Belly

Who’s This Person? (Anonymous)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Breasts, Four or More Pregnancies, Mom over 30, Postpartum, Submissions 4 Comments

I’m 32 years old and 11 months postpartum from my second child (4th pregnancy), my oldest is 3. I don’t know how much weight I gained during my pregnancy but I know I ate far too much. McDonalds, chips, just writing it down disgusted me. I tried training and being nice with myself but it’s hard. I know my body went through a lot in short time so I tried to take easy but it’s hard. No matter what I do the weight won’t come off. Oh well, I have two kids who love my tummy!!!

I don’t know what happened to my breast but they’re completelly different sizes now and I think it’s the thing i’m most self conscious about. I always had small boobs but nw they’re sagging, and weirdly shaped. It’s hard looking in the mirror and not recognize the person who’s starting back at you.

I think all the women here are beautiful but I’m still looking for the beauty in myself.

Young Mom, Self Esteem Issues (Anonymous)

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

Age:19
Pregnancies: 2, ages 2 1/2 and 1

Hey there! I am a young mom of two girls on the path to be healthy and feel comfortable in my own skin. After I had my first I was pregnant again my 9 months pp, my body did not snap back from my first and was even worse after my second. I gained over 50 lbs with both. I want to tone up and try to love myself again. Could this skin look better if I tone up? Will it tighten up anymore? Did anyone’s breasts tighten back up more after breastfeeding. Looking for hope moms out there thanks :)

Mom of Two (Katrina)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Cesarean, Postpartum, Second Pregnancy, Submissions 1 Comment

My name is Katrina, I am a 27 year old mother of two beautiful boys; ages 1 and 4. I have always struggled with body image, weight, what others think of me, and anxiety. I was considered “obese” before and after my first pregnancy. I was so embaressed to leave my house ( silly I know to care so much what others think). I started to exercise and eat healthier in an attempt to lose this “baby weight”. The scale was not changing at first but the funny thing was just knowing I was trying gave me more confidence. I accepted that I may not lose the weight, just knowing I was making healthy choices made me feel good, confident, sexy, and like I was setting a good example for my little guy. Within a year post cesarean I was still exercising daily and the weight was coming off slowly. 2 years later I hit my goal! I was soo excited and felt better than ever! Then I find out im pregnant with baby #2. I wanted more kids I really did, but my self consciousness came out again… “More stretch marks, more loose skin, more weight to lose” I am ashamed to admit these are worries that weighed on me way too heavily. One year after cesarean number 2 I am a bit heavier than I was, I have lots more stretch marks, loose skin, saggy breasts, etc… But you know what I am so full of love I don’t care. I still exercise regularly and eat healthy. In fact I am a fitness instructor for a stroller exercise group of moms. I am so proud of the women in my class and watching their confidence go up. You can feel good about yourself at any size, any shape, and any weight. The key to confidence is you. Mothers are beautiful ! Thank you for reading my story.

081115-katrina-1

8 Months Postpartum (Emily)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Breasts, Cesarean, Cesarean Scar and/or Incision, First Pregnancy, Postpartum, Submissions, Teen Mom 2 Comments

Your Age: (19)
Number of pregnancies and births: (1 pregnancy, 1 birth)
The age of your children, or how far postpartum you are: (8 months)

I am now 8 months postpartum with my sweet baby boy. It was the summer after I graduated high school that I got pregnant. My parents were not to happy to say the least. My mom was always very cautious with me starting me on birth control at 15. I guess I was very lucky through high school but for some reason it did not work this time. I would not change what happened even if I could. I love my little boy and my parents love their grandson!

What I would like is to lose these last few pounds in my stomach and belly area. I try sit ups and crunches but it just does not seem to work. Does anyone have any advice? I had to have a C-Section and my doctor said my stomach muscles are just weak from that. I have had good luck putting lotion on my scar to reduce the look of that. Has anyone reduced the color of the scar completely or does mine look good? Also anything I can do for the stretch marks?

I have been reading stories on this site for a while now and thought it was time to contribute. It has definitely been helpful reading all of your stories and comments!

Come to Accept the New Me (Anonymous)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Cesarean, Military Mom, Pregnant, Submissions, Third Pregnancy 1 Comment

I was just 18 when I got unplanned pregnant with my first child. At the beginning of pregnancy I was a tiny 110lbs six pack belly girl, but by the end I was round everywhere at 175lbs.

I used cream because of my fear of stretch marks but it turned out I had an alergic reaction to the cream that made me wake up scratching my belly and it being fire red. Needless to say by the end of the pregnancy my belly was one giant fireball of stretch marks.

My legs also ended up with plenty of stretch marks due the swelling in the legs, funny thing is I never thought I would have to worry about my legs.

I nearly had any breast at the beginning of pregnancy with my a cup that nearly was filled in, by the end of pregnancy I had a c cup. Also much bigger and big red nasty stretch marks around my boobs. Now 8 years later the stretch marks on my boobs are still red.

Birth was no joke either. I was 41 weeks pregnant when I got induced, after 32 long ours I finally was able to push.

After 4 hours of pushing the doctors said I needed a emergency c-section but the doctor who was on call for that was an hour away. So I had to sit there on pain and fear for an hour till they put me on the operation table.

Once they started to cut I was freaking out yelling at them “I can feel it I can feel it” so they had to put me to sleep.

(Looking back I’m sure I didn’t feel anything, but during that moment it sure felt that way in my mind)

My baby girl was 2 hours old before I woke the first time and can somewhat remember it. I didn’t get to hear her first cry, hold her first or give her a kiss before so many others did.
Mather fact I was still so drugged up I have a hard time remembering holding her for the first time.

As that wasn’t enough I lost so much blood during the c-section that my body went into shock a day later and I needed a blood transfusion.

All of that lead to a very distant relationship to my daughter, it’s sad but true that I didn’t start building a relationship with her until she was 4. She is 8 now and we still have to work on our relationship ship. It saddens me that it’s so obvious that there was a big cap between us and that it left invisible scares for the both of us.

After I had her I didn’t ever wanted any kids anymore. I hated the idea of labor.
And my body was so ugly to me. I was a size 3 before I had her and a 13 after I had her. I was so depressed I didn’t loose any wight at all.

When she turned 3 me and her dad split up. He went to Korea for the army and I stayed back with a child I couldn’t even connect with, one day I had a brake down and I send her to my parents.

Looking back that’s the best thing I could have done for the both of us.
In that time I did stupid things but I also started to find myself. I learned that I can love myself again, I started to be more active and the weight went down.
I myself joined the army and became for the first time in my life independent.
I was able to take care of my child again, and so I did :)

7 years after I had her I married my husband and we had another daughter, and now we are expecting another one.
Yes I have issues with my wight but it’s not as bad as it used to be. It doesn’t stop me from loving myself like it it did before.
I have a new body but I am also a new person, I am a mom and I love everything that I brings with it. Including my body and mind!

Love yourself more one day at a time :)

Included a picture of my now pregnant belly with all the marks.

Learning to love my body again one day at a time. (Rachel)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Infertility, Mom over 30, Positive Body Image/Words of Enouragement, Postpartum, Submissions, Third Pregnancy 5 Comments

Hi there,

I am going to start at the beginning. Well I had always wanted to be a mother I had my first baby at the age of 22. I didn’t plan it and it took me and my partner of three years by surprise.

I had a beautiful boy 11 years ago weighing 9lb 9oz. It was an induced labour and i ended up with a 3rd degree tear into my bottom and over 50 stitches. Times were hard. It would seem that the healing process was more than I could bear and I suffered with post natal depression for 2 years afterwards.

I was too scared to try again for another baby for 7 years because I kept having flash backs to my first labour.

We had a lot of love to give and after 3 years trying to conceive and and operation to help with fertility we were blessed to have a beautiful 9lb 2oz girl.

We decided to try again for another baby and 6 months ago we had a boy 8lb 11oz.

I have always had low confidence my belly in particular has upset me over the years. It hangs especially if I am on all fours or over the top of clothes. I have been working out 3 times a week for the past 3 months to try and lose weight but I know that loose skin is forever a part of my journey and the journey many of us take to become a mother.

I think being a Mother is one of the most unselfish things a person can do. I am learning that my body is an amazing thing. It nourished and grew three beautiful babies. It is the only body I have and as I look around I see more and more people like me.

In some ways we are all warriors. We are braver than I knew possible and have all earned our stretch marks loose skin and wobbly bits. For every time you dont like your stretched belly there would be someone else who would give anything to be a parent regardless of how they look, someone who wishes they could be a mother as well.

I would have never dreamed of showing my tummy or lifting my shirt in public but if this helps just one other person with their journey to self acceptance then it was all worth it. It is ok to not like what you see in the mirror at times we all feel like that but dont lose sight of the person you are on the inside. Youre a mother and probably a damn good one be proud!

My photo is 6 months post partum after baby #3 x

061615-rachel-1

(rachelridleyyoga)

Bonnie (SOAM) 5+ Years Postpartum, Belly, Instagram, Postpartum, Second Pregnancy, Submissions 0 Comment

060815-rachelridleyyoga-1

This photo represents the power of positive social media. Anyone who knows me, knows how insecure I am about my tummy. No bikinis, long tops, loose yoga vests…the list goes on. Two huge babies left me with serious stretch marks and no muscle tone. I’ve been incredibly self-conscious for years since my beautiful children were born…the youngest is now 12! Why do we let unreal images of perfection define how we feel about our bodies. We’re all perfect exactly as we are. The marks, scars, loose skin, tummy rolls, ample hips don’t define us. They show us that we lived. This belly was home for two incredible humans and I would never change a thing. I’m so bored of obsessing over it, hating it, hiding it. Life is far too short. Time to move on. Without doubt this has been the hardest post I have ever shared but also the most personally transformative. Thank you @kathrynbudig and @yogajournal. So here goes to being brave, being real and owning my body.

Anonymous Mummy

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, First Pregnancy, Positive Body Image/Words of Enouragement, Postpartum, Submissions 1 Comment

I feel like I need to show this photo my myself to learn to love myself. I don’t know who to, but this seems like a good place to start :)

I was 83kgs before pregnancy, and. Now am 80kgs, so that’s a plus, but the stretch marks are a minus. They’re ugly and sometimes painful. I wish I was one of the lucky ones who avoided them, but I’m prone to them.

That’s how I have felt every day until today, I have made a promise to myself to learn to love what I have been left with. I can always loose weight if that bothers me, which it does a little… But I’ll always be stuck with the stretcheis so I may as well love them right? Every time I look at them I will remind myself why I have them, my precious little boy who I love to the ends of the earth!
He has brought me more happiness that I could ever want, and for that I’m so thankful. I’m thankful that my body was able to home him until he was ready for this world, that it grew to accommodate his tiny body!!

I’m so blessed to be able to do what so many others can’t, who desperately want it, just as I did. I think about all the women who would trade their fit toned stretch mark free bodies just to have a little baby to call their own, but can’t fall pregnant, or have kids for whatever reason…
I owe it to them, at the very least to rock my stretch marks!

Some people will still think they’re hideous, and whisper and snigger behind my back if I wear a bikini on the beach… Even some friends will whisper and talk about me. But who gives a sh*t!! My husband loves me more than ever, my son loves his mummy, and I’m soooo happy with my life!!

I’m not rich, actually we struggle most weeks to cover the bills, we can’t go out all the time so we spend a lot of time at home, together, and that makes me happy. :)

Sorry about the novel.
I just had to put it down in words…

This is 1st pregnancy
8month post baby
I’m 23
Natural birth

Things do get better – Update (Anonymous)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, First Pregnancy, Postpartum, Submissions 2 Comments

Age-25
Name-Megan
1 pregnancy
25 months postpartum

When I took these postpartum photos six weeks after I had my son, I told myself that I was still beautiful, that my body had just accomplished a huge feat and that my stretch marks were a reminder of the amazing thing my body had done by bringing my son into the world…and all of those things are true! But I truly felt down about my body. I was not used to having a big, squishy belly. And the stretch marks were so purple! And all over my stomach!

But time passed and now my son is two years old. Two wonderful, life altering, challenging, joyful years. And the stretch marks have faded! They’re still there of course , and they always will be, but now they’re just white lines and not even noticeable in pictures. Losing the weight didn’t take much. I eat healthy about 80% of the time, I eat reasonable portion sizes, and I exercise about three days a week.

Now I’m gearing up for a second pregnancy and the rollercoaster will start all over again but I couldn’t be more excited because I know that my body is capable of creating and sustaining life and also capable of repairing itself.

Pictures: 6 weeks PP, 25 months PP, my son, age 2.