One pregnancy, one baby, 13 months old.
I’m currently 22, 13 months postpartum.
If I could go back and do my pregnancy over, KNOWING WHAT I KNOW NOW, I’d do so much differently:
* I’d keep working out daily, just like I had been doing up until the moment I peed on the stick.
* I’d skip the mom haircut I got at 7 months preggo (thank heavens that’s finally grown out!).
* I’d eat little bits throughout the day between meals. Then maybe I wouldn’t have been STARVING after work and so willing to abandon my clean eating in favor of shoveling anything down!
* I’d go with my gut and have that home birth I wanted. I got my “natural” hospital birth but not really on the terms I’d planned on.
* I’d remember to slather on the anti-stretch mark cream more often. I know I’m genetically more inclined to get them (my mom did) but at least I’d feel better about having put up a good fight against them!
* I’d try to keep the weight gain to under 50 pounds. Maybe then I wouldn’t have so many stretch marks in the first place. I mean, I knew I’d probably get them on my boobs and tummy (which I did) but seriously, ALL down my legs? and my hips? and my butt? AND coming out of my hoo-ha?! Sooo embarrassing.
* I’d buy cuter maternity clothes so that in all my preggo pics I wouldn’t be wearing ratty b-ball shorts and my hubbies t-s. For reals, by week 41 that’s all I could squeeze into.
* I’d buy a belly bandit and wrap up my tummy right after the baby came out. Then maybe it wouldn’t have taken 13 months just to end up looking like I do now.
I hope my next pregnancy goes much differently than my first but with the same result: an amazing little one! I know the physical stuff doesn’t really matter in the end, but it’s so hard to stop blaming myself for my somewhat ruined body. I feel like I’d be pretty much fine with my body now (Super droop boobs included. After 12 months of hardcore nursing, I expected it.) if only I had no stretch marks. Extra skin/fat I can deal with and work hard to correct, but no matter how many squats I do, these marks will never leave my thighs. People always say, “Don’t worry they fade sooo much!” Yeah but seriously, my skin is no longer the texture of a human. Plus, it’s been A YEAR! When are they gonna fade off my legs?! Jeez. I’m finally glad I need to wear contacts because without them in, I look pretty good! Thanks for letting me vent. Keep going mama’s, we’re all doing the most important job in the world and that’s what I keep trying to focus on ….
Pics: all 13 months pp. Stretch marks on hips, legs, and stomach. Sucking in the tummy. Pulling up my extra skin and then letting it all hang out!
Updated here.
lol I soooo understand this. Reading your story was like re-living mine. I completely understand! You look great by the way. I guess the only thing I’ve figured out about my body in my 8 weeks PP, is that I’m not meant to look the same as before. I’m supposed to look different, because I am different, I’m a mom. It sounds like you’ve got your focus on the right thing–raising a healthy, happy lil one.
I got stretch marks from armpit to below the knee, so I know how you feel :( my little one is 17 months and lots of them have faded but the wrinkly wavy texture is still there, it sucks but its nice to know I’m not alone:)
I used to think the same things as you, about how I wish I had done it differently. Then you know what I realized? I was so busy being miserable about my body throughout my whole pregnancy I forgot to enjoy it! Do you know what I would do if I got a do-over? I’d love every second of it! You look great and I hope next time you have get pregnant you are able to enjoy it. There’s no use looking like a model if it consumes your life and you don’t have time to appreciate the wonders life bring. I work in a nursing home and everyone there has wrinkles and saggy skin. Women who had 6 children and those who never had any. In the end we will all look like that. I sincerely hope you are able to discover how to truly embrace your unique-to-you attributes. :)
That was good! Definitely wish I would have followed a few of those myself.
I love this post,you have a great honest attitude and it made me think about my pregnancy and if I would’ve done anything different. Your body looks a lot like mine :) I didn’t get a single stretch mark on my belly, maybe because I religiously put belly butter on it,I don’t know, but i did get them on my butt and inner thighs. They really do fade, it’s 2yrs pp for me and I’m not afraid to wear a bathing suit. you can only see mine if you’re staring at them from 6 inches away and who’s gonna do that?
You’re too hard on yourself. You look fabulous. For real.
You look great, you really do. I’m 10 months postpartum and I know how it feels to have come that far and still not have anywhere near the body we had before. I don’t have stretch marks so I can’t tell you if they’ll fade…But I do have a lot more (and I mean a lot more) extra skin than you, apron and all…So rest assure that you look really good for having a little one.
You look great for 13 months pp. I think I have all the same “regrets”, a do over would be GREAT!!!
I’m right there with you, do-over pleease! You look awesome!! I had a similair experience with my first, gained a tonne of weight!!!! and have stretch marks in all the places you do. I lost most of the weight before my second (22 months between them) and only got a few extra stretch marks on my lower stomach from him and he was 3 days over due and 10 pounds!!! That was with watching what I ate and working out, learning my lessons from the first time. The little ones are definitely worth the trouble! Just so you know, the second birth is sooooo much easier. I had to be induced the 1st time due to blood pressure and had only gas for pain relief. The second I had a completely natural birth no drugs at all not even an IV incase there was no time. I got to the hospital and had him 19 minutes later! So I’m sure you will have a much better experience with the next one :)
DON’T BEAT YOURSELF UP…..You could have done all those things…exercise, eat right etc 100% of the time and still get stretch marks everywhere anyway (I know because I did!!) xxx
You look great! I don’t see any extra skin.
But otherwise i know exactly how you feel! Now 5 years after having my first daughter the marks have finally faded to’acceptable. I had my second daughter 16 months ago. And i had a totally different pregnancy! I gained ‘only’ 15 kilo’s (sorry i’m from holland we messure in kilo’s) with my eldest i gained almost 30 kilo’s. You learn believe me!! I didn’t get anymore marks besides the ones i already had. There is hope!!
you look like my body twin! you look great, don’t worry the marks will fade. i got ’em in the same areas too. :)
I just love this post and have been thinking about it for a couple of days- i have thought the same thing so many times about a do-over!!! you look great and i am very similar with the extra skin thing- i am two years pp and i found dramatic improvement in the second year, i know you will too.
Oh my gosh, I think you look great! Obviously your body is going to look different after carrying a baby around in your belly for 9 months. You are still so tiny and cute! HOT mama!!! ;)
Yeah, I told myself the same thing. It doesn’t work the second time around either. But what does it matter; I’d still be working on my body either way.
I am 31 weeks pregnant right now, and if my purple ugly stretch marks that are all in the same places you have them look like yours after my baby is born I will be happy! you look amazing, and you are soo skinny I would be happy if I bounce back like you =)
HAHA I LOVE IT!!! I agree if I knew now what I dident back then..I blame myself also for letting myself get the way i am…BUT I have to tellu I think ur body looks great!and from the pics ur marks dont look bad…u look very good!