Anonymous

I weighed 125 lbs when I got pregnant with my daughter. When she was born at 41 weeks 2 days, I weighed 176 lbs. I lost all but 5 of those pounds over the course of several months.

This picture was taken 2 days before she was born.

When my son was conceived 17 months after my daughter’s birth I weighed 130lbs. When he was born at 41 weeks 5 days I weighed 170 lbs.

This is my belly at 5 months pregnant.

This is my belly at 7 months pregnant.

And this is my belly at 9 months pregnant.

The weight came off very slowly after my second pregnancy. I eventually stopped losing weight at 4 months post-partum and when he was a year old I began seriously exercising and counting calories to lose the excess weight. He is now 19 months old and I am at my pre-pregnancy#2 weight of 130. I would still like to lose another 5 pounds but?

Here is my belly today, 3.5 years after pregnancy #1, 19.5 months after pregnancy #2. My daughter likes to squish it with her hands and exclaim, “It’s like playdough!!” It’s very soft with extra, saggy, wrinkly skin. The stretchmarks are fairly faded, though the ones on my hips (where I got the majority) are larger and more noticeable.

I am often very dissatisfied and self-conscious of my belly. At the same time I am proud and humbled by this body and the two red-headed (like their mother!) miracles it has produced. And though I may not like all the changes I see in the mirror, they are but reminders of who I am: woman, mother, strong, and blessed. What an honor it is to have this body.

–Momma of the Playdough-Pudge