No Longer Ashamed (Kerry)

I am 18 years old and due in 6 days. Before I got pregnant I had the typical, enviable teenage body. I was thin, not a stretch mark to my name, and had abs to die for. I love being pregnant and feeling my little one move inside me, I feel so blessed that I have been given this amazing job to carry another life! I started my pregnancy off at about 130 at 5’8” and have gained almost 60lbs, it’s hard for me to hear EVERYONE tell me I will go right back to my old body just because I was thin before, because frankly I don’t believe them. The prospect of what my body might look like after birth has haunted me since I found out I was expecting. I’ve cried over it and swore I would never wear a swimsuit again. The media is so horrible to us pregnant women, they show us airbrushed models, a body none of us can ever achieve, because it’s not even real! I’m planning a homebirth, and at my last midwife appointment I was told about this site. It has changed my outlook sooooo much! I can’t even begin to describe the peace that’s beginning to come over me about my soon to be post baby body! This is the first time I have taken a picture of my belly and not been embarrassed about my stretchmarks, I began to get them at 36 weeks and have tried to hide them since then. I haven’t once let my thighs be in a shot due to the stretch marks I got either. The right side of my body has much more, I have no clue why. Anyway, Thank you!!! It’s amazing to be able to view my mommy marks in a new light! I will definitely post p.p. pics down the road! :) (Hopefully he/she comes soon! I’ve been getting a lot of contractions today!!!)
1st pic: 12 weeks
2nd pic: 6 months
3rd pic: 39 weeks + 1
4th pic: my little one

Updated here, here and here.

8 thoughts on “No Longer Ashamed (Kerry)

  • Thursday, April 30, 2009 at 9:26 am
    Permalink

    You sound a lot like me, first pregnancy at 19, starting at 130 and 5’8… I even had a baby girl! I ended up at 206, and have stretch marks in the same places as you… when my daughter was 18 months, I wore a bikini, and felt good about it. You will be amazed at what your body will do in the next few months. And your belly is so round and beautiful!

  • Thursday, April 30, 2009 at 11:28 am
    Permalink

    thats what everyone said to me too! but it isn’t impossible to get fit and healthy and yes even get back into your old clothes. What they dont tell you is that it takes a lot of time, and a lot of excersize (way more than before the baby to see results) and eating right. which with a new baby is so hard to do. then again, I am embracing the fact that I went through a lot and challenged myself to have this baby and I made it through to the other side with a few strechmarks and twenty more pounds to lose (went from 168 to 154 to 140 3 mos pp.) Small price to pay for such a heavenly cute baby. You won’t really have time to miss your old body too much when you meet your newbaby. good luck on the delivery ! and really the stretchmarks start fading around three months and things slowly trudgingly return to a not so pregnant looking body.

  • Thursday, April 30, 2009 at 12:02 pm
    Permalink

    My thoughts go out to you for a positive, strong, smooth home delivery! Your words made me think of an interview I saw on the Ellen DeGeneres show with Jenny McCarthy. She revealed that her amazing, flawless body on the cover of a magazine was, indeed, altered with airbrushing. I admired her honesty & candor. Here’s a link to a quick excerpt https://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/article/mccarthy%20bikini%20body%20shot%20was%20airbrushed_1100611

  • Thursday, April 30, 2009 at 12:54 pm
    Permalink

    You look gorgeous!!! Goodluck with the birth! I hope everything goes swimmingly!

  • Thursday, April 30, 2009 at 9:53 pm
    Permalink

    Oh, you look fantastic, I love your belly!! I hope you have a really wonderful birth, my last two of three babies were both born at home and it was so so wonderful (my first was a natural birth in the hospital with a Doula) There is nothing more amazing than the empowerment that comes when you birth your baby into the world and into your hands…something I will forever cherish. I hope you birth is fantastic!! Don’t worry too much about your body afterward, it will change with time, but so will your baby, and watching your baby change is so so much more rewarding!!

  • Thursday, April 30, 2009 at 10:54 pm
    Permalink

    Best wishes in your home birth.

  • Friday, May 1, 2009 at 12:55 pm
    Permalink

    Well I had my son 4 days after this post. It was an amazing experience! 5 hours. He is beautiful! My body looks so much better than I thought it would, because it carried him! I’ve lost 30 pounds, my belly is quite wiggly, but my life is awesome!

  • Monday, April 26, 2010 at 3:05 pm
    Permalink

    WoW…you dont understand how much your post has made me feel at ease with myself…i too young 17 ..am 28 weeks pregnant prepregnancy weight at 125 and 5″8…last time i went to the doctor i weight 160….and i just know i have gained more…i was stretchmark free..untill i hit 6 months and my stretch marks pretty much look just like yours…i see all these young girls with these PERFECT stretchmarkless bodies during and after the baby is born and i used to envy them…but now at least i know its just not me…and there is hope in sight…
    :) thanks

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *