2nd baby belly woes

[Jayjay027]

I had my gorgeous little boy 15 days ago and I am completely head over heels in love with him. However, my belly is really getting me down.
I know its only been 2wks since I gave birth but my belly is still large. I wasnt this big 1 week after having my daughter never mind 2 weeks!
Did anyone elses belly take longer to go down after baby number 2? And if so, how long?? I'm really struggling with my appearance at the minute and I know how daft and selfish that sounds but I really cant help it. I've never been this size before and it doesn't look as though my belly is going down at all.
Anyone elses belly taken really long to go down? I need to know if I'm ever going to look nice again x

 

[mylullaby]

Blimey sweetie - please give yourself a break! Hope you don't mind me jumping in here despite never having given birth myself, but I thought it was meant to be 9 months on, 9 months off? You've only had 2 weeks! Focus on your baby and let give your body time to get over the massive trauma it's just been through. xxx

 

[Ella1979]

Of course you'll look nice again! From experience, it took a bit longer to lose my baby weight this time round. It was very quick with my first. Probably took around a month or so to get near my pre-pregnancy weight. 2 weeks is nothing! xx

 

[Jayjay027]

Thanks for replying ladies. I know how daft I sound being upset about my belly 2wks after having a baby but its because by this stage after having my dd, my belly wasnt this big. I'm still wearing maternity jeans because I cant get in to my regular ones yet, whereas I was wearing my regular jeans a week after having my dd.
I still look pregnant!

 

[MrsW84]

Are you breastfeeding?
that normally helps it go down really quickly?
my friend who has two said hers took longer the second time to go down but is back to normal now just a bit looser
chin up xxxx

 

[Jayjay027]

No im not breastfeeding, had latching issues at the hospital so just gave up and went to formula.
I breastfed my dd so I know that will be a factor but I just expected it to have gone done more by now.

I feel so ugly walking around with my dh cuz he's so handsome and always gets checked out by other women and with my post baby belly and bad skin I look completely awful and people must wonder whar the heck he sees in me

 

[Potternutter]

Aw Hun don't beat yourself up about it. Breastfeeding is a massive help as it burns calories and contracts uterus so it will probably just take a big longer this time xxx

 

[hayes]

I expect that what he sees in u hub is a fantastic wife n mother who has given him 2fantastic children, my mum has had 3 children n did say your shape does change forever but u can get the belly back down but it is harder the more u have. It's been 11 wks today since I had Harry n my belly whilst went dowhen quickly is still weird looking and I don't always feel comfortable naked now but I'm learning to love my new shape as my hips have defo changed n they aint going back lol!! Give urself a bit more time n I'm sure it will go.

Michelle.x

 

[Jayjay027]

Thank u ladies x

 

[Les1504]

Aww Hun don't be so hard on yourself, I had my little boy around the same time you had your daughter and I still haven't lost my baby weight!! Has your midwife checked that your uterus is retracting as your photo doesn't look like baby weight or water retention atall, just your uterus still high x

 

[Jayjay027]

Yeah the mw said my uterus has gone down as it should so I dont know why my belly is still sticking out so much.
Everyone I've spoken to about how I'm feeling says I'm being ridiculous but I can't help it x

 

[Iwant3]

It could be your abdominal muscles - look up how to check for diastasis Recti test http://mutusystem.com/diastasis-recti-test-what-works-and-what-to-avoid.html

My midwife who checked me day after birth said I have this, and if I cannot rectify it myself with the postnatel exercises then I will have to go to physio - as the gap between my muscles is quite bad - to be honest I think the condition was from my last pregnancy as I have looked 4 months pregnant since I had my first daughter 4 years ago! it's now just got worse I guess!

 

[Jayjay027]

It could be your abdominal muscles - look up how to check for diastasis Recti test http://mutusystem.com/diastasis-recti-test-what-works-and-what-to-avoid.html

My midwife who checked me day after birth said I have this, and if I cannot rectify it myself with the postnatel exercises then I will have to go to physio - as the gap between my muscles is quite bad - to be honest I think the condition was from my last pregnancy as I have looked 4 months pregnant since I had my first daughter 4 years ago! it's now just got worse I guess!

Thanks for that link. I just checked myself for that and I have a gap of about 1 finger width.
Will my belly always be big cuz of this?

 

[Les1504]

Yeah the mw said my uterus has gone down as it should so I dont know why my belly is still sticking out so much.
Everyone I've spoken to about how I'm feeling says I'm being ridiculous but I can't help it x

You're not being ridiculous atall, no one knows how you feel in your own body and it's really upsetting when you're naturally slim and you're used to looking and feeling a certain way! Xxx

 

[Jacq23]

JayJay are you taking raspberry leaf tea capsules? I know they are taken before labour to strengthen the uterus, but the woman in Holland and Barrett said to me that they can be continued afterwards to help shrink the uterus. I didn't take them with DS afterwards but did with DD, and my belly was pretty much gone in a week, definitely by two weeks, just jelly belly loose skin left now.

 

[Jayjay027]

Oooh thats interesting Jacq I will definitely buy some today. Thank u!

My belly is much smaller now than the pic above but its still sticking out a lot. So it is shrinking just not fast enough.

Will definitely get those capsules x

 

[Sparklisam]

You've got nothing to worry about atall ... My belly was exactly like yours and it's practically flat now with just a bit of saggy skin. I have just starting my legs bums and tums class tonight first time as I didn't want to rush it too quick doing those sorts of exercises at the gym. Loosing it slowly is better for your body xxx