“6 months post op feeling good”

I have 2 gorgeous kids, 3 and 10 months old. After I had my first child my stomach was ruined. I got to 38 weeks pregnant with no stretch marks then they came thick and fast until I got to the stage I didn't care as I just wanted the baby out!! My skin was left all loose and wrinkly and I hated it. However I knew I would have another child and now my baby is 10 months we have decided we are having no more and I want my body back! I went to see a surgeon a few weeks ago after returning from holiday which made me feel even worse seeing other mums with "perfect stomachs!"

Reading everyones stories on here has really helped. I know someone who has had a TT at the hospital I am going to so that has helped to know someone who has went through it. It gets me down I have friends who have kids and their stomachs are fine but both my babies were over 9lb so maybe I paid the price!

My husband wasn't happy to start with but I have his full support as he knows how much it gets to me. I can't wait now!! I have my pre-op this week so maybe it will start to feel a bit more real and I also pay for it this week!!

I am 5ft 4in and currently 145 pounds.

Updated on 21 Jul 2011:
Just back from my pre-op with my surgeon. I thought I would be nervous by now but I'm just so excited to get my body body. I'm happy as he is using dissolvable stitches and says he normally takes the drains out the day after! He said some of his colleagues don't even use drains. He also checked my muscles whilst I lay on the bed and said they were together but he will know more during the operation so I'm happy about that also as it means the recovery should be easier.

We're going down south for the weekend tomorrow then I will have 1 day to get things organised before going into hospital for 2 nights on Wednesday, CAN'T WAIT!!!

Updated on 21 Jul 2011:
body back...

Updated on 25 Jul 2011:
Getting a bit nervous now but mostly excited. The nurse called me today to go over thing, kind of made it a bit more real. Just back from a weekend away and have so much to do tomorrow before going into hospital for 2 nights on Wednesday! I have been eating so much its like I think "do it while you can" so looking very bloated. The nurse told me to get some constipation tablets so that it will help afterwards so I will be doing that tomorrow!

Updated on 29 Jul 2011:
Hi everyone. Well home today, stayed in hospital for 2 nights. All went well, not actually been in much pain at all more just uncomfortable. Got drains out this morning, that wasn't fun just the tugging felt horrible but not that painful. Stomach just feels tight. Nurses really looked after me at the hospital, showered this morning too, sometimes feel a bit light headed and tired but putting that down to the medication. I was given anti sickness drugs so haven't felt sick which is great as had read about it so much I was scared of that.

I knew there would be swelling but its disappointing to look down as straight after surgery, about 2 hours after I woke I looked and it was super flat. The swelling probably started about 6 hours later and the stretch marks that used to be above my bb are now below it and are still raised. I really hope this won't cause more wrinkles as this was the biggest reason for the op but the nurse did say the swelling will go down and can sometimes take 6 months to get the full result. I just need to be patient I guess! Going back on Wednesday to get my dressings changed. In the meantime I'm going to bed for some rest and get my spanx on hopefully this will help the swelling.

Updated on 30 Jul 2011:
3 days post op and feeling ok. Was able to sleep on my side last night. Wore my spanx most of yesterday and all night but took them off this morning as felt so tight and uncomfortable, will get them back on soon as think it helped with the swelling. Stomach feels all numb, the nurse told me to take the dressing off my bb today but it feels strange so may get my husband to do it. Feeling ok so far though, adding a pic.

Updated on 31 Jul 2011:
4 days post op and things much the same however I weighed myself this morning and I have put on 4lbs! I'm hoping this is due to swelling, this happen to anyone else? I didn't ask how much the skin weighed, I thought maybe 2lbs or so but can't help feeling this laying around in bed all the time will make me put on weight too and the stretch marks under my bb are a bit puckered, the nurse told me this should go down but its so depressing to have been through this and paid so much money to still have them!!

Updated on 3 Aug 2011:
7 days post op today I have my first appointment with the nurse so I will see the full scar for the first time. I want to ask when I can start using scar treatment, how long will the dissolvable stitches take to heal in my bb and I also have some stretch marks left that are looking a bit puckered especially when I sit up I want to ask if this will go down when the swelling and bruising does as they annoy me. Not so much the marks in themselves if they were flatter it would be better, scar is also a bit puckered though so maybe is the swelling. I can't wait to get walking again I feel my thighs are getting flabby sitting around! I went out yesterday though for the first time and felt great. I can walk pretty much straight with my spanx on but when I take them off I'm hunched again so they definately give me good support. All in all feeling good though and just taking paracetomal mostly, going to try without it soon but muscles ache a bit sometimes no rush. Feeling alot better than I thought I would though! Posting a before and after pic 1 week after.

Updated on 4 Aug 2011:
8 days post op - went shopping today for some new undies, think I over did it a bit though started feeling a bit sore and really tight. I think I feel fine but then get sore later in the day so think I'm being a bit ambitious at this stage. Not that I could at the moment but I am wondering when I could get back on the treadmill...just fast pace walking or something as I'm not a runner - tried on a dress that fitted me fine before surgery now its so tight on my ass!! Thinking now I have a flat tummy the weight is going elsewhere lol

Updated on 5 Aug 2011:
9 days post op. Think the blues have kicked in. Sick of having a big swollen hard tummy, feels so tight. Feel I'm walking straighter but getting me down that I can't do anything, hubby doing it all he has been fab I have him off work for another 9 days but we have an 11 month old so I will have to lift her by then. I didn't get any muscle repair or lipo and did mention this to my surgeon, just said to be careful! Can't wait to feel normal again :(

Updated on 7 Aug 2011:
11 days post op
Sleeping really well, can lie on either side with a pillow between my legs for comfort. Sleeping with my spanx on helps really supports me...feel tender without it, better with it on. Stomach getting more bruised now, hoping its a case of worse before its better as still brick hard like I'm preggars! On a lighter note the microtape seems to be helping the scar a bit as on wednesday i thought i was going to have "dogears" at either end and its flattened quite a bit so hopefully the rest will go like that too. Can't wait to see my surgeon in 4 weeks!

Updated on 8 Aug 2011:
12 days po and my swelling is getting really bad - it was quite swollen when I woke up this morning to the point its a hard pot belly - at least when it was flabby I could squash it in my jeans lol. So hard trying to deal with this. I have bruising that goes up above my bb now also but I know its early days :(

Updated on 15 Aug 2011:
19 days po - bruising has gone down a bit but feels quite tender to touch now. Stretch marks still sticking out so hoping this is the swelling. Sleeping really well can turn pretty easy in bed now, not on my stomach yet though. Back to work in 3 weeks hoping the swelling has gone down a bit by then.

Updated on 18 Aug 2011:
3 weeks 1 day po - not really that much to report. I'm kind of back to normal, doing light house work no hoovering or pushing buggies but have to lift my 11 month old sometimes but getting alot of help from family and friends. Incision been burning a little in the middle and I think the scar has evened out a bit, seems to be puckered only at 1 part now so hopefully this goes down soon I will be much happier when not so bumpy. Still some bruising which makes my stretch marks look worse. I think the swelling is improving slightly but still there, still wearing my spanx during the day but not at night.

Updated on 20 Aug 2011:
3 weeks 3 days po
Can sleep on my stomach - yay!

Updated on 23 Aug 2011:
Feeling really good in myself. Started walking again. Still wearing my spanx for support and to help with swelling. Seems to be getting better every day.

Updated on 27 Aug 2011:
4 weeks 3 days post op and scar looking much better. I was worried about the bumpiness and puckering in the middle, that is no longer an issue. Its really evened out, even at the sides where I thought I'd be left with dogears, its all flat now so really happy. I've had to put some cotton wool in my bb as its getting really shallow, seems to be helping slightly. Back to fast pace walking, see my ps in 10 days hopefully get the go ahead for the gym but feeling really good and swelling improving. Just wish I could stop eating so much, need to realise I've had a tummy tuck stop eating so much crap as I seem to have these love handles now I'm not happy with look so wide aargh! Can't wait to get working on them.

Updated on 31 Aug 2011:
Now 5 weeks post op and swelling gone bad again. I had a wedding on Sunday so on my feet most of the day, eating and drinking alot then decided to go a long walk yesterday and all of a sudden I'm blown up like a balloon again when it was going down so a bit disheartened, felt fine but obviously not so going to watch what I'm doing and try to watch the diet also.

Updated on 7 Sep 2011:
Hi everyone. 6 weeks today since I had my operation. Saw my surgeon today. Expressed that I'm not happy with my love handles, didn't think I had these before but wondered if it was because I focused on my horrible tummy that I didn't notice these? Or am I putting weight on here now as not going to the tummy? He said that this can happen. I joked I should have had lipo on my sides at the same time and he said he could not do that, so obviously different in America as I see alot of you did have it.


I mentioned I use cotton wool in my bb as seems shallower. He thought this was a bit strange lol he said it will be due to the swelling underneath that it appears shallower but this will go over time so I'm not going to bother doing this now. I can go back at any time to see him now, I will probably go back in 6 months. He said to see how my love handles go, some of it will be swelling but as I am young exercise, concentrating on this area he is confident it will go so no need for lipo. (I can't afford it anyway!!) He said to me they are not as big as I think but I will be focusing on this now as after surgery you find other faults (so true!)

He ok'd me for going back to the gym and doing sit-ups but to take it easy to begin with. I told him not as tight as I was so definately want to work on my upper abs and love handles now, try to remember and do some sit ups every night infront of the TV on days I can't go to the gym! I'm back at work now after a year off on maternity leave and going well, no longer wearing my spanx as swelling much better although after a wedding last week I swelled up like a balloon it was horrible! Hope everyone is well. I will take some pics soon.

Updated on 7 Sep 2011:
Forgot to mention I asked if he weighed the skin and fat taken off, he said 2lbs which is what I've lost on the scale! I thought it would have been around 2-3lbs to be honest but would like another 5-6lbs off and def rid of these love handles to feel happier.

Updated on 13 Oct 2011:
Hi girls. Not updated in a while, been busy back at work now. No new pics to add as can't say I think I look any better. If anything I am probably more swollen now than in the early few weeks with on the go all the time. Doesn't help with my eating, I try to be good but find if I eat something like fish and chips with salt etc I swell up like a balloon and just makes me even more depressed!

When I had my 6 week check I mentioned to my surgeon wasn't happy with my love handles. He said he was confident exercise concentrating on this area would improve it rather than resorting to lipo. To be honest not wanting to go through it again with all the bruising and swelling that goes on plus the fact can't afford it but although it is alot better than it was I'm not thrilled with it. I will always have stretch marks under my bb and when I wear jeans yeah my tummy is flatter but I have fat sticking out the sides now. Whether I still have swelling or not I can't imagine it being TOTALLY flat like how I thought it would look. I still have the ridge going on over my scar and my scar is bright red now but I know its meant to look its worse at the 3 month mark. Really hoping by time I go on my first holiday abroad in May I'm really happy with it and the scar.

Anyone any advice on scar treatment? I have read a few of you using silicone sheets from makemeheal.com? I was using tape until this ran out so just using bio oil now.

Hope you are all well.

Updated on 15 Oct 2011:
Taken some pics this morning, feel slightly better as looks better on camera than I think it looks when I look at myself in the mirror! Been 11 and a half weeks now and I think with being a busy working mum I struggle to find time to exercise but walk whenever I can so I need to remember to fit in some sit ups every day, feel I have a "pot belly" when I sit down not sure if this is extra skin as a few have said but hoping this tightens it up a bit as not going through anymore surgery!

Updated on 12 Feb 2012:
So its been 6 months since my op.I'm really happy with my results and im back in the gym trying to shift 10lb.This has made me so much more confident and i'm so glad i did it.