my son is 5 months old and the sweetest little boy ever :) He was totally worth every stretch mark and lb I gained. I would do it all again for him though, just like I’m sure any of us would. I’m getting used to the new body I see when I look in the mirror and I’m starting to be ok with it, but we there’s bad days still.
I had my first baby at 19, and that’s where I got all my stretch marks. She was 7lb, 14oz and my smallest baby. I started out pregnancy at 150 pounds and was 191 when she was born, in June 2001. My second baby was 9lb, 2oz and was born in August 2004. I started out at 175 pounds and was 210 when I delivered her. My third baby was born in July 2007. She was 9lb, 10oz. I was 190 when I got pregnant and 220 when she was born. My fourth baby (first boy!) was born 9/4/08 and was 8lb, 11oz. I started pregnancy at 211 pounds and was 226 when he was born. As I write this, my babies are 7 years, 4 years, 15 months, and 2 months old. I weigh around 185 pounds. I was alarmed at this rapid weight loss, but the doctor ran blood tests and it turns out all is fine. I chalk it up to great nutritional habits that I developed in my last pregnancy, as well as breastfeeding. (I breastfed all the others well into toddler-hood, but was eating mostly junk and processed foods.) The first picture is me the day before my baby boy was born. I was picking my four year old up from her first day of preschool. I was also in early labor. The next pictures are of me now, 2 months and 2 days after the first picture was taken. I love my body. I wouldn’t change a thing about it. However, it took me years of self-discovery (and self-loathing) to get to this point. I am blessed with an amazing husband who finds me “irresistable” in his words (which may be why we have four children!) and finally, finally the maturity to realize that nothing I do can change who I am, so its useless worrying about it. I can’t change me, so I embrace me, and after years of feeling fat and yucky, I finally love me.
Getting here was a tough road, in more ways than one. Although I am a young mother, my boyfriend and I planned for this baby. We had previously lost two little angels, the first was an early miscarriage while the second loss was discovered at 17 weeks. We were devastated, but it helped us to realize that we were ready to begin this journey together.
Six months after my D&C, we finally conceived our son. For years I had battled with my body, hating it, always trying to improve it, trying to learn to love it. When I got pregnant all of that faded away. I loved my curves, and I often complained about not being big enough to fill out my maternity clothes the “right” way. At 36 weeks I finally developed stretch marks. I had always hoped that I would be one of the “lucky ones” but despite genetics not being on my side, I secretly loved them, too. On May 28th, right on his due date, and after 33 hours of labor, our beautiful bundle appeared and the real journey began.
A friend of mine had her baby about 8 months prior. She was back in her pre-pregnancy clothes, looking great, at three weeks. Being the same age as she, and also breastfeeding, I was sure I would be the lucky one this time around. After having the baby I developed stretch marks on my inner thighs. Thats right, *after* the baby. I no longer loved those little marks. Try as I might, I could not picture them as my battle scars. After a month I still could not even think of fitting into my pre-pregnancy jeans. I was about to return to school, and I frantically bought what I called my “suck in underwear,” horrible afraid that when I walked around campus everyone would see my excess skin start to jiggle.
Along with that, I got post partum [depression?] which took a heavy toll on my relationship with both my son and my boyfriend. I was miserable. I cried every day. Breastfeeding was far more difficult than I had imagined it would be. We developed thrush which remained undiagnosed for three months, and because of the pain, I thought of my nursing relationship more like a punishment. I honestly hated motherhood, hated my relationship, and hated myself. I had wanted this after all the heartache of losing my two daughters, why was I so miserable now?
During the third month, everything changed. I got on medication. I became an avid visitor of this website. I got breastfeeding support. I cannot say I am 100% satisfied with everything about my body (admittingly, I took several pictures for this website, hoping that I could stand or suck in to look better, but I chose to post the first natural pictures that I took) Despite that, I can say that I am truly happy. I am a mother. I LOVE being a mother. I am now nearly 6 months post partem, totally off my medication, and my son is my entire world. It is a shame that it took me this long to stop worrying about every little thing. I am truly saddened that the first two months of my son’s life were wasted while I wallowed in my grief, but I am so thankful that we made it through. I am so much more fulfilled now than I can even express.
One woman commented on another person’s post in this website that this is how we are supposed to look. We aren’t supposed to look like women who haven’t had children. To that woman, I want to say thank you. That single comment changed my entire view. I know that these stretch marks and these curves are a part of me now. For better or worse, they are mine. They ARE my battle scars and battle bumps and battle curves. I still have my days where I am less than thrilled to go walking around in my underwear, but I can say that I am proud to have a mother’s body. I am proud to be a mother.
(The first picture was taken while I was in labor, the next were taken today at 6 months PP)
I am now 4.5 months pp. I breastfed my son, and it is the best thing that I have done.
I have strech marks on my brests, stomach, and hips…also a few on my legs. I am learning how to accept my body…and after reading everyone elses blogs on here…I love my body.
Thank you to whomever came up with this site, and thank you to all the mothers who tell your story!
pics are pre baby, and 4.5 months pp
I had my baby girl on July 15th 2008…I have been struggling with my self about my weight since…Before I got pregnant I weighed 100 lbs and now I am 134 lbs…I am slowly adjusting to the “new look” It is not the weight so much as the lose skin I have…I gained 60 lbs with my 3rd…But everyday when I wake to see my kids smiling and playing makes all worth it!
It is 2 days past my baby’s 1st birthday. After my shower I was just looking at my body. I see how much it’s been through with 3 pregnancies in 5 years. I am 22 years old, I have 3 children and I have my pregnancy service stripes and a battle scar. My belly, hips and breasts are covered in silvery stretch marks and my c-section scar is barely noticeable but will be there forever.
Pregnancy has changed my body in irreversible ways. It’s a small price to pay for children and one I gladly pay. I’ve dropped the baby weight, all 60lbs of it. I’m at 118lbs! But no matter the weight I lose, I will have loose skin from where my belly grew to accommodate my rapidly developing babies. My boobs will be deflated and saggy once I’m done with breastfeeding. I am okay with that. I am still amazed at what my body can do.
Fortunately, my husband loves me and my body the same, no matter how “damaged” it is. I am beautiful in his eyes and he helps me see it too. Sure there are days when I catch a glimpse in the mirror and go “UGH!”. I’m happy those days are few and far between.
The same way children leave marks on our hearts, they leave marks on our bodies. I earned my service stripes and I wear them proudly.
For those out there who didn’t automatically return to their pre-pregnancy bodies, I wanted to share what time has done for me so far. The pictures that I am sharing are from my second pregnancy. I had stretch marks with the first and the second. I only gained 44 pounds with my first pregnancy and found it pretty easy to loose most of it, with my second, I gained 63 pounds. I am working hard and eating well to loose the weight. I ultimately would like to loose 44 pounds to be at the weight I was when I first met my husband. I am optimistic and very excited for the end results! The first picture I have is from 8 days postpartum, the second is 6 weeks postpartum.
I am 140 lbs! yay I went from over 200 all the way down to 118..and i sagged..and didn’t liek it.. and now I’m finally fitting where my body should be not even worrying about scails or skin..lol I LUV some curve….I would take more .. So I’ve gained 20 lbs by eating lots healthy..eating and not feeling guilty..mostly eating normal and healthy….keeping more busy doing activities..getting outside..taking supplements..getting sunlight as much as possible.. It’s filled out my saggy skin a bit I feel.. I feel really good right now.. I’m okay with the lil bulge under my underwear line now..I’m okay with the stretch marks.. I just feel good right :) Great actually. I feel very blessed by god..and I love my body for taking such good care of me and my baby. ! I feel so much more blessed having a woman’s body then when I had a waify lil boy’s body in my teen years!
In 2006 I became pregnant while broken up with my husband, we weren’t married at the time but still seeing each other. At 5 weeks I miscarried and a month later we were married, it was already planned but it devastated me to lose my baby. Eight months later we conceived our son Jacob who turned one today November 1, 2008. I had a tough pregnancy with him and was in the hospital several times for severe dehydration. On Halloween 2007 I went into labor and delivered my son at 9:40am on November 1st, 2007. I am truly blessed to have a healthy baby boy. Attached is a picture after my first miscarriage, also attached are pictures from through out the pregnancy. the last picture is from now, a year later after baby
