Author: Bonnie (SOAM)

My stretch marks didn’t appear until the last month and a half of my pregnancy. At first I thought I may have escaped the scars, but slowly but surely they appeared, and then spread. As the 2 sides creeped toward eachother, I had conflicting emotions. On one side, I was amazed and proud of the changes in my body; the other, I was a little sad and disturbed that it was scarred for life. My son is now almost 8 weeks old. I gained 55 lbs during the pregnancy, and have lost between 12-15. I had a healthy pregnancy and an uncomplicated home birth.I have alot to be thankful for, because what my body did was amazing. But I still find myself critisizing my body, because its nothing like it was a year ago. I encourage other women to feel good about themselves, but I’m too hard on myself. I’m trying to make healthy choices.

Updated here.

2 children, 6 yrs of motherhood. this belly is here to stay.

this is my third pregnancy and will also be my third C section. ive avoided the camera for the past three months (since i started to really balloon out). to me i look like i swallowed a globe. ive only gained 26lbs with this baby,but my last two pregnancies i gained 50lbs with each one. i started this pregnancy at 235lbs and already had an “apron” from my previous pregnancies. i do have a lot of stretch marks,but in this lighting im not sure how well u can see them.im glad i found a better man who understands that your body will change and excepts me for me.

I have had a life long issue with my body. My sister and I agree it was made worse by our grandmothers constant comments such as “Turn side ways and you will look skinnier (in pictures) and “You know you don’t have to eat all of that.” I still have the scars from self hate and low self esteem.

When I was 16, 5’8, 140lbs, size 7/8 and literally starving, I thought I was fat and ugly. I limited myself to one small low fat meal a day. After dropping a dangerous 10 lbs in 2 weeks I still thought “Just 10 more”. Luckily I realized what I was doing to myself before it caused serious harm.

When I was 19 I began to cut myself with razor blades. I still have the scars and always will, some more visible and prominent than others. I didn’t fully recover until I was pregnant with my second son, I was sad and depressed and I tried to cut myself, but I couldn’t. I made myself, and realized I didn’t like it anymore. One more hurdle jumped.

I always wanted to be a mom. When I was pregnant with both my boys I loved my body, it was big and beautiful and it was growing a baby. After I had my first son I lost 30 of the 40lbs I had gained, yet I still thought I was so fat. After my second son I just gave up, I was fat and hated my body, I gave up on ever feeling pretty again. I went from a size 10/12 and medium, before my first son to size 16 and Xlarge, one year after my second son. I want to join a gym, and start working out, and to feel better about my body. But I know that before I can feel good about my body, I have to accept it. I could be skinny as can be, and I would still find something I thought was ‘too fat’.

I don’t know how to get over that, but after looking at your site I feel better knowing that I am not alone, and realize that everyone woman has to come to terms with her post pardum body in their own way. Hopefully I can come to terms with mine before my children (and future children) begin the cycle of self hate and low self esteem that I have had to travel.

In my second picture you can see three light scars on my stomach from where I cut myself. They are a bit more prominet when pregnant, but thankfully they now blend in with my fading stretch marks, my beautiful badges of motherhood.

My husband says I am beautiful, and I know he means it. I just hope someday I can believe it as well.

I just found this site a few days ago and it has really inspired me to be more comfortable with my body. I have been overweight all my life and being perpetually pregnant for the last 3 years hasn’t helped any. I love being pregnant though and wear my stretch marks and deflated boobs with pride!

The first pic here is of me 35(!) weeks pregnant with my twin girls Donna and Maria. I was very large, very uncomfortable, and very stretched out at that point. I am now 11 months post-partum and 20 weeks pregnant with boy/girl twins. I have all the stretch marks to prove it…plus this weird blob of hanging fat below my stomach. The second and third pics are of me this evening. As you can see, my boobs haven’t faired too well either.

I wouldn’t trade any of it for the world though. I am hoping to have at least one more baby after these twins come out so I just have to learn to live with this body. I think being able to post these pics is a big step in the right direction.

All my life all I ever wanted was to be a mom. My first babysitting job was when I was 12, a six month old girl. I watched her til she was 2yrs.

At 16 i became pregnant with my now 3 year old daughter, whom i love very much. And my body was never the same. I was once a 5ft9 120lb beautiful woman, who turned into a 180lb person i never seemed to know. I was ashamed of my body, but never had enough motivation to change it. I never wore shorts and felt horrible i couldnt take my daughter to the playground on 80degree days.

Now at 20 and pregnant with my second body ive come to terms with the hand i was dealt. I know weigh 214lbs gaining just 14 of of that during my so far 35 week pregnancy. I plan on working hard to be able to feel comfortable this year and to be able to enjoy a long life with my daughters.. Here are 2 pictures of me at 35 weeks pregnant. I plan on posting my ‘pregnancy honor-stripes’ and my post pregnancy self later. Thank you for looking :)

3rd pregnancy. Breasts at 30 weeks.