Four or More Pregnancies – Page 15 – The Shape of a Mother

Anonymous

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Breasts, Four or More Pregnancies, Postpartum, Submissions Monday, January 29, 2007Wednesday, July 30, 2008 12 Comments

This is me in my 40’s after giving birth to 4 children. My first 3 were born when I was very young and the last was over a decade ago.
I got stretch marks with the very first one and gained a few more along the way.
I’m happy with my body now but was embarrassed by it for many years and yet it’s only begun to look like this in the last 3 years.
Before then I was very slim with smaller, perkier breasts and a flat stomach.
It’s ironic that I should now be perfectly accepting of my body when it no longer looks as good.
I think every new mother should have access to this site. My acceptance of myself has become even more so since viewing all these beautiful ladies.

Anonymous

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Breasts, Child Loss, Four or More Pregnancies, Postpartum, Submissions Tuesday, January 23, 2007Wednesday, July 30, 2008 13 Comments

All my childhood I wanted to do nothing more than to be a Mom. I dreamed about pregnancy and childbirth. At career day, I didn’t want a career other than to be a Mother.

Before becoming a Mother, people always commented about how tiny I was, how thin I was. Now, 4 pregnancies and 2 live children later, I don’t have the figure I once did. The hardest part has been the reaction on people’s faces when they haven’t seen me for a long time. I am no longer 115 pounds, but 150. The look of disgust has been so hard for me to swallow. I’ll never forget the “old high school friends” I visited when my last child was 5 months old. That was the worst I have ever felt about my self-image. It wasn’t what they said, it was what they didn’t way. That short hour ruined the rest of my vacation. Never again will I give someone the power to make me feel embarassed or ashamed of my body. I have experienced loss and heartbreak. The marks on body are the remaining memories of the babies that didn’t make it and the reminder for the love I have for the 2 that did. I am thankful for the opportunity to house my children safely in my body. Some people want the chance, but don’t get it. I however, am one of the lucky ones. Every stretch mark, every pound gained is a reminder that I have the family I always dreamed of.

Anonymous

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Breasts, Four or More Pregnancies, Piercing, Postpartum, Pregnant, Submissions Monday, January 22, 2007Wednesday, July 30, 2008 11 Comments

I am a 29 year old mother of 4 beautiful girls (14 months, 3, 8 and 9). I want to teach my girls when they are older that real women don’t look like the ads in magazines, and that they should be proud of the body Nature gave them and be proud that they are able to give life. I never had big breasts but I was a decent perky B cup before I had my first baby. I had what I considered nice breasts. I have nursed 3 out of 4 of my babies, one for almost 19 months so my breasts have taken quite the beating. I am now a 34 A with big dark nipples (my nipples used to be pink and small but after I had my second baby they never went back to their old appearance). This was/is very depressing to me. I feel less “womanly” because of my flat old looking chest. I tend to cover up even with my husband. But your site has helped me so much that I have decided to share my pictures and story in hopes that it will help someone else as well just as the other stories did for me.

I had a hard time accepting my body after I had my last baby even though my husband would tell me often how great I looked and that my breasts were perfect the way they were. I became very depressed. I know I am lucky because I do not have any stretchmarks on my stomach…only on my upper thighs and my breasts (went up to a C cup while nursing resulting in stretchmarks around my nipples). But my once perky and round breasts are now just a distant memory.

Recently, I had my nipples pierced to celebrate the new chapter in my life since we are now done with babies and breastfeeding. I wanted to do something for ME only to make ME feel better about MY body. This certainly did…I am a little more confident when I am topless now. I think “the girls” are a lot prettier now and it makes me feel better about what I have.

I have never gained a lot of weight while pregnant and was lucky to lose my baby weight quickly although I am still about 8 pounds heavier than I was pre-babies, I now have cellulite on my thighs and my navel got all stretched out so it’s a little crooked now. But that’s ok. Your site has shown me that mothers are beautiful and “normal” even though I don’t like to use that word. What we see in Hollywood and in the magazines is not reality…we are real and we should be proud of that! I gave life to 4 bright and beautiful little girls who will someday go through motherhood as well (hopefully!) and I hope that they will be as empowered about it as I am now thanks to your site.

Pam

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Four or More Pregnancies, Pregnant, Submissions Saturday, December 2, 2006Friday, July 25, 2008 2 Comments

Hi there

I love your site and finally decided to be brave enough to take pregnant pictures of myself and send them in. I am 38 weeks pregnant with my 5th and final child. A little girl. I would only like the pictures to be used on this site and no where else. I am both the subject and the photographer. I have done many of these types of pictures professionally just never of myself. I am so glad I got brave enough to do it.

Thank you

and me and my sweet son