The Evolution of a Body (Anonymous)

~Age: 26
~Weight & Height: 5’2″-ish and 120-ish pounds (I hover)
~Number of pregnancies and births: 1
~The age of your children, or how far postpartum you are: 4 years

Previous submissions:
5 months postpartum, 1 year postpartum, 2 years postpartum

I thought it was important to update my story for a number of reasons. For one, I’m no longer breastfeeding my daughter – I nursed her 2 1/2 years, so my breasts are quite different than in my previous submissions. Also, I found all of my previous posts, so I can link them all together. I think it’s important for them to be linked because, even at a year postpartum, I wasn’t the weight or size I am today. Our bodies keep changing. When I see ladies on this site in despair over their 8-week-postpartum bodies, I just wish I could give them that crystal ball and show them that it’s not static – not at all. Our bodies continue to change, morph, grow and shrink. You bet that I’m proud of my body! Of course there are things that keep me out of bikinis – my bottom for instance – but, I love what it’s done for me – and to me. I feel blessed to have a little one call me mom. I feel blessed that I was able to nurse my daughter. I feel blessed that we’re thinking about growing our family and I’m excited about all of the good things that lie ahead.

Updated here.

17 thoughts on “The Evolution of a Body (Anonymous)

  • Thursday, December 30, 2010 at 12:27 pm
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    I love seeing the transformation. I’ve never had a child and am not pregnant but I hope that when I do have a child my body looks like yours! I’m happy to know that our bodies are such wonderful things that can go through so much and still serve us healthily. I’m amazed at what you look like honestly and you shouldn’t let your bottom keep you out of bikinis. I think all of you looks so great and not “great for a mom”, I mean you look amazing. I’m 20 with no kids and I would love a tummy like yours.

  • Thursday, December 30, 2010 at 12:53 pm
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    Your confidence shines through and you have a beautiful body. What great gifts to pass on to your daughter!

  • Thursday, December 30, 2010 at 2:38 pm
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    Isn’t that the truth? And here’s the real kicker: our bodies would be continually changing even if we HADN’T had children, so why are women so incredibly hard on their bodies after pregnancy and birth? Just as there’s no crystal ball to show us what we’ll be like in the future, there isn’t a “what if” one to reveal what our bodies would be like if we hadn’t become mothers.

    And I don’t know why you’re not rocking a bikini, because you should be!

  • Thursday, December 30, 2010 at 5:12 pm
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    WOW! Your body sure did change! You look amazing, and I think you can totally sport a bikini, you have a perfectly shaped booty!
    Congrats on your changed body

  • Thursday, December 30, 2010 at 5:45 pm
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    You look amazing!! Your progression and seeing how your body has changed through the years gives me hope for my body after childbirth.

    I’m really jealous about your boobs! I personally am large chested (always have been) and hope that they shrink after I’m done breastfeeding.

    You attitude towards your body is so refreshing! Thank you for linking all of your posts together!

  • Friday, December 31, 2010 at 11:50 am
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    You should absolutely be showing off that lovely figure in a bikini. And you bottom is very nice, by the way :)

  • Friday, December 31, 2010 at 6:31 pm
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    you look really lovely, we have a similar body, i hope to breastfeed for that long as well, totally agree 100 % about letting your body heal

  • Saturday, January 1, 2011 at 2:16 am
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    I’m happy that you nursed your daughter so long. I’ve been nursing for 1 1/2 years… and you give me inspiration to continue (and your bottom is gorgeous; it shouldn’t keep you out of bikinis at all!). You’re right in that our bodies constantly change…sometimes when my daughter is nursing I rub my now shirking uterus and remember when HER bottom was poking out at me.

  • Monday, January 3, 2011 at 2:22 pm
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    Thank you all so much. I love this site. It’s great to be able to encourage one another. :) Good luck on the mommies here who have said they want to breastfeed or breastfeed longer. It really was such a wonderful experience, probably my favorite part about infancy and early toddlerhood. :)

  • Tuesday, January 4, 2011 at 9:37 am
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    I saw your previous posts and i want to say thank. Youve given me hope that within time my body can transform and change nicely. Congratulations you look great. Keep it up.

  • Tuesday, January 4, 2011 at 5:31 pm
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    Renee – That’s awesome! That’s exactly why I wanted to repost! :)

  • Thursday, January 13, 2011 at 6:37 pm
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    wow, thank you for posting this & the links. your body looks almost identical to mine (down to the bum!) i’ve had a hard time w/ how my body has changed. i’m petite – 5’3″ (was 106 lbs pre-pg). gained 41-42 lbs. my belly was VERY large at the end.

    also i had a very large baby & very large placenta. i had a vag birth but it was extremely difficult (labored for 30 hours -pushed hard for 5 hours). i tore horribly. it was very traumatic. that was 28 months ago. we have a healthy, 2.5 year old beautiful boy. my body is “coming back”, so to speak, now. but it has taken me this long which was very shocking to me. i don’t have stretch marks nor a scar from a c. but i have a belly that blows up if not eating healthy & i have to work HARD on diet & excericise to tone up. i have only 10 lbs to lose. but it might as well be 50 at this point.

    i know women may read my reply here & think she’s lucky. but it doesn’t change the feelings. they are the same as a woman who has 20, 30, 40 or more lbs to lose. shame, depression, sadness. i wish it wasn’t this way.

  • Saturday, January 15, 2011 at 9:00 am
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    Despite being a guy, I must say that I’m sure you will have encouraged many people and you’re a great role model, especially having nursed your daughter for 2 1/2 years. I have to disagree with you on one point, though, there’s definitely no reason why you should not wear a bikini, if you wish to!

  • Sunday, January 30, 2011 at 10:05 am
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    you look great! we actually kind of have the same body style i cary in lower body. My boobs also went from A/B to D when nursing. I loved them casue I was always small chested before. After nursing they did go back to B. I do run I love it and its alot harder to run with big boobs casue it flat out hurts. Now that they are small again it doesnt bother me to run but my guy says he loes them small I guess he had a bad experience with large boobs. So im happy lol. I do hoowever desire a flat tummy not 6pack just flat and toned no pudge my desire. you look really great may son is 4 and daughter is 2.

  • Monday, February 7, 2011 at 9:11 am
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    uh what exactly do you think is wrong with your butt? Its near perfect! and the one-peice doesn’t cover it any more then a bikini would so rock it!

  • Monday, February 7, 2011 at 9:13 am
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    its funny how this works, my boobs look just like yours (although i wish i could say i nursed as long as you did) an I hate mine, but seeing you here i think you look good…..I dont get it

  • Friday, May 13, 2011 at 3:56 pm
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    Thank you for all of the replies. I’m now 16 weeks along with my second and I don’t look like this any more hehe. :) I will, though, soon enough. No hurry and no worries.

    Thanks to those who said I could rock a bikini. I think I ought to try at least. :) I appreciate it.

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