age 28
number pregnancies: 1 pregnant 25 weeks with next
I have always been pretty active and fit, I was 26 when I got pregnant with my son, it was unexpected and my husband and I had only been together for 6 months at the time. I tried and tried to avoid the stretch marks but I already had a ton of old ones from when I went through puberty so I knew it was a lost cause.
The angry little marks showed up around 37 weeks and I decided that I would document the changes in my belly from the end of pregnancy to immediately following the birth, to a couple weeks after to 2 years after to see how my body recovered. The marks do fade but never go away and you learn to live with them, I got a higher cut bikini to hide the old marks the best I can but I really don’t care anymore.
I am now 25 weeks pregnant with my second kid and wonder what will happen this time around, I’m sure I’ll be sad initially but I will look and see that the scars fade and life goes on. =)
picture 1 is of me a few months before getting pregnant
This is me the day I went to the hospital, the marks are hidden by the size of the belly!
This is an hour after birth while laying in the hospital bed
This is two weeks after
Two weeks
2 years after
Pregnant 25 weeks
The human body is amazing, isn’t it? You look beautiful, thank you for your pictures!!
Wow, you look great two years later! What did you do in those two years to get you back? Did your stretch marks fade on their own? Did you exercise a lot?
I am ready to pop here in a couple of weeks, and my stomach (which used to be totally flat and pretty) is looking like a war zone with all the stretch marks… You’re pictures are encouraging,… but please tell me if there’s a secret to it =)
You loook greaaaat!!
i love the documentation of it, great idea!
and no extra, wrinkly skin?? jealous:)
I started doing zumba for this past year and it made a huge difference in my body and my confidence the group of women I attend with are awesome. also the marks did fade on their own though I bought strivectin but was not disciplined enough to use my sister had wonderful results with it. I still have the whole bottle maybe I will try it again after this baby. It’s hard when you first have the baby and see everything so different like the little butt shape I had below my belly button for a few months but it gets better but you have to be patient, unless you are very genetically blessed your body needs months to recover.
I am so glad you posted this! I didn’t get many stretch marks with my daughter and I was happy with my body, despite its changes. With my son, he was unexpectedly almost 10 pounds (overdue!) and I earned many stretch marks, very similar to the ones you have. If you can look that amazing in a bikini two years postpartum (!!!) so can I! Thank you!!! :D
Im happy to see that you are not crying about what your baby did to your body. Nobody does not know whats going to happen to their body when they get pregnant but you have an awesome attitude. You do look very awesome and if you are as positive with your second child as you were with your first you will look great the second time around. Good luck with your second pregnancy and delivery. Give an update…
Thank you so much for posting these! Firstly, you look awesome! I’m 32 weeks pregnant and am starting to get stretch marks in the areas you have them in. These pictures definitely give me hope that I won’t have to spend the rest of my life in a one piece or off the beach! Hope you have a fabulous second pregnancy! :)
Awwww! You look lovely!! Just gorgeous!! :)
Thank you for posting these.. I’m 28 years old and 9 weeks along with my first child. I’m scared and have body image issues already. Its nice to see that I’m not going to be the end of my body just because I’m having a baby.
Wow, your 2 years PP body looks exactly like before pregnancy! It’s amazing! :) I’m sure second pregnancy won’t change it either. Good luck!
I have had my baby and I am now 4 weeks postpartum how do I send in an update to this post?
Same way. Go to te page here on participation. Just include a link to your previous post(s). :)