Mommy Issues

I thought I would start this topic because I have been wondering how other women who have birthed twins are doing with their body image, etc.

Here are some of my concerns and issues I am facing, which are getting rather old, since my twins are almost two!

1) I still have poor circulation, which I didn't have before twins, in my feet, ankles and hands. I can't wear tight socks anymore and if I sit too long, my feet swell and feel like clay.

2) I have been working out steadily since Feb. and have noticed I am losing inches, but I cannot get my stomach to budge. The sides are getting smaller, but it seems the bulges of skin just keep protruding. I absolutely hate my stomach. I also have nasty white stretch marks on my thighs from all the swelling. I am only 5 feet 2, so didn't have a lot of room to carry two babies weighting 5.11 and 6.4 lbs.

I hope I am not alone. I remember seeing a lady at Curves last fall who had three-year-old twins and she had a flat stomach. Did she have a tummy tuck or am I just behind on getting in shape?

 

With clothes on, I look pretty good (if I must say so myself :FIFblush: ), BUT take off my clothes & my boobs are barely there & my belly is a stretched out mess. I'm in good shape, currently training for the Chicago Marathon & am 5'8" 127lbs. Yes, that's thin but I still would love for the magic plastic surgeon fairy to come & give me a tummy tuck & some nice 34 Cs. Is that too much to ask??
You are not alone. After my singleton, I looked just as good as before I had her. After the twins, I feel destroyed!
Good luck to us!

 

I'm the same way - after my singletone I was in the best shape of my life. Now, after the boys, I have the NO chest and my stomach still has that baby bulge of skin. I was actually watching John & Kate + 8 last night and they re-played her tummy tuck and I was drooling (after I gagged at the actual surgery). Maybe one day...

Oh, and I work out a LOT! I'm actually in pretty good shape - I weigh the same thing I did when before I was pregnant but just have a lot of extra skin. My husband is a personal trainer and we've tried everything to get it to go away! No luck so far...

 

I don't have a problem with circulation as you mentioned but my gals are 4 now. I am STILL out of shape. Like the others, I work out and am in decent shape (my legs look great-pushing a double stroller DOES have benefits!) but my stomach is a MESS. I think a lot is genetic and some is just time. My SIL and my husband's cousin both had twins and are back to normal but it took a few years for both of them. I am hoping that with persistence and healing time that I will get my body back in the next year or so...(I HOPE!).

Good luck to you! Lisa

 

I am actually only about 10lbs heavier now then before I had the girls, but the boobs are saggier and I have the pooch. I absolutley dread shopping for clothes because nothing seems to look the same anymore. I used to love clothes shopping before the twins. Now I would rather shop for them since everything looks cute on them.

Funny I was also watching the John and Kate + 8 episode with the tummy tuck the other night and told my DH I so want that and a boob lift once we decide for sure we aren't going to have anymore kids.

 

Right there w/ ya. I have about 10 lbs to lose, 15 would be better, but with clothes on I am tolerable. But again, no boobs, and my belly shakes like a bowl full of jelly However my arms look great! I guess it is picking up 50lbs of baby all the time.

Maybe I should do crunches w/ them on my stomach

 

I just signed up for a gym membership. Everything on me needs to be tightened and toned.

 

My problem was I was on meds that put weight on me before the twins came. (Steroids)...so I gained about 60 lbs. I was too skinny before they came. I was a size 6-8 but at a 5'7 frame at 118. I looked sickly sometimes in pics. When I hit about 140 I looked great. Healthy too. I was 180 beforfe this pregnancy, so I would love to see if I can loost the 40+ I need to. I have stretch marks, which suck, but I guess I should be proud of them!!! I would love to see if the tummy goes down or not, but since I was heavier in the beggining I may not have had to stretch as much as some of you thinner ladies.

Some things I have noticed...

Bladder control: NEVER came back for me. In fact I was on meds before I was pregnant this time to control it it got so bad.

My Hair changed. It used to be strait...now it cant decide between curly or strait and sits in limbo. So, I either have to blow dry it, or keep it up.

I never thought of having plastic surgery, but I honestly would not mind it in the tummy region after the kiddos are all done poopin' out of me. I'm sure DH wouldnt mind either if we actually had the cash to do it!!

 

My twin skin is really gross. I've seen pics here of 'before and after' and I feel like laughing at them. I am within 4 pounds of my previous weight (115 lbs at 5'4") but nothin is gonna get rid of that excess "skin/raisin/deflated baloon/hey-lets hang over her pants unless she yards them up to her armpits" area short of plastic surgery.

My ankles still hurt and pop when I get out of bed. My right thumb joint is sore and using a can opener is almost non-existent.

I've lost my brain. I used to use it frequently - almost with a sharp wit - but alas, it too has gone.

My boobs are bigger!!!! But that may simply be so that when I look down I can't see my twin skin.

My butt sticks out more - so I completely avoid side shots and/or looking at my rear view in the mirror.

But the upside to all the downsides is when I awake in the middle of the night and picture the smile /laughing faces of my two beautiful boys. It was all worth it.

Holly

 

The weight came off really easily for me and in fact I lost an extra 20 lbs in the first few months because of stress and breastfeeding. But now I am back up to my pre-pregnancy weight with the added bonus of a flabby stomach, saggy boobs, and stretch marks - not very pretty! Plus I have lost the feeling in my skin underneath my belly button - has anyone else experienced this? My doc didn't know for sure but suggested it may be nerve damage from getting so big :unknw:
I'm also looking forward to jumping on the tummy tuck bandwagon when I'm done having kids!

 

Certainly everyone's body is different and responds differently to pregnancy. Having 2+ babies in one uterus is alot! Things are going to shift and be different after a pregnancy. You just have to focus on feeling comfortable in your own skin and doing what you can to be healthy. As far as your circulation issue, I would certainly address that with your family doctor.

For me, I was very fortunate to swing back into things very quickly. However, I didn't gain that much during pregnancy (27lbs). I remember wearing my normal size jeans to my 6week follow up OB appt after the boys arrived. My stomach went back to being totally flat with no stretch marks within weeks of giving birth. So it happens. HOWEVER, I totally lost my boobs. Not that I had that much! I went from a nearly B to a A. It's depressing to have nothing...but it happens. I find alot of well padded bras. Don't think a boob job is for me.

 

I'm about ten pounds from my pre-pregnancy weight, but I was 20 lbs overweight when I got pregnant. I hide my weight really well. When I tell people I'm 5'2 and 150 pounds, they don't believe me. Then I show them my belly. LOL. I've always had a belly. It really isn't any bigger than before I was pregnant - it's actually about the same. It just is all wrinkled and riddled with stretch marks now, which have not even begun to change color. They are still purple.

Everywhere else I think I'm the same as before I got pregnant. The back of my arms are a little flabbier than they used to be, but my shoulders are getting definition from carrying the kiddos.

My boobs sag like crazy and I hate the way they look when I bend over. It is gross, it's like two partially filled water balloons coming off my chest.

I want a boob job to have a nice, natural looking C cup, and also a tummy tuck, but I'm scared of doing it. Plus, I need to save up the money first!

 

My boys are 3. If it weren't for my saggy jelly belly, I think I would actually be less than pre-pregnancy weight. Right now, I'm about 8-10 pounds more than that.

I've always been overweight. The stretch marks don't bother me, maybe it's cause I can't see them LOL My boobs have been saggy all my life, so no issue there either.

I will say that I started out this summer buying new shorts. I bought the same size I had - they were getting a bit stretched out, and worn. I was rather surprised the new ones were just as 'stretched' out as the old one. I HAD LOST WEIGHT! LOL Actually, I just had it shifted somewhere, cause the scale tells nothing different!

I started this year thinking it would be nice when I reached 40 (this November) to be at my wedding weight. I think I'll be happy to hit 40! LOL