Who is this person you’re sending your nude photos to? Well, my name is Bonnie. I have been married almost eight years and I am a homeschooling, stay-at-home mother of two young children who are, at the time of writing this, six and three years old. I am a dabbler, interested in learning more about photography, cooking, gardening, knitting and crafting in general. I feel passionately that I want my daughter to grow up with a balanced view of what women should look like. My son, too, for that matter. Anything else you would like to know? Leave a comment. :)
(Forgive his closed eyes – I’m sure you moms understand trying to get one good photo out of more than one kid – it’s impossible.)
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These photos below were taken on July 5, 2006 – the birth of SOAM.
( I love how pissed off he looks in this picture.)
We are all beautiful. Thank you for this site. I look forward to experiencing and sharing what all of you have gone through already.
A friend sent this site to me today. I am not a mother and I don’t think that I want to be one. I now realize that some portion of my reservation has to do with my own body image issues. It has taken me 34 years to barely come to terms with my existing body, and after looking at this site, I can’t imagine having the psychological strength to go through, and accept, the physical changes that come with pregnancy and afterward. That being said, thank you for creating this site. It’s valuable for women to see real women’s bodies, of all shapes, sizes, and conditions.
My friend just sent me your site’s URL today, and I got teary-eyed reading all the lovely stories from all these moms. Thank you for doing this, it’s really wonderful.
I have a journal on Live Journal where I have been sharing my pregnancy experience. I have had ups and downs and to read about other women and knowing my concerns are not uncommon has been such a blessing. I will be having a c section on August 8th. I finally got up the nerve to have a few belly pics taken yesterday. I plan to send in some before and after shots in a couple of months. Thank you again for the reminder that while society may make me feel self conscious of my belly, at least my son will appreciate it in the end.
You are performing an amazing public service here.Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Thank you, thank you. It sounds downright silly, but I really felt like I was the “only one.” My body remained hideous to me, despite losing all the pregnancy weight and then some (nursing twins plus not having time to eat really takes it off). My next door neighbor, a man, has even made complimentary-borderline-lewd comments about how I completely bounced back. Women have made jealous comments. But it just made me feel even worse. Inside I would be crying, “If only you could see what I look like under these clothes…” But of course, then I feel guilty about feeling that way! (how typical of me…) What kind of shallow, ungrateful, silly person mourns her figure when she has two beautiful children! I never thought I would be that woman. (aside: does this mean I’ll also be “that woman” I’ve always despised who refuses to accept wrinkles and other natural effects of aging?)Thank you again for this site.
I think this site is an amazing ideafor women to feel more comfortable about themselves.However, I do feel compelled to point out that the photographs have confirmed to me that I NEVER want children. Ever. Probably not the effect you intended!28 year old, London UK
Everything I read, and every pregnancy class I attended only prepared me for the birth. Everything was geared towards getting through labour. Very little prepared me for life after birth. Some days I look at my body and I despair. Some days I look at my body and I am amazed at the miracle of life it has given. Thank you for such an enlightening, inspirational and empowering and site.
i am a 20 year old women who is 29 weeks pregnant with my first child. and at this age every other girl i know has their body as their main concern. this site is really helping me cope with the weight that i am gaining during my pregnancy and i am not so self conscious anymore. THANK YOU!
I’m two months PP, and have lost 55 lbs of my 78 lb weight gain, I’m 20 years old, and I was DEVESTATED to see my body clearly for the first time after my son’s birth… My once trim, flat tummy and flawless skin looked like it had gotten stuck in a taffy pull and then raveged by a tiger. I’m still not quite comfortable with my new body… But I feel with time, and keeping my expectations realistic I can re-gain my selfconfidance bck. I’ll submit some pre and post baby pics soon.
I am now, absolutely amazed.I was given a link to this site, and I think that it will changes the lives of so many people.I have been struggleing with body issues since the birth of my son. A tiny size 1 at 3 months pregnant, then gaining 50 lbs in the next 6 months left my body in ruins. I have been learning to love my body. To me now, I look like a woman. I have curves I know I wouldnt have had if it werent for my son. All though Im a little droopy in places and zebra-like in others, I have now realized that my body is wonderful and almost magical.I grew a human!He grew inside my body and he came out perfect and beautiful and pink, and it was my now “ruined” body that did it.So, after reading all the comments and postings, I realized, that others may not think I am beautiful, but I do, and my son loves me and thats all that matters in the whole world.Thank you. This is really beautiful
This is such a wonderful concept for a site. We live in a world full of images of women but I have never seen photos of real women like these.
Thank you so much for this photo, I have 4 kis and my stomache looked like yours after the 1st, for the last 12 years I have been embarrassed by it and tried to hide it from others. Now I have number 4 and still not seen anyone witha belly like mine( till now) I have finally admitted to myself that this is me. If my top creeps up now I just pull it down NOT cringe with embarrassment and leave a shop. I now proudly tell my kids that they grew in there and my skin stretched so that they could fit and be warm and safe.Thank you Mardi
I’m only 18 and have already gotten stretch marks (not too noticable), through puberty. At such an early age, you can tell how this affected me. At first I felt really ashamed to expose myself to my boyfriend because I didn’t know what his reaction would be like. However, he was really sweet by exclaiming, “I love your stretch marks!” What’s really important is that he loves me just the way I am. That has made me in turn, feel wonderful about myself.
I am so relieved to see that I’m not the only one. I’m passing this on to every woman I know! Thank you for this!
I am very happy to know that I am not the only one to have the postpartum saggy tummy like the above… Can anybody tell me some exercises? Anybody, Please tell me whether postpartum abdominal support belt helps to decrease the tummy size…Thanks in advance.
I don’t have a baby yet but I have gained weight recently and I worry about my body after I give birth. I love women’s bodies but have a hard time loving mine. I work as a doula and a teacher. Thanks for this site. I will share it share it share it.
Thank you so much for this site. I always tell my daughter and son that my stretch marks are so special because they always remind me that I grew the two most precious babies ever. And my daughter is also learning to absolutely love her body.Thank you again for showing how all our bodies are beautiful!
Im almost 21, Ive only had one baby so far, shes almost 2 and I want more, I cant complain much about the way I look, the boobs are goin south a little and I could lose a little weight and theres a few stretch marks, but like all parents say, I would never take it back. the children make it worth it. and it wont stop me from having another one. I love my daughter more then anything. And to tell you the truth I think that this website was VERY HELPFUL! honestly I thought I was the only one in the world worried about the way I look, and now I dont really care. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I think you should make a myspace with this kind of info, theres a lot of girls and women who need this info. and myspace is def a way to get it out there. thank you so much for this info!
You are gorgeous! :) Thanks for making this site and allowing all of us to be a part of it. Your amazing!
Seeing these pictures make me feel as though i fit right in with all mothers out there. I have very few friends who have babies, so i compare my pp body to their flat tummies perky boobs and stretch mark free skin. I feel as though when my fiends do see my stomach they get grossed out. I just want to see them after they have their kids and see what they end up looking like. I did however have a 10lbs baby. I am a size 5 waist. so i was HUGE!
Seeing all these pics of real women and what they look like after babies does not make me feel ashamed of what i look like. I want to thank you for boosting my self esteem back to what it was prior to having my son.
my sister, mother of 3 & prego again, told me about this site. i myself am 36 y/o and have a 2y/o and a 6mo old. this site is so important and beautiful–i’m talking about TRUE beauty–love, caring, kindness and LIFE. what a wonderful “thing” you’ve started. here’s to you, to motherhood, and to the female body!