First Pregnancy

2 Weeks Postpartum, Mother at 19 (Anonymous)

Bonnie (SOAM) Before Pregnancy, Belly, First Pregnancy, Postpartum, Pregnant, Submissions, Teen Mom 12 Comments

I had my first son two weeks ago, a week before my 19th birthday. I was so worried about what my body would be like postpartum because I took quite a bit of pride in my body before the pregnancy. Now I realize that it really doesn’t matter as much now that I’ve had my son, and I’m proud of what my body is capable of and of the beautiful healthy baby boy it created. I do have my moments of insecurity and I feel far less desirable than before, but I’m working on getting back into shape. My fiance assures me that I look great still, but of course I sometimes don’t believe him (I’m such a girl sometimes…) Attached are pictures of me before pregnancy, during, and after, and a couple of my son Raiden of course =)










A Miracle Baby and Learning to Accept My Body (Amber)

Bonnie (SOAM) Before Pregnancy, Belly, First Pregnancy, Piercing, Postpartum, Submissions 14 Comments

My name is Amber and I am 21, almost 22. I had a planned pregnancy after only one month of trying with my ex fiance. I had no idea my body was going to look the way that it does, but after reading the site and lurking, I see that I have a lot to be thankful for. Mothers are beautiful, only us women are capable of giving life and it still to this day amazes me, even after going through the process. Pregnancy was hard, broken rib near the end, no sleep, and little did I know I was really 3 weeks late (totally had the date off) and ended up giving a vaginal birth to a 9.5 pound baby. Had the worst postpartum healing with a 2nd degree tear.

I was only 120-125 pounds and 5’4. I used to think I was fat, and now looking back at my pictures.. I want to SMACK myself! I would give an arm and a leg to look like that again, but alas I don’t have that luxury.

With that said, 3 months breastfeeding and working out has done pretty well for me.

And I can’t complain, the birth was amazing. I was 5cm dilated (yup, first time mom) before I was even induced. In two hours I was 10cm dilated and ready to push :D 45 mins of pushing and Aiden was born at 332 pm on 8-20-08.

3 months later I was back down to 125. Yay! But still people apparently think I weigh more, I guess it’s the hips? And when I’m bloated I look like 16 weeks pregnant. My body and I have a love hate relationship. Right now it’s love, tomorrow most likely hate. My hips just need to return, if they will at all… I notice changes when I check every so often, but they still seem to be quite wide.

In the end, I have the most amazing baby boy I’ve ever seen and I am so in love with being a mommy. Even if there is no daddy.

Pics are as follows: Me pre preg, 3 of me 6 months post partum (as of feb 20th) and 2 of my son at almost 6 months.

Myspace: Myspace.com/ayame
Facebook: ayame87@gmail.com
AiM: x4N71554x

Feel free to contact me if you feel you want to be friends, or talk with another mommy. Or if you want to feel good about yourself etc. :)







8.5 Months into Motherhood (Anonymous)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Breasts, First Pregnancy, Postpartum, Submissions, Teen Mom 16 Comments

I found out I was pregnant just days before my 18th birthday. A senior in high school, I was 5’7″, 125 lbs. and comfortable in my body. My now-husband was just starting his first year of college, 5 hours away. Despite his frequent visits, my pregnancy was a long and lonely one. I was able to finish all my credits before I reached my third trimester, but being a pregnant high schooler still wasn’t easy. I sank into a depression and found consolation in various fried and/or sugary foods. I lost count of the pounds gained after 70. My daughter arrived just two weeks before my graduation ceremony and three months later I married my high school sweetheart. I love my husband and I love my daughter. Everyday I thank God just because they’re a part of my life. However, I look at my body and feel almost ashamed. My belly is riddled with lines and wrinkles. My hips are far wider than they were, adding even more emphasis to my flat butt. My husband adamantly insists that I am still beautiful (bless his heart), but I find it hard to see myself in that way. The thought of ever wearing a bikini again slightly horrifies me. I wish I could refer to my scars as “honor badges”, but I look down and all I see is a discolored and creviced belly. I hope to someday come to terms with my new body. I don’t expect to be slinking around in a bikini ever, but I’d like to at least feel beautiful for my husband, because that’s what he deserves. Soooo….I am posting these pictures here so I can hopefully achieve that goal. P.S. I’d like to mention that I am totally in awe of the other women posting on this website. They are my heroes.





10 Weeks Postpartum (Anonymous)

Bonnie (SOAM) Back, Butt, First Pregnancy, Postpartum, Pregnant, Submissions, Update 11 Comments

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.










Postpartum Beauty (Anonymous)

Bonnie (SOAM) Breastfeeding, Breasts, First Pregnancy, Postpartum, Reader's Favorite, Submissions 24 Comments

From the time I was 13 years old, and experienced my first stretch mark on my suddenly grown breasts, I have been ashamed of my body. I was a chubby teenager who would hide my body under large sweatshirts and jeans even in the dead of summer so that no one could see my rolls and marks. My body was an obsession, I tried everything I could to change it. I was ridiculously insecure and eventually dieted down to a size 6 by my late teens. Needless to say when I found out I was pregnant with my daughter in Sept of 2007 I immediately began to worry how I would change, whether I would ever get my body “back”. My mother has never had a stretch mark in her life, not one during pregnancy and in her mid 50s somehow her breasts were perkier than mine were pre-pregnancy! It added fuel to my fire. All the insecurities of my teen years swelled up just as powerful as ever. I obsessed about the 50 pounds I gained, the stretch marks during the final weeks of pregnancy, my breasts becoming saggy and whether my husband would ever look at me the same way again. When my daughter was born in June of 2008, every pregnancy ache and pain became a distant memory. I realized I would have gained 90 pounds and had stretch marks on every inch of me if I had to in order to bring her into this world. My breasts are less perky, my stomach less tight, I have stretch marks that weren’t there before, and I still have 10 pounds to lose but I feel more beautiful today than before motherhood, happily my husband vehemently agrees. I grew her inside me and continue to nourish her with my body; it’s the greatest honor I have ever known. Well done all you gorgeous Mommys, you are truly incredible women. I am constantly moved by the pictures and submissions by the brave women on this site. Be confident in yourselves, you are more beautiful than you know.




First Baby and an Out of Body Experience (Anonymous)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, First Pregnancy, Postpartum, Submissions 5 Comments

This is me 5 months after my baby boy was born. I just do not look the same at all . My breast use to be perky and my stomach was less flabby before. Yet, at the end of the day when I look at my body I know its truly a blessing because I wouldn’t trade him for anything. He is so inspiring. Watching him grow every day is amazing. I love this site and how there are many other women out there that have been and are still going through the body changes. The shape of a mother is a beautiful thing and we need to embrace our new selves and no focus on what society tags as beautiful.




Anonymous

Bonnie (SOAM) First Pregnancy, No Photos (Story Only), Submissions, Teen Mom 7 Comments

5’7″.
Size 3.
125 pounds.
16 years old.
That was then..

Size 11.
145 pounds.
17 years old.
This is now..

My life changed when the pregnancy tests [all 5 of them] came back positive. I was 16 years old, a junior in high school, an athlete. I loved my body.

People said I was too young to be a mother. I was told that I was a slut [even though I had only been with one guy.] I was told that I was just another typical teen mother who would make my mom raise my kid. According to them, I was selfish..

My daughter was born on January 12, 2009. She had to be delivered with forceps. I had an episiotomy, hemorrhaged, and lost so much blood that my doctor ordered one of the nurses to find out my blood type in case I was to need a transfusion. Thankfully, I didn’t.

My breasts, stomach, butt and thighs are no longer what they used to be. I have stretch marks on my breasts, butt, and thighs.

I gained 50 pounds. When I delivered, I weighed 175 pounds.
Breastfeeding has helped me to lose 30 pounds in three weeks. Now, I’m stuck at 145 pounds.

But you know what? Even though my stomach is much looser, my legs are much thicker, my boobs are much bigger, and I have stretch marks, I know I’m beautiful. I’m happy with my body.

My body is beautiful because I’m a mother. No one can take that away. So go ahead, call me fat – I don’t care. I’m happy and I’m beautiful, regardless of what people say….

Trying to Accept My Body Really Hard (Roxy)

Bonnie (SOAM) Before Pregnancy, Belly, First Pregnancy, Postpartum, Pregnant, Submissions, Update 7 Comments

will i ever look better??? thats all I keep asking myself im 21yrs old and i had my first baby girl on Nov 16 2008. I got married at 18 and we decide to try having a baby in 08 and in March I finally saw the two pink lines we were soooo exited I thought I was dreaming. So my pregnancy was great I didn’t gain any weight i was in my ideal 125 until my 8th month dam that month i started gaining 2 to 3lbs a week thats when I got my stretch marks as they appear I got more depressed my eating habits where the same, it was so sad seeing my body getting all these red lines that where so itchy. I had my baby girl two weeks early she was perfectly healthy thanks GOD, she weight 6 pounds and 13oz and measure 19inches. In my 38 weeks i weight 164 my entire body has stretch marks hips, breast, belly, legs. I also had back damage because my belly was so heavy and my breast have grown so huge its horrible. But now im just trying to loose all that weigh because my body I feel that is huge including my face, I want to do exercises but for some reason I just wont do them I feel like I don’t have self esteem. I cry every time I look at my naked body because I feel like its my fault I should take better care of my self and I feel too depressed because im so lonely, I have my husband and my baby but I have no friends and all my family member are in other country.
Im posting a pic of me 1month before my pregnancy, at my 7months, 38 weeks,1month pp and my daughter.



Updated here.

I’m Only 18 – Wife & Mom, 4 Weeks PP (Anonymous)

Bonnie (SOAM) Before Pregnancy, Belly, First Pregnancy, Postpartum, Submissions, Teen Mom 9 Comments

Hello! I became pregnant @ 17, married my husband after we turned 18, and gave birth to a gorgeous 9lb 6 ounce baby vaginally. 36 hours of labor, and 3 hours of pushing, he was sunny side up, and they had to cut me. :(

I’m now coming to terms with this new body, all the new stretch marks on my tummy. I’m 5’11 and have never been tiny obviously. I was 170 pounds before pregnancy, and maxed out at the end at a wopping 218 pounds. I carried him pretty well, in my back. I didn’t get big or stretch marks til the end of my 8th month. I have a love/hate relationship with my body right now. To me when I look in the mirror I think I look pretty good for just having a kid, but then I start to look at the stretch marks, or where my perfect legs were before, now replaced with larger than before thighs and calves. Chubbier arms, and back fat.

Ahh! Being like this at being 18 sucks, but looking over this site has helped me cope so much!

And of course having my little baby, theres nothing better than having him suckle and hearing his little coos and seeing him smile.

My husband has not yet met his son because he is in the airforce at technical school and wont be home til march. He actually had to leave during my labor to go back after christmas break. I’ve sent him pictures and he compliments me all the time but I’m still nervous for our reunion.

I haven’t yet weighed myself which I think is a good thing. Thank you for everybody who has posted, it has helped me so much!



Pregnant Belly With Scar (Jenny)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, First Pregnancy, Pregnant, Submissions, Surgical Scar (Non-Cesarean) 7 Comments

I went through a bad patch at about 34 weeks pregnant when I took this picture because I had always had a lovely, trim, pure white tummy. After having an ovarian cyst removed by laparotomy at 14 weeks pregnant, I was left with a neat scar, which is becoming more and more noticeable, bumpy and ragged the more my bump grows. Combined with the stretchmarks and putting on 4 stone, I started to feel really down about my body… Then I started sharing pics with other pregnant women and discovered that we all have varying degrees of anxiety about our pregnant bodies, whatever they look like, and are all coming to terms with the many physical and mental changes that herald motherhood, which is such a miraculous process of which the outer signs are just the tip of the iceberg. I am looking on the stretch marks as a badge of honour from my baby, and the scar as a demonstration of his tenacity in surviving the operation. I am due in the next few weeks, so am looking forward to his safe arrival and the new body that I will have after the bump is gone – stretch marks, flabby skin, scars… the lot!