I found out I was pregnant when I was 20. It was with the love of my life, so we were both excited, and afraid.
We found out it was twins at 9 weeks.
I went to 39 weeks, and had a c-section after 36 hours of labor.
It is now 21 months after my pregnancy.
I have dieted, used creams, and done everything besides surgery to try to fix my stomach.
I love my babies, but hate my stomach. I am just 22 years old, and my body is ruined. I love that some women can be positive, but I just can’t.
My boyfriend (my daughters father) is supportive, and still loves me, and still thinks im beautiful, but I just don’t…
Before having children I would have never considered having surgery, but I really think that I may, if I can get the money together.
(Although it would only be if there is an abundance of $$ because my daughters and their needs will ALWAYS come first haha)
le sigh.
I feel the same way right now. This website has helped a lot but I still have trouble being possitive, and even letting my husband look at my tummy for too long bothers me.
If the other ladies on this site are any indication I think you will feel better in time, thats what I am counting on!
Good luck to you! And by the way, your boobs look great! and your children are adorable!
I think you’re looking pretty good for having carried twins! BUT if you can save the money up and it will help you feel more confidant about your body then go for the surgery.
In the mean time just keep working out and eating healthy, that’s great for your body and your self-esteem :)
Your daughters are beautiful!
Your body looks a lot like mine. I didn’t have twins, I had two cesareans in 2.5 years. I too am 22, I will be 5 months PP with my second tomorrow. I think you look great…and believe your husband! You can find me under child loss (sad to say) “2.5 months PP, 2 cesareans in 2.5 years”. Keep your head up! It is so hard being our age and feeling our bodies look horrible compared to most 22 year olds…but we have babies to show for our stretch marks and saggy skin!
I will not lie, I do agree your stomach doesn’t look that great…but so what, belly shirts are out anyways. I think in a few years your belly will look much better. I always write on this site and I just had my kid almost 4 weeks ago and my stomach isnt so hot either, but whatever. Winter is coming and you’ll be ableto wear sweaters, hoodies and long shirts in no time…so in the meantime you can go to the gym and work out and do what you can to minimize your belly. Have you tried using a self tanner to darken the skin you don’t like, i do and it makes a huge difference. I dont have stretch marks but i still dont like what i see either. Also for those times when you want to get some action…i recomend you buy a lamp and red light bulb for it, it makes you skin look really good…esp if you are self conscious naked.
I feel for you – I have body issues now in my 50s that I did not have post partum. It is distressing and never leaves my mind. Try Bio-Oil – I am using it for some old scars on my arms but supposed to be good for any scars and stretch marks and is a lovely moisturiser. Lots of tummy exercise and see how you feel in say a year. If you don’t want more children then, although I am against surgery just because one fancies it, if you have a real problem it would boost your self esteem and make you feel whole again. Remember surgery does come with further scars though. Good luck and keep us posted.
The changes we go through with our body physically and even emotionally can be very difficult to come to terms with. But just try to stay positive. Your twins are absolutely amazing! Can you believe you carried them inside your tummy? Definitely try working out at least 3 times a week and eat healthy and you will notice a difference. I’m not too sure what sort of classes are offered where you live, but where I live they have really great mom and baby work out classes. (Mom and toddlers as well) You just need a good running stroller. Or lots of gyms offer daycare while you workout. Self tanner is a great tip as well! I find it makes my skin look smoother. Good luck with everything. :)
Your body is “ruined”? Hon, you gave birth to new human life. You can walk, talk, eat, think, and do everything a ‘normal’ human can do, with the extra bonus of having giving birth. How can you consider your body ‘ruined’? If you love your children, how can you be so hard on what created them? Your body is just a vessel for the great person you can be…what it looks like should be SO far down on the list of ‘problems’ you are faced with in life, esp. if your only issue is stretch marks and extra skin. What you focus on expands…why focus on your body being ‘ruined’? (And what a horrible insult to women who really have had birth injuries that leaves them with true ‘problems’ and ‘ruined’ bodies).
Wow……I think you look amazing!!! Your body grew 2 individuals AT THE SAME TIME, what a beautiful miracle! I understand that it’s hard when our bodies change and look different than before but you look beautiful, however, if you desire to have surgery to make you feel better, then do it once you have the means. Just remember that beauty comes from within.
Looking good! Don’t be so hard on yourself! Lighten up dude. You have so many blessings in your life – including your body! The older you get, the easier it will become to love yourself – even the parts you think you don’t like. Turn that frown upside down!! :)!
This message is for TracyKM. Remember, we are here to support and validate each other! I know your intentions are good, but the tone of your message is very harsh. This should be a safe place where women feel free to say how they feel about their own bodies. Giving birth can be traumatic and the way our bodies can look SO different after nine short months of pregnancy can be overwhelming and hard to take.
To the woman who posted: I understand how you feel because my stomach looks exactly like yours after bearing four children, the last one a c-section delivery. Take heart, you are beautiful, because as one woman said above, beauty comes from within! You have a great sense of humor and your girls are so happy and precious in those pictures, way to go Momma!
You and me have a very similar story. My boyf. and I found out I was pregnant when I was 20 and then SURPRISE twins. They are now 15mos and my weight went right back but my stomache looks much worse than yours. My belly button is saggy and caves in when I lay down.. pretty strange. I too have thought about surgery and when the time comes I will seriously consider it. I know its hard but what gets me through is remembering that I have the rest of my life to work on my body but my kids are only little once!! You are beautiful!
Hi. I just gave birth to triplets at 36 weeks 3 days, 3 weeks ago and I too have yet to get terms that my body is changed forever. I have the triplet skin much worse than yours. But I’d like to thank Haley when she says, I have the rest of my life to work on my body but my kids are little only once (such lovely kids! and my eldest who is almost 2 y/o). Gives me a new perspective. Thanks so much!
I think Haley says it best! I’m 27 with four and have the caving in belly. We call it the raisin belly. lol Only I don’t find it that funny. I want my children to be confident with who they are which means I need to model that behavior. Much easier said than done. Embracing yourself is a daily battle but it’s sites like these that remind us we are so not alone. I read a blog the other day that had a badge on it. It was a womans pregnant body and the caption said, “I’m such a great artist, I make people!” That is so awesome! I never thought of it like that! We have this amazing ability to carry life. We Moms rock, baby!
I have had twins too. They are 10months old. I understand what you are going through. It can be hard to look in the mirror and remember what your body use to look like. But the truth is, even when I didn’t have a “raisin belly” I still complained about my body. Recently, I pulled out pictures of myself pregnant (200lbs) and I thought about all that my boby endured to carry my boys. I dont know about you, but I had a very hard pregnacy. Then I took a another look at my body and realized that considering everything…I look damn good. And so do you! Don’t be so hard on yourself. :)
I have 11-month-old twins and can totally relate. It’s very difficult to see your “twin skin” and remember the body you used to have. I know I feel like apologizing to people for my body, like, “Hey, I SWEAR I used to be skinny, but I had twins! I have an excuse!” It’s difficult to deal with. Lucky for you, as far as your physical body goes, you have your youth on your side. I’m 31 and man, let me tell you, things just don’t work the way they used to. The emotional issues toward your body will hopefully lessen with time.
Your stomach looks Exactly like mine and I am assamed to even let me fionce(father of my son) touch it, Yet he still tells me the same things, Shit girl Im younger then you are, im 19 and my fionce is 21, and you know what, I only had one kid and my stomach looks worse so be proud of yourself, its not that bad, Trust me.
I know you probably don’t want to hear this, but it just takes TIME. The stretch markes will fade and get smaller. My twins are four and I am just now getting to the point where I don’t feel like my belly is completely ugly. Drink lots of water, use lots of lotion, eat healthy and try to get an hour of cardio 4 times a week. Your body will never be what it was before, but I think your kids are worth it! :)
We are tummy twins, except I had one baby instead of twins! I am 5 1/2 months pp and feel so ugly, I won’t even let my husband look at me, I am so ashamed of how I look. Before I got pregnant I used to be skinny and beautiful, and I never had to try. I am also having a hard time. I just try to think about how lucky I am to have such a beautiful and perfect baby girl. Before I had her, I had a miscarriage and it was very hard on me. I would rather look the way I do now and have my little girl then to have to go through the loss of another baby again.
I have found that working out helps a lot. I have also found that getting a little bit of sun on your stomach helps even out the stretch marks. I have had 3 children in 2 years (well its more like 3 years now but they are two years apart) and I am only 24. I had the same thoughts about my body after the twins (they are the oldest) were born, but my husband constantly told me that I was beautiful.After a while I finally began to believe him. :)
I’m 21 and have 7 month old twins. I gained 60plus lbs. And until you look at yourself and feel the way we do, and see what we see, you can never related. Whether you have one baby or 6.. its all the same. I knew from the moment I thought I was pregnant that no matter how many kids I had or how much weight I gained that my body would never ever be the same. But, like everyone else says… it was worth it. Even if it still hurts my heart that I feel uncomfortable every single time I see myself without my clothes on. I used to cry… but, I don’t ever want my daughter to feel uncomfortable about her body. So I just embrace it. & thank god. Because sometimes you just have to realize that feeling sorry for yourself isn’t going to get you anywhere. That was the hardest part for me. Everyone will tell you to work out.. who has time for that with two babies? To me that’s something I could only dream about at this time. I just keep telling myself that it will get better but even if it doesnt .. I’ll wear my tanktops that suck in my skin and smile that at least for the day, I feel good about myself :)
my belly looks like yours. i too carried twins past 39 weeks and had a c-section.