Author: Bonnie (SOAM)

This site has given inspiration to so many women. I have to say, I’m truely touched by all of the stories and beautiful pictures. We should all be proud of the opportunity to have such marks. I have a friend that would give anything to birth her own child. There are so many unfortunate people that cannot have children of their own. I am proud to show off my scars and thank god every day for the 3 miracles he has given me.

I first got pregnant when I was 18. I gained about 45 lbs with each child. My two sons are about 2 years apart and my daughter was born 5 years after my middle son. I’m so thankful to have 3 beautiful children. I used to be so scared of what people might think of my body. Now I wear a bathing suit proudly, and am eagerly accompanied by my 3 soldiers to whom I owe my battle scars.

Here are recent photographs of me. My youngest will be 2 years old this August (2006). I am back at my pre-pregnancy weight. Thanks to all of the women who have posted so far.

I am so glad i found this site. I believe that mothers are the most powerful & beautiul women and are at the top of the list. It so great that we have somewhere we can share how beautiful we are and each get a little close just by telling our stories. As soon as i found this site I called and posted it to any mom friends or family. After reading the post i immediately jumped up and started snapping pics. It didn’t even cross my mind the fact that i am shy about showing it all.
As i sat down to upload the pictures i thought maybe i wouldn’t post my name just something quick. And now i find myself writing something more than quick and i am willing to put my name….

My name is Danielle. I am 20, and i have a little girl who is 16mos and i am 6wks pregnant with baby #2. With #1 i started out as 125 and i gained somewhere between 25-30lbs. For the first year i was self concious about my weight and hardly wore anything besides sweats. After seeing this link i am starting to feel a little more comfortable in my own skin and would love to share my belly photos for the first time.

(First pregnancy 6 days before she was due)

(6weeks with baby #2 and 16mos PP)

I am a 36 y/o Mother of a 4 year old son and 8 month old daughter.
I gained ~40 lbs with both of my pregnancies.
Both of my children were born via c-section. Both on a Monday. Both were 9lbs.
I loved being pregnant and celebrated both of my pregnancies with photos.
With my son, I had a professional portrait taken. With my daughter, I took a LOT of self portraits.
As of this writing, I weigh less than I did before I became pregnant with my daughter last year. This thanks to the breast-feeding/starvation from running around taking care of two kids diet. :)

This is me 8 months pregnant with my daughter:

This is me now (8 months post-partum):

This is me 8 months pregnant with my daughter:

This is me now (8 months post-partum):

Here is a link to the story of my daughter’s birth last November.

(Here is a link to her own blog entry.)

Okay, I was 118lbs to start my first pregnancy I delivered in July04 at about 160lbs. When I conceived my next child a year later I was 106lbs and got up to 150lbs when I delivered in April this year. I must say part of it is genetics my mom looks great and has no stretch marks (I have some small ones on my butt, hips, thighs and a few on my stomach)
This is the day I delivered #2 when contractions first started

And today, #2 is exactly 3 months and #1 is a week away from 2

In this photo I am in the early stages of labor with #3 (4 hours before delivery).

This photo is taken 6 months post partum after #3:

I didn’t get stretch marks on my stomach – which I never understood as I got them during puberty on my buttocks, thighs and breasts, and I fully expected to get them on my stomach during pregnancy.

My stomach is soft and squishy now… but my body bore me three beautiful children so I don’t mind.

JENN from this post… Please e-mail me! I have a request of you!

Angel wrote her own entry here. Check it out!

Wow what a great thing you are doing here!

I know that becoming a mother has been the best thing in my life…but for me and my body there were dark times. I’ve dealt with a weight problem (200lbs average since middle school) and a very low self image all my life. I had just gotten to a weight I felt I could “deal with” when by a miracle I got pregnant after 4 years of trying. I went into it with all intentions of enjoying every minute of it. And I did…from 145lbs to 215lbs. I was ok with that because I had pre-e and thought much of it was water weight.

The only part of my body I ever did like was my stomach which throughout my life had been very small compared to the rest of me. My belly didn’t get stretch mark one and I was even able to keep my navel ring in the entire time.

Post partum was a slap in the face though…I got bigger. The already too small maternity clothes were bustin’ at the seems and did for seemed like forever. I hated my body and myself for the way I looked.

Now going on 3 years since my son was born I am in total amazement as for some reason my body has turned into one that I’ve never known. I’ve lost 30+ lbs in the last year, my already small waist is smaller, I’m a whole size smaller than I was pre-pregnancy…I’m well I’m just amazed. I do still have my issues but when my son wanted to go to the pool this summer and I went to get my first real bathing suit in 6 years I saw a woman looking back at me that made me smile. I’m the mom I always wanted to be and for the first time in my life I’m proud of my body. Yes I feel more self confident because it looks a certain way now, but more importantly it did what it was supposed to do and gave me the child of my dreams. Now lets say a prayer for #2!!! And should my body do yet another turn around and become covered in stretch marks with the next I will think back to this site and wear them with pride! Thank you!

This is approx 20 weeks…my kitty liked the new head rest but not the punches from within.

Approx 28 weeks was on bedrest from then on

2 hours until delivery

This is me now 2y10months post partum

I used to hate my stomach. I’ve always struggled with body image issues. Even photos like this :

I would hesitate to allow people to see. Now, it makes me sad to think that I would ever see anything wrong with that body.

My first baby was 9lbs 5oz and 22″ long. At 28w I could easily pass as not being pregnant. It was very odd, and frustrating that people would shrug me off…I had a friend who was 4w behind me and people in public would come over and ask her questions and rub her belly, and I was left ignored.

Me, at 22.5w :

Those are the pictures I treasure the most though, because while i’m still trying to accept the new stomach and body my son left me with, the smooth unlined skin barely ripe with pregnancy seem all the more beautiful.

Around 32w I went from 0-60 overnight, and stretchmarks appeared and spread like wildfire. By the end of the pregnancy, they went all the way up to my ribs.

40w :

(and yes, that is the top of my ribs, I have a freakishly short torso)

The one change I couldn’t bear to document was the horror under my shirts. I started off as a 34DDD pre-baby. I’ve always been busty. By the time my son was born, my 36J was too small for several weeks. I stuck around a 36H for several months. I was terrified to look in the mirror naked. I would have to get dressed before walking anywhere near a mirror!

I did however take one somewhat-nude photo of myself, I believe around 27w pregnant. my boobs are already getting out of hand, literally!

I can’t help but love them, for I breastfed my son for 2 years, and ended up throwing away enough breastmilk to feed a hungry baby for 2 months, easy…
I couldn’t find anyone to take the surplus!

The stretchmarks are almost invisible head-on, they are silvery white now…just the lovely color of my skintone ;)

However, the light picks them up easily…as they do in this photo :

My son is 2.5yrs old now, and i’m 20w pregnant with my second baby in this photo.

The stretchmarks are very visable in the photo for some reason, the lighting I suppose.

I keep seeing mothers who bounce back and look like a supermodel after 2 babies even…And I cant help but cry “why can’t I be lucky enough to have that?”

But I know I’d never trade my son for anything in the world. He’s worth every stretchmark, and all the scary 36J bras in my closet right now :)

Here is my tummy after two kids.

I weigh the same but my body is dramatically changed.

My first child was born by c-section. And she nursed for 2.5 years so my breasts are pretty different too.

My second child was born at home via VBAC.

While after the first birth things were looser but now I have an upper and lower pooch.