Homebirth

What my body can do! (Anonymous)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Homebirth, Positive Body Image/Words of Enouragement, Postpartum, Pregnant, Submissions, Third Pregnancy, Update 14 Comments

I am 3 months pp with baby number 3, and I couldn’t be happier. I LOVE pregnancy and birth, and feel so empowered to have accomplished 3 wonderful natural births, the last two at home in my bedroom. I have some deep stretch marks on my belly, but they are sacred and special to me, reminding me of how blessed I am to have carried life in my womb, every time I see them, they make me smile! I couldn’t imagine not having had the opportunity I have had to carry my babies and nourish them in my womb, and then with my breast milk. How could I resent something that represents such an amazing and special time in my life?

I worked very hard during my pregnancies, working out to the day before delivery with each one, and eating a healthy diet. I gained 21lbs with my first baby and 26 lbs with both my second and third. At 10 weeks pp this time I was already 2lbs below my starting weight, and feeling great. Though I kept the weight gain to a minimal my body has made definite changes over the three pregnancies. Of course there are the stretch marks, and my shape is no longer that of a 17 year old girl, to me it now has the shape of a mother, and that is nothing to be ashamed of!!!

I am 25 years old and married to my high school sweet heart. My boys are 4.5yrs old, 2 years old, and 3 months old. Here are some pictures of what my body has done during the past few years!

-The first picture is at my Home Birth just after my third son was born in November 2008, 3 months ago. What an amazing feeling to know my body is capable of this!!

-The next two are me just about 1 year after my second son was born, not long before I found I was expecting my third. I had worked very very hard at the gym to try to tone my body, so I just kept right up with it all the way through my pregnancy.

-The next two are me 40 weeks pregnant on my Due Date with my third baby (4 days before he was born)

-Then a picture of my big stretch mark while I am in labour at home, and the next is my belly just about 2 hours or so after he was born.

-And finally me today, 3 months PP after 3 beautiful boys were born from my body.



Pregnancy Photos (Anonymous)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Homebirth, Postpartum, Pregnant, Second Pregnancy, Submissions 2 Comments

I’ve included three pictures of my belly when I was pregnant the second time. The one in the white shirt is at 40 weeks, just a few days before labor began. The black shirt is at 37 weeks, and the view from the top of my bulging belly-button is at 34 weeks. I had my first in a hospital in Florida and gave birth to a 9 lb 2 oz boy. My stretch marks went from pubic bone to belly button, and from side to side, all the way. I thought they couldn’t get any worse. As you may be able to see, they did. My daughter (#2) was 10 lbs 4 oz, born at home, unassisted, in a pool. She caused my stretch marks to extend by about two inches, now they go up past my belly button. It doesn’t bother me the way it used to. I still have a belly, but I haven’t exactly done a lot of working out either. I’m sure even when I do lose the weight I’ll still have an apron. Maybe when I get a new camera I can submit a picture of my postpartum body.





From Making Money with my Body to Making Babies (Anonymous)

Bonnie (SOAM) Before Pregnancy, Birth, Homebirth, Postpartum, Pregnant, Submissions, Third Pregnancy 13 Comments

After meeting the man of my dreams and spending two years dancing and modelling at 173cm and 57kg and 10d Bra size, I fell pregnant with my first son.
I quit smoking, Nightshift, Dancing, Vegetarianism and took up a healthy diet.
10 months later i weighed 85kg- I had put on 28kg.
My bra size went up to a 16EE.
After the gentle birth of my 9pd Son, I lost all the weight and was back modelling 7 months later.
My breasts were smaller and saggier, but If I dressed accordingly- I looked firm and fit.
I continued to dance and model and kept my family on a good wage and paid off my home.
We had a good quality of life and I spent a great deal of quality time with my son.
I conceived again- My second son.
This time I was 75kg pre-pregnancy weight.
At 20 weeks I quit dancing and modelling and took up office work for my partner.
Sitting on my bum in front of the Computer, Drinking Hot-Chocolate in Winter took me up to 95kg.

For a girl who relied on her looks and body to look after her family- This was disasterous.
I felt like I had let myself down, and that I had taken my income stream away.
I apologised to people why I was so fat and had a terrible time finding nice clothes that fitted well.
My 10pd Son was born unnassisted in the most amazing home water birth and His presence has been an absolute gift.
I would despair at my figure- Knowing that my partner was attracted to a thin-lean look and small breasts.
He Never mentioned anything, but I knew he was not attracted to me- As loving as he Is.
This broke my heart. I began to get jealous of Younger Girls with thin thighs hips and Arms.

At least twice a week, I would be holding my newborn and peole would ask me when the next baby was due…
I commented- “this is what you really look like after a baby for a little while…”

I would see my reflecting in the mirror and get a shock and then cringe.. I realised how judgemental of myself I had become.

I stopped going to social functions because I felt “too fat”..

I lost only 5kg after baby was born.

At 85kg and 4 months post-partum I conceived again!
I was breastfeeding and still in my maternity pants! I surrendered and decided to change my attitude and lifestyle.
I accepted my roundness and simply decided to be very healthy and exercise frequently enough to get me in good habits so I could get fit again after the birth of baby number three.

I am now 7 months pregnant and have put on 3kg with this pregnancy!
I am still quite heavy- But I am proud that I have limited my weight gain to a healthy level.

My Two sons are the Sunshine of my Life and their happy smiling faces are all I need to feel blissfully contented.

I am enjoying my new exercise routine and am quite proud that at 30 years old I have started to take responsibility to my health..

I will never be the same again- But this is the transition from maiden to mother….I am celebrating my fertility and enjoying it while I am ripe and luscious…I know that when I am older I will look back and remember these as the best years of my life- So I am making an effort to surrender and love myself for me- not for what I look like to others…Peace.








My Body Before and After HBAC (Anonymous)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Breasts, Cesarean, Homebirth, Postpartum, Pregnant, Second Pregnancy, Submissions, Update, VBAC 18 Comments

Previous post here.

I had my first child via C-section after a long traumatic labor when I was 21. I was told that my pelvis was misshapen, very small, and that I wouldn’t be able to birth a baby bigger than 6 lbs. Four years later, I birthed my second child into my own hands in a pool of water at home. (He was 8 lbs. 4 oz., by the way!) Cradling him as he left my body and entered this world was the most amazing experience of my life, and was worth all the stress, stigma, and emotional upheaval of working to achieve a vaginal birth after a C-section. I feel like I can do anything now. I am so proud of what my body did, and how it proved everyone wrong who told me I would never do this. The first picture is me at 39 weeks with my second pregnancy. The next two are me today at 1 month postpartum.





Updated here.

Third Time Mum (Anonymous)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Birth, Breasts, Homebirth, Postpartum, Pregnant, Submissions, Third Pregnancy 9 Comments

I met my husband when I was 17yrs and he was 21yrs. This September we have been together 18yrs, and married 12yrs We had our first child when I was 23yrs. We were the only ones in our peer group to have a child that young, even though in reality, it isn’t that young! Our oldest son is now 11.5yrs old. My daughter was born 3yrs later when I was almost 27yrs, she is now 8yrs. We had one of each, and thought we were finished having babies. Then, we accidently got pregnant with our third! He has been the light of our lives, we are so blessed to have him join us. The baby was born at home last August, unexpectedly breech (I have included a photo of him with his feet near his head just after the birth!). My body has evolved over the years and the children. I am 5’2″ and in the last 18yrs, I have fluctuated in weight from 47kg – 67kg. I have breastfed all of my children till they were preschoolers, and have birthed all of my babies vaginally. I got stretchmarks each time, but not too many. Just enough to remind me of the amazing job my body has done in nourishing my family over the years. I am happy with my body. Sure, I would love to lose a few pounds, but if I had to stay how I am now for the rest of my life, that would be fine by me. pix are 25wks pg, 38wks pg, 39wks pg, 15 mins after the baby was born at home, and the last two were taken last month, 9.5mths after the birth.








Baby #3, Post #3 (Babs)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Cesarean, Child Loss, Homebirth, Postpartum, Pregnant, Submissions, Third Pregnancy, Update 7 Comments

First Entry

Second Entry

The last submissions I put in were about not having any stretch marks, and a c-section recovery but baby #3 came 3 weeks overdue (and by UBAC) and weighed over 9lbs; he left his footprints when I reached about 40weeks and my fundal height crept past 43cm (it went to over 46). He came 11 months after my cesarean/childloss.

These pictures were a few weeks before birth, one during labour (an hour before birth) and one 2 months postpartum.


Updated here.

Triplet Belly

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Homebirth, Postpartum, Pregnant, Reader's Favorite, Second Pregnancy, Submissions, Triplets 112 Comments

This is a timeline of my belly from 7 weeks through 36 weeks, 3 months post partum, and my babies at 6 weeks old. I gave birth, at home, to my three beautiful babies at 37 weeks. Though this pregnancy changed by body forever, I loved every minute of it. Being a mom of triplets (and my great 2 1/2 year old) is the best thing that’s ever happened to me.