I am 26 years old my daughter is 10 months old. I have never been confident about the way I look. As an overweight preteen I would spend hours looking at Seventeen and YM magazines. I think this is where my poor body image started because I did not look like the girls in those magazines. I became obsessed with losing weight and by the age of 16 I lost over 50 pounds and was very thin, but never thin enough in my eyes. Even after losing all the weight I was not happy because I had faint stretch marks on my lower stomach, breast and just above my bottom. I would sometimes spend hours in bed crying over these left over reminders of being overweight.
When I found out I was pregnant I knew that I was prone to stretch marks even though my Mother has no stretch marks. I applied bio oil twice daily to my belly as soon as I found out I was pregnant. I would go through a new bottle every month and all it ever did was ruin my clothes. I did gain a lot of weight and it was all in my stomach. I first started seeing stretch marks at around the 7th month. My stretch marks did not bother me so much at the time because I was so excited about the baby growing inside me. During my pregnancy was the last time I can say I felt beautiful or good about myself.
When I was getting close to my due date I told the nurse who would weight me at my weekly check-ups that I did not want to know how much I weighed because I was getting so close to 200 pounds. I did not think I could handle hearing that I was 200 pounds because I am only 5’3.
I had a very hard labour but it was all so worth it when I got to hold my sweet beautiful girl in my arms. I had my mind set on breast feeding and I am still breast feeding now. I started losing weight fast and my stretch marks looked so bad after my daughter was born . My lower stomach was saggy and all my stretch marks where on the middle of my stomach around my belly button and I had none on my lower stomach where I would have preferred them because they are easier to cover up . At my seven week check-up my doctor looked at my stomach and said “oh lots of stretch mark”. I thought to myself sarcastically “thank you for pointing that out because I was not aware of it before and it’s not something I think about all the time”
I was never a person who wore revealing clothing or bared my midriff but now I have to wear a tank top or camisole under all of my shirts so the shape of my stretch marks do not show through and I can still see them. There have been times when I have been all ready to go out and took one look at myself and stayed decided to stay home, this drives my boyfriend crazy and he thinks I am being immature. I see pictures on Facebook of new moms out in bikinis a few months after giving birth and it upsets me so much. I wonder why my body has to be covered in scars when other women look the same.
My boyfriend tells me all the time that he does not notice the stretch marks or care about them and that he thinks I am beautiful. He really wants me to stop talking about it . I wish I could believe him but I just can’t seem to get pass it.
I hope we all can get pass our body issues it gets in the way of enjoying life.
Wow what a rude doctor that’s just so unprofessional! I honestly don’t think they are even that noticeable at least to me I can barely see them! Mine are all over I counted once and they are near the 1000 range sigh my boobs hips butt sides inner outer and back of my thighs all the way down to my calves oh and my stomach looks like a sunset lol! They will fade in time I know everyone says that but it’s true I’ve got three kiddos Im 25 my dd will be 6 soon and I’ve just accepted that this is how I’m suppose to look I guess! You look really good your tummy is thin not puffy like mine and yu have no love handles mine are full of love lol! Good for you to be nursing still I too I’m nursing my youngest still 15 months now I’m 25lbs lighter now than when I got pg with him all because I’m still nursing probably! Take baby on walks and do your hair and nails make yourself feel good and you will feel better. I started doing little things for myself and I do feel much better! Congrats on your baby!
he probably doesnt care about the stretch marks,lol..most guys just wanna getlaid they don’t pay attention to things like stretchmarks :)
Tons of people get stretch marks, not just those who are heavier. I saw pics of Katie Holmes and she’s got em. Halle Berry and Charlotte Johnson both have them on their breasts, and Halle’s were there even before she had her daughter. I was always on the thin side and got them on my breasts and butt during puberty. The funny thing is, despite my perfectionism they never really bothered me! It’s weird what will and will not irk a person. I honestly thought they were sorta cool and then one day, it seemed like it happened overnight, I could barely see them anymore. I know it’ll be hard for you to believe this but those stretchmarks are really no big deal. Most guys could care less and if other women have a problem with them, that’s their deal. I’m pregnant right now and am, of course, hoping not to get too many stretchies but am prepared for them because I know I am predisposed. Oh well, I’ll just try to take my own advise :) LIfe really is too short. BTW, those magazines (17, YM) are EVIL!!! I used to read them and feel like utter garbage. I hope we can protect our daughters from the awful messages they send!
There are things that just happen in life, which you cannot change. But the important thing here is to try your best to avoid them. And once you did your best, and if they still happen, you should understand that was not in your hand. That is just how it is meant to be and in this case, there is no reason to be upset because you did your best. In your case, you used bio oil or whatever to avoid the strecth marks and they still came: “so that was not in your hand, this fact you cannot change so there is no reason to be upset”. I have also a lot of stretch marks but unlike you, i did nothing to prevent them from coming. Now in my mind, i am very angry at myself: why did i not use any creams? If i had at least used and if they still would have occurred, i would not be upset at all. Do you see my point?
Omg!!! Yours looks so good! Lol you should see mine! I’m 18 and COVERED in them! And I have days where if depresses me so much! But then I hair think about why I have them.. It’s because my sweet baby! Some women can’t even have Children! So we should be thankful that we had the chance (: But besides that your belly barley has any compared to mine! And it’s not wrinkly or anything mine is!! Which I’m just 4 months pp so I’m hoping that will go away some.
Have you watched Think Like a Man? Even if you haven’t I think most women will agree that Romany Malco is one sexy man. HE has stretch marks! I watched this in the theater and I noticed them. Did I think he was less attractive because of them? Nope.
I haven’t had a child yet and I have more stretch marks than you do now. I am 29 and most of mine occurred while I was in my late teens, early twenties. Only ONE time in my entire life has someone mentioned them to me and he truly was an awful guy.
When your boyfriend tells you that you are beautiful, listen. Stand in front of the mirror naked and find 5 things that you love about your body. Whenever you start to feel self conscious, recite that list in your head and add to it as it comes to you.
Stretch marks are really no big deal. They are just a part of who you are. It’s like saying i hate my nose. They are just another part of you. I’ve been skinny most of my life and i have really bad strecth marks. I was a fat kid and got them all over my arms and legs. I dont’ like them but they don’t really bother me either. The important thing is that now i am a completely healthy 30 year old man. Life is too short. Don’t sweat the small stuff like this.
I have loads of them, like every part of my body is covered pretty much. And I’m only 24.
At least you have a beautiful baby for them :)
Try not to let them get you down :)