Well for starters I have a lot on my plate. I’m a single mom, I work, and go to school. I just turned 20 last December, and this was my first pregnancy. I love my son to death I wouldn’t trade him for anything, I just regret having him at a young age. I feel like a bad mom sometimes because I get so down about my postpartum body, and it worries me so much I lose focus on what’s important. I’m 3 months pp and I thought I would be at least almost back to normal but I’m not. My stomach is very wrinkly and covered with stretchmarks as well as my sides, thighs, hips, even my calves. I don’t even want to date in the future because of it…its just that awful. The only thing that cheers me up about it is my son because he was well worth it. I just wish it wasn’t so bad ?
The first picture is me before pregnancy, the last two are me 3 months pp….
first of all, you have it going on, you seem super thoughtful and ambitious. secondly as you probably already know, 3 months is not enough to time for people to recover from pregnancy, i took 2,5 years to feel back to normal. try to focus on all the good stuff your doing, how proactive you are and you’ll feel things start to settle down a bit in no time, meanwhile you have this beautiful baby to keep you on your toes. i also wished id waited, but i love that i started young now, jammin out with my babies
3 months pp is only a slight indicator of how well you will heal! You may always have stretch marks, but younger moms often have an advantage of loosing weight and getting toned easier, simply because of their age. Remember that mama’s who love themselves have babies who love themselves ! You will teach yourself, and your baby, to be proud. :)
First off K I want to say congrats on the baby boy. Second, as a woman who had her first child at 18 I know how you feel, but please don’t be so down on urself. U are gorgeous! U are only 3 months post so ur body is still healing. It took me a year and a half to get back to where I felt comfortable. I am 28 now with 3 children. Although I was never a single mother, I felt the way u do in not wanting anyone to see my body. Please don’t obsess the way I have. I am only now starting to feel comfortable with my body. I wasted so many years hating what childbirth did to my body. Try to focus on taking care of urself physically. Exercise for health, eat for health, and you will get where u want to be. Hugs!
My stomach went through a very similar, dramatic change. I have 3 children but all the damage was done with my first. I wish I could say that it will get better but unfortunately skin does not go back. Losing weight and toning up does help a lot but I know, for me, it takes me until they are at least a year old before I can get the time and the right frame of mind to focus on myself.
” I feel like a bad mom sometimes because I get so down about my postpartum body, and it worries me so much I lose focus on what’s important.” I can so relate to this statement. Big hugs to you. I wish I had advice by only empathy. It’s so unfair that some of us have to see such dramatic changes in our bodies to have children. I try to focus on my friends and family that love me for who I am. I try to remind myself that I have nice legs, a pretty face, sexy breasts and try not to focus on the parts I don’t like but it’s hard.
HI IM 22 and I hate what having children has done to me so much I complain about it daily I know it sounds bad but it’s true my stomach and my tiny waist no longer exists and I’m not vain or shallow it’s just I wanted to enjoy my body before it went to shit but there’s always a up side always anyways my upside is surgery I’m getting a tummy tuck and boobs and bbl not at once but yeah good luck and I’m a black women by the way so those dark purple stretch marks will fade with time also practice sucking in your stomach so it starts to remember and wear like a gurtel oh yeah and also donkey kicks and backward sit-ups will help okay good luck.
Be patient your body will mold into a form you will once again love. I had my son at 19 and the change in my body initially was very disheartening. 3 months is still very soon and as many other moms on here have written it took me well over a year to return to what I considered normal. Remember the amazing journey your body has under taken and just be patient. I am 35 now and my son is almost 16. I am thankful for him every day and I am in shape and loving my body all over again.
Congrats on your new baby! Don’t feel bad for feeling this way, I too was in a similar situation. I was a single mom and had my daughter at 20. My body changed in similar ways to yours , and I felt depressed that I would never find anyone who would love me enough to accept my body. I found that what was most important was learning how to love myself and recognizing that this is one of the many sacrifices of motherhood! its nothing to be ashamed of, it is natural to feel bad but good news it time heals all. I will never have my 19 year old body back BUT with help from this website and other stories I’ve learned to accept and love my body the way it is. Just work on being the best you! no comparisons to what you used to look like.
Also !! After learning to love myself I found a wonderful man who loves every wrinkle and stretchmark, who is now my husband of 2 years and we are expecting a baby girl in a few months. I know accepting my body after the new baby is born will be hard, its all a process! Best of luck to you and your bundle of joy.
Your body reminds me of Demi Moore’s. She rocked a bikini in two movies after her kids. Watch striptease. She kept very toned and it helped. She says she has some lose skin too. It’s ok that your body changed. Embrace it with confidence.