I just wanted to say it’s nice to see that I’m not alone. I had a very hard time being pregnant becasue of all my conflicting thoughts. I was so overjoyed to have my baby growing inside of me and could nto wait to be amother..on the other hand i was watching my once “perfect” 19 year old body completley fade away into something I couldn’t even recognize in the mirror. I had battled an eating disorder for 5 years and had just recovered before I got pregnant. When i had my eating disorder teh lowest I weighed was 89 lbs…I was 125 lbs when I got pregnant..and by the end of my pregnancy i was 225 lbs. It was devistating to me. Soem days I feel trapped in my own body. Now my daughter is 6 months old and becuase of a c-section I have a huge ponch a scr and TONS of stretch marks!! I call them my battle wounds… Everyday I look in the mirror it is hard becuase I spent so many years seeing my only self worth through my body. Evry day I just look at my beautiful daughter and I knwo I woudl do it all over again in a blink of an eye. I have never had something so meaningful in my life to bring me so much joy as my amazing daughter. I am so thankful to thsi website becuase it makes me cry to know that I am not hidous. It’s hard now there feels liek so much presure for women as it is but is even mroe intensense after you have a baby for some reason to look amazing. Every magazine you read or look at..or everytime your in a grocery store and you see a women who looks perfect especially if they have children and just ache over how you got to be this way. I really wish society didn’t focus so much one just one type of beauty and open their eyes to the real women out there. Women should stick togther and realize the amazing beauty there is in creating a life that is one of a kind. Thanks you to everyone on this website for posting your pictures. You inspired me to share my story. I am almost 21 years old ..5’3 150 lbs…and this is my body before during and after pregnancy….
You are BEAUTIFUL! You are so right! You are a real woman and so am I. We all need to stick together and show what real beauty and real womanhood is about! :D I hope to teach my daughters that.
Congratulations on the birth of a healthy and beautiful baby! :)
BTW, I love that maternity outfit! I love that top and those jeans! Super Cute!
HI, i’m 21 myself and had my son january 07. I understand the pain you must have felt and maybe feel when you see yourself now to what you used to be but instead of letting that upset you, let it be your motivation. For the first few months all i did was look at my body and feel worthless. I hated the stretchmarks the extra loose gut and my bigger body. I have made a decision to change my unealthy lifestyle and i am going to start working out on a daily basis and look past the stretchmarks and scars because they will fade…You should do the same. You are beautiful regardless and you shouldn’t have to let the joy of motherhood leave you with the dread of you hating your body. There is a way you can be happy and confident within urself and enjoy motherhood! Confidence comes from within… all the best !
My love, I too know how you feel!
I battled with body image disorders for most of my teenage hood and in my first pregnancy went form 57kg to 85kg. Second preg i went to 95kg and 12 weeks post birth I have actually put on 2 kg!!
it is hard to not judge myself as I am self conscious and feel like I have to explain to people why I am carrying so much weight. I have been asked 7 or 8 times when my baby is due….even when baby is on my hip.
The best thing you can do is recruit some great friends and spend time together laughing talking walking with babies in the pram, dancing.. You will FEEL better, and when you Feel good , you will LOOK AMAZING!!!! Happiness is truly beautiful!!! Congratulations lady- the transformation from maiden to mother is a tumultuous solo journey- but you will settle into it and soon you will forget how hard it was.
xxxxx
Sorry for all the spelling mistakes in my entry, I was so emotional when I wrote it I was crying and shaky. It’s about a month and later and I’m still loosng a bit of weight. The only part that is still so frusterating is that there are so many ways to work out and tighten your stomach when it’s weight to be lost, but it seems the more weight I loose the more my tum sags becuase it’s just hanging skin not chub. It’s not really bothering so much anymore. I’m pretty confident now, and really just embracing not having to be “perfect” and enjoy playing with my kid everyday, realizing I wouldn’t wnat to be doing anything else anywase.
150! that means you lost 75 lbs! way to go. that is not an easy thing to do.
I am 34 years old and I understand your pain. I had my daughter (first and last baby) almost 6 months ago and I am so depressed with my body right. I love my daughter to pieces and I know she is worth ever pound I have but the pouch from the c section is so ugly and I am ashamed of how I look. I cry a lot about my appearance because I am no longer able to fit into anything I had in my closet prior to being pregnant. My mom keeps telling me it will take time but I am afraid it will never go away.
I just want to comment to all you girls stuggling with your body image after having a baby. I had a c-section with my 1st and absolutely hated the “pouch” and scar I was left with. I longed for my pre-preganancy body to come back. But then something changed my mind. At age 34, having never had a child, my sister was forced to have a hysterectomy (medical reasons). Now she too has a scar, but doesn’t have the love of a child and will never know what its like to bring a life into this world. Its hard sometimes, but we need to be grateful that we were “lucky” enough to bear children, and remember that there are women out there that would love to be sporting our battle scars if meant they could have a child of their own!
Don’t get me wrong, there are still days when I’d love a flat, scar free tummy. But given the choice of that, or my 2 lovely children, I know which I’d choose everytime!! :)
I am turning 30 this summer and had my first child last september and i feel more beautiful than before I was pregnant. I lucked out and lost my baby weight fairly fast however still have the stretchmarks and the excess skin but it doesn’t bother me at all. I went out and bought my first bikin the other day and have intentions on wearing it weather or not i can tone my belly up…. even my husband finds me sexier. having a baby is the most beautiful thing in life and i would have another one in a heartbeat and live with the after effects forever….look what you have to show for them ! :-)
Thanks for sharing!!! Your an inspiration! My baby makes it all worth it.
i am 5 months pregnant and i am so scared of my body getting ruined. im not showing much yet, but i really think i will be HUGE and i get stretch marks so easily. all of you have made me feel so much stonger. however my body comes out im going to be happy… because i am going to have my very own child at least we have the courage to go through this and make the best out of what we going through.. THANK YOU EVERYONE