I love this site. Thank you all for your submissions! I come here all the time for encouragement and I thought it was time to submit my own pictures, so here goes nothing… The day I found out I was pregnant I weighed 129 pounds. At my last doctors appt (2 days before I went into labor) I weight in at 197! So I atleast weight 200 when I gave birth. I’m 4’11 so 200 lbs is a lot for any woman, but especially someone my height. I’m covered in stretchmarks from my just above my belly button down to my ankles. It’s disgusting. I had so many fluids pumped into me during labor (IVs and whatnot) that I was so swollen and all the stretchmarks you see on my legs and calves are from that. I didn’t have any there when I got to the hospital! I had stretchmarks before I got pregnant, but they were nothing compared to what I have now. Even my midwife would comment on how horrible they were when I’d go in for my appointments =) I know they will fade, but I’m not sure I will ever have the courage to wear shorts again, let alone a bathing suit! I was down to 170 lbs by 5 days postpartum. Today I weigh 165… I never expected all the weight to just fall off, but I seriously thought I would have lost more than 5 lbs in the last 3 1/2 months. I eat about half the amount of calories that I was eating while I was pregnant, and my weight will not bugde. Its extremely aggravating. And it really depresses me since everyone else I know that’s had babies recently were back to their prepregnacy sizes in a couple of weeks. I can only imagine what they must think of me. I hope that someday I will accept my body again. And I really hope that day comes soon!
yes you got a lot of stretch marks…but they will fade. i got a lot with my first as well. you look great for 16 weeks! it will come off faster if you not only eat healthy, but exercise as well…summer is coming up! just enjoy your angel right now!
Honey,
the stretchmarks do fade a lot, you are very white, you won’t even notice them…
I have so many more than you, mine are noticeable because i’m a little tanned,…
I didn’t have any strethmarks in my legs when i went to the hospital,..
But i assume it was from losing much weight, faster,…
Be kind to yourself, in sometime they’ll fade and you won’t even notice them…
Hugs for you…
Don’t be too hard on yourself. Those stretch marks are awful but skin is a marvelous organ and if you work on lowering stress hormones, eating nutritiously with lots of good oils and water, and give it time your body will come around.
Also, don’t assume everyone around you could be disgusted or upset by your stretch marks. That’s very hard on your self-image and usually not at all in line with reality. Lots of people recognize our bodies are not static objects. Lots of people are very warm and reassuring because they know what it feels like to not feel good about themselves. We’re all human, we all have issues.
If you do find that people are making comments about you. Find others to be around. Obviously the ones who criticize lack empathy and are not worth your time, and maybe they’re just jealous and don’t want you to feel good about yourself.
One of my friends had REALLY BAD stretch marks ALL OVER her body, but after about a year and a half.. You can’t see them AT ALL. Yours aren’t half as bad as hers were so there is hope… :)
ah sweetheart,dont rush,it took me 4 years to loose what i gained with my son, and with my daughter it has taken me nearly 3 years.
And to be honest,i dont think your marks are that terribly bad,tho i understand how you feel,my belly is a wrinkled map of motherly love too.
And i really think its thoughtless and hurtful of your midwife to comment on your stretchmarks.
Chin up,girl,you are beautiful!
Give it some time. I felt exactly the same as you– when is the weight going to “fall off”, but four months post-partum is really soon, actually. I kept feeling as though I was failing because the weight wasn’t coming off month after month, but I’m 17 months pp now, and am FINALLY starting to see some changes and progress (wearing old jeans- that don’t fit exactly the same, but still!) You’re beautiful. Try to be easy on yourself– you’re doing everything right.
do you breastfeed? I happen to know that my body held onto my weight while I was breastfeeding as well as a few other people I know. So eventually it will pass.
If not, just give it time and pump up your physical activities when you get the chance. Whether its vaccuming or just walking up and down the stairs and such. And you HAVE to eat to keep your metabolism going. So make sure you’re eating at least 1500-1600 calories a day, minimum. Your a mom now, you need that energy.
If all else fails, talk to your doctor and maybe have some tests done to check your health.
Thats kindof like me… I am 5’8 and weighed 127lbs when I found out I was pregnant. Then the day before I gave birth I was 196lbs!! I gave birth to a 10lb 6oz baby by c-section and lost 34lbs by the time I left the hospital. Now I am stuck at 160lbs and my son is 5 1/2 months old. I got stretch marks on my hips, but, and thighs and they have already faded some since I gave birth. You will slowly lose the weight. Remember that the quicker you lose the weight, the looser your skin will be, so gradually work it off by using weights and running while eating right. You’ll be back in no time. You look good.
ok wow!! i found my body twin!! i didnt think much other ppl had stretch marks down to their ankles!! i do too..but mine are a lot worse…there seems to be a million more and they are still bright red especially when i get out of the shower…and our stomachs are exactly the same!! we even hav a tattoo on the same hip in the exact same spot!! wow its crazy!! i admire you cz i kno exactly what ur going through..im 15 months post partum though and ur only 16 weeks so trust me time does A LOT of changing! especially with good exercise and dieting!! if you wanna see how iv changed over time im on here too under “update 14 months post partum(tamara)” hope it will give you more hope! cz trust me i was in A LOT worse shape than you…and if there is anything that bothers me nw prlly just the size of my boobs! lol..hope to hear from you girl! take care!
The other moms who ‘got back to their weight so soon after delivery’ are often not very healthy, not breastfeeding, and most definately, NOT thinking about how you haven’t made it back down to your original weight. Believe me, when you’re a new mom, you’re not thinking much about other new mom’s bodies. You’re just happy to get a shower :)
I hope u try this go to a walgreens pharmacy and buy their brand of body oil inthe front it says for scars and strech marks it is also compared to bio oil I have three days using it and its great
You know, I’ve never been pregnant, and I have several stretch marks all around my belly–and I’m at a healthy weight after steadily losing about 20 lbs over the past year. I wonder if I will have so many stretch marks.
From my point of view, this is really fascinating. I really, really want to be a mother, but this site reminds me that it’s not just going to be about the babies I have–I’ll still have me to deal with. And since God made me this way, I’m just going to have to learn to like it, right?
Don’t be so hard on yourself. Live a healthy lifestyle, do what makes you happy, and do your very best to accept the natural results.
God bless. :)
Its taking me years to except my body.Even now i sometimes look in the mirror and hate what i see.But hey we are alive and our children are healthy.I too have strech marks on my tummy and down my legs,Seeing my kids happy and well its all worth while.were all beautiful in other ways.Take care and be happy
It’s only been 16 weeks…..don’t be too hard on yourself. I am currently 20weeksPP and so far I have lost 11lbs….still got 18 to go til I’m at pre pregnancy weight…as my mum says, it took 9months to go on, it will take 9 months to come off…you’ll do it, and your stretch marks will fade – can’t believe your midwife was so rude!!!
My legs looked JUST like yours. Eventually they fade, and fast too. Keep sun on them and lotion them up. Mine aren’t even visible any more. thanks for having the strength to share these pics!!
I had stretch marks on my legs that looked EXACTLY like yours! My doctor and the nurses at my OBGYN always commented on how bad they were. They will get better though, I promise! I can still feel the deep stretch marks on my legs, but they have faded. A tan really helps to cover them. I always chose a dark sunless tanner. So, you might want to try that~You will have a lovely glow and a boost in confidence!…Peace & Love
Sounds like me. Im 5ft7 and before I had my first kid I was around 120-125 and last weight in before giving birth I was 201lbs I lost 16lbs in hospital and it took few yrs to get down to 156 and then had my 2nd child and went up to 210 at final weight in and now im stuck bouncing between 170-190 whixh is 65lbs more then before having kids. I also had a TON of stretch marks on my legs and sides and boobs but they all faded and are hardly noticable. You will get through this hard time and realize most people dont care about stretch marks and baby weight. Most admire it.