Anyone Also Getting an Increasing Abdominal Girth?

I have seen this with some women including myself but, at this point my peanut is 7 months and I haven't really tried that hard to loose the weight. I assume it has something to do with stretched out stomach muscles. It is hard to work, take care of the baby and find time to work out though! I started South Beach a couple of weeks ago and have lost 4 pounds so far. The elliptical should help. Good luck. Wish I had better advice...

This problem is common among post partum moms. It may not just be "abdominal fat." One of the most common reasons for this actually starts with the pregnancy - in 98% of women your rectus abdominus splits creating a separation called a diastisis.

It splits in three places along your abdomen - for most women its between 2 and 5 fingerwidths. It does not come back together on its own. With this separation - there is nothing that hold your "innards," like intestines stomach from protruding outward. That would be the purpose of the now-split abdominal muscles.

So while there generally is a little bit of fat - it is the separation of the abdominal muscles, the protrusion of everything inside that is causing this to happen. Also - incorrect "crunches" (terrible for post partum women) and some incorrect pilates can contribute to an even large diastisis - 6 or 7 fingerwidths, as well as "jack knifing" out of bed. The Tupler Technique is the best way to learn to fuse your stomach muscles back together and bring everything back IN with specific and intrinsic exercises designed for post partum (and pregnant) women. There is a great book called, "Lose your Mommy Tummy" by Julie Tupler that I highly recommend.

Or if you are close to my area - I teach the "Mommy Tummy" class in the H-F Park District. Our recent session just started last night at 7:30 - you can still get in.

I was able to bring my waist size from a 32 inch waist to a 25 inch waist doing the specific exercises consistently - it took about 4 months. Well worth it - and that was after baby #2.

Hope that helps - and good luck!!!

Well, well, well....

I have two boys and I weight less than 115, but you wont believe my stomach! It is like an atomic bomb went off inside me... he he he

I have lots of extra skin hanging there and lots of stretch marks. I really believe that the only solution for all this extra skin is a tummy tuck. I just need to start saving for mine. :-)

Anybody agrees with me???

One thing to keep in mind is that as the rest of you gets smaller it may seem like your abdomen is getting bigger but it is just not getting smaller as fast as the rest of you. Having said that, I totally know what you are talking about. I was big before I had kids( 3 boys ages 11,8,and almost 5)but at least I did not hang so low in my stomach. I had 3 c-sections which is even worse because they cut into the muscles and it is very difficult to lose the weight there. After each surgery it took about 1 year before I even had feeling there!! I could literally poke myself with my fingernail as hard as I could but I ciould only feel pressure. I know that the doctors say that it takes about a year for your body to readjust after birth so maybe look at what you have accomplished in the last 8 months. My doctor really had good things to say about an elliptical. Good Luck. And if you figure out a way to get rid of the problem let us know!!

I just bought an Ab Roller on ebay! Hahaha, I think there are a lot of ladies in the same boat as you! I was never skinny, but at least before the baby I had a firm big belly. Now the damn thing sags over my underwear like a deflated balloon. And sometimes I look in the mirror and think I am bigger than I was when I was pregnant! I attribute it to the looser muscle and the fact that I am going to be 36 in a month. The older you get, the harder it is to keep that abdomen under control.

I totally am in the same boat. I had 3 c-sections, and my hubby even said that my OB gave me a mini tummy tuck !!!! but i guess NOT enough!!! I recently lost about 20 lbs and yet my stomach is still huge (sometimes i think i look pregnant also!) even with my weight down 20 lbs, I still have problems buttoning those jeans. I think the only way to get rid of it is a tummy tuck. I'll have to start saving also... I guess its just comes with being a mom..

I am so glad to see that I am not the only one who feels this way about their stomach. I talked to my ob after my first son was born and he told me that the only way the extra skin would go away would be to have plastic surgery done. I didn't believe him at the time (this was my 6 week post baby check), but now I do. I always had a stomach, but I was pretty thin before kids. Well, I have been dieting for a while now and I have lost 45 lbs. Guess what, I still wear the same size jeans as I did before my diet. I am so upset about this!! The rest of me is getting thinner, but if my stomach isn't then it seems pointless because my clothes still make me look huge. I had everything medically checked out, and my doctor told me to keep dieting and my stomach will get smaller. I hope so!!!!

I agree with Yvonne that since you are getting smaller that your stomach only seems to be getting bigger, it may be shinking at a smaller rate than the rest of you. Try measuring your stomach so that you can actually see the changes if there are any.

Odd, because I was just pondering this same thing this morning! I work out and eat right and everything else looks great except for the old belly! I go to my Gyn on Monday and am going to ask her aboutit. I do know that everything is stretched out and it takes a long time to return to normal. I'll keep you posted on what my doc says!

I had my first son when I was 38 and noticed skin that just would not go down, after my second son at 41 it got worse. I exercise and do sit up after sit up and still extra skin that just won't go down. Oh well I have had 2 kids and am not 20 anymore it probably never will go away. Better luck to you.