You may find that even if you have returned to your pre-pregnancy weight, you have not returned to your pre-pregnancy body. The saggy factor seems to depend on the length of time you were able to carry your babies, genetics, tone before pregnancy and maybe even a little bit on how much stretch mark cream you slapped on during gestation.

I think that, when desired, tummy tucks should be free to women who have carried multiples. You may not have had any issues with your tummy after your twins, maybe it took another pregnancy, but sooner or later most women have saggy baggy skin that kind of reminds me of the stuff elephants are covered with in relation to everything from appearance to the way it hangs and even its colour.

Maybe it’s not having enough time to work out or enough time between pregnancies for it to recover, but I suggest that saggy tummies are a health issue. Some women have back problems from the excess weight around their middles as a result of twin pregnancies, with abdominal muscles that never found their way back to each other and seem permanently separated (called diastatis). The sags seem virtually impossible to get rid of without surgery.

There’s an emotional cost – who wants to keep the light on in the bedroom in moments of intimacy? You can kiss bikinis goodbye and waste no more time in front of the mirror than is absolutely necessary.

Some jurisdictions cover the cost of tummy tucks, if you fit the criteria. Perhaps you have a sympathetic and progressive doctor who will refer you to a psychiatrist, who will realize the surgery is warranted in order for you to regain some sense of your former self and confidence. Even if it’s not covered, most women would agree that the surgery is worth every penny. When it’s completed, you will also have your abdominal muscles reattached so keeping your stomach toned shouldn’t be the challenge that it was before surgery. It will also make it possible for you to get up from a sitting position with little effort!

If you are a ‘the glass is half full person’ you may just chalk up your new body to experience and luck. Let’s face it ladies, not everyone has the good fortune to carry twins, and if you have a saggy tummy, chances are you carried them around for all the months you needed to, giving them lots of time to gain weight and come into the world healthy and happy. I was at a party soon after I had my twins, and showed a friend my stomach. My friend, currently childless, said ‘I’d give anything to have those marks’ and I realized how very lucky I was. Get out of the shower and face the mirror with pride!

For a look at what real mothers look like while carrying twins and then postpartum, visit the enlightening site Shape of a Mother. There is a “twins” link in the bottom right corner which will take you to photos of mothers who are carrying/have carried multiples.