How Do You Know if You Have a Hernia After Pregnancy?

asked 1 year ago by Elle W in NJ
Latest answer by Otto Joseph Placik, MD
Question viewed 2,293 times
Tags: hernia

Hi, I have 3 children all who were big babies (my son was 9lbs 11 oz!). During the c section for my son the dr. said that he was caught in my abdomen muscles and repaired them. I had another baby after that. I'm only 98 pounds with no fat other then my stomach. As the day goes on my stomach gets bloated and after dinner i look like i'm pregnant again! Someone told me it could be a hernia? Would i have any symptoms with this? And is a tummy tuck the only way to ever not look pregnant again?

5 answers to How Do You Know if You Have a Hernia After Pregnancy?

Loose distended belly after multiple large births

Your repeated pregnancies with large babies has resutled in a rectus diastasis (see video in link below) and possibly and associated umbilical hernia as well. Discuss this with a Plastic surgeon or general surgeon.

Otto Joseph Placik, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Hernia vs diastasis recti

Most women who have delivered children will have a diastasis recti, which isn't a hernia but a weakening of where the paired vertical "six pack" muscles join together. Your case sounds very much like this, by history, because as the day goes on, your abdominal muscles bulge because your intestines push out against the wall. It is a normal consequence of having children and because it's a splaying of the fascia connecting the muscles, it can't be... more

Lavinia Chong, MD
Orange County Plastic Surgeon

Hernia can be corrected with tummy tuck.

Hi. From your picture, it looks like you may well have a hernia that protrudes. At the very least, you have a big separation of your abdominal muscles. Either way, this can be easily fixed with surgery. see video

George J. Beraka, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

A tummy tuck should fix it

Obviously without seeing you I can not state for sure;however, a tummy tuck will put the muscles that are widely separated and remove the excess skin. It looks as if it will work well for you.

William B. Rosenblatt, MD
New York Plastic Surgeon

Post_Pregnancy Tummy Bloating

Your condition is extremely common and VERY correctable. During pregnancy the normal uterus which is the size of a lime grows rapidly into the size of a long watermelon. In the process, it stretches the abdominal wall and (fortunately) splits the midline 6 pack rectus abdominis muscles (otherwise growth would not be possible) and emerges between them. After delivery(ies), the muscles do not magically shrink nor jump back together again. Instead they stay to the sides with a permanent... more

Peter A. Aldea, MD
Memphis Plastic Surgeon

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