42 Year Old Mom of 3 Kids 8,5,2 - Annapolis, MD, muscle repair, tummy tuck

I am close to 5'7 and weigh 123 lbs. I love to excel isle and am fairly active and can attest that pregnancy ripped my muscles apart. There was a 3 inch valley going down the center of my stomach when I would lay down and 4 rolls where my tired belly button was. At 123 pounds diet and exercise was not going to repair the damage. So I had 2 consultations with Dr. Lowe in Annapolis and knew he was the doctor for me. Building up to the day, it was more nerve racking to get all my ducks in a row with three small kids. My husband took me in and everything went fine. I did get really nervous when I walked into the or; I layer down started to say a prayer and the next thing I knew, I was waking up 3-4 hours later with a nurse by my side! Very twilight zone.

On a side note, I found labor and post labor more difficult and painful. There was discomfort and hard to shuffle around but not painful. My stomach was so numb and I took 2 oxycodone every 5 hours. I was really scared to feel pain. Something's that made it easier: all the kids were farmed out and my mom was with us. I slept in my own bed with 8 pillows layer out at my head and behind my knees; I was pretty much sleeping sitting up. Getting in and out of bed was tough as it is being 9 months preggers. I packed a cooler by my bed with Gatorade, ginger ale, trail mix. I started taking stool softer right away; I was soooo constipated from narcotics and I had the shakes. I stayed in my bed, no kids etc. for 3 days. I highly recommend this. One thing that did strike me was terrible nausea and whatever it was they give you (ugh suppositories) did work. I had help lined up for 2 weeks and really took it easy. I'm 2 weeks out and went to dinner with friends last night. I cannot lift my 2 year old which has been tough. And I was off the pain mess in 4 days; I actually forgot to take it and it never really hurt. I a done drain in for 6 days and went an entire week without a shower. I was really freaked out the first time I took a shower. But it went fine.

Ok, I'm definitely moving around better. Not a huge fan of my belly button but it's still so early. It just seems so tiny! Also, when I wake up, I love how everything looks and it's healing up nicely but at the end of the day, I'm swelled up and a little bruised. I am tiring easy too. But the scar looks great and my tummy is flat. I wonder how long it take the belly button to look good?? I love my compression garment and hate to be without.