I’m 18,I live in London England with boyfriend of 2.5 years. I recently had my first baby, a boy I named Caden. I had a traumatic labour, I had an emergeny c section, after my baby became distressed. He had opened his bowels whilst still in the womb and swallowed the poo. He didn’t breath for 4 min after he was born and he was whisked off to intensive care. Caden spent a week in SCBU. If this wasn’t bad enough the staff would rude and not vert helpful. I was never told if he was going to be OK, when we were likely go home, if he proggressed. On day two I was offered the chance to hold him and I hesitated (I was scared because all the tubes wires etc) the nurse made it very clear she thought I was an awful mother. Caden made a rapid recovery pulling out his breathing tubes and refusing to have them put back in the nurses relised he was breathing by himself.After that he never looked back and everyday got better until day 8 we were allowed home. I’m 5’8 and put on about 50 lbs during my pregnancy ( 10lb 10 oz was Caden lol) I lost about 43 pounds by the tim e he was 3 weeks old. However I’ve been left with a saggy tummy and stretchmarks.I also breastfed for the first 3 weeks and now my boobs are saggy and empty. Sometimes I’m ok with this but other days it upsets me. I completed my A levels when my son was 2 weeks old and plan to go to uni to study Fashion journalism next year but don’t know if I’ll feel comfortable around loads of fashionistas with my new mummy body. I also dabbled in modelling before I had my son and think thats another reason I find it hard to accept my new body. But I know my body did a great thing by carying my 10lb 10 oz beautiful boy.But I won’t be wearing a bikini anytime soon!! ( I think the pics don’t show the true extent of the damage – it looks better in pic(not sure why) )
You and your baby are BEAUTIFUL! And your belly looks fantastic! You are only 3 months pp and your belly will recover nicely. Keep pursuing modeling, because you are beautiful! If you are worried about wearing a bikini, don’t do bikini modeling. Please don’t let your dreams go. Congratulations on your family.
If I had a face like your’s I wouldn’t care WHAT my body looked like! Really, you are gorgeous and have a beautiful baby boy.
That is one cute kid!
You’re my hero, girlfriend! I could hardly give birth to my 7lb 11oz baby. You’re awesome and you look fantastic!!!!!!! :D
I also wanted to add that I’m sorry about how your nurse treated you. She was wrong for that. I also wanted to say that it isn’t breastfeeding that makes your breasts sag, it’s becoming pregnant in itself. Pregnancy causes your breasts to stretch and fill with milk, causing them to stretch like a balloon blown up, then once the milk dries up, they sag like a balloon that has been emptied of its air.
Your tummy looks just like mine did after I had my 9lbs 3ozs son! He was also an emergency c-section and born in London (although we don’t live in the UK anymore). I also recieved terrible treatment from the nurses which was part of the reason why when I became pregnant with my daughter we moved to another country to have her!
My son is now 3 and my daughter 18 months old and my tummy looks alot better, though still a bit saggy and with stretch marks. You will definitely notice an improvement in the coming months. Keep going for your dreams (I also studied Fashion Journalism briefly, lol). I went to uni during both my pregnancies and have just landed my dream job! You’ll do great! All the best! (your lil one is GORGEOUS!) xx
I agree, you are beautiful!! Caden is very lucky to have you as his mom!! Keep your head up!!!
you look awesome. your baby is beautiful. you must be a fantastic mother judging from how happy your baby looks. best best of luck!
I just want you to know how much reading your story and seeing your photos has inspired me. I just turned 20 and I’m having my first son any day now, his name is also Caden! And he already weighed 8 pounds at my last ultrasound 2 weeks ago so I’ve been very worried that with him being so big my tummy would never be flat again, but if yours is any indication I will be fine. You look fantastic! I also have TONS of stretch marks and I was worried they wouldn’t really fade, but like I said you look amazing, keep your head up and follow your dreams, you deserve it you did an amazing thing bringing this little boy into the world!
Thanks for sharing your story and photos. You look amazing. Beautiful face, stunning, and your belly looks great for only 3 months pp! Those fashionistas had better look out :-)
You look great!
I’m an NICU RN and I just wanted to let you know that we cannot tell you your baby will be okay because ANYTHING can happen at any time…then the mother complains because “so and so told me she’d be okay and now she has an infection!” or something to that extent. We can also not predict when babies will go home due to unexpected events or sicknesses. We are supposed to encourage mothers to hold their babies and take part in their care so that the parents can feel more in control because oftentimes parents feel like they just had a baby and now this random stranger of a nurse is the one ‘mothering’ the baby…we want the mothers to bond with their babies and feel in control because after all, it’s YOUR baby.
Thank you for all the replys – they are so kind :)
Lisa-
I know I cannot be told the baby WILL get better. But I was later told by the Dr on the ward that a specific nurse had painted the situation much worse then it was to me. Certain nurses we’re rude, i was told off for touching MY baby – even though my family had been encouraged to touch him while I was in recovery. I walked into the room and he was crying – so I strocked his head – a nurse then told me off coz i woke him up, she said ‘he was fine when his father was here’ I was told I shouldn’t be in a rush to go onto the ward with my baby ‘because I won’t get any help looking after him’ – would a nurse have said that if i wasn’t 18. There were many other comments from the nurses.
But after a few days a new night nurse started and she was so kind. It made all the difference.
lisa you sound like you are very good at your job. I think quiet a few of the nurses at the hospital I was out didn’t think much about the mothers feeling whats so ever.
You are incredible beautiful…so is your baby
i love your pics, you are gorgeous! and what a sweet picture of you and your little one!
Ithink you look fab and your son is beautifl.
You are so lovely, and what a sweet little boy.
Very happy that he made such a good recovery.
I experienced much of the same when I had my firstborn. I was barely 20 and the nurses were horrible. I am so sorry they were that way with you as well.. I’d hoped that in the past 17 years things would have changed some in that regard. I experienced none of that nonsense when I had my second child (and was married) at 25. It’s crazy.
At any rate you look amazing and are beautiful, with a beautiful child!