Belly

6 Months Later (Anonymous)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Cesarean, Complications in Pregnancy, First Pregnancy, Gestational Diabetes, Postpartum, Pregnant, Submissions 3 Comments

It is now six months, One week, and 4 days since my daughter was born. She arrived March, 13 2008. This time last year, We were about to find out what the sex of our new arrival would be. I had too many emotions to name, but I was so excited. .I wrote her letters, stared at her ultrasound pictures, and filled out every thing in the pregnancy section of the baby book. All this time taking weekly pictures of my growing belly. Every picture seem to reveal more and more stretch marks, but I secretly liked them. I liked them because I knew that was a sign she was growing and would be here soon. Around 33 weeks into my pregnancy, I was diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes. My Doctor ordered a very controlled diet. Gestational Diabetes would be the reason for setting up an induction at 38 weeks. The Induction day was on March 12, 2008 @ 2:00pm. The Dr. started with Cervadil then later Pitocin. Contractions started around 8pm they lasted until about 5pm on March 13, 2008. They were back to back, and I should have been dilating, but I wasn’t. The Doctor came to check on me around 5pm. I had a very high fever. They prepped me for an emergency c-section and a spinal block. I remember every tug and painful pull to get my daughter out, but once I heard her cry it was a feeling I will never forget. I spent that next week in the hospital recovering from a Uterine Infection. She was fine, and healthy from day one, and that is all I could have asked for. I’ve never been ashamed of my stretch marks, because if I didn’t have them, I wouldn’t have my daughter. Being her mother is the best thing in the world.

In the first photo I was 35 weeks pregnant
In the second I was 36 weeks
In the third photo I was 2 months postpartum
The last two photos are 6months postpartum








6 Months Postpartum, 2 Kids 15 Months Apart

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Postpartum, Pregnant, Second Pregnancy, Submissions 12 Comments

I am a 24 year old mother of two gorgeous little boys. I had my first son in December 2006. He is now 21 months old. A short 7 1/2 months later I got the surprise of a life time and found out that I was pregnant again. My youngest son is now 6 months old.
I am lucky that after both pregnancies I lost the weight very quickly. I gained 34 pounds the first time and 28 pounds the second. I am now covered in stretch marks, have fat where there used to be none, I have some lovely cellulite on the back of my thighs and pancakes for boobs after nursing two babies. (I’m still nursing the youngest.)Although at times I am insecure about my new body, I love it more than I ever have. It, with a little help from my husband, gave me two perfect little boys. How could I not love it?






…Extra skin (Anonymous)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Postpartum, Second Pregnancy, Submissions 12 Comments

Sexy Extra Skin

Here is my belly 9 months after the birth of my 2nd daughter (born 17 months after my first.) I am 28 years old. I gained 50 lbs with my first daughter (born 8 lbs 13 oz), and with her I measured full term at 25 weeks. My 2nd daughter was born 7 lbs 4 oz. Since her birth 9 months ago, I have lost 40 lbs, and am now smaller than I have ever been in my adult life. I also feel more healthy, and surprisingly more sexy and confident than ever before. I am proud of my belly. I am proud of what my body has done for me. I know my belly does not look “normal”, and no amount of diet or exercise will make it look so, but I am not ashamed of my belly, my stretch marks, or (as my husband says) my sexy extra skin! I am a mommy, and I am beautiful.





3 Years Postpartum (Anonymous)

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

I had a horrible first pregnancy 6 years ago where i gained 81pounds plus alot of stretch marks. I managed to lose all the weight within a few months but was left with a mess of a stomach and butt from stretch marks and extra skin. I gave birth to a second child 3 years ago and my body just isn’t good. I weigh less than when i get pregnant the first time but look worse.




This is Me (Angela)

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

My name is Angela and I’ve never been a slender girl. I’ve always fought with my weight and have had a poor body image since before puberty (Thanks Mom) It wasn’t until after the birth of my first son Azriel that was I was able to gain some sort of acceptance towards my body. Even though it made my boobs a little saggy and gave me a good helping of what I call “fleshie jello” I was empowered by the changes motherhood made in my body. June 25th I gave birth to my second son, Jovan. This time around the weight didn’t come off as fast and the stretch marks were more prominent. Even though there are days when I despise looking into the mirror, I am still proud to have this flab and these stretch marks. This is me, this is who I was made to be. And I am proud.






eighteen months postpartum with baby #2 and 100 pounds lighter (Anonymous)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Breasts, Postpartum, Second Pregnancy, Submissions, Surrogacy, Update 14 Comments

My entire life I have hated my body. And because of that hatred, I had no desire to take care of myself. I gained weight, lots of weight, and teetered on the edge of 300lbs. Then in my quest to become a surrogate mother, I started reading about beautiful women who hate their bodies because they cannot carry babies.That really put things into perspective for me. After two children, and a lot of soul-searching, I finally was able to take charge of my life and start appreciating my body for it’s function instead of hating it for it’s appearance. I’ve still got a long road to go. But I’m on my way to being healthy both mentally and physically. Right now, I’m putting my weightloss aside to persue helping another couple have a baby. At eighteen weeks pregnant with my surro-babe, I am truly grateful for my body’s amazing ability to create and sustain life. Beauty fades, but my children are my legacy, and the joy they have brought me will last my whole life long. When you really think about it, what’s a few stretch marks and extra pounds, when you’re getting the chance of a lifetime to be expirience carrying your own child?



Updated here.

8 days pp, second child (Anonymous)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Cesarean, Postpartum, Second Pregnancy, Submissions 5 Comments

I wanted to share my pp photos. After my first child, I was wearing my old clothes again within days. This time, its a different story. I had stretch marks after my first, but got more stretch marks this time around. I’m optimistic that I will loose the weight and will post more at a later date, but as of 8 days pp, this is me. PS. I also had a c-section. I had gained a lot of weight before this pregnancy. I weighed 147 before pregnancy and weighed in at 210 upon delivery. I hope my photos help someone who, like myself, is a bit down about their pp shape.




25 Years old, 37 Weeks Pregnant with First Baby (Anonymous)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, First Pregnancy, Pregnant, Submissions, Tattoo 17 Comments

My husband and I tried for six months to concieve this baby and when we found out that we were pregnant, we couldn’t have been happier. Now I’m at the point where I am so anxious to have her in my arms, that’s all I think about. I started getting stretch marks around the fifth month and when I saw the first one, I think I cried for about half an hour! I would have a breakdown about my body almost every other week, but now I don’t really care anymore. I know that I am going to be a mommy and mommies are suppose to look differently than women who haven’t have children. I’ve gained almost sixty pounds now, but I know I haven’t been doing anything wrong… its just how my body is reacting to being pregnant. I already love my baby girl so much and I can’t wait to meet her for the first time!




My First Baby VCC (Angelica)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Cesarean, Cesarean Scar and/or Incision, First Pregnancy, Postpartum, Submissions 5 Comments

I am a 21 year old mother!, my baby just turn 2 months old! i am so happy with my baby i can’t imagine a life without her!.

Everyday i struggle with how my body looks, i’ve never been a skinny person but i am not with overweight. Because i am a new mom i can’t find the time for exercise!, i am just starting to walk around the block!, i have my baby by a cesarean.

I think that this is part of the motherhood experience, we have to learn no accept our body and with the time we can look the way we look before our pregnancy!, and even if we don’t that doesn’t matter! all of our strech marks is a symbol of love for our baby.
here are some pictures of me 2 months pp




Updated here and here.

Bringing Sexy Back with a New Body (Anonymous)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Breasts, Butt, Child Loss, Postpartum, Pregnant, Submissions, Third Pregnancy 10 Comments

In high school, I was always a slender and athletic girl. At 6 feet tall, it was easy to put on 5 or 10 pounds without anyone noticing. I played a sport every season and enjoyed food.

When I went to college, I was the cliché: about 15 pounds, but lost it quickly, before my wedding. I got married after finishing my freshman year, to my high school boyfriend, and weighed 153 the day we got married. I was a size 10.

The summer before my senior year of college, we discovered that I was pregnant. It wasn’t what we had planned, but we adjusted and were very excited to meet our baby in the spring of 2004. I put on 61 pounds, including 12 pounds in the last week of the pregnancy. My body was so swollen and puffy.

My daughter was born 9 days before her due date and weighed 10 pounds and was 21 inches long. Within two days of delivering her, I could see my ankle bones again and was down 25 pounds.

Luckily, I enjoy walking and other forms of exercise, so I was able to continue losing most of the remaining weight in a healthful way. The stretch marks (which were so shocking at the beginning) faded to a silvery pink and don’t really bother me much.

We conceived our second child in June 2005. I had put on 50 pounds by my 35 week of pregnancy when I stopped feeling the baby move. We went in for a routine appointment to discover that our daughter had died. I delivered her two days later, in February 2006.

It was hard for so many reasons, but one of the least expected problems I experienced was coping with the post-pregnancy body without a baby to show for it. I wanted to scream, “This is baby fat–I just had a baby, but she’s dead!”

Support of friends, a precious husband, and a healthy workout pattern at the local Y helped me through those early weeks, and I lost 40 of the 50 pounds I had gained before embarking on our third pregnancy in April 2006.

We were blessed with a beautiful baby in December 2006, just 10 1/2 months after our second baby was stillborn. I was pregnant or breastfeeding 57 out of 59 months (through May of this year). My body was hardly mine!

Since then, I have been relishing the freedom to appreciate and use my body for myself instead of always setting aside my own needs for my children’s. I adore them, passionately and without reservations. But I am glad to have my body back, even though it’s not the one I started out with on this journey.

I currently fluctuate between a size 12 and 14, and weigh about 180 pounds. I work out 4-6 times per week, and will be running my first post-baby 5K later this fall.

Since having babies (all girls), I am more committed to appreciating the myriad ways our bodies are formed. The love handles, stretch marks, baby apron, and mis-matched breasts have their own beauty and give me a feeling of accomplishment.

I revel in the beauty I see on this site and all around me, and hope that our daughters (and their partners) will have an easier time of loving the female form than we have.