Pregnant Belly - not pregnant

[henderel]

Just a quick question for you moms out there. Do any of you still have preggo belly? I have a three and a half year old, and I still look slightly pregnant! I have always been fairly slim through my midsection, so this is really weird! With the Whole30, weight seems to be falling off of the rest of my body, but my midsection still feels really “poochy” Did any of you find a special way to get rid of this? Part of it is just losing the fat, but part feels like my belly is actually protruding!!

[MeadowLily]

There's another very similar question right next to yours in the forum.   I think the Mod's answers will help you with your question, too.

[henderel]

I have seen lots of them about bloating - which is what generally comes up when I search on google. The problem I am having, is more focused around my actual body structure. Bloating happens sometimes, which make my pouch more severe - but it is also just the way my stomach is now (if that makes any sense at all).

[Loulabelle]

Have you had your your stomach muscles checked? Sometimes in pregnancy they separate and don't then come back together again properly. 

[henderel]

No, I haven't had them checked - do you go to a doctor to do that? Or a Physical therapist?

[Britishgal]

My tummy has never returned to the way it was before I has my son. Even when I got down to a teeny size when he was 2 (uk size 6 through stress and stopping eating so not a bit healthy!) it wasn't totally flat. A little bit curvy around where the stretch marks are.

My mother's has never been totally flat either since her 2 caesareans 38 & 40 years ago even though she was a stick when we were children (eating disorders). There is a little tiny bit above her scar that bulges out.

I look on it as the curve left by my son...the memory of holding him inside me for 9 months x

[Munkers]

Have you had your your stomach muscles checked? Sometimes in pregnancy they separate and don't then come back together again properly. 

 

This is my thought. A pouchy lower stomach that doesn't seem to respond to diet or exercise can actually be the result of a condition known as diastasis recti. When you're pregnant, your abdominal muscles separate and move apart to accommodate the baby and they don't always successfully knit back together after your deliver. There are some programs out there for "rehabbing" the area (hint: regular crunches can make it worse) and some more advanced cases will actually require surgical correction.

[Loulabelle]

Either can check it or you can do it yourself, if you search on Distasis Recti (thanks for the name Munkers) you can find tutorials on it. If you do suspect it make sure you get medical advice before doing anything.

 

No, I haven't had them checked - do you go to a doctor to do that? Or a Physical therapist?

[ladyshanny]

Also note that although a flat stomach is "the goal" according to marketing, diet industry and media, most women will naturally carry weight around their stomach, hips and breasts.  This is normal, so while you may have something extraneous going on from the pregnancy, also know that you may never be perfectly flat.

[henderel]

Thanks guys, I appreciate the input! I definitely don't have hopes or expectations for a "flat tummy" and I do plan on having one more kiddo (hopefully) so I know it won't ever go back to normal. I am okay with the extra weight on it, just not the pregnant, pouchy look! 

[fmr_sailor]

I have diastesis recti, but my pooch is just above my belly button. I am hoping to reduce some of the fat there so that my stomach will be flatter. Because holding it in still allows for a pooch, especially after I've eaten. But the Whole30 has helped with that some too. Even though my template meals fill me up, they don't cause my stomach to protrude the way my former eating did.

[malibu g]

My pooch hasn't changed at all and I'm on day 29. In fact I haven't lost a pound and my friend lost 25. I did lose my allergies though..definetly dairy, which I already figured but wasn't 100% sure.