Why does my stomach look flatter in the morning and it bulges out throughout the day? (Photo)

Thank you for this interesting question. 

During pregnancy the right side and the left side of the abdominal muscles must separate to accommodate the growing fetus.  The muscles of the left and right side never cross the vertical midline and this is what allows a woman’s abdomen to expand to accommodate the baby.

After pregnancy most women’s muscles never get back to their original touching position, and that leaves a vertically oriented space down the middle of the abdomen called a diastasis recti.  When it’s really bad even abdominal wall exercise does little or no good.

The diastasis will always look better in the morning because during the night the internal organs in the abdomen settle back into the abdomen.  As you assume a vertical position and go about your day, the organs then start to sit forward against the muscle wall.  This is made more obvious when you eat and put food and air in your intestines. 

Given this situation, there is little or nothing else you can do short of an abdominoplasty or tummy tuck to flatten your stomach.  Of course, all of this should be confirmed by a consultation which should include both a thorough history and a thorough physical examination of your abdominal wall. 
Lastly, don’t be afraid of the scar.  They usually mature quite well and can be hidden under very skimpy undergarments in most cases. 
Finally, repairing the muscle wall integrity will help your back to stand up to the ravages of time and aging, and make your abdominal work-outs much more productive.

Good Luck!

Dear proudof3,After 3 full term pregnancies it is very common to have a stretching, or diastasis of the abdominal muscles.  During a tummy tuck operation those muscles are stitched back to their pre-stretched position.  The reason for your abdominal contour changing through the day is that the internal organs rest back into your abdominal cavity while you are sleeping.  When you are up and about your organs push out more to the front and create the bulging.  Abdominoplasty surgery is what you need, but you might be able to improve the bulging with some abdominal muscle strengthening and exercise.  Good luck!