Just a quick note to let you all know there will be some downtime this coming weekend as we perform some scheduled maintainence. Thanks for understanding!
Author: Bonnie (SOAM)
Perfection (Anonymous)
When He Smiles
The world is such a cruel and unforgiving place
Images of flawlessness strewn through every aspect of life
The norm has an unobtainable and impossible face,
Making me wonder if I’ll ever measure up
Then I look into the beautiful eyes of the angel on my hip
I remember what life is about, and forget about unrealistic expectations
An undeniable love shines through the grin on his lips
I am beautiful when he smiles
Everything is perfect and I couldn’t ask for more
Until I trip again and fall into a dark sea of why’s
His innocence and beauty remind me what I’m living for
His laughter is the soundtrack to my life
This little piece of perfection looks at me with a love so real
He loves me unconditionally, to him I am perfection
It is a love of such incredible force and wonder that my heart feels
I am stronger when he smiles
I am a woman, a real woman, not from a magazine
Flawless doesn’t fit into the description of my life
But perfection sounds just right for what I have been given
My heart is full that’s all I could ever ask for
Battle scared and branded by the marks of motherhood I stand tall
Is perfection a beautiful body? Societies ideal?
Or does perfection have anything to do with appearance at all?
I am perfect when he smiles
For my angel, Noah, mommy loves you so much<3
So Glad I Found This Place, Pregnant With My First (Anonymous)
I stumbled on this link almost by accident on a pregnancy message board. I’m 27 and pregnant with my first baby. I’m excited. But I also just found out that I will most likely need a c-section. I’ve always had a flat belly until now, so the baby belly was a bit of a surprise. At first, I just felt fat, but now I feel like I look pregnant. My husband keeps telling me how much more beautiful I look now that I’m pregnant. It makes me smile and realize that I’m very lucky to have a man who realizes that beauty isn’t just what he sees on tv. I’m scared though about the scar the c-section will leave and if I’ll ever get back to pre-pregnancy weight…I wasn’t very thin to begin with. I’ve always just referred to myself as curvy and act like I love my body, but sometimes I wish that I looked more like a movie star or model. I hope that I can learn to love my body more, especially now that its going through this wonderous process of making a baby.
First Pregnancy at 16, Not So Bad (Anonymous)
When I first Got pregnant at 16, I was completely horrified. I was scared of everthing from baby care to stretch marks. I was 5’4 and 115 pounds. I gained about 17 pounds throught my pregnancy. I was so scared that I was going to be overweight and have stretch marks from head to toe.. but I didn’t get but two tiny half inch stretch marks, one right above my belly button and one right below, and you can hardly notice them. I guess I’m just trying to share my pregnancy experience with other teen moms so they don’t see pregnancy as a bad thing. I lost all the weight and more. And on top of it all, I have a happy heathly baby girl…Lila Mae
Trying Really Hard to Accept My Body (Anonymous)
I haven’t felt anywhere near beautiful since I had my son almost 4 months ago. I was never planning on having kids right now, and my boyfriend and I were really surprised 2 days after last Thanksgiving. He was upset and didn’t want to have the baby, but I could never imagine getting rid of a life that never even began. I don’t regret a thing and I love my son more than anything in the world. However I am very unhappy with myself. Before I was pregnant I was 5’4 and 115 lbs..I shot up to 169 and delivered a 8lbs 6 oz 21 1/2 inch baby boy via c-section after being in labor for almost 3 days. I’m having a tough time accepting my body. It’s even harder when I have a mother who makes comments such as “Wow, you must be eating well, you looked like you’ve gained more weight”. I’m terribly uncomfortable with my stomach and this new found muffin top, mommy’s apron, and stretch marks I have. My thighs are even covered in deep stretch marks. I’ll never wear shorts or a bikini again. I even got the stretch marks on my arms! Every time I go out I try to cover my stomach as much as possible. I hate how much it bulges out when I sit down. All my tattoos are ruined as well. I sometimes think I might need some kind of therapy, because no matter how many people tell me I look okay, I don’t think so at all…I feel so horrible :( Before I was pregnant I was a model and was very into how I looked. Perhaps this might be my payback for being a tad bit vain. At one point I would cry almost every day over my body. I try to tell myself its a badge of honor and so on, but it doesn’t work. I have a lot of respect for the moms out there who do accept their bodies.
Making Progress (Anonymous)
Here’s my previous entry with a link to my previous previous entry, ha ha! Slowly, VERY slowly I’m noticing changes in myself. My stretch marks are finally fading and my belly is actually lifting as terrified as I was that it wouldn’t. I’ve been working out and trying to eat as healthy as possible. So I guess we’ll see how it goes!
I know I’m constantly submitting on here, but I just love this site and what it does for women and there self esteem so when I did this little project for www.Inkymole.com I just had to share it! I think it really says a lot about beauty and the fact that beauty is certainly not always perfection!
Updated here.
37 Weeks Pregnant (Anonymous)
Well this is me so far, I am 37 weeks pregnant and I am soo excited to be having my baby boy soon!! I Have gained 25 pounds already i guess i am all belly because my belly is HUGE lol! So far ive not gotten any stretch marks but its genetic in my family to get them and i know they will be coming in the next week or two its very depressing i have also have VERY low self esteem and im so afraid im going to suffer from baby blues very bad!! I probably wont “bounce back” i have a feeling ill have trouble losing weight due to a thyroid problem its hard to main tain my weight or even lose it which is why i suffered from an eating disorder for 3 years but thank god my husband rescused me from myself, or atleast helped a great deal in the end i was the only one who could help myself.. when i get stretch marks im going to have to look at them in a differnt light, i read someone on here say your son is only young once and you have the rest of your life to worry about your body… which made me smile i wish i knew who said that she was very smart and very true!! I have been 1 cm dilated for 2 weeks now im wondering when im going to have him.. i really hope i dont go to 40 weeks.. i know he would be absolutley fine and developed now he is “full term” and if i had him now i know i wouldnt suffer from self esteem problems hearly as bad as i will if i go 3 more weeks or even over due date cause everyone says they wake up the next morning and have stretch marks.. i just wish i could hold him now and look at him.. :) im getting so anxious!!
im including my pregnanct pics so far one at 6 months, 7 months, 8 months 8 1/2 months 9 months and 2 this morning at 37 weeks( all in order)
Fraternal Twins (Anonymous)
At 8w 3d I found out I was having twins. Something no one can ever be prepared for. Two of everything! Two cribs, two bikes, two high chairs, two carseats, two hugs, two kisses, twice the work, twice the fun! I had my fraternal twin boys at 37 weeks via c-section and they’ve been the most amazing, most wonderful thing that has ever happened to me!
Updated here.
First Bub @ 16, Second @ 18 (Anonymous)
I had my first baby when i was 16. fell pregnant with my second when i was 17 and had him when i was 18. still with the father and hopefully will be for a while yet. Although i did come looking for a site like this because of the self esteem issues i have that are effecting me and my intimicy with him.
Benefits of Weight Training (Anonymous)
I had my daughter 12 years ago at the age of 25. I gained 50+ pounds during my pregnancy. I worked hard to drop the weight, but didn’t discover weight training until last year. This photo was taken 2 months ago after 9 months of training 2-3x a week. You can still see that my stomach pooches out a bit and has stretch marks, but I feel strong. I am 5’4″ and weigh 120lbs. Prepregnancy weight was 110lbs. I weighed 163lbs before giving birth.
