Is your torso wider after the baby?

[Anonymous]

Fascinating. Totally happened to me - I'm a genius and just though all my clothes had shrunk

[Anonymous]

*thought*

[Anonymous]

Mine was wider with serious muffin tops...I got lipo and I'm extremely pleased. It is expensive and not without risk but damn my contours are spectacular. My shape is actually better than before my pregnancies. I'm able to hold on to 5 lbs of extra weight so my chest stays a bit fuller without my middle getting thick. I'm better proportioned.

[Anonymous]

Ok....I feel the need to provide some information here.

Your ribs are bone. Your rib cage does not grow during pregnancy.

Everyone has the ability to expand or contract their ribcage, using a combination of moving your bones and muscles.

Most women have bad posture, especially when it comes to the rib cage. We stand in a way to make ourselves looks better (ie- boobs out) and that contracts your ribcage. When you get pregnant, your diaphragm moves upwards and forces your ribs to expand. This is also why you may have felt out of breath at the end of your pregnancy- it is because you were actually taking in MORE air than you ever had before because you had an expanded rib area (same feeling you would have if you were hooked up to a pure oxygen tank).

When you were pregnant, your body got used to that posture. Now that you are not pregnant, some people still keep that postural idea and it feels normal to have an expanded ribcage. Some people go back....sometimes immediately and sometimes gradually.

So, right now you could collapse your ribcage and fit back into all those tops....if you knew where to move....

The one exception to this- if you still are carrying weight and some of it is hanging out around your ribs....well, then that fat has made you bigger in that area.

Ok....I am done now....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ok....I feel the need to provide some information here.

Your ribs are bone. Your rib cage does not grow during pregnancy.

Everyone has the ability to expand or contract their ribcage, using a combination of moving your bones and muscles.

Most women have bad posture, especially when it comes to the rib cage. We stand in a way to make ourselves looks better (ie- boobs out) and that contracts your ribcage. When you get pregnant, your diaphragm moves upwards and forces your ribs to expand. This is also why you may have felt out of breath at the end of your pregnancy- it is because you were actually taking in MORE air than you ever had before because you had an expanded rib area (same feeling you would have if you were hooked up to a pure oxygen tank).

When you were pregnant, your body got used to that posture. Now that you are not pregnant, some people still keep that postural idea and it feels normal to have an expanded ribcage. Some people go back....sometimes immediately and sometimes gradually.

So, right now you could collapse your ribcage and fit back into all those tops....if you knew where to move....

The one exception to this- if you still are carrying weight and some of it is hanging out around your ribs....well, then that fat has made you bigger in that area.

Ok....I am done now....

Ok, so what about my monkey feet??

[Anonymous]

19:07 here.

Sorry- I know nothing about feet!

[Anonymous]

I'm sorry but ribs don't have anything to do with the ring of fat and saggy skin south of the belly button post-pregnancy.

Also many woman slump their shoulders which sinks in the ribs and makes boobs look smaller. Even if pregnancy breaks this habit I can't see how having better posture would result in a thicker looking middle.

[Anonymous]

I am back to prepregnancy weight (well, 5 lbs to go, but pretty much) but I've gone up a bra size-- cup size is still the same. None of my shirts fit right either. So I would say my ribcage has definitely gotten bigger.

[Anonymous]

Yes, your ribs are bone, but they are connected to your sternum by cartilage. Cartilage, unlike bone, is flexible. I don't think anyone is trying to say that their bones grew.

[Anonymous]

So 19:07 PP, explain how I weigh less than I did pre-baby but yet my torso is still bigger?

[Anonymous]

Sadly, I think you're in the same boat I am. I lost all of my baby weight plus about 10 lbs. (ds is 13 months), but almost literally nothing in my closet fits properly anymore. My jeans don't sit right, my shirts all ride up...even my old bras don't fit (I've been measured...they *should* fit, but they have the "wrong" cup now). I know my hips spread...never thought about my rib cage. I refuse to buy a whole new wardrobe... But I've found that some cheap long tanks from Target or the like are great under sweaters (keep the belly/back from peeking out for now). Belts in a larger size also seem to help keep my pants in place. I'm a huge fqn

[Anonymous]

Pp here ... Hit the wong button! meant to say I'm a huge fan of the tunics/layering for winter styles, but I'm basically resigned to the idea that I will eventually need to transition my wardrobe to my new body.


On the bright side... Sweet...new pretty clothes (eventually).

[Anonymous]

My ribcage expanded too. I'm about the same weight as I was before, and in good shape, but some of my snug, non-stretchy tops don't fit anymore. Makes me sad. Also haven't been able to wear most of my skinnier jeans since before the baby and I'm 3 years post-partum. Things are just a bit different. oh well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:19:07 here.

Sorry- I know nothing about feet!

Where did you get your "information"? My abdominal fascia is extremely stretched out. It doesn't matter how much weight I lose, I will always have a muffin top unless I get a tummy tuck. I don't think it's simply about posture end of story.

[Anonymous]

would serious weight training help?

(my chest and rib cage are larger after having baby. my bottom half is a teeny bit smaller. the larger chest is no boon, i was large chested to begin with)