Who is this person you’re sending your nude photos to? Well, my name is Bonnie. I have been married almost eight years and I am a homeschooling, stay-at-home mother of two young children who are, at the time of writing this, six and three years old. I am a dabbler, interested in learning more about photography, cooking, gardening, knitting and crafting in general. I feel passionately that I want my daughter to grow up with a balanced view of what women should look like. My son, too, for that matter. Anything else you would like to know? Leave a comment. :)
(Forgive his closed eyes – I’m sure you moms understand trying to get one good photo out of more than one kid – it’s impossible.)
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These photos below were taken on July 5, 2006 – the birth of SOAM.
( I love how pissed off he looks in this picture.)
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOUTHIS IS WHAT MY TUMMY LOOKS LIKE–EXACTLY AND I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST ME! You see all these other people who have NO stretch marks and can fit back into their skinny jeans and I sit there thinking……..what is wrong with me. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING SO OPEN AND HONEST. THANK YOU.
OMG we could be twins….
I’d like to know more about that gorgeous necklace ;)Fantastic site idea btw.
Wonderful site! You are doing an awesome thing by exposing the real way we look.
Eden – Actually I got that necklace for $2 at the county fair! I checked out your knitting blog, very cool! :)
Your site makes me cry. In a good way. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
Wow, count me among your body twins… My belly looks EXACTLY like that. I lost all of my 55+lbs weight gain by 10wkspp, but now 14.5m pp I still have these lovely stretchmarks and belly wrinkles. Sometimes I get depressed about it, but then I realize that I’m actually happy & healthy and blessed with a magnificently (& maddening) precocious toddler, and it doesn’t seem so gross anymore.
I had the SAME thing. My stretch marks finally faded to a quite lovely silver, save the still bright-red ones on my hips, 2 years after childbirth. Of course, I still have the wrinklies. I have a crease from my belly button to the top of my pubic area that nearly looks scar-ish, and nice depressed marks about my entire middle. I’m glad someone finally did this. This is what REAL people look like. This is what childbearing looks like. Yes, there are the few that escape sans-marks, but they are the minority. Women should not be made to feel as though that is the majority, or that it is what a post-pregnancy body is supposed to look like.For thousands of years stretch marks were celebrated as signs of fertility, and were accepted and embraced as “par for the course”. I refuse to be ashamed of my zebra belly, and I’m glad more women can see that they are not alone. GREAT job!
I came here hoping for comfort. Six children later, the wrinkles, sags, and lines are all too there! I am overweight yet and only expect it to be worse in some ways as I lose the extra weight! I have stretch marks on my breasts, too! I have been nursing for over 12 years now. Happy kiddos ;-) Thanks for the reality check. Now I know I am not alone!- Katherine
This site is great but i dont think i would fit in well. Im one of those who did lose all their baby weight and got no stretch marks.BUT on the other hand i have scars from many surguries and an outie belly button so i by no means have a perfect body. Im glad you are doing this though it has really been an eye opener.
Krissie;I don’t think the point of this site is to make it one side vs the other (stretch marks vs. none, lost baby weight vs still carrying); It’s to show what real women look like after giving birth. You gave birth, you must be a real woman, therefore I would think you were perfectly welcome to post.I lost all my baby weight, and then some. I just am left with saggy, loose skin on my hips and stomach, and silvery tracks from rib to mid thigh. That was MY post-partum body. And it’s as unique and individual as a snowflake; just as yours is. Pregnancy affects us all differently, and I think it’s important to see ALL forms of post-partum bodies. There is one woman on here who looks as though she’s a fitness competitor!
Krissie, I agree with Special Red wholeheartedly. This site is for all women, no matter how perfect their body. ;) Just leave the airbrushes at home. :)
Wonderful blog! You a very strong woman with lots to be proud about!
I just wanted to say thank-you. I am 5 months pp, and while enjoying my beautiful little girl I have felt so embarrased of how my body looks like now. The stretchmarks all over, the wrinklies, excess skin, and the scar… Thank you for starting this and thank all the women for posting, it’s so nice to see what real mothers look like.
Wonderful idea! I used to think I was the only one and now I know I am completely normal. I read stretchmarks were really common, but we never see them! Thanks!
Thank you! I used to be SO ashamed of my stretch marks, and loose skin after my two c-sections. I still panic if my shirt is lifted up and I look around to make sure no one has seen my stomach. So silly! It’s time to get over it. While I’m at a healthy weight, perhaps even underweight for my height, I have it all..the perfect example of a Mommy tummy. I want to be proud of it. ?
WONDERFUL Site! I am thrilled to have come upon it. I experienced a singleton and then a twin pregnancy. I birthed an 8lb 10oz baby and then 7lb 2oz & 7lb 13 oz twins. Big babies!! Lots of excess skin now. While at home, I lovingly refer to my tummy as my “baby belly” and while lounging around, my children affectionaly blow rasperrries on my flabby midriff. But outside the home, I find myself gaurding my belly, pulling my shirt down, making sure it stays hidden. I don’t know why. I guess I felt like no one else had ever seen a baby belly as extreme as mine, and I didn’t want to have to explain mine. Silly, isn’t it?Your site gives me a sense of relief– that there are people out there who have seen baby bellies (and have them of their own). And if they have not seen one yet, then maybe it would be an honor for them to see mine.If the twins give me a break, and I have a chance, I’ll snap a shot of my belly and post it. It would be an honor!
The funny thing is that I know that I am not the only one to have a baby belly that looks like this. But to SEE others that have similar bellies makes it more real. I can tell myself all day long it is ok and normal but to look and go ok she has the same makes a BIG difference.Thanks!
What a beautiful site! I feel normal again!
I’ve never had a baby and am ashamed of my body and my tummy at times. It’s really empowering to come here and see REAL bodies and not airbrushed fantasy bodies. Thank you for this.
I am so glad I discovered your site. I’ve always had body issues from college on, and at long last at my absolute thinnest in my mid to late 30s I finally loved the way I looked. When I got pregnant I was surprised it happened so easily, and was in no way mentally or physically prepared for the challenge ahead. I gained 12 lbs in one month and just refused to look at the scale from that point onward. Although I am about the same weight I was (118) when I was 6 weeks pregnant, my body is far from being the same. It was so disappointing to me, but looking at all these other women is very comforting. I’ve got very light stretch marks on my breast and hips, but my stomach (although looser skinned than before) is stretch mark free. I feel luckier than most, and am glad to see all these women coming to terms with their bodies now, it inspires me to do the same. And it felt so good to email the link to a single friend who asked me (when I told her I didn’t lose my weight immediately) how Heidi Klum could “walk the runway two months later.” I can’t wait for her to discover what the “Shape of a Mother” Is REALLY about! Also, I have found that Pilates has really helped me flatten my stomach. It’s amazing if you have the time and finances to try it.
Thank you so much for creating this blog~ I have had 2 beautiful healthy daughters… my last pregnancy resulted in 60lbs of weight gain and unsightly stretch marks…Now 9 months PP, I have saggy belly skin, droopy breats and stretch marks up the wazoo…It is wonderful to see women that are similar and you know what~ I didnt see their pics as ugly~ I see is as beauty~ hence I started to look at my own body differently~Thank you so much ~xoxAngele
I also wanted to say “Thank you”.I am a mother of one and am 36 weeks pregnant with my second. I have been so worried about what I will look like after I have this baby. With all the media attention on these actresses who bounce back into shape (and are never seen with a single stretch mark) it’s hard not feel “different”. Now I see that not only am I not “different” for having stretch marks and saggy skin- I am lucky to be part of a beautiful group of women. Thank you again!!!
Just like the others have said – thank you.I’m sharing this link with my mom’s group, the women’s group I meet up with and my granola baby-lovin’ mamas. :)
I love, love, love this site. I was never a small woman to begin with and then two pregnancies/c-sections later I’m still big and now I’m striped too. It is great to see what real women look like. They are powerful and strong.These pictures should be compiled into a book!Glenda
This is awesome. Thank you so much for doing this. I will send my story and pics soon. Our bodies are beautiful after we carry our children for 9 months! Thank you!
What a beautiful, empowering site. Thank you so much for taking the time to do this. I have been way too critical of my post baby body and I really needed this. We have GOT to fight back against the body image that our little girls are being taught by the media to view as “normal”. Seeing these beautiful, real bodies brings tears to my eyes. Thank you!!!!!
Wow.This is a powerful site. Have to say it is difficult for me to look at the pictures. And that has NOTHING to do with judging the bodies I am seeing and has EVERYTHING to do with my own distorted body image. (I was bulemic for years in my early 20’s) I hope to look through these pictures and stories to help me with my own issues and move into a more compassionate view of a post partum body. In terms of conventional beauty, I look “back to normal” and am spending an inordinate amount of time worrying about the dimension of my waistline which is 3″ more than it used to be.So absurd, but the truth.Thanks for sharing
I cannot thank you enough for this site. A friend directed me to it and it made me cry. Absolutely beautiful!! As much as I love my little one, I have had a hard time accepting what it has done to me. I was relatively small during the first 5 months of pregnancy and literally exploded in my 5 month. Needless to say, many stretch marks and because of losing 20 lbs immediately following the birth, I have a hanging belly. My husband absolutely loves my body and thinks I am always beautiful, but only today after seeing this website am I now believing, I am beautiful, look what my body has done!! Sagging boobs, butt and all!! I have to dig up my pics and as soon as I do, I will post as well!! Thanks again, Bonnie!!
I’m with Glenda on the book deal. As a huge supporter of this site (my husband, SIL, and mother look at it DAILY because of me!), I would really suggest getting a book deal before anyone steals the idea….
Wow, Bonnie! Thanks so much for creating this blog. I just found it courtesy of another blogger. I so wish it had been available (and that the technology for it had been available, too) after my first pregnancy in ’83. That little girl is now my 23-year-old daughter who’s about to be married. My ’94 and ’01 pregnancies gave me two wonderful boys … and lots more stretch marks and wobbly sections of belly. By the time I finished breastfeeding the last one, I’d been breastfeeding someone or other off and on for more than 20 years!
P.S. Bonnie, if you do a book, I’m a freelance copyeditor with 22 years’ experience. I’d love a chance to edit a manuscript on such a wonderful subject!
I have shame about my belly (and then shame because I’m ashamed!) My youngest of three LARGE babies loves to stroke my belly and stretchmarks ands calls them my “tiger stripes”. That small act of love has turned my head around about my puffy/wrinkled/lined belly. This is a healing and powerful site. Thank you.
i was directed hereby stuntmotherand i have to saywow!and thanks!and awesome!and i so see myself in alot of these photosand many of these stories…it is liberating to know thatyou are not alone.good idea.:)
Thank you for this site. Four kids, lots of stretch marks and very sensitive about them…sigh. I have very few pics of myself pregnant and absolutely none of my bare preggo belly and I do now regret it. I feel my heart wrench when I see other Moms’ perfect preggo bellies with nary a mark in site. It’s just so nice to know I’m not alone and how I admire the courage of the women who have posted their stories and photos, well done!! Laura :o)
This is a wonderful thing you’re doing for all women. These mothers are real women…and beautiful. And for the first time since having my daughter I can say that I am beautiful too, not in spite of my stretch marks and cottage cheese belly… but because of them. I am blessed to be marked by love. Thank you for helping me see that. You have inspired me to add my pictures to your ground breaking collection. I’m going to enlist my husband as my photographer tonight! Hopefully this site will encourage the world to embrace TRUE beauty, because nothing in this world is more beautiful than love. ~Aurora
As a mother to one child, I cannot say that I cherish my body. I believe society and fashion have put forth unrealistic portrayals of beautiful women and we have bought those images mind, body and soul. However, as a woman that faced infertility for three years, I look at the face of my little one and thank God for the pregnancy experience and the healthy birth of my child. No matter how sleep deprived and mentally spent I am, I’m grateful for my baby boy.Thank you for this site — to give us realistic images of women that were fortunate to endure pregnancies and births. Our amazing children are our blessings. Our bodies are only vessels, temporary and dynamic.
i actually almost cried when i looked through some of these posts. not tears of sadness but tears of happiness. lately, i’ve been stressing out about my postpartum weight and extra “flab” but i have truly been missing the beauty of where my 9 month old baby daughter spent the first months of her life. my chubby tummy protected her and nurtured her. i think i’ll be looking at myself in the mirror in a truly different light now.thank you to all of you beautiful women. i love this club!
I love this photo of you and your baby. You both look sassy.
Love your blog its very inspiring.. after I have my 2nd child (due on Christmas this year) I might mail you some photos. Your son looks ticked off in that photo as well. He gets my attention more so than the belly lol. So funny the hard looks babies can give some times :-)
This is the most fantastic site EVER. I must get to work on my own submission.
This is an amazing site. I want my daughter to have a positive self image too. Thank you for showing the world what real moms look like. =)
This is one of the best sites on the web, hands down, and every woman on earth (or at least in the Western World) should see it.I’ve never had a ‘perfect’ (re: blank and plastic-looking) body, and I’ve always hurt or been made to hurt because of it. After pregnancy and childbirth that hurt intensified.But no more, and it’s thanks to you for showing me what popular culture has censored for it’s own commercial and patriarchal benefit: reality. Of course, there are women who come out of childbearing/rearing unmarked. But so what? Variations of normal they are. Some are marked alot, some a little, some none. All normal, all beautiful. None better than the other.Our bodies and nature have their own versions of beauty, one it’s high time Western Culture bowed to with respect and awe. Because it’s that beauty and only that beauty that’s real and matters.Thank you a trillion times over. You’re my hero (and I *will* be sending a submission!). Sincerely,CJ.
The impact that this site is making to my everyday life is amazing! I look at it everyday and just am in awe every time.Thank you to everyone. I will continue to read and watch in amazement and celebrate our bodies. I now strut around the pool with pride! :>)
thank you for this site. i am 40, not a mother, won’t be one except to my cats. which is fine with me, but that’s not really the point. for whatever reason i’ve never seen any bellies like this. my mom’s isn’t, and i don’t go around looking at my friend’s naked bodies. the only time i caught a glimpse was of our 95 pound religious neighbor who’d had 4 kids… i just figured the little i saw was normal for someone so tiny. thank you for showing me what real women look like. how could i have gone to this age and not known?
Bonnie you are awesome! I was looking through this and dind’t even realize YOU started this! How Cool! And COngrats on the Dooce recognition. I will have to take a few pics and post a little story soon.
Hi, Amber!! :)
At 34, I just found out yesterday that I’m five weeks pregnant. While I know my body will change (and probably won’t bounce back as easily if I had been 24), seeing photos of other women who have been willing to share their bellies is so wonderful to help me know what to expect. I think I would have been severely disappointed with my own recovery, but now I have a greater range of knowing my possible belly outcomes. There is such comfort in knowledge and in sharing. Thank you so much! You’ve just made my future postpartum time so much happier/easier/more understandable. :)
This site is terrific. I’ve never seen another normal woman’s body. There are parts of mine I’ve never seen either!I’ve been pregnant three times and had one child, now 40. I had no stretch marks on my stomach or thighs at all, but have long whitish stretch marks still on my breasts which are so huge, and which I wish I’d had reduced long ago. They are so big I couldn’t breast feed properly and nearly starved my daughter. It wasn’t until many years later I learned from other large breasted women this is common. I lived alone with my husband on the shores of an Arctic lake and was totally clueless about mothering. All I was ever told about it was to rinse the diapers twice. That I did, in water melted in a big tub and then heated with an immersion heater. No-one gonna say I was a bad mother. :PSo…thanks to all you brilliant young women for putting your pictures in here and sharing with everyone, even those of us who are way past childbearing age, but still dumb as a sack of nails about our bodies and what is normal. Somehow I knew Demi Moore wasn’t quite it, but still thought I was wrong wrong wrong. BestPony
I’ll add one more thank you to the list for this site. I’ve never been pregnant but I think of all the times in my life I have simply wanted to be able to see something like this and feel normal.Thank you!