Age: 25
2 pregnancies/ 2 births
4 years and 3 years
My two beautiful little toddlers were born 14 1/2 months apart. I had lost all but the last ten pounds of my pregnancy weight when i became pregnant again. I was happy with my weight, as I was very petite prior to becoming pregnant and my body needed the extra pounds. Although my stomach did had a small pooch above my csection scar, I was still very happy with my body, happy to have those extra pounds that i so wanted before. I was however devastated that my baby had been born by cesarean when it absolutely was not necessary, and I very much wanted to deliver vaginally, so I felt I did miss out on the life changing experience even if it was very painful. I chose a different doctor for my second pregnancy, and I was very happy with this doctor. I explained my csection experience to her and told her that i preferred to deliver vaginally, she was very accepting of going with this option, however keeping the thought of csection open as it could be easier and of course safer for myself as well. Towards the end of my pregnancy I did decide to go ahead with a cesarean birth again as to avoid any unnecessary complications, and I came to peace with my choice. Everything went great, and i recovered just as quickly as the first delivery, except that the birth control i used did make the weight slower to come of this time around. I’m finally just 5 pounds heavier than my pre pregnancy weight after the first child. And i love my womanly curves, its very liberating to have the curves i so wanted as a young adult that i couldn’t get if I had eaten an elephant. However the pooch just above my scar is a bit bigger than before and it keeps me from truly being comfortable with my body. I know this is the same story as every other woman on earth, but i truly feel had i never had a cesarean delivery the first time around my pooch may not be so pronounced, my muscle would not be so weak in that area. And finally I would have had that one most special experience of giving birth to my child/children as God intended.
THANK YOU for posting this! I was just crying on my bedroom floor tonight about my stomach as well. I just had my second child 3 weeks ago. My kids are 2 1/2 years apart to the day (what are the odds?!). Now, I understand it takes time for the body to heal, yadda, yadda. BUT I know that I have a diasastis recti issue going on big time. After my first, delivered vaginally, I had a 2 finger gap that never closed and my stomach would get very bulky the more I did ab workouts, and after this one (also vaginal) I have a 4-5 finger gap and when I lay down my belly button sinks into a “pit”. I am also very petite and I am so self-concious of this weird stomach of mine. It’s very firm, but looks exactly like I am in my second trimester because I have slimmed down everywhere else EXCEPT for my belly. It also gets bigger throughout the day depending on how much I’ve eaten, gone to the bathroom, etc. In fact, yesterday, someone asked me when I was due. WAHHHH!! Anyway, the point of my whine is that I really don’t think it would’ve made a difference stomach issue wise whether or not you delivered vaginally or via C-section since it has more to do with a weakening of your transverse muscles. Also, I am glad you are loving your new body because you are right, you are beautiful. I do love those little babies though even though they put our bodies through heck! :) P.S. I just ordered the Tupler Technique kit with a splint from her website. I’ve heard such rave reviews about it that I’m hoping it will help me!!
You have a body many women would “die to have”.
Hi, I am the mommy above from this story. I just wanted to say thank you for your comments. I was quite nervous waiting for my story to post, as we all have insecurities and of course i am naked for everyone to see, so I’m sure its very understandable to all these brave women who have posted their pics the same. I was very surprised to finally check it and see anyone commenting at all really. I was not going for anyone to tell me that i looked good at all, i really just wanted to show other women that although there are we absolutely do not like about ourselves whether physical or even shortcomings of our personalitys etc., there is stil something to praise about yourself. I love to be a woman, and motherhood has really helped me come into embracing myself as a woman. I really hope that other women read this and can relate and just embrace themselves for all they are, because being a woman and a mother is beautiful and can light up any woman from the inside out. I do have to say though that it felt good for those who took time to comment it really did boost my own confidence as well, so thank you very much!