Belly

My Baby Tattoos (Hilary)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Cesarean, Postpartum, Pregnant, Submissions, Tattoo 5 Comments

I was completely overjoyed when I gave birth to the apple of my eye when I was just 21 years old. I weighed 110 pounds before I had him and reached a shocking 180 when I gave birth. Needless to say, he behind some baby tattoos. My heart doubled in size when I got pregnant with my second son only 7 months later. He was about a pound and a half bigger than my first and my second c-section. He left me with more tattoos and some extra skin. I am 5 weeks postpartum in my picture and trying to accept my new tattoos.

~Age: 22
~Number of pregnancies and births: 2
~The age of your children, or how far postpartum you are: 17 months (my first) and 5 weeks 9my second)

Natural Beauty (Anonymous)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Postpartum, Reader's Favorite, Submissions 33 Comments

Feeling down about my not so picture perfect body I decided to take some pictures of myself. Not from flattering angles, not sucking in, not standing up. This is me, with my belly hanging out, my stretch marks, my soft bottom and legs, and less than perky breasts from feeding my child (and still am). I am not skinny, I am not smooth, I am no longer toned, I have bulges and wrinkles, but I am a mom and I am beautiful!

Krystle

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, First Pregnancy, Infertility, PCOS, Postpartum, Pregnant, PUPPP Rash, Submissions 8 Comments

Age: 23
Number of Pregnancies/Births: 1
Almost 13 weeks postpartum
Keywords: postpartum, pregnancy, 1st time mom, vaginal birth

After trying for months to conceive unsuccessfully, my husband and I visited a new OB who prescribed clomid. I believed that I was not ovulating, however he thought everything was fine. I got pregnant on the first round of clomid and we were so excited. It was shortlived because the entire pregnancy was a roller coaster from the very beginning. I thought that I just had a cyst from the clomid because of extreme pain, the gyno (not ob, different office) asked me to take a pregnancy test to make sure. I just KNEW i wasn’t pregnant because I had been in the hospital around february 22nd for the same pain which they attributed to my interstitial cystitis and I was negative. Last period was 2/2/09 & I took clomid on days 3-5. We ended up conceiving on February 14th, between all of the pain and my interstitial cystitis flair that was the only time we had sex within the correct time span.
Much to my surprise, the test was positive. I was like, “what the hell is this?!” So i waited a few hours and took a digital test to be sure.

I went in and had an ultrasound done, which showed I did have a large cyst and it looked like my uterus was getting ready for an implantation but the egg had not yet implanted. This was on March 4th, I went to Florida that week for a vacation with a friend and had alot of pain. The ER dated me 5 weeks 6 days and no heartbeat but not ectopic. A week later exactly I went back to my gyno here, they dated me 5 weeks 6 days, low heart rate (low 80’s) and said to prepare that I would probably lose the baby. I was devastated. Then i got to thinking..I couldn’t have been 5 weeks 6 days that week prior and they must have measured wrong and I was so upset that the doctor didn’t think of any alternative reasoning. Plus the heart had just formed so it’s going to have a low rate. I got a 2nd opinion 2 days later and our babies heart was still beating, still on the low side but she ended up being just fine. I was on bedrest from 16-19 weeks then i had a partial placental abruption and hemorrhaged at 22 weeks, so I was on bedrest for another 3 weeks after that. I had spotting the entire pregnancy and I didn’t start to really enjoy any of it until the 3rd trimester.

I’m 5’1 and pre-pregnancy I weighed around 123. I’ve never had a flat stomach, but I was happy with my weight. I wore a size 5 jeans/pants, however most of my jeans were bigger 3’s that I shoved my fat butt into anyway. We all have our favorite jeans that we don’t want to give up. When i was 18 I weighed 107, and by the end of 2007 I weighed 115 and then ended up around 123. I actually ate better during the weight gain but honestly i wasn’t every super skinny, imo. For my height/build I was pretty average.

I started to get stretchmarks around 16 weeks..on my butt, and ended up with them everywhere. I have them on my stomach, thighs, butt, CALVES! I got PUPPS also, which made them appear much worse.
Upon delivery I weighed 165lbs. I remember how upset I was when i went over the 160 mark. I didn’t gain a single pound up until the 19week mark and I was pretty upset by that. My clothes didn’t fit & I had to wear maternity clothes but weight was I was not up at all. I ended up making up for it, that’s for sure!
I had a very quick labor (under 7 hours start to finish) and a completely natural birth complete with 40+ stitches from an episotomy. Even with a not so great pregnancy and hard birth recovery we both wanted #2 right away. We are now on the one & done train, for multiple reasons. One reason is that I can’t stand to see what my body would like like after #2, and I know thats selfish but thats how I feel, honestly.

I’ve seen a couple women on this site who look EXACTLY like I do which is comforting. I’m hoping I will, “go down” more, but don’t have much faith in that.

I wouldn’t be having such a hard time dealing with my new body if six, SIX people in public hadn’t asked me, when I was due/didn’t know I was expecting/wow you’re having 2 really close together/when are you gonna have that baby/is it a boy or girl. SERIOUSLY? That’s what has really given me serious body image issues.

I also think that if my breasts were even slightly bigger (i’m a small A) maybe my stomach wouldn’t look so huge..it’d be more proportional.

I’m hoping I can find the time to workout and stick with it, i’m working full time right now and I feel that I don’t have enough time in the day already!

Thanks ladies! (sorry so long!!)

My current weight is 140lbs.

ETA… I’ve since been diagnosed with PCOS, (I knew something was up because I still had not starting my period at 10 weeks post partum & I only breastfed for a few days before my supply dried up/she wouldn’t latch) So I really wasn’t ovulating which is why we couldn’t get pregnant.

Undewear only photo is today, 2.8.2010, bra photo was 12.7.2009 & at 38 weeks 3 days pregnant, I delivered at 39 weeks 5 days. And finally, my gorgeous daughter, Peyton. She really was worth all of it, don’t get me wrong.

5 months PP and doing ok (Amy)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Breasts, First Pregnancy, Postpartum, Pregnant, Submissions 16 Comments

Age: 21
Number of Pregnancies: 1
Number of Children: 1
PP: 5 months

Hi my name is Amy and I am 21 years old. Here’s my story. I have been married to my husband for about a year and a half now and we are very happy together. He shops and does the cooking, he is just great! We decided to try for a baby straight after getting married and fell pregnant after a few months of trying. I started my pregnancy at 43kgs (about 95 lbs) and ended up putting on 11kgs (24 lbs). I had a very easy pregnancy with no morning sickness or anything. After only 5 hours of labor, I gave birth to my beautiful son naturally using only the gas for pain relief. By the time I got to the hospital I was too far gone for anything else! He weighed 6 lbs. 12 oz. I only got a couple of grazes, no tears and only a couple of small stretch marks around my belly button, but lots on my boobs. So overall I was really lucky. I lost my pregnancy weight in a couple of months. I breastfed only for 5 weeks but I think that helped my stomach go down quite significantly in the beginning.

I exercised a lot before I fell pregnant and all the way through my pregnancy everyday. 5 weeks after giving birth I started exercising again, but I must say now that I am working on a casual basis I haven’t been doing much at all. I also have found that my knees have gotten very weak so it has made it quite hard to get into shape. I have always had a very healthy diet and ate just the same through my pregnancy. I have struggled with body issues forever but never so much as I am now. I feel so unattractive. My boobs are so small and saggy I hate my husband seeing them. I know he loves me but I also know that we need to be attracted to one another to have a good relationship and I just don’t see how he could find me attractive now.

I have already had a consultation for a breast lift and augmentation but I will be waiting until I have another baby first. I am so scared of what I will look like after another baby but I don’t want to be selfish and not have any more just because I am worried about my body. Having a baby has been the most wonderful experience of my life. My hubby really wants another one too and I would hate to disappoint him.

The pics are of me at 36 wks and me 4 months pp. I don’t have any more recent but I look about the same!

6 Months PP Update (Shannon)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Cesarean, Child Loss, Children with Health Complications, Postpartum, Second Pregnancy, Submissions, Update 16 Comments

Previous entries:
First
Second
Third

Age: 23
Children: 2 children
Births: 2 cesareans
PP: 3.5 years pp, and 10 months pp

I am now 10 months pp (these pictures are from 6 months pp, but my body hasn’t changed much since these). I got up to 177 with Liam (I am 5’2”),and I am now 133, so I have about 18 pounds to go. I try to
love my body…it did after all give me Connor (my angel baby) and Liam…but I don’t love it. I do love my stretch marks (they are mostly from Connor, and they are my only physical proof that I had him), but
I HATE my ledge (used to be an overhang, but it has gotten smaller), my big thighs, and loose skin It brings me down on a regular basis…and then it makes me feel bad that I hate it…I made 2 AMAZING boys with this body…shouldn’t I love it for that??? I am 23 and have a horrible body I feel so ugly, even though my husband still finds me so sexy. I am eating healthy (I do not diet because I think it is silly…you should try to always eat healthy, and I am still nursing Liam) and try to exercise at least 5 days a week, but I haven’t
changed much. To be honest, I forget to work out a lot and I am just recently doing better with that (I have a goal this summer for a cute bathing suit I want!!). I hope to love my body some day!

Anyway, Liam is doing great! He is 10 months old, he just started crawling last week, he is such a happy baby too! He reminds me so much of his brother! He is smiling and happy even when he is sick (he has a double ear infection right now) just like Connor. I have my bad moments where I cry a lot because I miss Connor so much…but for the most part I am happy that I had any time with him (even if it was only 19 months). There has yet to be a day that I have not thought of him, and I don’t think there ever will be. I love my boys!!!!

Pictures:
1- 6 months pp side
2- 6 months pp front (any advise on getting rid of the ledge????)
3- 1.5 months pp, 2.5 months pp, 6 months pp
4- Liam almost 10 months
5- about 8.5 months pp
6- my Connor!

Updated here and here.

1 month after twins, born at 35 weeks 3 days (Jacoba)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Cesarean, Cesarean Scar and/or Incision, Postpartum, Second Pregnancy, Submissions, Surrogacy, Toxemia, Twins 18 Comments

I had my son in 2008, and shortly after decided that I would pursue my dream of helping an infertile couple have a child. I met a wonderful couple in November, and by March 2009 we had contracts signed, and were moving ahead to transfer day! We transferred two embryo’s in May, (not my genetics) which resulted in a twin pregnancy. Twenty weeks later they found out they were expecting two girls! At the end of December 2009, I began to experience a severe headache, which eventually led to experiencing vision problems. I called 911, as my husband was out of town, and was on my way to the hospital shortly after. I was quickly diagnosed with pre-eclampsia and rushed in for an emergency c-section. Unfortunately the parents were not able to make it there on time, but they met their little ones shortly after.

I’m currently 5 weeks out from the c-section, and feeling pretty good. The incision still hurts when my little guy bounces on me, but I’m more or less back to daily activities. I think I was vacuuming a week and a half after, so I really didn’t have much ‘recovery’ time. I guess that’s to be expected when you have a little one at home! :)

The pictures really don’t do my stretch marks justice. They appear a bit darker in person. Although I had expected much worse in terms of sagging skin and stretch marks, I’m still pretty disappoint at the ‘overhang’ created above my scar. I’m REALLY hoping it somehow disappears :D

~Your Age: 23
~Number of pregnancies and births: 2 pregnancies and 3 births
~The age of your children, or how far postpartum you are: 17 month old, and 1 month old surro twins

Description of the pics:
#1- Less then 12 hours after c-section
#2- Less then 12 hours after c-section
#3- 3 days after c-section
#4- 5 weeks post scar
#5- 5 weeks post scar
#6- 5 weeks post

A Hard Road, but Worth Every Second (Anonymous)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Eating Disorder, Hyperemesis Gravidarum, Postpartum, Pregnant, Second Pregnancy, Submissions 3 Comments

I have struggled with an eating disorder in various forms since I was 15, and cannot remember a time when I didn’t feel fat. During a period of relative sanity I had my son, at 19 (maybe that’s not very sane, in retrospect). The pregnancy was great and he is a wonderful nearly-8-year-old, but after… I was huge. And by huge I mean a size 8… Yeesh. I was actually a bit chubby- I’m a tiny person by nature, I’m a size 2 and have been eating normally for almost 3 years- but at 5’2 I’m healthy. Anyway, after I had my son I had about a 5 year blur or starving, binging, and purging- which was something I had never done before. I lost a job because of it (apparently eating disorders are terribly obvious to medical personnel; nursing work might have been a dumb idea…), and at one point I almost lost my husband, who I have been with since I was 15. One morning in early 2007, I physically could not get out of bed. I had purged ANYTHING I ate for an entire week prior- no nutrition at all for 7 days. I decided I HAD to stop, because being an invalid was not what I had set out to do… 2 months or so later, I got my period back… and the next month I became pregnant with my daughter. I was thrilled and terrified. I HAD to eat normally, I couldn’t live with myself if harmed my baby! And so I did. I had terrible morning sickness, and couldn’t wait for 12 weeks to come around. But twelve weeks got here and it only got worse. I’m not sure I went one day without vomiting. In some strange Irony, the one time I was TRYING to keep everything down, I couldn’t! At that time, I had a part time, weekend job at a music store where, aside from the owner, I was the only employee. At 15 weeks, I was going about my duties when I got sick. Nothing too unusual. So I tried to drink some water to settle my poor tummy.. and couldn’t stop throwing up. I had to call the store owner, close the store, and wait for my best friend to come pick me up- no way I could drive, my husband was on a job about 2 hours away. I get to the hospital, where I am just vomiting spit. They wouldn’t listen to anything I said. ‘Are you bleeding’ noooo… ‘we think you have a tubal pregnancy’ but Im 15 weeks- something would have ruptured long ago if that were true. ‘I’m pretty sure you aren’t 15 weeks’ JUST DO A FREAKIN’ ULTRASOUND ALREADY!!! all the while I’m STILL puking! finally, they do the ultrasound, and what do ya’ know, I’m right. No tubal pregnancy- just a perfectly healthy, squirmy 15 week old fetus. They gave me some IV fluids and anti-emetics, and sent me on my way, assuring me I was having a ‘rough pregnancy’ and this probably wouldn’t happen again. I was still puking nearly daily, but I was ok, save for my hubby’s birthday when we found out her sex, went out for a celebratory dinner where I destroyed the bathroom… It was tolerable for a few more weeks when I had a repeat of the ER incident, at least this time they gave me prescriptions for anti-emetics and painkillers. About 3 weeks before she was born, it happened again, only my Promethazine had stopped working and they had to give me some sort of cocktail of drugs normally given to people with cancer. I apparently had NO immune system left after all this and developed the worst bronchitis ever. Between the puking and coughing there were times I thought I might die and almost didn’t care. I have never felt that awful before or since. While I was waiting on my prescription to be filled, I went into labor. AT THE STORE! The Dr. knew my last labor was 4 hours, so I was scheduled to be induced… the next day! I didn’t have a phone with me, so I drove home. We drove like crazy and 15 minutes after we got to the hospital I was holding the sweetest baby girl! Suffice it to say, I have had no desire to vomit since then, and I have been eating normally ever since. She just turned 2 and is giving me kisses as I write this. I have never been happier!!!

Pictures:
both my sweet babies
the finished product!
me at 7 months- I never made it into maternity pants
me today- still small, but not skeletal!

Feeling Confident (Jill)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Breasts, Postpartum, Second Pregnancy, Submissions 7 Comments

Age: 32
2 pregnancies
Children aged 5 years & 8 years

I had my first child at 24. Before becoming pregnant I weighed about 140 lbs. I gained 67 lbs. during that pregnancy. Before my second birth (27 years old) I had lost all of the weight plus some and got down to 136 lbs. During the second pregnancy I gained 76 lbs. Over the past five years I have fluctuated between 135 and 170 but spent the most time hovering around 140-145.

I am now 32 and have gotten down to 130 lbs. As much as this number seems reasonable, my body is so very different than before. My breasts are smaller and droopier, obviously there are many stretch marks, my thighs are much bigger, my hips are wider, and my belly skin is wrinkly.

My husband, who is very complimentary of my body, just bought me a bikini for the summer. I love the suit and really want to wear it. I also, however, want to feel confident in it and not self-conscious. I can, for the most part, deal with the stretch marks as they more closely remind me of my precious babes. They also aren’t as defined as they seem to look in the pictures. My biggest concerns, however, are my love handles and the wrinkly skin under my belly button. I just cannot seem to get it to tighten up – is it possible? Hoping to feel confident by June!

Mother of 4….soon to be 5! (Amy)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Four or More Pregnancies, Postpartum, Preemie, Pregnant, Submissions 5 Comments

I am a young mother of many. I am currently pregnant with my 5th child, though this is my 6th pregnancy. My oldest child is only 6 years old, so in the last roughly 7 years my body has been through a lot. However, my body makes me so proud, because I have 4 beautiful children to show for it. I am currently 5 months pregnant with my 4th son. My pregnancies are always very easy, though I did have two preemies. I have always enjoyed being pregnant, I think it is the most beautiful thing a woman can do and I count myself lucky to have been able to experience it, as I know there are many women out there who never have the chance.

– I am including 3 pictures from my last pregnancy (not the current one) 1) me at 5 weeks pregnant 2) me at 38 weeks pregnant (days before delivery of my 9 lber) and 3) me 1.5 weeks post partum after my 4th child is born, a boy 9 lbs 3 oz.

-I am currently 29 years old and will be when I deliver baby #5
– I have had 6 pregnancies, 4 live births, 2 full term, 2 premature, 1 miscarriage, 1 still baking
– My children are 6, 4.5, 3.5, and 1 year old. I am 5 months pregnant now.

Hating my new body, but loving my daughter. Teen mom. (Lindsey)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, First Pregnancy, Postpartum, Submissions, Teen Mom, Update 36 Comments

Age- 17
First pregnancy and first birth to my daughter.
Cesarean (couldn’t dialate past a 6)

Hey everyone, my name is Lindsey. First off I want to say I love this website, and everyone on it who shared their stories… I had to debate if I wanted to post my story on here because I was scared to for the longest time, but everyone’s stories made me feel like I could do it too.

I was 16 when I got pregnant, and 17 when I had my daughter. Me and my boyfriend have been together for 2 years, he tells me that he loves me for me, but it is really hard for me to accept it.. Through out my whole pregnancy I was doing great, I didnt have morning sickness and I wasn’t moody, I was a happy pregnant person, until 32 weeks came around.. I noticed a tiny stretch mark on my butt, I was worried and I started freaking out, but then I got over it because there was nothing I could do about it.. Days started passing and more stretch marks started to appear.. I am now covered in stretch marks, I have them on my butt, my boobs, my stomach, the front of my thighs, the back of my thighs, the back of my calves, theyre everywhere… My nipples have gotten huge and dark, and my boobs are like pancakes now. I can’t help but be upset about it because I feel disgusting. I have the most difficult time looking in the mirror and I cry every time I see myself naked. I hated my body before I was pregnant, but now I miss it more then anything in this world.. I go to sleep crying, I wake up crying, I just can’t stop crying, I’m crying right now just writing about it.. I feel so unnatractive and I feel like if me and my boyfriend ever split up I’ll never find a man who will think I’m sexy. I mean why would a guy want to be with me when there is other girls out there who don’t have the type of body I have.. Like, I’d feel like if they were with me, they’d always have that thought in the back of their head of being with a girl who’s more fit and doesnt have stretch marks.. So I feel like if a guy ever calls me beautiful, or sexy, he’s just lieing. I don’t think Id ever be comfortable in any relationship with those thoughts in the back of my head, which would eventually cause the guy to leave me because he’s tired of me complaining about it. My boyfriend gets upset when I talk to him about it too, because I ALWAYS feel like he’s lieing to me, because I know Im ugly and my body is disgusting.. I could ramble on for hours about that subject, I just want people to understand what Im saying.. I weighed 145 before I got pregnant, and then weighed 190 at the end of my pregnancy, and now I weigh 168. I dont even feel like exercising or anything to go back to my normal weight because what’s the point in losing weight if I’m never going to feel good about myself? Has anyone else felt like this, I feel alone.. I dont think I’ll ever be happy with myself. I love being a mom and I love my daughter more then anything in this world, but I feel so nasty when it comes to myself and the way I look… Someone please help me accept this…

1st picture- Before I got pregnant.
2nd- Me 4.5 weeks post partum (I’m 5+ weeks right now, but look the same).
last- My daughter Nova who was born on December 23rd, 2009. Picture was taken on Christmas at the hospital right before we went home.
I would’ve taken more pictures of myself then what I did but I couldnt because I’m to embarrassed..
These pictures dont even do any justice of what I look like in real life.. =[

Updated here.