First Pregnancy

Hard Work Pays Off (Georgia)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, First Pregnancy, Postpartum, Submissions, Tattoo, Update 4 Comments

Previous entries here, here and here.

Hello there ladies. I wanted to share my update. I have a few others on here. Although I said I wasnt going to have another post until 1 year postpartum, I thought it was time. I am 10 months PP. Total I have lost 50 pounds. I work out 3 days a week, usually using Lindsay Brins post natal bootcamp or Jillian Michaels 3o day shred. I was eating 1200 calories a day, in 5 small meals. Now I eat 1500-1800 to maintain my weight. If you have some baby weight still, remember it took 9 months to put it on. Give yourself 9 months to take it off. If you feel like you dont have time to workout or eat right, try doing it slowly. Changing your lifestyle takes a lot of time. The great thing about making such a huge change, is even though you might gorge yourself with donuts today, you can start again tomorrow. Everyone has bad days. You just have to get back up and try again.

The truth is, I am STILL not completely happy with the way I look. I even weigh 20 pounds less than I did before I even got pregnant. I dont think I will ever be completely satisfied. What woman is? I think no matter how much weight we lose, or how much our stretch marks fade.. we will never be perfectly happy. We simply have to learn to love what we have. I am still working on that. In the mean time, I try to concentrate on the good things. My adorable baby, my amazing husband, family and friends. Life is good.

My husband and I are actually planning on trying for baby #2 this year. Scary, but now that I have gone through the cycle of gaining and losing weight. I know I can handle it.

First pictures is a collage of my progress. Second is me, 10 months pp, sitting down to show my belly. Third is my son and I at 10 months. Fourth is my son 10 months.

Age: 25
1 pregnancy, 1 birth.
My son is 10 months old.

Finding beauty in every imperfection (Jordan)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Breasts, First Pregnancy, Positive Body Image/Words of Enouragement, Postpartum, Pregnant, Submissions, Update 8 Comments

21 years old
2 pregnancies, 1 birth
13 months pp

I want to start off by saying this site is amazing, I love reading all of the posts on here. However, i don’t like seeing that it is such a struggle for some women to love the bodies that their children gave them. I know it’s difficult, I’ve been there and i too struggled some but not anymore. There are two things you can do, one- accept the skin that you are in and love your body, if not for what it looks like for what it has blessed you with, or two- If you are unhappy with your weight gain, work to lose it.. and don’t get discouraged, Try to remember.. it takes 9 months to gain that weight and for some, it takes 9 months plus some to work it off. I see so many beautiful mothers, with nice bodies on here posting about how awful they think they look and i’m sitting here saying to myself.. you’ve got to be kidding. We, ladies, are our worst critics and one of the things that most of us do, and shouldn’t is compare our bodies to others which leads to self esteem issues that simply shouldn’t be there. Embrace the change and Find beauty in your new bodies! There is beauty in everything, some people may not see it and those are the people that shouldn’t matter.

I’m 5’2 and before pregnancy i weighed 120 lbs, I wasn’t very confident and i always wanted to be thinner than i was, and i wanted bigger boobs.. even though i see now, that there wasn’t a thing wrong with my body, back then.. it wasn’t so easy. During my pregnancy i gained 35 lbs, and the weight gain didn’t bother me because i was gaining weight for my son. My son was born, January 10th 2010 weighing 6 lbs and 10 0z, 21 inches long. After he was born, i ate healthy and worked out when i could (which wasn’t often) and it still took me about 10 months to get down to my pre-pregnancy weight. Now that my son is older, and I’ve recently became a stay at home mom, i exercise more regularly and i do not diet, but surprisingly i’m a jean size smaller than i was before baby. I’m content with my body, stretch marks and all. When i look at myself naked in the mirror, i do not find myself disgusting.. i see the complete opposite, When i look at my stretch marks and wrinkled skin, i think of the very reason they are there in the first place and i appreciate my body for all that it has done. I hope all of you mama’s out there can too, start appreciating your bodies.. you are all beautiful!

-Love- Jordan, Colin’s mommy.

Photos:

(1,2) 4 months into pregnancy
(3) 8 months into pregnancy
(4) 8 months pp
(5) Now, 13 months pp at 118 lbs
(6) Stretch marks
(7) Mommy’s little monster

Updated here.

11 Weeks Postpartum (Anonymous)

Bonnie (SOAM) Before Pregnancy, Belly, Breasts, Eating Disorder, First Pregnancy, Postpartum, Pregnant, Submissions, Tattoo, Update 13 Comments

Previous entries here, here and here.

23 years old
1 pregnancy
1 birth
11wks postpartum and -30lbs

I decided it was time to finally write my postpartum update. I ended up carrying to 41 weeks and giving birth completely naturally on November 28, 2010. And before anyone congratulates me on that, I did not want or anticpate a natural birth– I just progressed much faster than the doctors had time to give me any pain medication! I went to the hospital at 3:30am and started pushing a little before 8:00am. Back labor, all the way. I wanted to die; yeah, it hurt like hell, and I had no way of knowing that I would give birth before 9am. So I’m sitting there on the gourney thinking “oh my god, this hurts… am I going to suffer like this fr twelve hours or more?!?” But by the time I was asking for pain meds (in a very weak, pathetic voice, lol) the doctor came in to check me, saw me shivering and said “we need to get her in a room, she’s gonna have this baby NOW!” So I suppose I should just buck up and be happy that I didn’t end up birthing my son in the waiting room… wouldn’t that be an interesting story?

As it turned out, Baby Aleksandr was born with no long-term complicatons. There was fetal distress, meconium, a drop in BP, and the cord was wrapped around his neck. My husband was not allowed to cut the cord because they wanted to get our son medical attention right away. He was 8lbs 3oz and 21 inches long! Tore me sideways and I needed … quite a few stitches. At least ten, I think….

A lot has happened to both me and my son since giving birth… my husband was deployed almost immediately after Aleks was born. On Christmas Day I got a call saying my grandmother had fallen into a diabetic coma, so me and my mom packed up and lived with my grandpa two states away for about to and a half weeks while we waited for my grandma to die. Having to see her all bruised up when she was in her coma (from dialysis and everything else the doctors did to her), and then seeing her 4-day-old unebalmed body is something I’ll never be able to forget. She had specifically said she did not want to be embalmed, and her death landed right around New Years when the cemetery was closed… because apparently someone thinks that people don’t die around New Years, I don’t know.

Once I got back up in Washington my Mom had to go back to her home in Oregon, so I was by myself again with a newborn who had his schedule all messed up from traveling so much. I had doctors appointments for follow-ups, IUD insertions, I was in the ER twice in the last three weeks: once because my postpartum bleeding was so heavy that I was dizzy and nauseous (I’ve had heavy periods before, this much blood actually scared me) and a second time for what turned out to be rectocele. I’ve been jumping through hoops trying to see doctors and hoping I can have it corrected with surgery. Finally saw a third doctor today to get the official green light for surgery and was told it could be worse and I would just have to live with it. I was in tears. The doctor hadn’t even given me any options, just told me I’d probably need to take laxatives for the next few months, maybe longer. I’m going to get a second opinion (technicaly a fourth opinion), but I’m waiting until my husband comes home because I’m starting to get depressed having to make all these medical decisions by myself. And no, he has not been allowed to take emergency leave to be with me OR take his baby leave.

I was 195lb when I gave birth. I wasn’t really concerned with stretch marks because I grew my hips in the 8th grade, lol. Yeah, I was a little put off by the ones scattered south of my belly button, but I know I can live with them. The’ve already faded a LOT, and … well, I live in Washington, it’s not like bikini weather is very common. I’ve sent my husband pictures of my postpartum progress (I’m 165 now), and he tells me tha I’m not only beautiful, but strong and assures me I’m taking excellent care of our son. Because of everything that’s been happening in the last 11 weeks, I haven’t been able to exercise as much as I’d like. Between stitches, travelling, bleeding, worrying that my organs are gonna fall out my butt… I did gain an interesting perspective on my need to take care of myself. It’s not just getting down to prepregnancy size and weight that’s important to me. I know I still have 10+ lbs to go before I’m back at my prepregnancy weight, but other things take precedence. I know I’ve been very lucky in regaining much of my shape without going out of my way to acquire it, and I do have my genes to thank for that. I know as soon as I no longer have to value an hour of sleep over a 15 minute run, I’ll be quick to bounce back completely. But I can be patient.
My husband was able to come home for a night (due to military work, not so he could stay –boo), and he finally got to see his little boy smile. And somehow it made me smile and broke my heart at the same time :) I can’t wait for Aleks to grow up and become a little hellion like both me and his daddy were. He looks so much like his father– but he’s got my lips! lol I’m glad I had the Shape of a Mother site to help m through my pregnancy and postprtum period. This site is amazing with its support. Thank you all!

Pictures are:
prepregnancy
39.5 weeks pregnant
3 hours after giving brith
2 weeks PP
7 weeks PP
me and my son!
11 weeks PP
my two handsome men!

15 Year Old Mother (Anonymous)

Bonnie (SOAM) Before Pregnancy, Belly, First Pregnancy, Legs, Postpartum, Pregnant, Submissions, Teen Mom, Update 27 Comments

I just wanted to start off by saying that I have a lot of respect for all of the women who have posted on here. All of you have made me realize that I shouldn’t be ashamed of my new motherly body, even if I’m the only 15 year old I know who has a saggy tummy and stretch marks. You’re all beautiful and you should be proud.

My story starts at the age of 14, I thought I was in love with the boy of my dreams and decided to lose my virginity to him. Being a teenager I thought I was invincible. I thought that pregnancy was something that happened to those teenagers who slept around a lot or who aren’t careful when it comes to protection. But I was wrong. Before I got pregnant I was only 115 pounds. By the end of my pregnancy I was 175 pounds and only 5′ 1″. I found out I was pregnant when I was already 20 weeks along. Half of my pregnancy went by and I had had no idea! In that same month I also found out I would be having a little girl and that I had been diagnosed with gestational diabetes. I used a diet controlled method, but it didn’t work. I ended up gaining a whopping 60 pounds by the end of my pregnancy. I have stretch marks on my boobs, stomach, sides, butt, and inner & outer thighs. Everyone had thoroughly convinced me that because I am so young I would not stretch and that I would lose the weight extremely fast. They were wrong.

I went for an ultrasound at 39 weeks and the told me that I would have to be induced the next week so as to prevent the baby from gaining a large amount of weight before I delivered. I was livid. I wanted an all natural, drug-free birth. And then my dreams of that were crushed. About a week later I went back for another ultrasound and they informed me that the baby had gained 3 pounds in just a week! She went from being 6 pounds to 9 pounds in just a week. They told me I would need a c-section because I was too small and the baby was too large. I was devastated. Not only did I not get my all natural birth, I didn’t get a vaginal birth at all. The doctor who told me this was very rude. She basically told me that it was all my fault that I had to have a c-section because I got pregnant at 14 and had an “oops baby”.

On September 3 I went to the hospital where they prepped me and gave me an epidural. My beautiful daughter was born 9 pounds 2 ounces, 20 and a half inches long. When I saw her for the first time I didn’t understand how I could have ever wanted to give her up for adoption. I am now 5 and a half months postpartum and have only lost 32 of my 60 pounds. I used to feel ugly and disgusting. But after finding this site and seeing that there are other women in my same position I have gained a lot more confidence. My daughter is 5 and a half months and is perfectly healthy and I couldn’t ask for a more perfect child.

~Age: 15
~Number of pregnancies and births: 1 pregnancy, 1 birth.
~The age of your children, or how far postpartum you are: 5 and a half months.

picture # 1: Me and my mom (pre-pregnancy)
picture # 2: Me at 40 weeks the night before my c-section.
picture # 3&4: stretch marks on my stomach and inner thigh.
picture # 5: my c-section scar.
picture # 6&7: My beautiful baby girl.

Updated here.

I Like Myself (Rosie)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Breastfeeding, Breasts, First Pregnancy, Postpartum, Pregnant, Submissions, Tattoo 9 Comments

I see a ton of ladies hating on their post-baby bodies, and some very genetically blessed ladies who are rockin’ it.

I’m right here in the middle. I gained some weight, and I lost it. I started my pregnancy around 170 lbs. I struggled with hyperemesis in my first trimester and dropped to 145 lbs. By delivery day I weighed 191 lbs. At six weeks postpartum I’m weighing 167 lbs. I’m hitting the gym. My belly is so textured with stretch marks that it reminds me of a trapper keeper I had in middle school.

I still have some weight to lose, and I don’t know when those stretch marks will fade.

My unmedicated water birth showed me how strong and capable I am.

Breastfeeding and the patience it requires is my new yoga.
I love myself, and I love my body.

And you should too.

You made a baby. That is pretty amazing.

If you’re not happy with your body, please try to remember all that you did. Nourish yourself well. Put your baby in a carrier and dance in the living room or in the stroller and walk until youfeel the burn. Leave baby with a sitter and take a class that sounds fun or take a mommy and me class. Do something active a few times a week.

Don’t make excuses. Take care of your body and love yourself. Flaunt your self esteem. It’s a great example to your children.

~Age: 25
~Number of pregnancies and births: Two pregnancies. One very empowering, unmedicated, water birth.
~The age of your children, or how far postpartum you are: I am a mother of one amazing daughter. I am almost six weeks postpartum.

5 Weeks PP, Almost There – Update (Anonymous)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Breasts, Complications During or After Birth, Complications in Pregnancy, First Pregnancy, NICU, Postpartum, Preemie, Pregnant, Submissions, Update 4 Comments

Previous entry here.

Ahhh where can I begin? Its been 16 weeks since I welcomed my beautiful baby boy into the world. I feel very happy about the place I’m at. So far since my last update I lost more weight and I’m back into my pre pregnancy jeans once again. My tummy is completely flat and I’m starting to get my abs defination back. My breast went down so I’m back to pre pregnancy. I still feel empty at times like I failed my baby. In the first update I forgot to mention that my son was born at 28 weeks weighing two pounds two ounces. I was hurt and very embrassed. I feel sad and angry that women who are heavy pregnant complain about the marks and the weight. I would have been happy to have a mommy tummy atleast I would have known that I wouldn’t have failed my baby. I pray everyday and ask god to show mercy on my son and he has. I never realize how stupid and selfish I was by not enjoying every minute that my son was inside of me. I didn’t have a tradition babyshower with a big belly I didn’t have a happy birth where I left the hospital with my son in my hands I had to see my baby have blood transfusions and Iv lines all through his arms and feet. I had to wait six weeks just to hold my son for the first time. I had to get a phone call from my sons doctor saying that my son has stop breathing and they had to bag him. Its so many things that I didn’t do or get to do that I’m most hurt about. I didn’t get a chance to even see my son when he was born or even get to touch him. Im still very emotional about the whole ordeal and I’m in tears as I write this. I had to wait three months just to finally bring my baby home a week before his due date. Premature babies go through so much but my son is healthy and happy. He has no brain bleeds IVH which is so s common with babies born his age he’s not on any medications or on any breathing machines which is very common with babies born at his age. I proud to see he’s such a greedy fat baby and love his milk he poops a lot and is perfect in everyway. So far he has no lasting effects of being born prematurely which I’m so very thankful for. The doctors don’t know why I had PROM (pre mature rapture of the membranes) but with my next child I will be seen by a high risk doctor and I’m very hopeful that I won’t have another preemie. My sons birth gave me a complete understanding of what love is and how to have compassion for other people. This ordeal brought me and my sons father even more closer as a family and we now live together and talking about marriage. He tells me I’m sexy and cause me his little sexy girl :) Life couldn’t be any better I’m working and going to school to become a nurse. I want to show another family the same compassion that my sons nurses should us. I want to work in the NICU with preemies. I’m learning to love my body at times I hate it and get so angry when people say oh u don’t even look like u had a baby. What I would give. This update is for all of the moms who hate there post baby bodies be so thankful that your body grew your babies and protected them because mines didn’t. Sometimes I wish I would be on the other end of the stick and complain about my post baby body. I didn’t get to breastfeed only pump but after six weeks my milked dried up so now my son is formula fed I’m hurting with another thing my body failed. I will have another baby and I will enjoy every moment of pregnancy. My pregnancy body was so beautiful I was nice and ripe sometimes I still touch my belly wishing I still could be pregnant. I included my pictures. The first picture is of my belly a week before I had my son. The next picture is of how my breast look now and the third picture is of my tummy now and the fourth picture is me now and the last picture is of my beautiful baby boy :) who I love so very much. When I get down I just think of all of the mommies who will never leave the hospital with their babies and i feel grateful that I have a healthy and happy beautiful baby who I kiss all day everyday.

Sometimes I like it sometimes I hate it (Anonymous)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, First Pregnancy, Postpartum, Submissions 8 Comments

~Age: 27
~Number of pregnancies and births: 1
~The age of your children, or how far postpartum you are: 6 month

This is my first pregnancy and I should admit I was not quite ready emotional to things happened to me. I love my little girl who is 6 month old now but there are some things that upsets me a lot. I was 125 lbs before pregnancy and I already returned back to my weight. Still I am not happy with my body: there are some days I look at myself in a mirror and I think its ok it could be worse ( I did not get any stretchmarks) and sometimes the look of my body just upsets me so much. Recently I went to the pool that I was really excited about it since it was my first time after birth. Well, let me tell you I felt extremely insecure, I still have this line across my stomach and I felt like I am really chubby in comparison to other girls with perfect bodies. I am not saying anything about my boobs, they are saggy anyway. At the same time I am deeply ashamed of my own stupid behavior, I should just enjoy every minute playing with my little miracle but I choose to poison myself with negative thoughts. I do work out, try dieting but even with my weight 125 lbs I still look different.

5 yrs Fibro and Autism (Anonymous)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Breasts, First Pregnancy, Mothers with Health Complications, Plus-Sized Mom, Postpartum, Submissions 13 Comments

age: 27
number of pregnancies/births : 1/1
age of child: 5.5

I am a plus size mom and wanted to represent more of us bigger moms since it is a little lacking. I am 324lbs at 5yrs postpartum. I am comfortable with my body, I deal with the constant pain of fibromyalgia every day and homeschool my 5yr old who has autism.

I was 250lb at 6weeks pp, but once my fibromyalgia started and I needed to start taking anti-depressants I started to pack on the weight. I probably rely on the therapeutic properties of chocolate too much some days, but its better than getting drunk. I have stretch marks everywhere, cellulite, rolls and scars from my gall bladder surgery, but my husband still finds me as sexy as the day I married him. I view my body as a map of my travels as a mother so far, one day I will lose some weight but these marks will always be with me and I am proud of them because inside my stomach I nurtured my child for 9mths. My breasts may sag but they breastfed my child for 2.5yrs.

I am woman, hear me roar!

Getting used to the new me (Anonymous)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Cesarean, First Pregnancy, Postpartum, Submissions 8 Comments

Age-23
Number of pregnancy’s,births- 1 ,1
4 1/2 months Postpartum
c-section

I have been having a pretty hard time dealing with my new body after having my baby 4 months ago. I am just now starting to be some what ok with how I look. I gained 40 pounds during my pregnancy and have lost 20 of it, for some reason the last 20lbs do not seem to want to come off and I’ve been getting a little depressed about it, but I do know that it WILL eventually come off. My husband is amazing, he’s always telling me that I look great and sexy and beautiful, but its still hard to believe sometimes. I guess the thing that gets me is in your 20’s your are supposed to feel and look your best and I don’t feel like I ever will again. Its not the stretch marks that bother me so much all though they arnt my favorite lol, I think the flash from the camera brightens them up a bit because they arnt as noticeable in person. What bothers me is how much my stomach still pokes out from the side. It seems like no matter what I do it wont even start to flatten out. I do wonder sometimes though if I had not had to have a c-section if it would have been easier to lose the weight. I didn’t want to have a c-section but my little guy wouldn’t fit so they had to give me one. But all and all I don’t think I look to bad, I obviously don’t look like I’d like to, but I got my perfect little man out of it all so I try not to complain to much. I’d do it all over again in a heart beat.