Big Belly--Separated Abs

I completely agree...your doctor is just trying to get more money out of you. Plastic surgery is NOT needed. Your abs will strength through exercise. However, I gained ALOT of weight with my son. I was 135 lbs when I found out I was pregnant and when I had him...I was 192 lbs. Thats a huge weight gain. But my son was only a 7lb 10oz baby. Now, Im back down to 123lbs. Its really all about exercise. I wish you luck. I hope everything goes well

Hi Selena,
Your ob is absolutely wrong that plastic surgery is your only option. Separated abs usually occur when a belly gets big really fast or when one has weak abdominal muscles before a pregnancy. They haven't actually separated from the bones, they just thinned out. They need to be strengthened with ab exercises. For future reference, it's best to start these once your doctor gives you the okay to exercise again (usually at 6 weeks). My midwife always recommended crunches. I found some other exercises at pregnancy-info.net (search separated muscles). Frankly, if your ob/gyn couldn't give you that basic information, it would make me wonder what other basic information he doesn't know. I'd be looking for a new one. Good luck.

well my son is 1 and the way i lost my belly is that i did weight watchers for awhile now i just exercise an i have lost alot of my belly good luck with everything

i have the same problem let me know if anything works!! ive asked alot of people and my doctor no solutions isnt that wonderful?good luck

I'm assuming that you have a pooch - like when you were about 5 months pregnant.... It can be tough to get your abs back. I had three kids in three years, and was 29 when I had my first. I bounced back after the first two, but the third (who is now almost a year and a half) has given my body some trouble. I too have been working my abs a lot, and have now found that I really need to add more aerobic activity in order to get that last little layer of fat off. Everyones abs seperate during pregnancy and whereas, it may never return to exactly the same, you still should be able to loose the pooch. Good luck...

I know you may not be comfortable with how you look. I'm not real happy about still looking 6-7 months pregant & my daughter is nearly 2. CONGRATULATIONS you have achieved something of which I'm still dreaming. Thankfully, my husband seems to really like how I look (just a plumper figure of what I was).
Lots of luck. Sounds like you're on the right track.

hi S.. i am new to this site but i can tell you the only way to lose the pooch is by aerobic exercise, like rollerblading, dancing, etc. or you can even try yoga which stretches your muscles. you have probably built up a very good six pack with your crunches but you can't see it because of the layer of fat over it. i promise , aerobic exercise will take it away, give it a try. jesi

I was told the same thing by my gyn and worse, that my "thin" abdominal muscle could lead to lower back problems. Occasionally I get a horrible charly horse in my lower left abdominals and my gyn told me that this was my bladder getting caught in my ab muscles. She told me no amount of situps or abwork would help - only an abdominoplasty. I would love to have more information as well - I have searched on the net and not been able to find anything. And admominoplasty is not much of a choice right now as I am still constantly lifting both of my children (which you are not supposed to do for up to 10 weeks after the surgery)!