I am an open book, almost to a fault.
After a full-term singleton pregnancy, a full-term twin pregnancy 10 months later, and 2 C-Sections, my body has changed. Nothing that weight loss/exercise could even touch.
This is what happens when a 5'2" woman gets pregnant with twins:
36 weeks - 1 week 1 day prior to delivery:
37 weeks - 1 day prior to delivery:
What came out of me at one time (12 hours old): 
7 months 2 weeks after delivery:
The extra skin is more than I can handle. My OB told me flat out that this won't go away without plastic surgery.I have found a plastic surgeon and scheduled my consult. It is next week!
The thing is - I don't just have extra skin. My stomach muscles have completely separated and didn't go back. When I am doing crunches, you can fit your entire hand between my muscles. It is gross. And makes them protrude and leaves me constantly looking 4 months pregnant. So they will remove the extra skin and do a muscle repair - basically stitching my stomach muscles back together.
Make no mistake, this is for vanity only. A person can live and function just fine with separated abdominal muscles.
I know this surgery is supposed to be pretty painful, though I can't imagine it is that much worse than 2 cesarians. I'll be anxious to hear what they tell me next week.
Wish me luck : )
David and I were married in June of 2006. I am a stay-at-home mom after a long struggle with Infertility. We have been lucky on our first and second cycles of In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF)! We have a daughter, Paige Madeline, born April 23, 2009. Our twin boys, Jack David and Braley James, came on November 16, 2010.
16 comments:
Dying to hear how things go at the consult. I'll be right in your shoes after this last pregnancy (30 weeks this week). My stomach looked JUST like that after my twins and I told my husband that a mommy makeover was a must. Not for anyone, but me. I just want to feel confident and with a herniated belly button, diastasis (muscle separating) and the stretched out skin....I did not feel confident.
I'm also 5'2" and the day I delivered the twins at 38 weeks..I was almost as big around as I am tall!
UNREAL!
Best of luck to you...Very anxious to hear how it goes!
Wishing you luck! And double check with your insurance... I know another blogger who had that surgery done (abdominoplasty???) and because of the separated muscles it was deemed covered by insurance.
You know I am a huge supporter of this decision! Can't wait to hear how the consult goes!!
Anxious to hear how it goes!! You look incredible after all those precious babies, but I totally understand you wanting to have the procedure. I will help in whatever way I can!
Megan, you know where I stand on this one. I don't think it's vain to want to feel beautiful/human again. The body wasn't meant to carry two babies. What's left afterward - even when you've done everything "right" - well, it's a mess. I had a consult last month. I hated the doctor, but a TT is definitely in my future. I'm just waiting to see if freezer babies = real babies first. As a frequent oversharer, I understand your hesitance to go full disclosure on a blog, but I hope you share your journey here. So frequently we pretend that these things don't happen and that everything is rosy. It's nice to know that there are other women in the same boat as me. Maybe makes the whole process feel less shameful (and less vain). Good luck!
I have been following your blog since I was pregnant with my twin boys. I am four months post-partum and can relate to wanting to be 'myself' again. It's hard to look in the mirror sometimes. I am thrilled you have the opportunity to do something like that and would do the same thing if I was in your shoes. Even if I get all my baby weight off, I will not be able to wear my old clothes because of the skin overhang. All that to say, please do keep sharing because there are other twin moms that are really relating and glad someone is sharing their desire for an abdominoplasty.
Must be nice to have enough spare change for a tummy tuck when you don't have to work at a paying job and after paying the nanny and baby sitters. That's right, God is good to you even if the rest of us slobs have to work.
Josie - not that it is any of your business - but insurance will actually be covering most/if not all of the costs of this surgery.
Due to the nature of the separation of my abdominal muscles, surgery is the only way to correct it.
We are waiting to hear back from the insurance company on how much will be covered.
My husband works at a company with great benefits, thankfully.
And yes, God is good! Thanks for pointing that out.
And thank you to everyone for being supportive of this!
I will for sure document it on here.
That's me...oversharing since summer 2008 ; )
I am really not even sure I get what Josie is saying! I think that you do what you have to do, and finances are no--one's business unless you decide to share!
Ignore ignore!
I hope to read about your journey! It is pretty exciting to know you will be doing something just for you, AND you have a beautiful family to show for that soon to be gone twin skin!
Best of Luck! And I don't think its vain either. After I am done having more children(hopefully), a tt is on my list. I have lost all my weight I gained from my twins and from fertility treatments and I'm just not the same. Can't wait to see how it goes!
Btw...Great answer to the negative commenter! and I agree w the prior poster...ignore, ignore!
Hi there- I have been reading your blog since we were both on TTTC and I was mid-IUIs and you were doing your first IVF. I went through 3 IVFs which finally led to my awesome twins. I am small in frame- 5'4 and had REALLY big full term babies (fortunately). Yet, I also had SEVERE diastasis (yes, I would crunch and my stomach would come out to a point). It was a mess. Anyway, my babies are approaching 18 months and I had the muscle repair and abdominoplasty this past February. I'm happy to discuss the recovery, results etc with you and I can give you an email if you like! It's well worth it but certainly a painful process. Good luck! Happy to email if you want info!
Carla - please email me at mlgriffith3 at gmail dot com
I'd love to hear about your experiences!!
Don't let anyone's (cough cough JOSIE) make you feel bad about your decision. Having twins does a number on your body. Thanks to having twins I had/have a hernia that was repaired but needs further surgery. You have to do what you feel is right for you!
I am a first time reader and commenter I found your blog through "it's always something". Good luck at your appt I think it's great! Don't let anyone else tell you other wise!
I have a weird genetic muscle condition that means my ligaments just don't stretch like they should. Result: my stomach separated with my first pregnancy! And I only gained 30lbs and was slim but not short to begin with.
It took 3 years for my abdominal wall to come back together. With my second pregnancy (way too many years later) that made it, my muscles didn't separate again. I guess they'd stretched enough to make it the rest of the way.
But, yeah, skin won't go back.
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