months to get rid of the damage (at least some of it anyway lol) but the point is give yourself a break, concentrate on those 2 beautiful kids & all you husband sees is the mother of his kids which apparently can be a powerful aphrodisiac.


now if I could just take my own advice

[suse]

Oh hon, I too can empathise with you on this one I've only had the one c/s but have the same issues (except for the multiple scar thing)

I know how you feel about the clothes thing - I am not used to things not fitting properly. It's not so much that none of my old clothes fit me any more, if that was the case I could just size up. But it's really annoying not being able to wear anything fitted around the stomach, I feel really limited in the styles I can wear. And my chest is one size bigger than the rest of me (oh boy was I surprised to find that this is a 'problem' lol) so nothing really fits properly anyway, it's too big in some places and too small in others. My issues aren't so much body issues (I'm quite happy with my body when it's naked, luckily it's hot up here ), but clothes issues.

And funnily enough, breastfeeding seems to have had the opposite effect on me to what most women have, instead of losing weight, I've put it on. I'm sure my previously fast metabolism has gone completely kookoo-gaggah on me. *sigh*. (But perhaps the chocolate isn't helping, who would have thunk it, eh?)

I do know what you mean about not really being in a position to do much about it right now, and having to re-evaluate your idea of your own body image. I was one of those annoying people who could eat as much as I wanted (I've always been a healthy eater in general but have never worried about what I eat), never exercised and stayed a size 8 without any effort, and always swore that if that ever changed I wouldn't deny myself the things I enjoy to change. Very easy to say when you are happy with what you have. So now it's causing me to evaluate whether I do actually care enough to do stuff that I don't particularly enjoy (like go to the gym) in order to change it.

Sorry, this wasn't meant to be a 'my turn to vent' post, but I hope that it helps to know that you're not alone. Hugs to you gorgeous one, we'll just have to find a way to make tummy-verandas uber-sexy. Perhaps Kate Moss (or whoever the current it-girl is) will get one and they'll become really trendy.

[Tanstar]

we'll just have to find a way to make tummy-verandas uber-sexy.

Thanks for the giggle Suse!!! I really do know it is early days but I do wonder how much will change over time and it really sucks. Poor DH I hide for cover as soon as he looks at me once Im out of the shower and thats with a towel around me - poor man hasn't seen any of my belly yet.... It just sucks. I can't wait to go back to the physio after 6 weeks and get some tummy exercises to do because one midwife said that once my DRAM gets better then I can work on getting rid of the verandah... Seems a looong way away and with summer coming up I doubt I will even get in bathers let alone a bikini ever again... Booh hoo I love my bikinis.
Off to cuddle my little guy and focus on what is important but I have to say that having struggled with body image issues for years this will take some getting used to.

[Kristin27]

Tan I have one word for you - SHAPERS! Those undies that come up to under your bra and suck it all in are a God send to us ladies who have had c-sections! I'm even going to wear them under my bathers, he he! Gotta wear a one piece though, no bikini ever again for me!

I know how horrible you feel, I felt awful up until about three months after DD was born. I haven't lost weight BFing which I'm devestated over, ALL of my girlfriends did. I tried dieting and my milk supply really suffered so I'm resigned to the fact my body isn't mine until DD is weaned at about 1 yo.

Get your hair coloured and buy yourself a summer dress. You are a beautiful woman, give yourself time your body will be yours again soon...

[~Serenity~]

Hey Tan
I am going through some huge emtional and body issues at the moment aswell and also have the hang.

I have been researching this and I was reading about how this woman rubbed vitamin E Cream / oil into her belly after using a light loofah on the area, <as she lost the weight. I am going to give it a go .. I have about 45 kilos to lose .. perhaps as you lose the last 10 kilos you could give it a try ??

The only thing you have to lose is a bit of money and time putting it on each day.

I am going to try and do it twice a day... Apparently Vitamin E has something in it that helps your skin gain elasticity, and as your skin loses the dead skin cells from the loofah it sucks up the good skin tightening stuff and eventually over time your skin adapts to its new shape.

Hope you are feeling better today ..