Original entry here.
I put a post on here not too long ago. I have come so far the passed few weeks that I thought I would go ahead and post again. I have been thinking a lot about my body and the bodies of women on this site and I am wondering…how in the world could we ever be considered imperfect? We created and continue to create perfection, out sweet little babies, the most precious and loving thing on earth. This obviously makes us beautiful :) I started writing, kinda venting a tad ;) and this is what I ended up with.
To all the people that think that women should all be the media’s idea of perfection, screw you. All of the people that make me feel ashamed to wear a swim suit, get over it, I am wearing one. You must not appreciate the female body for what it is made to do. We, as women, are built to make life. WE grow babies inside of our wombs. With that comes the “imperfections”. The stretch marks, the saggy skin and breasts, the drooping, enlarged, and darker nipples. These are the changes our bodies had to make to nourish a life to grow inside of it. Women are made to give birth to life and nourish that life after it enters the world. Women are beautiful because of this amazing miracle. Not because their bodies aren’t yet scarred, or “ruined” as I have heard some say. I am not ruined. We are not ruined. We are beautiful. We are powerful. We gave birth to life. No one can ever tell me that my body isn’t perfect. To me it is. My daughter is wonderful perfection in my eyes. She is beautiful. My body changed for her. The changes it made, make it beautiful.
My daughter is now a month old. I saw her smile for the first time 2 days ago. It melts my heart and makes every mark on my body worth it. I was sad for myself when I looked in the mirror after I gave birth. Now I am glad that I look this way. If it wasn’t for me looking this way, I wouldn’t have her. She is now my world and I wouldn’t change a thing about my body. It gave me and my husband our baby girl. I have posted some updated pictures because I think the other ones I posted didn’t do my stretch marks justice :) Plus I lost a bit of weight in the last few weeks so I am quite proud :)
Number of pregnancies and births: 1
4 weeks pp (3 weeks in pics)
Picture 1 -Pre pregnancy tummy
Picture 2&3- 3 weeks pp
Picture 4- My husband and I Christmas 2010 (around 6 months pregnant)
Picture 5- My beautiful daughter, 3 weeks old.
Updated here.
You are so beautiful, and right! I LOVE your Christmas shirt :)
You look fantastic!!! Your little girl looks like a perfect mix between you and your DH! :)
beautiful!
Amen!
You are beautiful and your outlook is beautiful. Sometimes I get so sad when I think of how the media has degraded and put unrealistic expectations on women. Before I became a nurse I thought my body was disgusting, abnormal, shameful etc. Fortunately I now work on a postpartum unit and all I see day in and day out is women who look just like me. Stretchmarks, large areolas, montgomery glands, loose skin, etc and I really wish everyone could see what I see every day. Both women AND men should see these bodies because these bodies are normal, natural, beautiful, and nothing to be ashamed of. These marks are the evidence and proof of the miraculous nurturing of life that takes place inside of all mothers. Small glimpses into that beautiful hidden world we call our uterus :)
Couldn’t have said it better! And you look fantastic, your 3 weeks pp body looks better than my 18 month pp one. Oh well, as you said, my little one makes it all worth it.:)
Fantastic and totally on target! Will share on the http://www.facebook.com/awhfornyc page! (Awesome Women Hub for New York City!)
Very refreshing. Thanks for reminding me to love my body. :). You look great for 3 weeks pp and will continue to look better. You, I, and all the other beautiful mothers on here can show everyone that we, too, deserve to feel fantastic in a bathing suit. I posted “My New Self” a few posts before you. Your daughter is adorable.
You may have stretch marks, but you ahve a very nice shape! Someone would be insane to think you don’t belong in a bikini. You are very blessed to come out of pregnancy looking so great! I had only one pregnancy, one baby, and I will never be able to step foot in a two peice again.
Thank you so much everyone!
Hey Tessa! -Get in that swim suit girl! We are all beautiful women!
You are beautiful!