FYI - Comment Approvals and Tummy Tucks
I will no longer be approving comments that suggest the poster should consider a tummy tuck unless the poster has specifically requested to discuss the subject. PLEASE note that I am not judging any woman who may choose to get one - I have not walked in her shoes, and I like to believe [...]
Moms in Orange County, California!
I have been corresponding with a reporter from the OC Register - she’d like to get in contact with some moms in the area so, if you are willing, can you please contact her? Her info is below:
My name is Courtney Perkes and I’m a reporter at the Orange County Register. I’m interested in [...]
Flawz
I posted this over at Facebook the other night, but haven’t had the time to share it here yet. It is fabulous. I have long noticed that it is those interesting bits - what a person might refer to as his or her flaws - which I find the most beauty in. [...]
Discussion: Men within SOAM
There have been a few recent comments here about how we, as women, feel about men commenting here. Above all else, I deeply want this to be a safe place for women - but it is, of course, the internet.
I have chosen to keep this forum open and public for a few reasons, but [...]
Helping out Mamas in Need
It is humbling to me to step outside of my own brain for a little while and see women who suffer in much more basic and devastating ways than I do. Mothers in Haiti right now are likely not very concerned about what their bellies look like or if they should save for a [...]
SOAM on Facebook - moving
I don’t know if Fan Pages have always been around and I was just too facebook-stupid to find them before, or if I created the group before Fan Pages were around, but in any case, they serve my purposes much better. So I am finally moving from the group to a fan page. [...]
Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day
It’s a bit late for most of you by now, but I just came across this and wanted to share it anyway. This is a subject that comes up a lot here, and I wanted to share with all you mamas who’ve lost a child that I will be lighting a candle for you [...]
Featured in Parent Map
Not too long ago, I was interviewed by Tera Schreiber for an article on Parentmap.com. It was a pleasure to speak with her and the article is fantastic. Thanks, Tera!
Read the article here.
Refreshing!
Brigitte, a German magazine is banning all models and using women who represent a wider variety of body sizes and shapes! Dear, United States, please take note.
Now on Twitter!
After carefully considering your opinions, I have decided to go ahead an open a twitter account. I won’t post daily entries (because I intend those to be daily) but the occasional activism ones, or links to articles may be shared there. Follow me here if that’s your thing. I also hope to [...]
The BMI Project
I came across this a long time ago and was recently reminded of it - today’s entry inspired me to finally get around to sharing it with you all.
We all know the scale lies - that’s why “They” created the BMI, to have a more accurate way of assessing weight and size. And it [...]
My E-Mail (Clarification)
(This refers to my “contact me” e-mail - NOT the email for submissions, those are all taken care of.)
I had thought things were slow in terms of e-mail recently and today I happened to notice that ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING for at least a month has gone into spam. I suspect I’ve lost a lot more [...]
Beauty in a Magazine
Thank you, Glamour, for this!
She is beautiful. Even more so that someone in corporate got a clue that THIS is what we want (need) to see. Despite the fact that it was such a small photo, I am glad it was printed at all. Next step: bigger photo.
(It does make [...]
The Unnecesarean Has a New URL - UPDATED
Unfortunate circumstances have forced Jill, the owner of The Unnecesarean, to change her url. It’s such a fantastic and important resource for women that I wanted to make sure to pass along the word. If you have it bookmarked or linked, please take a moment to make the correction.
The new link [...]
Toddler Plastic Surgery?
I caught a glimpse of this video on some show last night (honestly I don’t even know which one - the husband was flipping channels and I made him stop so I could see this) and went straight to MomLogic.com to see the whole thing. It’s a commentary on plastic surgery and, perhaps, a [...]
Happy Birthday, SOAM!!
Three years ago today, I created the first post for this website. I agonized over whether this idea would succeed or if it would fall flat on its face. I begged my friends to submit photos and to pass the word on. And then within a month, I was receiving thousands of [...]
A Stolen Photograph (I Refuse to be Ashamed)
I was alerted to a certain anti-stretch mark article tonight by reader Sara. The author of this article had the gall to break copyright laws and steal my photograph of myself and my baby son which has been featured on this website for nearly three years. I have politely asked her to remove [...]
Comments on Entries
It has come to my attention that, in some cases, women may prefer to submit entries without receiving any feedback on them. They may be looking simply for affirmation for themselves, or a step in their healing process, or just a chance to share something in the hopes that other people may be healed. [...]
SOAM on Oprah?
Awhile back, I posted a link to a facebook group my friends have created in the hopes that Oprah will take notice of the site and feature it on her show. My friends and others have written letters to this effect and I felt it was time that I do the same. I [...]
Happy Mother’s Day!
To all you who have participated.
To all you who have read the site and passed it on.
To all of you who have been empowered.
To all of you who have been relieved.
To those with stretch marks and those without.
To those who no longer recognize their bodies, and those who bounced back.
You who are uncertain you could [...]
Thanks to the French
This month’s French version of Elle magazine features several celebrities photographed without makeup or photoshopping. And guess what? They are still beautiful. It’s a different kind of beauty, one that shows the imperfections in their skin, but a more important beauty for the world to see. Granted, they are still professionally [...]
When a Child Dies
I lived in a sweetly ignorant world before I opened this website - I never knew of a person who had lost a baby. Not here in the US! Not in this day and age of good medical care and awareness of baby safety! I knew it happened, but it was rare [...]
Send me your photos!
I am working on a new project in relation to this site and would like your help. I am planning to create posters and cards for midwives, OB’s, LC’s, doulas, etc, to post and keep in their offices as literature (if you can call it literature when it is primarily photos, in fact I [...]
Ads on the home page
I realize that a lot of the ads on the home page are rather the opposite message from what I am hoping to convey here at The Shape of a Mother and I apologize for that. I do not endorse any of those ads. Unfortunately, I cannot filter ads by keyword, merely [...]
A Request from a Participant
Sarah, a contributor here for the Save our Daughters project has humbly requested that we help her out. She has entered a contest which will enable her, if she wins, to live her dream photography project. Under almost any other circumstances, I would not post such a request here, but her project idea [...]
New E-mail Participation! Also New E-mail Addresses!
I’ve turned off the uploader for now to give e-mail submissions a try. Hopefully there will be fewer mistakes this way! So check out the new participation guidelines here.
I’ve also got new e-mail addresses!
Submissions should go to submissions@theshapeofamother.com
All other communication can go to bonnie@theshapeofamother.com
Thanks!
National Eating Disorders Awareness Week
Begins today. For more information check out the website.
Filming for the Documentary
My friend Lorien (SOAM entry here) speaking her mind towards the end of the day
A few weeks ago, I gathered with some other amazing women (around a pool - in January!) to film a segment for a British documentary. Focusing on body image and motherhood, the documentary (currently aiming to air in March in [...]
Interview
Paula at Easy Baby Life interviewed me recently about this site. I have to say her questions were some of the most intriguing I’ve been asked - it’s a great interview! Go check it out! Thanks, Paula!
Mention in Brain, Child Magazine
Author Melissa Stanton recently wrote an article on the controversial “Mom Job” plastic surgery package in Brain, Child magazine. She mentions this website in the article. Overall, I think the article is mostly balanced, but I would like to take this opportunity to clear up one thing about this website.
The Shape [...]
Unnecesarean.com
I found this link recently while reading a friend’s blog and wanted to share it. While some cesareans are certainly a necessity, the US has a frighteningly high rate of one in three births. People sometimes assume that cesareans are a safer way to birth, but the fact is that they are major [...]
BACK!
The uploader is BACK! I am finally caught up (short of two entries waiting in my inbox which I will post in the morning) and am ready to take submissions again. Sorry for the delay, but I am happy to be back on track.
Blessings to you all!
Saturday Night
Last night, at a local coffee shop aimed towards moms, some women gathered with me to watch the amazing film, Fifty Nude Women. I first heard about the film through this site - a reader had sent me a link - and it’s such a perfect idea, and goes so exactly hand-in-hand with The [...]
Reminder - Movie in San Diego
Just a reminder that we are showing Fifty Nude Women in San Diego this Saturday. If you are in the area and are interested, shoot me an e-mail for details.
Almost there…
My laptop is about to be sent off to be fixed (luckily? it’s under warranty) so I’ve settled myself in here at the big desktop and am catching up on all the entries I’ve been behind on - particularly those e-mailed to me have been neglected. So I’m almost caught up and will hopefully [...]
Fifty Nude Women - showing in San Diego
Fifty Nude Women
presented by Shape of a Mother and Java Mama
**Please e-mail shapeofamother@pacbell.net for details and to confirm your attendance as we will have limited room**
A documentary about 50 real nude women
of all ages and sizes and colors.
No airbrushing or Hollywood sparkle
mars their beautiful flaws and perfect imperfection.
Come see what real women look like.
Fifty Nude [...]
Downtime
The server this site is on had some big issues over the weekend and the blog went kaput. Between that and my own computer issues (really, sometimes technology makes me want to crawl into bed and never leave) I was not able to alert my webhost until this morning and they fixed it right [...]
Argh. Will be a bit absent.
My laptop has decided that connecting to the internet is not so important. Personally, I disagree, but so far cannot persuade the laptop to change his mind. In the mean time, I will be around, but much less so since the desktop is not as inconvenient. Between that and the vast amount [...]
Tags & Catagories
With the new design came a switch to Wordpress from Moveable Type (a change I am so far extremely happy with!). Unfortunately in the switch we lost all the tags I had on the posts. Which means you currently cannot click on them and find all the related submissions, but I will slowly [...]
New Design
As you can see we are changing our look over here. Please bear with us as we get all the kinks worked out. It sure is pretty, though, eh? I’m so excited!
Busy Busy Busy
New Group on Facebook!
If I disappear…
Sorry for the downtime!
Interview
BlogHer Ads
E-Mailed Submissions Backlogged
East Coast Moms
I’m back, I swear
No Internet Access for a few days
Submissions for “My List” will close…
Photographer’s Request
my e-mail address
Your assignment should you choose to accept…
It’s Our Anniversary!
Downtime and a Link
Nominated
The Next Few Days
About Submissions
MIA
Philadelphia/Delaware/South Jersey Moms!
Technical Difficulties
Raffle for Lily
ICAN
New Button
Looking for a few good women…
Please help baby Lily!
Mothering.com
I’m so excited to share this! This site has been finally picked up by a US publication and is featured as Mothering.com’s Activism Alert this month.
Thank you!!
Pictures
MySpace
Uploader is back!
Problem with submissions!
Google Text Ads
Cafe Press Store
Rude People
We’re BACK!
Link of the Day!
I feel so honored to have this site featured as a “Daily Link” over at Dooce’s blog. Thanks, lady!
Website of the Week!
This blog is being featured over at All for Women this week. Go check it out!
Support Only Please
Technical Difficulties
Please Read
Interviewed!
Please Read
Link to This Site!
Frequently Asked Questions
Who Am I?
About This Site
Participate
- About this site
- Contact Me
- Special thanks
- Who I am
- Participate
- Save our daughters
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- Link to this site
- 007 Breasts: Blog
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- Unnecesarean.com