First Pregnancy

Beauty Scars of a Mother (Anonymous)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, First Pregnancy, Postpartum, Submissions, Surgical Scar (Non-Cesarean), Teen Mom 3 Comments

I stumbled upon your “myspace” and I was hooked, I think it’s wonderful that mothers all over the world are opening up and showing the truth about what most real women look like.

I had my son at the age of 19 and I was so paranoid about getting stretch marks, of course my worst fear came to pass. I remember the first time I saw my son and I knew that he was worth it all, he was perfect and beautiful!

But I started to go down a destructive path of self hate I couldn’t look at myself naked, it would disgust me, and I would cry. It got so bad that I couldn’t have sex unless the lights were out and I had a shirt on, for over two years after my son was born I couldn’t have an orgasm because the sight of me or even the idea of what I looked like would turn me off. At the time I was also in an emotionally and physiologically abusive marriage, after we got separated and the whole dating world opened to me… well my self destructive pattern got worse. It was easy for me to attract a guy, but I thought that as soon as they saw my tummy they would be disgusted, just like I was.
I heard about some scrubs to remove stretch marks, and I would spend hours in the shower scrubbing till my skin was raw and some times would bleed, but I didn’t care, I hated myself too much to care.

I know this sounds horrible, because I love my son and I don’t resent having him, he is every thing to me, the reason I live, he is what pushes me to be succeed, it’s because of him I had the strength to put myself thru college as a single mom working full time and with out the support of any family. (I’m from Spain and my family lives over there) But what I experienced is the raw truth, and it’s not pretty and no mother should feel the need to self mutilate in order to feel whole again.

I have to say that my son is now 8 years old, and I eventually got over most of those issues. While it still bothers me I have come to realize that there are more important things in life then my tummy! I feel that openly talking about this and taking a picture is good for me, it’s thereputic! I look at my son and see this amazing smart caring child and he is a product of my body and soul and while I don’t flaunt my tummy to the whole world … inside I bear my scars with pride!

Anonymous

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, First Pregnancy, Pregnant, Submissions 1 Comment

My husband took this picture of my tummy when i was about 6 1/2 months pregnant. I`m just now coming into my 35 week period . . but i look back on this picture and realize that i wasnt very big nor am i today. I was a very small girl before i got pregnant but at times it seems like things just arent growing like they should be. But then i see women all the time online (( looking for comfort )) that i`m not the only one. I’ve enjoyed being pregnant very very much so and how my tummy has grown its just at times i wish i could have gotten the big ball :-) But none the less the dr`s say that my baby boy is healthy and growing wonderfully so i guess we`ll stand with that thought :-)

Sydney

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Cesarean, Cesarean Scar and/or Incision, First Pregnancy, Postpartum, Pregnant, Submissions 12 Comments

My name is Sydney, I am 21 years old with a wonderful 4 month old daughter.

I gained about 65 pounds during my pregnancy, and after my c-section, I felt so sick that I could barely move or eat, and I lost a lot of the weight. Now that I am fully recovered I have gained it all back, and then some. Sometimes I look down and think I might still be pregnant!

Since I can remember, I have had major self-esteem and body image issues. And I have to say, that most times I feel ugly. I am a single mother, and I worry a lot about finding someone now. The thought of someone seeing me naked keeps me awake at night sometimes. But after looking through the lovely photos on this site, and reading the amazing stories, I looked in the mirror, and thought ‘maybe I am beautiful, too…’

And maybe, if I can believe that I am beautiful, and love my body after all, I can teach my daughter to do the same.

I, Mother (Anonymous)

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

My son came to us after years of suspecting I may be unble to conceive. I had tried to conceive before, always to my disapointment when my period came, month after month. It was sad, but I came to accept my infertility. I figured if I wasn’t meant to bear children, then why tamper with karma?! When I finally saw those 2 little lines staring back at me from the stick dipped in my pee, I had to sit down. My life was about to change forever. I’m a mom! Wow!

I enjoyed few stretch marks & a scar from a surgery 11 years ago weathered the pregnancy better than I feared. My labor was long & hard, but it was the natural, drug-free birth I had wanted.

This body brought my little boy into the world & I could never be disappointed with it.

Update here.

Anonymous

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

I was so touched by the words woman wrote about their bodies after have given birth to their children.

I myself feel so unpretty, now that I am a mother and went through pregnancy and birth. My whole body takes part in this: my breast which grew to melonsize, my belly with all the dark red streams and lines, and even my vagina which wasn´t stiched up properly after i had torn pushing out the head of my beloved boy.

After birth was over, I felt I was locked up for any sexual thing which could eventually go on in the future. Since I am a single parent, I too lost hope to find a man who could love me in the close future.

But still … I loved the experience of being pregnant and now being a mother. But this all didn´t only leave wounds on my body but also in my soul.

The first picture is taken now – almost 3 month after birth. The second picture shows my 28th week pregnancy belly – which I was very proud of.

(My motherlanguage is german, so I guess my english is not perfect. Could you sort out all the mistakes I made? Thank you!) I added a word here or there, for you! ~Bonnie

Thea

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

I found your site when I was 5 months pregnant with my first child earlier this year. I was so deathly afraid of my body being “ruined” once I had my baby, so I looked through the pictures and stories at your site to get an idea of what I might look like. It really helped me realize that gaining weight, getting stretch marks, or droopy skin were not important once my baby was here.

Updated here.

Anonymous

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Breasts, First Pregnancy, Postpartum, Pregnant, Submissions 6 Comments

It was really nice to see that my body is not alone feeling the way it does. And that I am not alone feeling the way I do about myself. So it made me want to share…a picture of me at 37 weeks, two pics, 20 months(to the day) after the birth of my, thank god, healthy and beautiful son. And one of my son.. all the hard work was not for nothin’ :)

Anonymous

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Breasts, Butt, First Pregnancy, Postpartum, Submissions, Tattoo 13 Comments

I have posted a pic on here before, but it was only of my stomach, no boobs and no bum…that is the last picture incase nobody can figure out what the hell it is!! I put on 30kg while pregnant and have worked my butt off loosing 20kg of it to help prepare for the next time (we are trying to concieve number two now)

I am proud of my weightloss but unfortunatley, like pregnancy, it has done nothing to help my body, the more weight i loose, the more skin that sags and this is what has happened to my bum, the skin from my back overhangs..

I am still comming to terms with my new body, but i dont have any regrets and sites like this make that journey so much better.

My son is now 11months and as i said we are trying to concieve, im wonder alot what the next pregnancy will do to my body, will i stretch again and so have more skin or will i just fill in all the skin here now so stay the same?! time will tell and i cant wait :)