I am a 25 year old woman, who had her first baby delivered back in March via c-section. After 12 hours in labor and a dropping fetal heart rate, the doctors decided c-section was the way to go.
Since the c-section, I have had the hardest time trying to get my stomach back to where it was. Aside from the uncomfortable bulging and bloating around the site, my once smooth stomach is now also stretched, purple and flabby. By all appearances, I have lost the baby weight. I run 2 miles a day, and incorporate weights 3 times a week. However, I am still breastfeeding my son, and my stomach as you can plainly see, still looks like a post pregnancy belly.
While at first my self esteem plummeted, I have to admit, the new look has grown on me. It’s not what I am used to, but I have such an extraordinary son. He just lights up my whole life. My husband swears to me he still thinks I am beautiful. I tear up when I think of what an amazing vessel my body is, to have nourished, grown and birthed our amazing child.
SO, that being said… I wish I could hug all the moms that look in the mirror and aren’t always thrilled. However, sites like this are so awesome due to the acceptance that is promoted. I really don’t think I could stand it if I heard of one more woman who stopped eating because she didn’t like her body. I wish there were more being done to promote healthy, happy women and less self consciousness.
Girl you really look great! You have done a great job!
that is fantastic. you look great
Your comment about a “post-pregnancy belly” brings to mind an exchange between two of my friends. One railed, “nothing fits a post-partum body!” and the other said “dear, your body is ALWAYS going to be a post partum body now!”. Sure, you have a post-pregnancy belly, and it may never look exactly the way it did before you had a baby. But it did an AMAZING thing and is beautiful in a different way now :) Plus you have a great figure–look how small your waist is!
Your scar healed really well. I’ve found that massaging it with vitamin E oil (or any sort of lotion, really) once a day helped a lot to relieve any pulling or tugging sensations.
I am glad that I read your story. I too had to have a c-section due to a drop in fetal heart rate. I have a beautiful 8 month old baby girl, but I too have a stomach that looks exactly like yours. I can’t get rid of the roundness and nothing fits right. This was great to read! I am glad that I checked out this site to find others with the same experience. Thanks for sharing yours!
You look great! I looked like hell at 7 months.
After 32 hours of labors, I too had an emergency C-Section. It has been 9 weeks and I am so depressed about my body, especially my huge hips and hard pouch above my scar. It’s unfortunate that we live in a society that spotlights celebrities and women who lose the baby weight so easily. I adore my son, but I would be lying if I didn’t admit to hating my reflection in the mirror. We are only human. Yes, childbirth is a miracle , but nobody tells you how frustrating it is to be living in yet another new body.