Age: 25
2 pregnancies/ 2 births
4 years and 3 years
My two beautiful little toddlers were born 14 1/2 months apart. I had lost all but the last ten pounds of my pregnancy weight when i became pregnant again. I was happy with my weight, as I was very petite prior to becoming pregnant and my body needed the extra pounds. Although my stomach did had a small pooch above my csection scar, I was still very happy with my body, happy to have those extra pounds that i so wanted before. I was however devastated that my baby had been born by cesarean when it absolutely was not necessary, and I very much wanted to deliver vaginally, so I felt I did miss out on the life changing experience even if it was very painful. I chose a different doctor for my second pregnancy, and I was very happy with this doctor. I explained my csection experience to her and told her that i preferred to deliver vaginally, she was very accepting of going with this option, however keeping the thought of csection open as it could be easier and of course safer for myself as well. Towards the end of my pregnancy I did decide to go ahead with a cesarean birth again as to avoid any unnecessary complications, and I came to peace with my choice. Everything went great, and i recovered just as quickly as the first delivery, except that the birth control i used did make the weight slower to come of this time around. I’m finally just 5 pounds heavier than my pre pregnancy weight after the first child. And i love my womanly curves, its very liberating to have the curves i so wanted as a young adult that i couldn’t get if I had eaten an elephant. However the pooch just above my scar is a bit bigger than before and it keeps me from truly being comfortable with my body. I know this is the same story as every other woman on earth, but i truly feel had i never had a cesarean delivery the first time around my pooch may not be so pronounced, my muscle would not be so weak in that area. And finally I would have had that one most special experience of giving birth to my child/children as God intended.
Second pregnancy, one m/c at 16 weeks, one birth by cesarean 17 days ago, age 27, yes to media use, please post from anonymous and do not include email address.
Today I am 17 days post c section and feeling good physically. I have the sweetest, most adorable baby and couldn’t be happier as a new mom!
After having a miscarriage years ago, I wondered if I would have a child and now, sitting here next to my little precision miracle just listening to him breathe, I realize how truly blessed I am. He is a gorgeous reminder of the blessings I have been allowed in this life.
After becoming very ill, I was forced to sustain an induced labor that resulted in failure to progress due to having a small pelvis. I endured 30+ hours of labor and then was ordered to have an emergency c section. The c section news was, at the time, scary but I trusted what was happening and only wanted my little baby to be safely delivered. So, all plans dissolved and a new plan took over. I delivered via c section and life began.
It’s been crazy since he birth of my baby with trying to recover from my own personal illness plus the surgery but I feel better. The first week was awful but I forced myself forward. In fact, I was up visiting my baby in the nicu just two hours after my delivery. The days were hard and getting up was harder but I made it.
Today, I am trying to decide if my scar is healing okay. I had my staples out ten days post op and today is the 17th day since the c section. Pre pregnancy I weighed between 110-114 and on the day of delivery I was at 142. The day my staples were removed, I had lost down to 123 and today, I am at 119. My tummy has gone down but the incision has me bummed. I have always had a flat belly and now, there is a swollen like area just above the scar that makes me just cringe. I feel guilty for concerning myself with it but still cannot help it. Will this pudge above the scar ever go away?? Or do I accept this shelf like area?
Here are the current pics…
Hi! My name is Ellen. I’m 28 years old and 3 months post c-section. I have had 5 kids in 6 years and had a tubal ligation done with the last one, which was my only c-section.
I’m 5’6 and used to be an athletic 160 lbs and right now I’m stuck at 200. I have major issues with my body now and am planning on having a mommy makeover next year.
The stretch marks are really bad in the light and my breasts, although bigger than they ever were are a bit droopy. My stomach isn’t as bad as it could be, but I don’t like the look of it either. My butt lost a lot of its roundness and my thighs are huge.
As much as I could complain, my children are worth it all. Plus whatever can’t be fixed on its own can be corrected with surgery. Yes, some of our bodies change immensely after having children, but it’s worth the miracle.
My body is a blessing. Before now I wasn’t so sure. Ironically, though I had given birth 4 times vaginally (twice without meds) it took my emergency c-section to show me just how wonderful my body is. I’m not skinny, I haven’t been since my first pregnancy in high school, I have stretch marks and loose skin, cellulite, freckles and scars. I have carried seven people with in me. 5 made it earth side and 2 were called home. My body has given life and it has experienced terrible loss. The BMI index considers me over weight, and I’m ok with it. I have a scar now that is the biggest one on my body. The deepest. And it’s so beautiful. I can’t express to you just how in love with my scar that I am. I look at it and I know that we survived. We made it. No matter what I feel victorious in how I birthed my son. So please, c-section Mama’s, don’t think that because you didn’t give birth vaginally that you didn’t do something amazing. I’ve given birth just about every way that someone CAN give birth and I promise you, you’re all big damn heroes to me :) . You have that scar and your baby is here, it may not have been the birth you wanted, and next time you’re going to crush that VBAC if you go for it (I have faith in you) but please, in between now and then just remember that you’re beautiful, and that you’re no less of a woman because you had MAJOR surgery to get that baby here. Because from my experience, that takes as much of a birth warrior as squatting down and pushing baby out. <3 Age: 23 Number of pregnancies and births: 7 pregnancies 7 births 5 live births (4 mine one surro babe) number of children: 7, 3, 1 and 1 month [gallery ids="12108,12104,12105,12106,12107"]
4 weeks after second c-section
Hi ladies. I’m 26 years old and this is my second baby. My first was at 19. Both have been c-sections.
I started pregnancy 1 at 145 pounds (athlete). I was a size 4/6. I finished that pregnancy at 185, size 16.
I got some stretch marks in that pregnancy. I lost the weight in 9 months through fairly hard exercise (1 hour cardio 6x week) and a 1200-1800 calorie a day diet. It SUCKED. I also got 550cc implants to restore my breast fullness about 3 years post-partum. (Silicone under muscle for those wondering).
When I got pregnant this time I vowed not to gain the weight and hired a trainer. I worked out until 7 months and ate fairly well. I went from 135-170 this time. Interestingly, I did not get stretch marks.
These pictures are at 4 weeks after this pregnancy. The “before” one is in between pregnancies. I destroyed all my old PP pictures sadly…
In these pictures I am 147 lbs. 12 pounds over my goal. Currently a 6/8, 38-28-38. I seem to get pregnant in my ass…wow…not liking the size of it or the weird over the hips fat. However I know that patience is key and hopefully in 9 months from now I’ll be back into a 2/4.
Right now I’m walking an hour a day until I’m cleared for workouts and averaging 1800 calories a day, not breastfeeding.
I truly believe there is very little a person can do to control their body in pregnancy. Everything is genetics, well part how you take care of yourself but mostly genetics. For that reason we need to be easy on ourselves. I’m fairly ok with my outcome but I am VERY critical of my body so any weight is a struggle. Women are crazy like that, totally too hard on ourselves :)
Age-24
Number of pregnancies\births-2 one natural one c section
Hello everyone! My name is Jade. First and foremost i have to say this site is pretty awesome. Its not everyday that we see what the bodies of real mothers look like without being photo-shopped or distorted by media. Its really sad, but its great that someone thought of this site and there are so many awesome mamas that put our bodies out there to share with each other.
I’m 24, have two amazing kids (5 and 2) an amazing supportive husband, awesome friends, but a major issue with my post pregnancy body. I am petite and always liked my body but had my issues (aka stupid teenager thought i was fat, how i wish i still had that body\skin UGH!) Anyway i had my first child young right out of high school and needless to say, she tore my skin to pieces. I had the worst stretch marks i had seen on anyone. They are not as red anymore but deep, silvery scars, across the bottom of my stomach like a belt to my hips around to my butt. Now i hadn’t seen alot other then my moms who i didn’t see alot either but i was only 19. Didn’t get alot more with my second child thank god. My issue is, i am OBSESSED with how much i hate my stretch marks\loose skin. I see myself as a 300 lb women when i look in the mirror. I’m just disgusted. I know I could look worse but its just depressing. When i see other young women wearing a midriff bearing top or bikini it makes me green with envy. I look at my beautiful healthy kids and say to myself it is all so worth it and it is. Its just hard. Why did I have to get stretch marks and other women did not. To make things worse I have tried every remedy in the book and nothing is working. I want to start working out and get down to my 112 pre pregnancy weight I’m about 124 right now. I am hoping maybe that will make me feel a little better but i don’t think it will. i feel so vain even saying these things but they take over my thoughts daily. In the shower, when I’m getting dressed. I just wish they would disappear. I am so tired of feeling this way. Its so hard because i feel like even if i was in great shape, i will never look good in a bikini because of my skin. My husband tells me he is not even bothered by them, but i have a really hard time believing it. Does anyone else feel this way or have any experience with fraxel laser resurfacing? Its basically my last resort because at this point i am considering a tummy tuck. I dont know if I can be happy anymore with my body. Thank you for reading my story and I am hoping that my attitude towards my body will change, one day.
I have never shown my body in this way to anyone, not even my husband. I am hoping this will make me feel better by just putting myself out there to women who would understand. First picture is what my tummy looks like in flattering lighting. Second is my scarred belly. Third is when I sit down (loose skin) and 4th is my horrible stretch marks on my hip (they are like this on both sides)
20 (age)
Pregnancies (1)
8 months post partum by cesarean.
When i first became pregnant, during my first trimester i lost 20 pounds. Than the rest of my pregnancy i only gained 10 pounds. After i delivered i then lost 25 more. This is what alot of people would call “bouncing back” and yes in some ways i did. Two weeks after delivery i could fit back into my pre pregnancy clothing. 3 months after delivery though i developed a condition called body dysmorphic disorder, it took over my life to the piont of suicide. At around the same piont my husband wanted to leave because he couldnt understand why i felt so horrible about myself, he got tired of trying to help but with no results. Ne never left though he stuck by my side and continued to try, much to my appreciation. If it wernt for him i wouldnt be here to write this post today. I went to counciling and i am no where near as down as i was thankfully. With exersize i got some of my old form back. The only thing hindering me from total and complete love for my self again is my breasts, they make me sick. To rememeber what they used to be and what they are now is dissapionting. I weigh 118 pounds now, i think im ok with the rest of my body now. I still have my days i just hope one day that i can accept the changes my son did to my body and any future children as well. Included is a picture of my handsom son, hes keeping me going :)
Updated here.
my name is lacie, age 19.
so i had my BEAUTIFUL baby girl on the 8th of April! she was 8 lbs 6 oz. :) she is our everything! i should feel great about everything in my life, i have a super amazing husband and the best baby in the world, but every time i look in the mirror at myself in a bra and underwear i seriously break down because of my stretch marks. i was a toned 110, measuring at 5 ft. 2 in. and had enough self confidence to wear a belly shirt and bikinis! (i actually loved it, not because i liked to show it off, but its because it made me happy!)
now, i cant even look down when showering without getting upset! by the end of my pregnancy i weighed close to 155…. YIKES.
i hate feeling so uncomfortable in my own skin…. and it hurts even worse that i am ashamed of something that came from my amazing daughter…… i feel so sad that i feel embarrassed….
my husband says he still finds me and my body just as beautiful as before, (which i find super hard to believe, and often end up arguing with him about how much my body literally sucks now) but when i ask him if he finds my stretch marks attractive he says no! humph. that seems kind of contradicting doesn’t it?! buuutttt, i can’t say much, because i am my own worst enemy in this.
i feel so freaking ugly due to this flabby skin and stretch marks! i know this may seem super shallow of me to say, but i feel like they are ruining my life! i mean, i know i still have some toning, and a bit of shrinking to do, but the stretch marks will remain even after that!!!
i would do anything to have the confidence some women do about their stretch marks, but i just cannot pull myself to that point…..
any idea when they will fade!? i also have some deep red ones on my hips that you can’t see, they’re more towards my back anyhow. ugh. does anyone else feel like me? or am i crazy?
Pictures:
My marks
me, my husband and our beautiful baby
Previous post here.
The last time I updated my story I was single and 13 months postpartum with my 3rd child, I had also just started to accept my body. Well a year and a half later things have changed drastically; about three months after my update was posted I reconciled with my childrens father and about two months later I ended up pregnant with our 4th child. Throughout my whole pregnancy I was miserable and feared the weight gain, I just wanted to gain the minimal weight possible and be able to lose the weight quickly after the baby came. Of course every pregnancy is different but I so badly wanted this pregnancy to be like my last one where I had only gained 13lbs but I ended up gaining double that (Yes a healthy 26lbs). During my pregnancy however my weight did yo-yo from month to month, at my first appointment at 9wks I was weighing 175, the next month it was up to 177, and the next it was back down to 175, I didn’t start gaining consistantly a pound a month until I was into my 5th month of pregnancy and I gained the most in my last two months. My 4th and last daughter was born on March 7th, 2013 weighing 7lbs 4oz and 20in long by repeat c-section; at our first check up 5 days later my weight was already back down to 183, so I had about 6-8lbs to lose to be at the weight I was at my first appointment and about 18lbs to go if I was to be at the weight I was just a few months before getting pregnant. at just 2wks post-partum I was fitting back in to a lot of my pre-pregnancy clothes but I still have a long way to go before I’m as comfortable with my body as I was getting to be before, and once I’m in the clear to do so I plan on doing regular exercise and working my butt off to get down to where I want to be. The first few days of being post-partum I was a little disappointed in the way I looked but I know it takes time and with hard work and determination I can change my body as I had started to before this pregnancy.
~Age: 23
~Number of pregnancies and births: 5 pregnancies/ 4 births
~The age of your children, or how far postpartum you are: 6 1/2 yrs, 5yrs, 2 1/2yrs, 18days old; 18days postpartum
The pictures below are: 1st: Me about 3months before getting pregnant(what I would like to get down to in the next couple of months), 2nd: Me and my kids father the month I got pregnant, 3rd: My last pregnancy picture at 39wks 4days, 4th and 5th pictures: Me at 18days postpartum, and the 6th: My c-section scar:
