What's behind your 'Mummy Tummy'? - Dalia Nield

What's behind your 'Mummy Tummy'?

I have many women who come to me to get rid of their protruding ‘mummy tummy’ following pregnancy and birth, and while the majority of them are indeed a result of a little extra baby weight, I am finding that between 10 and 15 per cent of women can actually suffer a hernia during pregnancy which they are often completely unaware of. If left undetected and untreated, the problem can worsen and potentially result in weakening and eventual rupturing of the stomach wall. For this reason I would like to try and educate women about this potential problem so they can identify the signs and see a doctor to get it checked out.

The hernia appears as a little ‘pod’ of fat and can actually be made worse through exercise. A hernia is more common in women carrying big babies or with multiple births. The two ribbon-like (sit-up) muscles which join at the midline of the abdomen are surrounded by a strong tendon-like ‘fascia’ which holds the muscles together. The physical pressure during pregnancy can cause the muscles to drift apart and they become thin, like paper, and separate. Women think they need to do sit-ups to improve the muscles in their tummy, but actually in the case of a hernia this worsens the problem and can have dangerous effects including bursting of the abdominal wall –an emergency situation.

I would advise any woman who has given birth, who despite eating sensibly or exercising still had a ‘pod’ like area on the tummy that won’t shift, to see her GP to check for signs of a hernia. If caught quickly, the removal of the hernia is a relatively simple procedure.

Dalia Nield

Dalia Nield (www.dalianieldplasticsurgeon.com) is a leading London plastic surgeon specialising in liposuction, liposculpture and body contouring with a special interest in reconstructive surgery. Dalia offers the full range of cosmetic surgery, and offers an all female operating theatre team for women who are having intimate procedures or because of religious or cultural beliefs.