Age: 25
Number of pregnancies and births: 1 pregnancy 2 births
The age of your children, or how far postpartum you are: 7 weeks
I had my twin boys at 38 weeks 1 day they were 6 lb 2 oz and 5 lb 5 oz, and perfectly healthy. I gained about 35 lbs with the pregnancy and I had to try pretty hard to put that weight on. I started my
pregnancy at 130 lbs (I’m 5’6″) and I currently weigh 134 and have been at this weight for about 5 weeks now. I seemed to lose most of my weight fairly quickly and was in my old jeans at 5 days postpartum.
Strangers tell me thing like “You look amazing” “Are these really your babies?” “You don’t even look like you’ve had one baby” Sounds great doesn’t it? Except those people don’t have to look at me naked.
I was left with a belly full of stretchmarks and a deformed belly button. I have been trying to not let my body get me down and today is the first day that I really feel hopeless and ugly, I really didn’t think it was THAT bad until I took the pictures. I wish I didn’t care, I wish I still felt beautiful, and I wish I appreciated my body more before. Luckily, my husband is wonderful, literally the best man in the world. He tells me I am more beautiful now than I have ever been, and I believe am to him (he has been very convincing), but I
certainly don’t feel beautiful at all. I got my first stretch mark when I was 30 weeks pregnant and I have not been comfortable in my skin since. I feel like I have a secret under my shirt something no one can ever see, and I am paranoid my shirt will ride up and expose it. During my pregnancy I would constantly think to myself “you are ruined” and “you will never be beautiful again” but I am glad to say I don’t feel entirely ruined, I did make two perfect boys.
I am hoping my skin will tighten up and my stretch marks will fade. How come the fat I have after pregnancy is so much softer than the fat before pregnancy? My belly always had a little bit of fat but it didn’t feel mushy like this. This fat hangs out over my pants and jiggles. I guess I should start a good workout program…
pictures 1-4 are me now, the 5th is a picture of my boys, the 6th is of my belly the day I delivered, and the 7th is my belly right after I found out I was pregnant.
You have beautiful curves! Those strangers who compliment you aren’t lying! Give yourself some time. I bet after a few more months, you’ll feel more “at home” in your body, especially as your body continues to adjust from not being pregnant. Your boys are precious!
I completely understand how you feel. Especially when you say there is a secret under your shirt. I have a three month at home who i love and adore- but she definitely stretched the heck outta me and left me with a lot of “love” scars. It took me a while to not care about the stretch marks and the saggy skin, and like you I have a very supportive husband. The honest truth is that we will always be harder on ourselves than other people will. I personally look at your pictures and think you look AMAZING- especially for only being 7wks postpartum. Yet- we know what we looked like before so we see our body as disastrous. There will be days where you literally say F it, I look amazing given the life(s) I have given birth too. Then there will be days where you feel down and so unpretty. Reality is that the days you feel ugly will slowly be replaced with the days when you baby finally recognizes you as you walk in the room- or when your baby starts making noises. You will look down and feel more like a soldier who has been through battle. You are beautiful- and one day your sons will be amazing young men and your stomach will always be were those amazing little miracles began. :O)
You look amazing! I would never believe that you carried twins. Don’t be too hard on yourself, especially at only 7 weeks. Your uterus still needs time to shrink to normal and your skin still needs a bit more time to regain some elasticity too. Hopefully you’ll feel completely different given a few more months to recover. You look so incredible already, I’m jealous :)
I think you look amazing, and I’m not just saying that.
“you are ruined”…”you’ll never be beautiful again”…I used to tell myself the EXACT same things. Over and over, it would be my first thought when I would wake up, and my last thought before falling asleep at night, I want you to know that if your experience is anything like mine has been, there will come a day when you no longer feel that way, when you almost forget how intensely you felt that way. I am now 22 months postpartum, and finally able to honestly say that I feel beautiful again. I can hardly believe that I have come so far in my healing. After my daughter was born, I literally believed that I was so ugly that no one would ever love me again. Now, I can hardly relate to that feeling, though in the past I felt it very intensely. The reason I am telling you this is to give you hope that a day will come when you no longer feel ruined! Your body will never be the same as it was before bearing your children, but in time, it heals, and also, you have the chance to get “acclimated” to the permanent changes. You look INCREDIBLE at 7 weeks postpartum, and your body is only at the beginning of the recovery process.
You JUST had your babies!!! JUST. HAD. YOUR. BABIES. I kind of find this post bizarre because not only are you incredibly blessed with looking AMAZING (!!!!!!!!) so immediately after birth, but you JUST HAD YOUR BABIES (BABIES!!! PLURAL!)
I want your body. SO jealous!
Youll be more than fine girlie. The stretchmarks fade after time, just keep the tummy moisturized. I had a lot of stretchies after my daughter, but they are so faint now you can hardly see them. Think positively about your body, and take care of yourself. It will come together for you:)
You look fantastic! And your boys are so adorable, go mama! It takes time, but everything will shrink back up and you will be amazed at how much stretch marks fade. Keep your head up beautiful!
You look great for having twins! I wish my body looked like that (I’m expectin twin boys in 6 weeks!) Your boys are beautiful! Are they identical or fraternal?
I had only 1 baby and you look 5x better than me!You look so good!I am very very jealous!I would wear a bikini at all times if I looked the way you do.Trust me you look STUNNING!
I think you look absolutely amazing! You look fantastic, especially considering you are only 7 weeks pp, and had TWINS! They say, it took 40 weeks to put it on, it’ll take at least 40 weeks to get it off. But I honestly think that you look fabulous as you are. It will take some time to get used to your new body, but each day it will get easier. Hang in there!
Thanks everyone for all your nice comments. When I posted I think I was having just one of those days where I was really getting down on myself and my new body. It’ll take a while to fully accept my new body, but I’m trying. I have a new body to go with my new life, and I do think that one day I will be confident again (not quite today). Anyway thanks everyone.
DK: My boys are fraternal. They look a lot different in person and there is a rather large size difference in them. At 12 weeks they are 3.5 lbs apart!
Hey Ash,
Your story is an exact replica of mine I gave birth at 38 wks 1 day gained 35 pounds exactly and it was hard to get it.
I started my pre-pregnancy at 113, im 5’7 and Im 5 months PP.. and I believe your extremely blessed. Strangers tell me i look amazing (MAN!! I could copy your post and its exactly how I feel) every little thing you felt I felt and still feel… The only difference is is that you actually look good!!!
I hope I too can find inspiration from all ya’lls posts.
omg you look fantastic!! especially for only being 7 weeks pp with twins! you look beautiful!
Wow! I am currently 27 weeks pregnant with fraternal twins and everyday I cringe thinking about what I will look like post partum, You have given me so much hope. I think you look amazing and hope that I can do the same. I’ve already gained 35 lbs. And honestly I can hardly even tell you have stretch marks, I am sure they will fade away.
You look great for 7 weeks pp give yourself time to heal. Boys are beautiful :-)