Age: 18
Pregnancies & births: 1
2 years, nearly 3 months postpartum
I got pregnant two months before i turned 16. My daughter’s father and I didn’t know each other well, weren’t together, and we weren’t for a very long time. I spent my 41 week pregnancy and 19 months of her life as a single mom, relying on my own mom for support, both financially and emotionally. Thanks to her looking after Hazel during the day, I was able to finish high school and also get two years of college done at the same time. When Hazel was 19 months old, her father decided he wanted to be involved, and we ended up getting together and have been for nearly 8 months now. The relationship between Hazel and him is a little rocky because of the gap between her birth and his involvement, but we’re working on it. Before getting pregnant, I was 5’3 & 1/2″ tall and 120 lbs. Now i’m 114 but with a lot of difference between my old body and this one. I have my days when I watch too many infomercials & spend too long at the magazine rack & long for the body I had before, but I also have my days when I look at my bumps and stretch marks fondly & remember the time my child spent inside my body, waiting, growing strong…and I smile.
These pictures were taken tonight, my standing on the lip of my bathtub and perched precarioiusly atop Hazel’s baby bathtub. I really need a full-length mirror lol. The last one is Hazel and me, in our normal silly state. (Her father is full blown Irish, hence her stunning lack of deep pigment haha.) Despite my young age at the time of her birth, she is the best thing that ever happened to me. She’s changed my entire perspective on everything I encounter in daily life. She’s opened my mind and my heart and made me a better person.
You sound mature, collected, and well-versed for your age and it sounds like you have a great perspective over everything! Since you’re back to lower than your prepartum weight, it’s just another example of outward appearance not necessarily reflecting on internal or vascular health.
Congrats on staying positive and you look fine!
You look like one hot mama and a very sexy woman!! You are a beautiul inspiration for young moms out there! Congrats on your little beautie! :)
Ms. Katelyn, thanx for postin’ your encouraging story. U have a wise outlook on life and have been truly blessed. U are proof, if anyone still doubts, that what dont kill us only makes us stronger. If we dont learn from our mistakes we are doomed to repeat them. U obviously have learned and are learning a great deal. Thanx for allowin’ us all to learn from u. I would love to hear more about u and from u and would love to assist u in your continued development and progress. Please feel free to contact me @ billboardz360@gmail.com. thnx again…
OMG you are so beautiful! I am 21 and 9 months pp and I have a lot of stretch marks too, but we are so blessed to see just how our babies grew inside of us… we have the been blessed as mothers to have those marks on our bodies. The loose skin Im sure we can all do without, but no matter what has changed, the biggest change is that we were able to support a life with ours and grow a child. Your body is absolutely perfect and beautiful!!! If I saw you on the beach, i would have to look a second time because you are what a healthy young mom should look like…. stretch marked and beautiful! :) Good luck, I hope all works out for you and your boyfriend!
Wow! We have almost identical bodies it seems! I also had my daughter young (barely 17). I love to hear young moms who sound so mature and collected. My little girl is nearly 6 now and looking back… I grew up quickly but I’m grateful for it everyday!
You look radiant, Hazel is so cute I really love the name. You’re one smart, strong mama, girl power ay!
Wow, I was totally down just a few moments ago, just got done watching a movie, and of course the women always look “perfect” and it just made me upset because i’m still getting new to my new body. I just had my son 9 months ago (on the 19th) and you are an inspiration to me! It feels so good seeing just how stunning you are, and that they’re REAL people out there!! You are soo strong, especially for raising that beautiful girl at a young age. I’m 21 right now, and it’s pretty difficult so I can only imagine. I just want to thank you I’m glad yu posted something, you reached out to me, you just look marvelous<3
You’re an amazing mom, and you’re very mature for your age. I like your perspective. I have a little girl too, she’s 9 months old. I feel very sad about how my body looks like sometimes, but knowing my daughter’s healthy and happy makes everything ok. Thank you for sharing your experience with us =) God bless and I hope you get your degree really soon! *hugs*
Honey, you still look petite, and I bet you can get into a lot of cute outfits that I could never dream of fitting in.
Plus you have a beautiful face.