I have a 2 year old son, and guess what? my body is still not back to what it was, but it’s perfect anyway!
Mother of a Two Year Old (Anonymous)
Author: Bonnie (SOAM)
Success After Infertility! (Anonymous)
My husband and I got married in 2003, and in 2004 we decided to try to make our family a threesome instead of a twosome. I spent several months charting my temperature, checking my cervical mucus and looking for symptoms. All to no avail. Soon I added Ovulation Prediction Kits to this. Nothing beats being a reporter at a county council meeting and having to excuse yourself so you could pee on a stick to see if you were ovulating! But none of that worked. My OBGYN recommended several infertility tests to see what was wrong. But my husband and I had already decided that our chances of conceiving was in God’s hands, not our own. And we felt that treatments were playing God, so we passed on the tests. After that, we decided we would adopt. We threw our file and our money into the pool and waited for a match. Six month of waiting resulted in a positive Pregnancy Test the day we were sheduled to fly to Las Vegas for business! The digital test came back, “Positive.” Sure it was a fluke, I did another one – Positive. So two years after starting the TTC process, and six months of the adoption process, I was pregnant. God is good! My daughter was born 4 Dec 2006 at 37 weeks. Labor was induced because of her size. She was born at 8 pounds, 3 ounces. I gained 30 pounds while pregnant, and now bear several silver stretch marks on my stomach, arms and legs. She’s now a healthy 16 month old, with a head full of red hair and a personality to match! I am so thankful! I started visiting this site while I was PG, and finally feel it’s time to share my story. So, if you’re out there and struggling with infertility – put your faith in God – all things are possible through Him! The first picture is my daughter over Easter Holiday 2008. 2nd is me at 36 weeks pregnant. Yep, single baby. Now you know what I meant by induced for size! After that is me now – almost 17 months post-pardum.
5 Months After an Un-Planned C-Section (Anonymous)
In November I gave birth to my wonderful baby girl. Over the course of trying to conceive her I gained 5-10 lbs, putting me at 145, then once I finally got pregnant I gained over 40 lbs, up to 188. 5 days after my due date I went into labor, but after 12 hours of labor and 2 hours of pushing the baby didn’t budge, so I was prepped for a c-section. I was totally crushed, I had always envisioned the birth of my first child a certain way, and that never involved a c-section. But it went well and I am just happy to have my amazing baby girl. I love her so much, it’s insane. I have been breast feeding for 5 months now and the pregnancy weight has melted off, and I am now 130. I got a lot of stretch-marks on my butt and legs, and only one on my tummy. Most of my stretch-marks are faded now, but my c-section scar is still bright red. But I am getting used to it now. With all my body has been through, I have never been more proud of it.
I can’t believe I was SOO big (Anonymous)
I’m 22, the mother of a beautiful 9 month old son. I only gained 30 pounds while i was pregnant but looking back i can’t believe i was sooo enormous! I was miserable then (in the July HEAT) but i almost miss the belly now! I was about 36 weeks along in the pic…
May be sporadic
My electricity keeps going out so my updating here may be sporadic. Let’s see if I can get an entry out before the computer shuts down again!
I’m going to be real: with myself (Anonymous)
I’m not going to say anything along the lines of “I know my body is beautiful”, because, simply, I dont. I still cry often even though I have been given the most beautiful little boy, and even though we’ve been sharing our lives for 4 months now. Every time I look in the mirror, my face wrinkles in disgust and my mind explodes with a million thoughts of dread and hate for what I’ve become – not spiritually(a mother) but physically. Some days are easier to realise that I am beautiful. I pray that I will find the strength that of of you beautiful souls shine so brightly.
4 weeks pp – angry at my body (Anonymous)
Four weeks ago I delivered my son prematurely by c-section. The fear, stress, and worry were undescribable. Jack was born at 35 weeks weighing only 3lbs. He spent 17 days in the NICU and had surgery to repair bilateral inguinal hernias, then came home with us. I am furious with my body for causing problems during my pregnancy that resulted in a premature baby. It was my job to grow my baby safely and help him to be big and strong — and my body failed at that. So far our son isn’t showing any problems, but if he does in the future, I know who I’ll hold responsible. I gained 30lbs during my pregnancy, and probably would have gained more if Jack had gone to term. In four weeks I have lost 25 of my 30lbs, and am back into my regular clothes. I’m not exactly thrilled about it – I have some serious muffin top, and I’m sure my hips have gotten wider. My ribcage looks much smaller than it was before I was pregnant. The skin on my belly looks like cement and when I run I can feel it jiggle. I’ve got a ‘seam’ of skin, that’s folded along my abdomen from hip to hip. I’m happy to have lost 25lbs, but know that I have at least that much more to lose before I can stop obsessively staring at my belly in the mirror and weighing myself. If my body had helped my son to be a healthy full term baby maybe I could forgive it for looking so abused after bearing a child… but with all my body’s shortcomings on the inside, its ugly outside is just another drop in the bucket.
(Anonymous)
The First picture is 2 months after i had my 1st daughter Abbigail the 2nd pictue is me pregnant with Merideth the rest are 2 weeks after i had my 2nd Merideth i wish i was in better shape but i have no problem working the weight off. i am 120lbs now and my goal weight is 105-110 its only been 2 weeks so i have time.
4 days pp (May)
I was 19 when I found out I was pregnant and turned 20 before I had him. I am engaged to the most amazing person I’ve ever known, and although the pregnancy was unplanned he was thrilled with the news; because after five years of trying to win my heart, he not only finally had me, but was about to start a family with who he calls the girl of his dreams. I cannot say that I was as thrilled at first – I was devestated. But that all quickly changed and although my pregnancy was less than wonderful, when times were hard I just had to hold my belly in my hands and feel my baby boy roll around and kick and punch and squirm – all of which he did 24/7 and it was the main (and sometimes only) joy I got out of being pregnant. I didn’t want to be induced and my doctor insisted, but after a week past my due date I reluctantly agreed, me and Anthony prayed for weeks about the possibility of an induction, so I was in ways prepared. It went surprisingly well, and I very comfortably and calmly gave birth to my BEAUTIFUL 7 lb. 7 oz. baby boy, 21 inches tall and looks just like his dad. I was able to go home 24 hours after he was born, no complications with him or me. He is the most amazing thing that has ever happened to me, next in line with his father coming into my life. I just had him 4 days ago and despite friends with babies saying coming home from the hospital would be hell on earth, I have found it beautifully easy, mainly because I have a good attitude about it I suppose. I am breastfeeding him and my milk came in well, he is a wonderful baby and gives me no trouble [yet] :) I have very little pain and can move around great, I can even exercise although I guess I probably shouldn’t. I’m 5’9″ and I was 130lbs in a size 2. when I got pregnant with him, ballooned up to 169lbs and a size 7 in regular jeans (i never did buy maternity jeans as none that I found were anywhere near long enough!) by the day before the induction. I ate so well, very healthy as I did before I got pregnant and actually alot less than people would have probably advised but I just wasn’t that hungry during pregnancy, I exercised every single day walking and pilates but I still gained the weight. I was really worried and still am about what I will look like. But my mom snapped back down to a size 2 even after me and my twin brothers so maybe I’ll be fine. I got some stretch marks on my left hip and on the inside of my left thigh despite my efforts against them, but the little ones on my stomach didn’t appear til after I gave birth. I’m now 4 days postpartum and I’ve lost only 13 lbs. and that really disappoints me. These pics are of me about a month before I got pregnant, me at 9 months pregnant, me today and then my beautiful little boy, Cecil.
Updated here.
Teen Mom – Update (Anonymous)
Original entry here.
