Cesarean births require additional recovery time – typically in the four to six weeks range, but often result in a flabby pouch forming above the C-section scar. This pouch normally reduces over time but may never totally disappear.
After the baby has been delivered the mother is stitched up and the incision site is closed. An overhang is common after a caesarean and is caused by the tightness of the scar in comparison to the surrounding skin, causing an overhang of excess skin or fat.
Sometimes all your C-section pooch needs is time and regular massage of the scar. After 6-12 months, if that C-section shelf is still there, chances are high that it will always be there unless we treat it.
The only way to fix that is a tummy tuck. You can't exercise it away, you can't get rid of it. You just have to stitch those muscles back together. That's part of what you're asking about with the C-Section.
For some women, this scar tissue can't be removed with exercise or diet changes alone (which may mean surgery is the only way to completely eliminate a postpartum pouch). For others, following an exercise program and focusing on core exercises can be enough to flatten the appearance of this pouch.
According to top plastic surgeon Dr. Steven Teitelbaum, M.D., the C-section pooch does not necessarily indicate that the scar itself is bad. Rather, the C-section pooch develops because the scar is stuck to the muscle, creating an indentation and sometimes a little overhang of tissue above.
Your postpartum belly won't instantly go back to how it was before you were pregnant – it's a process that can take months or even years, while some bellies may take on a different shape permanently. Some moms may experience a bulge caused by diastasis recti, a separation of the abdominal muscles during pregnancy.
Expect it to take around six weeks for your uterus to contract fully. At six weeks, you may have already lost the weight you gained during pregnancy. This is especially true if you're breastfeeding. Breastfeeding mothers shed around 500 calories per day.
FUPA is a slang term for “fat upper pubic area.” Fat around the lower belly can be difficult to lose, but specific exercises, such as the plank, can often make a difference. If not, some medical procedures may help.
You can reduce the overhang by reducing overall fat.
You can't spot-reduce fat, but you can lose fat by walking more, eating whole foods, and focusing on protein and fiber to fill your diet (lean protein, veggies and fruit).
During pregnancy, the abdominal muscles stretch apart to accommodate the growing fetus. However, after birth, if these muscles do not go back to their original position and close the gap, the organs behind the muscles bulge out, causing the belly to sag. This is diastasis recti.
One of the most efficient ways to reduce FUPA is exercise. It's not possible to reduce fat in a specific area of the body but general cardio and strength training can be helpful. That said, the following exercises may help improve the appearance of FUPA by strengthening and toning the abs and lower body.
Omega-3 fatty acids—found in foods like fish, walnuts, flax seeds, and chia seeds—have been proven to reduce stress hormone levels in your system, so add it into your diet to deflate a pubic pooch. Aim to consume at least 2000mg daily (about 3 oz. of salmon or 1/4 cup of walnuts).
Just like with any surgery, your body needs time to heal afterward. Expect to stay in the hospital for 2 to 4 days after your delivery. If there are complications, your stay will be longer. Give your body 6 to 8 weeks to fully heal.
"Whether you delivered vaginally or by C-section, it takes six weeks for the uterus to contract to its normal size," says Dr. Daneshmand. Resting a heating pad or hot-water bottle on your belly can help—and so can over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen.
Compared with vaginal delivery, cesarean section is associated with a three- to sixfold risk of severe complications. Furthermore, it increases also long term gynecological morbidity, including intermenstrual bleeding, chronic pelvic pain and risk of secondary infertility.
Generally, if the muscles are going to heal on their own, they will within three months of birth. If you are several months postpartum, it's likely that your diastasis recti is here to stay. Some women have had success using targeted exercises to help the muscles move closer together.
The best way of getting rid of stomach overhang is a surgical procedure known as abdominoplasty at our London clinic, which will remove it completely. This procedure tightens the stomach muscles and removes excess skin and fatty tissues from the middle and lower abdominal region.
During pregnancy, the muscles stretch to accommodate the growing fetus. The connective tissue between the abdominal muscles can thin and weaken, and that can lead to a bulge in your belly. That post-pregnancy bulge is commonly known as a "mommy pooch" or "mommy-tummy" and it will not go away with diet and exercise.
To the uninitiated, FUPA is an acronym for “fat upper pubic area.” Technically, it is called the panniculus. It's a loose layer of fat in the lower abdomen region that sometimes emerges because of rapid weight loss or recent pregnancy. Other times it's there because that's just how your body is.
“Causes of FUPA include lack of exercise and obesity,” she adds. Factors like age, pregnancy, rapid weight loss, and genetic predisposition may also lead to panniculus (the medical term for FUPA). To get rid of this excess fat, you need to have an overall weight-loss strategy in place. Spot reduction is not possible.
Squats are effective to reduce lower belly fat
It's no wonder exercise to burn FUPA, but they are good for muscle-building.