Previous post here.
21 year old mother of a 1 year old boy
It’s funny what a few months can do to you. I wrote a second entry about my body and the sadness and disappointed that I felt at the fact that I did not lose the weight like everyone had assured me I would, and did not feel confident and sexy as I once did before becoming a mother. 5 months after writing that entry, I’m writing this one.
My son will be turning 1 in just over a week and I’ve realized that I don’t stop and stare at myself after showers, I don’t hide under the covers when my husband and I make love, and I don’t care about changing how I look. I’m finally okay with me, just the way I am.
I was lucky enough to go through such a life change as pregnancy and parenting with someone so accepting and loving. He hasn’t changed a single thing about how he adores and reacts to my body and I can tell he appreciates my body more now for bringing his son into our lives.
I look at my son everyday and wonder how I would have been so sad in the first few months about how I looked, when it was all so worth it. Why was I so focused on something so irrelevant when I had a gorgeous child in front of me, something the doctors said I would never have. I’m not saying accepting the changes of your body is easy, and I perfectly understand that my body could look much different and be much harder to accept, but I think the reason I accepted it was because I stopped judging it. It doesn’t matter how I looked before getting pregnant and when I finally stopped making that comparison I realized that this body I have now may be different, but it’s not unattractive. It’s the body of a mother, and that is a beautiful thing in so many ways.
First photo is just a month before conceiving, in a size 2, Second photo is at 41 weeks pregnant, Third to Sixth photo are of my body as I am now, just a week shy of 1 year postpartum, Seventh photo is the only time I dared to wear a bikini after the birth of my son and the very last photo is my beautiful and healthy little boy, the thing that made it all worth it!
This will be my second and final entry but I will continue to read every submission. I’m so amazed at the strength everyone has just to post the change in their bodies, whether minimal or not. It’s truly played a big part in the acceptance of my body in this journey as a mother! Thank you.
*insert whistle* You look fantastic, and with a view on your body so healthy, why shouldnt you? Wow, I think you are rockin’ that bikini, and what a precious boy! I think how you view your body makes you so much more sexier, and I bet your husband notices too :)
You and your son are beautiful :) yay for December babies.
This made me tear up. You have such gorgeous baby and you still look amazing. I have been reading this website for 7 months now, still trying to get the courage and submit my story. I could have written this entry especially the part that your body no longer looks the same as pre-pregnancy but it is not unattractive.
Wow, you really look great:) I think you should appreciate ur body as it is, many mothers wish to look like u!
You look amazing in the bikini! Work it girl! Great outlook on life! Your son is adorable too :)
You look great. I am coming up on the one year mark myself! I can hardly believe it! I’m happy that you have been able to find love and acceptance for yourself. Your baby is adorable!
omg you’re beautiful dont ever let anyone make you feel differently.
Wow I love this entry! You remind me of myself, I was a skinny size 0 pre-pregnancy, and had a rather nice stomach like yours. Post pregnancy I am flabby and a bit heavier. You look great and I think alot of it comes down to how you hold your body now, you dont hunch and shy away you flaunt it and thats great!