Previous entries here and here.
Age: 34
Age of children: 4yr old little girl and 8 month old little boy
Hello beautiful women,
This is my third entry on this site. My most recent was about two years ago after the birth of my daughter via c-section, and I’ve since had another baby so I decided to share again. Prior to the birth of my first child, I had always struggled with some form of disordered eating. My body has always been strong and athletic, and whilst I appreciate it now, I had a difficult time dealing with it growing up. At age six, I wanted to be waif like, like my friends. I wanted thinner thighs, a smaller belly, and a teeny-tiny backside. It didn’t help that my relatives would tease me about my ‘big bum,’ or ‘thick legs,’ thinking all the while that they were complimenting me. Growing up in a country where thickness was actually admired and revered on a woman, I’m not quite sure where I received the messages that I was too fat, or that my body wasn’t ‘good’ enough. However, receive them I did, and those messages plagued me well into adulthood. After many years dealing with bulimia, I finally resolved that enough was enough and became determined to fight back at my demons. I was afraid that if I didn’t fight back, I would eventually have children, and pass my bad habits onto them, especially if I had girls. I thank God that I was able to regain control of my eating, and in essence, my life, before my little girl was born in 2006. And wouldn’t you know it? Her body is an exact little replica of mine, right down to the sturdy little thighs and the round belly. I let her know daily how blessed she is to have strong legs with which to run and jump and dance, and strong arms which can lift and carry and throw. Here in the States, my fight for my daughter’s sense of self-worth is two fold. The images of ‘beauty’ portrayed in the media are typically those of thin, tall and willowy Caucasian women. I am therefore not only fighting against the images of ‘thinner is better,’ but I am also fighting for my daughter to see the beauty in her brown skin, and thick, textured hair.
Although I put up a brave and confident face for my daughter, which most of the time is an accurate representation of how I feel, those negative thoughts still come back to haunt me from time to time, and so they did with the birth of my son. I gained weight slowly and steadily for the first three months with my boy, and then began a rapid descent into eating anything and everything that I could lay my hands on. I comforted myself with the knowledge that I had gained 50lbs with my daughter, and had managed to lose most of it by the first year. My Dr. told me that whilst such excessive weight gain was mildly acceptable for a first pregnancy, the same should not be repeated in a second, so when I surpassed 50 and landed at a robust 60lbs, the fear of not being able to lose the weight set in. My son was a special gift from God, having been born exactly one year to the day of a devastating miscarriage. I told myself that I would therefore not focus on the excessive weight gain would focus instead upon the nurturing and nourishment of my ‘miracle baby.’ I’m currently breastfeeding him, as I did my daughter, and I believe that this must be the reason why I’ve been able to shed so many of the the pounds in a relatively short period of time. I am proud of my body and all that it has accomplished, and although my feelings about it will forever ebb and flow, I can only hope that one day my children will look at me and tell me that they are proud of me too.
The first picture was taken three and a half years after the birth of my daughter.
The second was taken at eight months pregnant with my son.
The third was taken a few days ago at 8 months postpartum.
The forth is a picture of my little angels :-)
WOW!! I thought the first and third were before pictures!!! You look incredible!! I don’t see any “thickness” anywhere, you are stunning! You’re children are beautiful, congratulations :)
but.. you are one of those thin willowy women! You just have some fantastic curves to go with it, you are indeed the thing most women on the planet would aim to look like.. slim but curvy = PERFECT. lucky you, your kids are beautiful :)
Firstly, let me just say, you look so beautiful and have fantastic curves!!!
I too struggled for many years with an eating disorder and understand fully how hard it is to break the cycle… but to give to our children a strong proud mother as a role model is so worth the effort!! I feel its so important also, for our boys to grow up knowing the worth of a woman is deeper than the flesh… Well done, you shine!
Damn, girl, you look foine.
OMG! You look amazing! I thought those were before pics too! GO girl!
Thanks for posting these pictures. I’m pregnant with my first and this gives me hope that someday I might get my body back again. Your stomach looks fantastic!
You look incredible! If i had that body id wear a bikini everyday to show it off! :) i am one of those tall willowy white girls and i dont like it .. i always want more of your body .. its so strong and womanly looking .. Oh and yur kids are beautiful!
You look great. Congratuations on your beautiful children, and your resonating self esteem!
You are totally hot, I’m jealous!
OMG you are breathtaking! And the babies are just beautiful as well. I am so glad for the birth of your son, and right you were to focus on HIM and not on weight. Your body’s wisdom in action!!
you are amazing! and your babies are so sweet!
You are absolutely beautiful!
You look fantastic especially after a c-section. I hope to get abs like that soon. I am 6 Months PP with a c-section
Holy mackerel, you look fabulous!!! :D What a hottie!
Your story is so beautiful and inspiring!!! :D
Thank you so much for your kind words ladies!
You are so beautiful and you look great! Please share with us what you did you did to get back into shape! And you have s beautiful family!
Thanks so much ‘Anonymous.’ I did the Windsor Pilates prior to my first pregnancy, and continued with them after. I alternated between that and the Slim in 6 series by Beach Body. I was never very consistent with either but I guess a little goes a long way! I took up running again when my daughter was 2(used to be an avid runner in high school)and that also really helped. With this second pregnancy, I really haven’t had the time to do anything, so as I said, I think it must be the nursing, and maybe my body just ‘remembering’ it’s form. I’m hoping to begin running again once I get the energy and motivation to do it, haha! If I was going to recommend anything though, it would be the pilates ;-)