I’m excited to finally share my story after reading this website for a couple years. I’m 27 years old and this is my first baby. My pre-pregnancy weight was 125 lbs. I gained 35 lbs with pregnancy. Now 12 weeks pp, I’m down to 130 lbs. I didn’t get any stretch marks. Honestly, I ate pretty crappy throughout my pregnancy. As for exercise, I did yoga a few times a week prior to being pregnant, but quit exercising once I got pregnant. However, with my job I was walking and on my feet a lot. I’m also breastfeeding exclusively. I attribute it all to genetics (thanks mom!), considering I haven’t put forth any effort to lose the weight. I delivered a beautiful, healthy 7 lb 10 oz baby girl after 18 hours of labor. Sadly, I’ve always had a poor body image. I was very nervous about what pregnancy would do to me physically, especially after seeing some of the pictures on this site. Overall though, I’m proud of my body and what it’s done for me. Here are the pics. My body looks crooked because I’ve got mild scoliosis, and my right boob is bigger than the left.
Blue undies: 6 weeks pregnant
Pink undies: 40 weeks pregnant
Green undies: 12 weeks postpartum
you look great! I dont see a crooked stature and I think most of us ladies have a boob bigger than the other! my husband says it gives him variety, lol.
Congrats on bouncing back and having great genes. I’ve never posted pics on this site, and to be honest it’s people like you that make people ashamed of their postpartum bodies and not want to share. To say that you were afraid because of other pics on the site is to put down many brave women who chose to show their battle scars in order to make moms and moms-to-be, including you, feel better about themselves. You probably didn’t mean it the way it came out, especially since you said you do suffer from poor body image, but maybe you should think about the fact that many of the women, whose bodies you noted got you worried about your own, maybe they’re proud of their bodies too. For bringing into this world their sons and daughters…stretch marks, sagging skin, extra fat, or not.
Wow you look amazing!
OMG! You look outstanding! You need not to have any body issues!! I actually think you look sexier after having had your baby! :) Seriously!
I think that anyone who hadn’t gone thru pregnancy would be a bit nervous @ the changes it could wrought. She should not have to censor her honesty in the that. I take offence to ayone saying different. She is proud of what her body has done for her,(given her a beautiful, healthy child) not just what it looks like. Besides stretchmarks and saggy skin don’t make you a mother! and I have both.
What a beautiful little girl!!! And you look so amazing!!!!!
These photos are lovely.
This poster stated that she has a poor body image, and she went so far as to point out her “flaws” as SHE herself sees them. This may well have been a very painful thing for her to do. Whether a viewer of her photos agrees that her body is imperfect, I wish we could all remember that it may in fact have been extremely difficult for her to post such intimate photos of her body.
Jenn –
I think you’re being too harsh here. This woman is acknowledging that she thinks she looks the way she does because of genetic factors, and in this post isn’t judging herself to be better or more virtuous than the other people who have posted on this site.
I think it’s fine to admit that looking at photos on this site can make you feel afraid of what will happen to your body during pregnancy – these aren’t images that we generally see of women’s bodies, and one reaction is to fear how drastically your own body might change, regardless of what actually happens.
The point is that women’s post-pregnancy bodies look a huge variety of ways – and this woman’s body is just one. To say that it’s “people like her” that make other women feel ashamed is a terrible and blame-placing generalization. You might want to acknowledge that you are speaking only for yourself.
You look great!
I’m going to give “Jenn” the benefit of the doubt. I think everyone gets a little testy and put off by some comments sometimes. I’ve read other posts on this site similar to Jenn’s where people were a lot worse in their criticism to the picture poster.
But that said, I think the poster here looks great…I hope I look that good after my first!! And I don’t think the poster of the pictures meant to come off the way Jenn thought. I’ve had body issues too and understand how even if you look really good to others, you can see your own flaws in a much worse light. Kudos to all who choose to share their photos!
Your little girl is so beautiful! What great big blue eyes!
As for your after baby body, WOW mama! I agree with Angele, your body seems to look better after giving birth, you should be proud!
Reading my comments in print I realize how harsh they were…and I didn’t mean them to sound so harsh. For that I apologize. You are very lucky to have bounced back the way you did and for your beautiful baby. And you should feel good about that. I guess I’m a little sensitive these days. Lately I’ve heard more and more comments by men and even some women mocking what happens to women’s bodies and I feel bad about mine and so the comment that you no doubt meant no harm in cut me a bit. I also wrote this on impulse and felt a bit bad after hitting submit as I was afraid it might come off more defensive than I meant it. I’m not even brave enough to put my pictures up, so shame on me. Anyway, that’s all I wanted to say. Thanks. You look great and have every right to be proud about what your body did.
You look fantastic. Good for you. I too have scoliosis and had the crooked belly. You are very lucky not to have gotten any stretchmarks. Your little one is absolutely adorable.
Jenn…to say “it is people like you that make people ashamed of their postpartum bodies and not want to share” is incedibly hypocritcal. Are you not making people that made it through without stretch marks uncomfortable? She was jst being honest. You make it seem as though unless you have stretch marks you are not welcome. Is the point of this site not that the female body is a wonderful, amazing thing regardless of shape, size or markings?? Of course she was nervous after seeing some of the photos on the site! I know I was. They are very graphic and as unfortunate as it is, not what we are used to seeing in society.
You look great and your baby is adorable too!
I think it’s nice to have variety on the site. Some women are unchanged by pregnancy, and some women are changed a lot. Like you say, it’s probably genetics more than anything else that determines what’s going to happen. I’m a little bit worried about it, but seeing you and other women like you gives me hope! :)
Just want to say that Jenn’s second reply had not been approved and posted when the further responses were made. :)
You look so amazing, I love you!
-Your lil sis
honestly, it makes my depressed even more to see these pictures of a mom who was OBVIOUSLY very lucky to not get the discusting body i got..seeing these perfect post pregnancy bodies, just emphasizes how ugly mine really is…so Jenn is not the only one that feels this way…
You look wonderful and i am so jealous!!!!!
You look fantastic! I didn’t notice any crookedness in your body or one breast being larger than the other until you said something and I went backed and looked. But even then…
You do look fantastic and I think you have every right to be proud of your body. I think EVERY women on here has the right to be proud…service stripe and all. I think the whole point of this website it to expand our definition of what is beautiful.
I appreciate your fear of the “flaws” that often come with pregnancy, but I also appreciate Jenn’s comments and her reaction in her first post as well. They are simply two points of view and neither one of you should be ashamed of what you have to say. Jenn’s first comments are a normal and understandable reaction and I think that she too should be applauded for having the “honesty” to put those in writing as well as having the bravery to face her feelings in her second post.
As women who have the common bond of motherhood, we have to remember to be kind to one another. And I DO mean being kind to the poster and to Jenn for her reaction as well.
I got some negative feedback also when I said it’s possible to get back into shape. To get back exactly like you used to look – who knows? You look great and it’s great to have a variety of outcomes.
Thank you Catherine, for your post. I think you got it just right, and in a much nicer way said what I was thinking when I wrote my first post…that women should be proud of their bodies regardless of how they look after pregnancy….whether you’re lucky enough to get through pregnancy w/o stretch marks, etc, or even if you’re not. My first post finished w/ “or not”…in other words, stretch marks or not. I never meant to imply that women w/o stretch marks or who bounce back wonderfully make women ashamed…that was my reaction to the comment about being afraid based on photos of other people who posted on this site. So it was the comment about other women’s bodies on this site, NOT the fact that the poster looks wonderful (and should feel proud she looks so great). Sometimes words on a page sound more harsh than if said in person. For that I will apologize once more, but I was just reacting honestly to what I thought was a slight to some of the other women who posted pics on this site. Though I’m sure the poster didn’t mean that comment to come across that way and she was just being honest too. I again applaud her for posting her pictures and thinks she’s very lucky to have such a cute little baby and a great figure after having a baby. But I also applaud the women on this site who have posted their pictures that did end up w/ a drastically changed body after having kids. Both types of pictures and all those that come between the two are to be appreciated.
I’m glad for this discussion. We women clearly need to be kinder and not so hard on ourselves…and with that, gentler with one another too. Jenn I really applaud you for keeping this on your mind and coming back here (many people wouldn’t have done that)…to me, discussions like these are a big part of what this site is meant to be…share the photos, then share the honest reactions. Thanks to the poster, and thanks to Jenn and the rest of you who contributed.
Thanks for all the kind comments.
I never intended for my words to be hurtful or disrespectful to anyone.
You look absolutely amazing! It’s great to see posts like this on here. This site is about postpartum bodies, stretch marks or not. I also didn’t get any stretch marks and I KNOW it was completely do to genetics, neither my mom or sister got any, still we all have fears about whats happening or happened to our bodies and we all should be able to share our stories. oh and congratulations on breastfeeding exclusively! Keep it up! XO
WOW YOU ARE STUNNING….LUCKY!
you give me hope
Well, I’m not pregnant, and am not trying, but I’m extremely excited and EXTREMELY nervous. I am genetically due for twins, and can’t wait until my fiance holds me while I’m pregnant. But, I too have had some serious image issues as well. I am petit, 5’1 and my weight varies but no more than 120. It’s all mental, which makes it hard to ignore sometimes.
Some therapy, good books, and long honest talks with myself, my partner and my mother have helped me get through highschool and college. As much as I hope I get to a point where I can no longer even think about such things (sometimes I feel immature, like a teenager, but sometimes I feel I can’t help it) I also really want to bounce back and become fit again. I want to continue my yoga, fashion with high heels and waist skirts, and feeling delicate. So this gives me hope, but perhaps false, unnecessary hope…
I supposed we’ll see once I become a mother. Websites like these have helped me realize regardless, I’m going to adore my babies and my new life with them. So thank all of you
You look simply amazing. I’m currently 32 weeks right now… no stretch marks yet.. but my mother had them so I’m sure in time they too will come. I can only hope that, stretch marks or not, I’m able to bounce back the way you have.
You give me hope and more confidence! my pre pregnancy body looked almost exactly like yours, now i’m 29 weeks, have gained about 21 lbs, have no stretch marks… I’m getting where i can’t eat as much bc of the lack of room so i’m thinking i may only gain a total of 25-30 lbs. i just hope i look exactly like you afterward!! it’s nice to see that the mothers body doesn’t always have to change that much… but everyone IS beautiful and the amazing changes a mother goes through to nourish and carry her baby into this world is the ultimate gift
wow.. you look amazing.. and you give me hope!! we have about the same body type and i looked about the same prepreggo, so you make me feel a little more calm about my what my pp body may look like… our baby bumps also look very similar! crazy!
I just wanted to write to tell you how FAB-U-LOUS you look. Your pp pictures are what I am working out to be before baby. I have no plans to have children in the near future but stumbled upon the site while looking for support for a friend. I have never been so impressed as I am by ALL the women who post here. Truly you are all amazing, beautiful and encouraging. Women coming together to support one another is what has drawn me to the site after coming across it, children or not.
I don’t think it’s fair to hate on this lady for putting up her pics…this website is called The Shape Of A Mother…which means any mother should feel welcome to put up their pics, stretch marks or no stretch marks!
Every mother is beautiful for making the decision to perhaps sacrifice their bodies for their children. Some people are just lucky enough to not get any stretch marks, getting upset or jealous about it won’t help! Everyone on this site is beautiful. There is no need to target others (although I do understand what you’re saying about the bit were she said that she was worried about looking like other women on here, but I honestly dont think she meant it the way it sounded)
Well done on getting back into shape, youre an inspiration! you look fabulous xxx
All I can say is: I’m so freakin’ jealous…!!!