Anonymous

I and 24 and have had three children in the past 5 years. I fought with anorexia (although I was never diagnosed) when I was 17 and 18 before I got pregnant with my first child. I have always had a negative body image. I almost feel like if I’m not thin, people won’t appreciate me. They will see me as a failure.

All my pregnancies had no serious complications. I gained 60 pounds with my first (I started at 123), 50 pounds with my second (I started at 140), and 25 pounds with my third (I started at 165). I am 5’9″. I lost almost all of my weight after my first but then gained 15 pounds back after I got married. I only lost 25 pounds with my second then got pregnant when he was 8 months. My daughter is now 9 months old. I lost down to 155 because I had bad postpartum depression, but in the past few months have gone back up to 170 since I am HAPPY again ;o).

I don’t exercise because I am LAZY. Even though I am the biggest I have ever been, I am not depressed like I used to get about my weight. I think most of it is because I have three children to show for it. I love my body because of what it has given me, but I DO want it to be healthy. I want to feel better physically. I can feel how heavy I am and THAT’S what bothers me more than what I look like. I’m determined to get in shape. I don’t mind being this size. I just want to be healthy.

I’m not ashamed of my stretch marks. I have them all over. On my hips and belly and breasts. The thing I hate the most about my body is my “mom butt/hips” and my belly flap. It just hangs there when I even slightly bend over.

The women I see on this site are so beautiful. Stretch marks. Scars. Boobies that are less than “perfect”. It’s amazing because of what we’ve been through. Wouldn’t it be amazing if we could see ourselves through over people’s eyes? I don’t think we’d see the same thing at all. We are our own worse critic.

7 Months Postpartum (Anonymous)

I was very unhappy with my body before and rather depressed about it, i never thought i’d look any better and i didn’t like taking showers because i had to see myself naked. Now i am ok with my body i am eating right and working at getting closer to my old body though i know it will never be the same, i gained 44lbs while i was pregnant and have lost 31lbs now at 151lbs, i may never have my flat tummy back but if its stayed the way it is today i wouldn’t have a problem with that my little girl is worth all the mommy marks life could have thrown at me. Pics are pre pregnancy, 5 1/2 weeks PP, and me today.



21 Years Old, 38 Weeks Pregnant, 1st Baby Boy (Anonymous)

I am 21 years old and pregnant with my first (unplanned) baby. A precious little boy, due any day now. I am currently 38 weeks along and still haven’t accepted the pregnant “mommy body” that everyone speaks so fondly of. I have had a healthy pregnancy and surprising still no stretch marks. (Believe me, I am not trying to brag.) I feel like a grease monkey some days at the amount of oils and lotions I apply to prevent them. I am worried that after he is born my body will never look the same again. I plan on breastfeeding, and have heard that can help get rid of baby pounds fast. My prepregnant weight was 130 at 5’7” and I am currently weighing 185. My husband isn’t that much more than me. I used to have such amazingly strong self confidence, and now its hard and sometimes impossible without tears to get undressed in front of my husband. I wonder how he sees my giant body as well, even though he says I am beautiful, it doesn’t seem to sink in. Last week I found myself wearing a pair of his sweatpants so I would be comfy. I cried harder than I ever have knowing how big I have gotten. Where did my self esteem go? How do I ever find that confidence again? Will I ever have an amazing body again? *Pictures are of prepregnant body (swimsuit last summer) and currently at 38 weeks.







10 Weeks Postpartum (Anonymous)

I posted here at 8 weeks postpardum and added post baby pics, but the only pic that was added was my pregnant one.So heres my post baby body after gaining 65 lbs, and losing 20….Still at 195 and now 11 weeks postpardum. My goal is to get down to 150, my pre-pregnancy weight. This new body has been hard for me to except but I Love it for giving me the love of my life, My gorgeous daughter Faith. Thank you ladies for all your beautiful stories and pics, So wonderful to know Im not alone in this new body.










Happy With My Body (Autumn)

I’ve posted here twice before, first post is here. It’s been 3 years and some months since I had my son, I’m below my pre-pregnancy weight. I’m somewhere between 155-160 lbs, I ended my pregnancy at 241 lbs. After he was born, I definitely had issues with my body, that over the years have diminished greatly. I still have self-conscious moments, but for the most part, I’m happy with my body. These pictures were taken today.






Updated here and here.

Anonymous

I’ve procrastinated writing this for a long time now. I found this website when I was pregnant with my son. He’s turning 2 years old now and I think it’s time to settle things with myself. Let me first say thank you for hosting such an amazing website. Now, I have a long history of self-hatred and depression. Without getting into to many details, I’ve cumulatively spent more than 6 months in hospitals being treated for anorexia and have been in therapy for the last 8 years. As I began my road to recovery, I was told that I may not be able to conceive because of the abuse to my body. I had no period for 6 years, a condition called amenorrhea. Then on the night that my husband proposed to me, I got my first period. He was so happy, not for my fertility, but at this beautiful sign of health. 3 Months before our wedding I got three consecutive periods and on our wedding night we conceived our son. Pregnancy was difficult. I was on progesterone supplements for the first trimester. The hormones put on quite a bit of water weight and I had gained 20 lbs in my first trimester alone. I gained a total of 54lbs, and on my 5ft frame that was just enough to make me miserable. We were planning to have a natural birth without medications. Then, three and a half weeks before my due date I came down with a high fever. When I went to the hospital I was having contractions and my baby was showing some signs of weakness. I was given antibiotics and cervadil to ripen my cervix and we were going to induce the next morning. I was induced and labored naturally for 12 hours. My cervix only dialated to 4 and my son was starting to struggle in the womb. I consented to a c-section and he was born healthy within the hour. Of course it’s not how I planned, but that is what life gave me. I love my scar, I think it’s beautiful. My son nursed for 17months until he weaned himself. Those were some of the most special moments together. I was fortunate enough to have an oversupply of breast milk and I froze and gave milk to my nephew who was born premature. I have light stretch marks all over my breasts, lower belly, belly button, thighs and butt. My belly button herniated as well and I too, like so many women here, have flat pancake breasts. The curves and the stretch marks have grown on me since. I have good and bad days. Most days my husband makes me feel like the most beautiful woman in the world. I’m so grateful for that. Then there are days when I can’t shut up the voice in my head. My heart breaks for my past, but I’m not ashamed of it nor do I wish it hadn’t happened. Dealing with my anorexia and depression has made me who I am today. It has made me a stronger person and a better mom. My husband and I have made the decision not to have any more children, but I don’t take it for granted, not for a second. Every time I look at my body with despise, I think of how blessed I am.







The Shape of a Mother 2x – 19 Months PP (Anonymous)

I am a 22 year old mother of two great children. My daughter is 4 years and my son is 19 months. I am slowly trying to reclaim my body. I love to see places like this that show how beautiful we are. In my opinion a womans body is MORE beautiful after childbirth…Mabey not “sexy” but waaay more beautiful!! XXXOOO You ARE all BEAUTIFUL!!!!!





God’s Gifts (Anonymous)

I’m 23 now. I currently weigh 165 lbs. I hated my body 5 years ago when I weighed a whopping … ready for it … 115 pounds and stood 5’9″ tall. Yeah. A lot has happened in 5 years. Three babies, one marriage, and tons of God’s AMAZING grace later I am stronger and happier than I have ever been. I have gone up and down with my weight throughout the years. My attitude toward my body was ALWAYS a negative one, until I got pregnant with my third child. Matthew was a “whoopsie”! He will be 5 in January. Noah was planned and will be 2 in a week. And Cadence was a “not-planned-not-prevented” when Noah was 8 months and she just turned 6 months old. I breastfed Noah until he was 6 months (he quit on me after I started him on solids) and I am exclusively breastfeeding Cadence until she’s closer to a year old (she has gained exactly 9 pounds in 6 months so the doctor recommended it). I love being a mother even if at first I honestly did NOT want to be. I believe now that this is God’s calling for my life. My body may not look perfect to everyone else. But it carried LIFE for crying out loud. Three of them in fact. God gave me the gift to carry life inside this imperfect body, and to Him it IS perfect, so to me it is perfect. Every curve, dimple, stretch mark, and flabby place. Confidence really IS everything. Me pregnant with Cadence Me today at 6 1/2 months PP My family!










7wks PP, 2nd child, 1st C-sec, 29yrs old (Anonymous)

I started this pregnancy at 120 lbs and delivered at 150. I lost 20 lbs right away and have 10 more to go. My 1st pregnancy was 10 years ago and I weighed 90 lbs (underweight). I gained 40 lbs and snapped right back into shape (a healthier weight of 105ish). This time I am 10 years older, started out heavier and had a c-section. Taking this pictures made me realize I need to work way harder to get this weight off. I don’t look as bad in the mirror as I do in these pics. I’ve always had trouble gauging the true size of my own body. Let’s just say after seeing these pics I have A LOT more motivation to get skinny!