3 1/2 yrs post partum (Anonymous)

I was a tiny person before i bacame pregnant. never more than 120 lbs. My son was born 2 weeks after my 19th birthday. During my pregnancy i ate healthy. I didn’t limit my diet but i did eat a lot healthier than i usually did. I gianed a total of 23 lbs, less than reccommended. I was still very tiny. People didn’t notice i was pregnant unless i told them up into my 3rd trimester, and even then some people were suprised when they finally noticed my belly. I remember being 8 months pregant, and i looked down at my belly and told my husband in admiration, “this lotion must work, i don’t have a single stretch mark!” He gave me a funny look and said, “what are you talking about? You have tons of them!” He informed me that they were all under my belly. I checked the mirror and sure enough, there were lots and lots of verticle stretch marks under my belly. Over the next month they grew longer and longer until they covered my entire (tiny!) belly. My son was born in November of 2003, and he is now 3 1/2 years old. My stretch marks have faded from crimson to silver but they’re still there. And i still have the “mommy pooch.” Pregnancy and breastfeeding have changed my breasts as well, my son nursed for 2 1/2 years. I went from a small C cup to a large D cup. Pregnancy has changed my body in other ways as well. I became diabetic while pregnant, and while its not as severe now, i am still insulin resistant. because of this i have marks on my body called Acanthosis Nigricans. They mostly affect people who are overweight, and those with darker skin tone to begin with. But i’m one of the lucky ones who did not have those risk facters who got it anyway. Honestly they bother me more than my stretch marks do. I love your website because i can see that my experience is normal. The changes to my body are wonderful things, symbolizing the awesome things that it can do. Things that i hope one day (got willing) my body will be able to do it again.