Once I had children, my body changed in ways that I had only seen or read about from those who had gone before me.
Given my petite stature, my dainty fairy figure swapped out for a bloated gut and deflated breasts that left a lot to desire.
And it wasn't really that I cared about the extra kilos on the scale or the extra filling around my face, but the pronounced stomach caused issues beyond the way it looked.
I could not wear pants or a skirt with structure; my stomach distended so that I could only wear elasticated waistbands, and they would be either hitched up under my breast bone or sit uncomfortably under my now pronounced gut.
I started wearing my husband baggy T-Shirts, and as a Goldfish grows to its environment, so did I.
Nothing I did would work, diet, exercise, more water, nothing. Previously I would bloat before my monthly cycle, but this was different; this was every day.
I saw doctors, ran tests - nothing. I learned about Diasists Recti, and it was surprising that I didn't get the memo; no medical professional ever mentioned this probability following two c-sections.
Once I had that information, I realised that the things I tried to correct with crunches, for one, would do more harm than good. I also realised that I couldn't feel any engagement in my core - the sensation was absent.
In early 2021, I corrected my gut and my sad tiny breasts with a very qualified and regarded Melbourne surgeon's ever-popular 'Mummy Makeover' procedure.
He told me that I had about 6cm of separation between my stomach muscles at my appointment, primarily due to how my body responded to the pregnancy hormone 'Relaxin' which made my muscles soft and more likely to tear.
Now roughly 16 weeks post my surgery, I can say that it was the best investment in myself that I ever made.
But the recovery has been long and slow; at this point, I finally feel like I can do things without injuring the work I have had done. But those early weeks were rough, and walking up and down a tiny corridor with a walker wasn't something I had mentally prepared.
For an entire rundown of my experience, the things I discovered on my recovery, exercise timelines and the things, check out my Mummy Makeover YouTube series or my IGTV series on Instagram.
In closing, If you don't like something or something causing you unnecessary discomfort and gets in the way of life, there are options to correct it - and I'm backing you every step of the way.
Have you had this procedure, or are you looking into it? I'd love to hear about your journey!
