This is a picture of me when I was 38 weeks pregnant with my 2nd son, Abe. He was born a week later @ 11 pounds and 2 ounces (by c-section, of course)!! :-)
First Pregnancy
Brittany
I got pregnant when I was 19, when I told the father he left me, then he moved away and changed his phone number, I was never able to get ahold of him, When my parents found out I was pregnant they disowned me. I went through my entire pregnancy completely alone. I spent the holidays alone, I didnt get a single present for Christmas or my birthday, nor a phone call from my parents. I got fired from my job, and at that point in time I was convinced that I was going to give my daughter up for adoption, I had all the paperwork filled out. It wasnt till I was eight months pregnant that my grandmother on my father’s side came down to Colorado from her house and Montana and helped me get ready to KEEP my baby. It was the best descion I have ever made. She is beautiful. But my body, will never be ever again.
Since I had her, I’ve met someone very dear to me, who could care less and loves me for who I am, and loves my daughter, who was born June 15th 2006 :)
Jasmine
These are a few photos of me at 36 weeks, 38 weeks and post partumn. I had a C- Section, the staples looked sooo gross!
Anonymous
This is my body 2.5 years after I gave birth to my first (and so far only) child. Although pregnancy was kind to me and I lost all my “baby weight” shortly after giving birth, nevertheless, my body is not the same. Breasts that were once perky and full are now limp and floppy from vigorous nursing that lasted 13 wonderful months. A belly that was once firm and flat now sticks out exactly as it did in pictures of myself at five months pregnant. It took a concentrated effort not to suck it in for these pictures: it’s become a totally subconscious habit for me. I was lucky not to get any stretch marks, but I do bear the scar from where they took my son out of me after 46 hours of labor. Oddly enough, it is darker on one half than the other.
Thank you for this site. I hope it has helped many women realize that the changes to their fertile bodies should be embraced, not scorned. We are all mothers and we wear it proudly.
A.T.
8.5 months PP, and still breastfeeding our daughter. I started getting stretch marks at 6 weeks of pregnancy, and I gained about 40 pounds. They are still bright red and deep. I also had a C-Section, and I have a lovely apron of skin that I’m told will never go away on its own.
Anonymous
My pregnancy at 36 weeks
Hi. I am a first time mom with a little girl inside of me! It is a wonderful feeling to know my daughter and futures to come are inside of me at the moment. This is my first child. I have no stretch marks thanks to a wonderful massage oil Ive been using oh and olive oil too…daily!!
April
I started out before my first pregnancy as a cute little 105 pound girl. Now that my first, Isobelle, is 16 months old I am 8 months pregnant with my second child. I weigh about 165 and I am proud of every pound of it. I wouldn’t give it back for the world. Pregnancy is a labor of love, and it includes many sacrifices but no sacrifice is too large for my children. I am a good, loving mother and that is all the self image that I could ever need. I am confident, and I know that I am beautiful always to my children and my husband. I am their bringer of life and no matter what my shape or size there is no greater beauty! Thank you for giving me a chance to tell the world www.theshapeofamother.com! This is a very inspirational and empowering site and I am so happy to have found it and be able to share it with my friends!
Anonymous
I am a mother. My son, Vincent Michael, never took a breath of air. His spirit is well-alive, though.
“There is no heartbeat. I’m sorry”, says the doc. My heart broke. My husband’s eyes welled up and I knew, though in shock, that it was real.
I was 34 weeks along…this doesn’t happen, right? Our beautiful baby boy’s body was delivered 12 hours later with the help of my incredible midwife and the best L & D staff in the world. They treated us like family….we felt their love and compassion. Vincent was perfect. I remember what his forehead felt and smelled like when i kissed him—so sweet. During his short stay in my belly, Vincent saved us. He led his father, me, and my father to the Lord. We were all baptised in the Gulf of Mexico–little Vinnie warm in the womb. He wanted to make sure his parents and paw paw would hold him again one day. Though we don’t have any earthly answers why Vincent left us so soon (his chubby body, umbilical cord, and placenta were flawless), we are certain that our Lord gives, and takes away, according to His great plan. The clouds will fade, the sun will shine again. It takes a little time and a lot of Jesus to heal. Victory.
Cat
My son is a miracle, and my body is a mess. It was so hard to see such a beautiful little creature nursing while resting on my “pillow” of a tummy. I was always thin and fit, but was put on restriction at 23 weeks pregnant. I had a hard pregnancy and my son was born prematurely a month early. He had to be whisked away to the NICU and stayed there for 5 days due to respiratory problems. This is a picture of our first nursing session, when he was 51 hours old. I was not allowed to feed him before then.
At two week sold he was diagnosed with a heart condition. We had such a turbulent pregnancy (including fertility treatments), birth and now this. I really didn’t have time at first to focus on how much my body was disappointing me! My stomach grew huge…here I am at 35 weeks preggo. The last pic before my son was born.
I only got one stretch mark on my tummy, but my hips, butt and thighs are a veritable roadmap of deep, thick stretch marks. They have since pretty much faded and I often run my hand over them to feel the new texture. My tummy now hangs over my pants, as if I am still 4-5 months pregnant. I often look at myself naked and remark how much I look like my mother did when I saw her naked as a small child. I produced something truly miraculous and beautiful….and for that, my body is beautiful, too.
I still marvel at the whole process, and am thankful to have a loving husband and sweet son who think I am the prettiest mommy around.
Anonymous
I’m starting to learn that it’s ok not to be ashamed of my body. My stretch marks are long red and wide but they helped to create the beautiful 2 year old boy that sleeps in the next room. My breasts sag but they nourished him. My hips are uneven but it doesn’t matter. My battle scars remind me what it is to be a woman. They are beautiful.
I’ve watched your site for some time now… and I’m finally ready to share. I know I’m not the only one :).
