Author: Bonnie (SOAM)

Brittany

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, First Pregnancy, Postpartum, Pregnant, Submissions, Teen Mom 39 Comments

I got pregnant when I was 19, when I told the father he left me, then he moved away and changed his phone number, I was never able to get ahold of him, When my parents found out I was pregnant they disowned me. I went through my entire pregnancy completely alone. I spent the holidays alone, I didnt get a single present for Christmas or my birthday, nor a phone call from my parents. I got fired from my job, and at that point in time I was convinced that I was going to give my daughter up for adoption, I had all the paperwork filled out. It wasnt till I was eight months pregnant that my grandmother on my father’s side came down to Colorado from her house and Montana and helped me get ready to KEEP my baby. It was the best descion I have ever made. She is beautiful. But my body, will never be ever again.

Since I had her, I’ve met someone very dear to me, who could care less and loves me for who I am, and loves my daughter, who was born June 15th 2006 :)

Mother’s Mark

Bonnie (SOAM) No Photos (Story Only), Poetry, Question 1 Comment

This was posted over at our group at Flickr and I wanted to share it here. If anyone has any answers to her question at the end, you can either e-mail her or post comments here or at Flickr. I’m sure many women would benefit from these answers and I will compile them all into an entry here. Thanks!

The skin, the shame, scars left resulting,
birth, pain, euphoric and deeply in love.
No more with my vessel, my shell.
Hiding inside, afraid of being seen,
the skin, the scars, the shame,

NO MORE!

My original poem did not end with NO MORE! It is how i feel. I am tired of being ashamed. I am tired of feeling like some sort of reject because my body has been what society sees as deformed after giving birth. I am tired of getting depressed every time i see a woman who is a mother whose body didnt give her this mark i feel branded
with. Why me? why not them?

A very dear friend who knows of my struggle to accept gave me the link to this website and I am glad to see that there are women who struggle too. It seems that many of you have been able to overcome your shame and move on. I have been trying for 20 years to no avail.

Over the years I have tried many different ways to be able to accept the changes in my body and nothing has worked. Perhaps those of you who have managed to embrace the marks of motherhood could help me by letting me know how you did it? lmasseur@yahoo.com

Anonymous

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Breasts, Cesarean, Cesarean Scar and/or Incision, First Pregnancy, Postpartum, Submissions, Update 18 Comments

This is my body 2.5 years after I gave birth to my first (and so far only) child. Although pregnancy was kind to me and I lost all my “baby weight” shortly after giving birth, nevertheless, my body is not the same. Breasts that were once perky and full are now limp and floppy from vigorous nursing that lasted 13 wonderful months. A belly that was once firm and flat now sticks out exactly as it did in pictures of myself at five months pregnant. It took a concentrated effort not to suck it in for these pictures: it’s become a totally subconscious habit for me. I was lucky not to get any stretch marks, but I do bear the scar from where they took my son out of me after 46 hours of labor. Oddly enough, it is darker on one half than the other.

Thank you for this site. I hope it has helped many women realize that the changes to their fertile bodies should be embraced, not scorned. We are all mothers and we wear it proudly.


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Updated here and here.

Anonymous

Bonnie (SOAM) Cesarean, Cesarean Scar and/or Incision, No Photos (Story Only), Postpartum, Submissions 2 Comments

I Will work on Getting you a picture of my apron, After I had Owen last christmas I stood in the shower and my sister was trying to help me clean up my incision – which broke open. And she literally had to lift up the flap of skin to access my incison, she was mortified at how much extra ski I had. I am so thankful that you started this website.

Anonymous

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Postpartum, Pregnant, Submissions, Third Pregnancy 4 Comments

I have debated for quite awhile now if I should post this picture. I have decided to. I have three wonderful boys and the body to prove it! But that is OK, I wouldn’t ever choose to trade them for my old body back. In this picture I am in my 8th month with my last baby. While I was pregnant each time my belly got hairy, there is so many fun aspects of motherhood…:)

This web site is such a great thing.

Uploader is back!

Bonnie (SOAM) News 0 Comment

The submission uploader is working again. Thanks, Scott!

Also, a note to say that I’m sorry entries haven’t been coming as frequently as usual, I’ve been busy preparing for the holidays and now have been knocked down with a doozy of a cold. I’ll try to get back on the daily routine again. :)