Author: Bonnie (SOAM)

these are two pictures of my belly. i am a plus size mother or MOS (mother of size). with my first daughter i had a c-sec due to my blind trust in the medical community. the babe in my belly will be a HBAC, or homebirth after cesarian. i had my first in July of 04 and this babe is due July of 07. these pictures were taken at 16weeks and 5 days past LMP.
my belly sags, my guts are pushed up high from my uterus, i have TONS of stretchmarks, and cellulite. but i LOVE my body. i love my curves, i love my mama stripes, as my daughter calls them. i love watching my belly swell and my breasts grow and change. i love my body more now than when i was a size 12 in highschool. it has carried children and nourishes them, and provides comfort and warmth to them. my body is the Goddess in form.

Ceaserian scar before stitches removed (Anonymous)

Bonnie (SOAM) Submissions Friday, March 16, 2007 1 Comment

This is a picture taken after my emergency ceaserian section for my first baby. At no time was I able to see what I’d be left with before I had my ceaserian section. I hasten to add that it can hardly be seen now and the only pain (after healing) I have had from it was when I found out I was pregnant with my second baby.

We just found out that we are expecting a baby in October.This will be my husbands first baby!! My daughter will be 22, my twin sons 16 and my little guy will be almost 5. The toll that each pregnancy takes on my body is monumental! But, the knowledge that I have the ability to grow, nurture and feed such amazing children is a true miracle. I look at all of the scars and stretch marks that mark my belly and think of them badges of courage.

This is a picture of me, as I am now, as a Mother who has breastfed her baby for 4 months and will continue to do so for years to come.

These are the heavy, swinging, sagging breasts that nurish and comfort my dear son.

A small star tattoo reminds me where my boobs used to sit. A box of cute bras under my bed remind me what size I used to wear.

But that was another time. Now is the time to toss out those D’s and embrace these G’s that embrace my son. Now is the time to cherish the tattoos of Motherhood.

I’ve been wanting to include myself in this for a while now. I’ve been reading this site, and looking at everyone’s pictures, for quite some time now. It’s shown me that even though I’m a mother of three, and a plus-sized woman at that, I have nothing to be ashamed of. And that I am beautiful, too, as I am.

I went to term (38 weeks 4 days) with my first child. A daughter who is now 6 years old. My 2nd child was born 6 weeks 1 day early. A son, who is now almost 15 months old. And my 3rd child was born 6 weeks 2 days early. A daughter, who is 3 months and 1 week old.

My first pregnancy was a piece of cake. The second and third took a toll on me. I was in pain a great deal of the time, due to back strain and my hips spreading. I got bigger with my 3rd pregnancy than I did with the previous 2.

And now, my body is done creating life within it. I feel sad about that. It was the only time I felt completely and totally beautiful in my own skin. I miss the pregnant body I had. But I have scars and tiger stripes that will always serve as my reminders.

And I have 3 of the most precious, beautiful children God could have ever blessed me with.

the first picture is of me at 34 weeks pregnant with my first child.
the second is of me at 33 weeks 2 days pregnant with my son.
the third is me at 33 weeks 5 days pregnant with my last child.
and the last child is of me now… 3 months postpardom.

Here is my belly 10 months after my sixth baby! He weighed 10 pounds and was born at home. My oldest baby is 15 1/2 years old.
I usually gain over 50 pounds with each pregnancy but then lose it all afterwards. (Breastfeed on demand until self-weaning). Good nutrition and exercise helps! I’m 43 years old.