Postpartum

19 and insecure (Tamara)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, First Pregnancy, Postpartum, Submissions, Tattoo, Teen Mom, Update 30 Comments

my name is tamara….im 19 years old. i have a nine month old son…he is beyond the greatest thing that could have ever happened to me….seeing how i have no family…hes def the only guarantee in my life and hes my world….through all this before i had him i prlly had a playboy body lol as i may say….i still had insecurities…but now…i would give anything to have those insecurities back rather than the ones i have now…i have stretch marks from the top of my stomach all the way to the bottom of my knees!!! it just crazy to think the rest of my life i will NEVER be able to just wear shorts… or a bathing suit…not even a one peice!!!! its crazy to think this way…i hate summer now cz i have no choice but to wear sweats and tshirts….it kills me when i go shopping when i see shorts and skirts even jeans that i used to be able to wear…i dunno very depressing…i dont know what to do…one thing is i cant accept it…its just too much to handle…







Updated here and here.

1 Year of Motherhood (Anonymous)

Bonnie (SOAM) Before Pregnancy, Belly, First Pregnancy, Postpartum, Pregnant, Submissions 16 Comments

I am 24 years old. My son just turned one year old! I am amazed by how quickly the time has passed… almost as amazed as I am by women’s bodies. I have always thought that pregnant women are beautiful, but after going through a pregnancy, I understand it on such a more personal level. I loved being pregnant and wish I could just be perpetually 7 months pregnant! I felt excellent, I have never received so many compliments at any other time in my life, it was awesome! Everyday was incredible… to be able to look down and see my baby moving from the outside, never ceased to amaze me. Of course, I am not the hugest fan of what pregnancy can do to a body. I started my pregnancy at 145 pounds. I gained 40 pounds while I was pregnant, which left me mind boggled because I did EVERYTHING right! Now I am a strong believer in the fact that pregnant bodies are going to gain what they need to sustain that little life, so we need not be so obsessed with it! My weight currently fluctuates between 145 and 148. Even though I lost the weight really quickly, I do not look the same. I have extra skin and fat pockets that were certainly not there before. I, thankfully, did not get any stretch marks during my pregnancy. I think that was God’s way of saying “I gave you enough stretch marks during puberty… you have had them for 8 years, you don’t need anymore.” :) Even though I do not have the “ideal body” I just look at my son and remember the miracle that I have created with this body. My body kept him safe and warm and helped him grow big and strong for 38 weeks and 5 days. My body has nourished him for his first year of life (and still going strong.) I know that I may not look like your average 24 year old, but I am not an average 24 year old… I am a mother! I am so proud to be a mother to (who I think is) the most beautiful little boy in the world and I would not trade that for the body of a supermodel, not in a million years. All of us mothers share a special bond with our children and with each other that no one else could ever understand. We should all be so proud of what our bodies have accomplished and never be ashamed of some extra skin, saggy breast, or stretch marks… those came from our children and we wouldn’t be the same people without them! (I have included photos of me at 4 weeks pregnant, 37 weeks pregnant, and now 1 year postpartum)






6.5 Months Postpartum (Anonymous)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Child Loss, Postpartum, Second Pregnancy, Submissions 5 Comments

I am 23 yrs. old. This was my 2nd pregnancy but first born (1st on was a mc.) I was 167 lbs before pg. Went up to 210 lbs and I am now at 183 lbs. I have come to terms that this is now what my body looked like. At 167 I was in a size 11 and now I am in a size 16 (I can fit into a thirteen and actually get the zipper up now but It is still hard to breathe). But in the end I have to say it was all worth it for my beautiful baby girl.










New Mommy and Three Months Postpartum (Pam)

Bonnie (SOAM) Before Pregnancy, Belly, First Pregnancy, Hips, Postpartum, Submissions, Tattoo, Thyroid Issues 22 Comments

So i am a first time mother of a beautiful baby boy named Christian, and I’ve always struggled with body issues. My name is Pam and i am 3 1/2 months PP. Growing up i always had weight issues but once i was diagnosed at the age of 14 with Hashimoto’s Hypothyroiditis and heart palpitations i began taking medicine and the weight dropped off. Before getting pregnant i weighed 110 lbs and thought that i had areas to improve on, but really i didn’t. During my pregnancy i gained 60 lbs but really didn’t notice it until after i gave birth and looked at the pictures of me. I guess its something to do with the belly that makes you feel good in your own body. But after giving birth to a healthy 6.6 lb baby boy i found that i wasn’t that skinny girl anymore and i had terrible stretch marks ALL over my belly. It defintely hasn’t improved my self esteem issues but the way i see it i’d rather have stretch marks and be able to get that flat stomach back than not have stretch marks and have a floppy apron. So far in the past 3 months pp i have lost 33 lbs and and still going strong in the weight loss dept. I contribute the first 20 lbs to having postpartum baby blues. Unfortunately i didn’t take pictures of my belly right after birth, but i do have them so far at 3 months pp, and glad to say that if you do exercise it can get better. I know i have a ways to go (28 lbs left) but it can get better. As for the stretch marks, they are starting to fade but i see them as an accomplishment of my miracle that i was given. I will try to keep up with the pics of the weight loss. But by no means do i think i have the upper hand on anyone who’s had a baby and has to deal with the belly and stretch marks. I respect those who are willing to sacrifice the perfect body for a miracle.










3 Months After 10lb 10oz Baby (Berni)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Breasts, Cesarean, First Pregnancy, NICU, Postpartum, Submissions, Update 17 Comments

I’m 18,I live in London England with boyfriend of 2.5 years. I recently had my first baby, a boy I named Caden. I had a traumatic labour, I had an emergeny c section, after my baby became distressed. He had opened his bowels whilst still in the womb and swallowed the poo. He didn’t breath for 4 min after he was born and he was whisked off to intensive care. Caden spent a week in SCBU. If this wasn’t bad enough the staff would rude and not vert helpful. I was never told if he was going to be OK, when we were likely go home, if he proggressed. On day two I was offered the chance to hold him and I hesitated (I was scared because all the tubes wires etc) the nurse made it very clear she thought I was an awful mother. Caden made a rapid recovery pulling out his breathing tubes and refusing to have them put back in the nurses relised he was breathing by himself.After that he never looked back and everyday got better until day 8 we were allowed home. I’m 5’8 and put on about 50 lbs during my pregnancy ( 10lb 10 oz was Caden lol) I lost about 43 pounds by the tim e he was 3 weeks old. However I’ve been left with a saggy tummy and stretchmarks.I also breastfed for the first 3 weeks and now my boobs are saggy and empty. Sometimes I’m ok with this but other days it upsets me. I completed my A levels when my son was 2 weeks old and plan to go to uni to study Fashion journalism next year but don’t know if I’ll feel comfortable around loads of fashionistas with my new mummy body. I also dabbled in modelling before I had my son and think thats another reason I find it hard to accept my new body. But I know my body did a great thing by carying my 10lb 10 oz beautiful boy.But I won’t be wearing a bikini anytime soon!! ( I think the pics don’t show the true extent of the damage – it looks better in pic(not sure why) )






Updated here, here, and here.

22 year old mother of triplets (Kelley)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Breasts, Cesarean, First Pregnancy, Postpartum, Submissions, Triplets 25 Comments

Hi, my name is Kelley and I had triplets at age 20. Yes, they were natural, and No, they do not run in my family. Anyway, that was a year and a half ago, I am now 22, and I struggle everyday to accept my body the way it is. I love my sons, but I’m not going to lie, I feel so unattractive sometimes…

Triplets and a C-Section…


I’m Proud… (Ewa)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Breech Birth, Child Loss, Postpartum, Submissions, Third Pregnancy 4 Comments

I’m Proud of my Stretchmarks

Today, after 17 years, my belly looks like this. I´ve been thinking that I should try to dress myself in in yellow, orange and red colours and paint my strechmarks so that they look like flames from a fire or a vulcano erupting on the next Halloween-party I go to….. It gives me great satisfaction to know that I have been able to carry 2 (out of three) lovely children full term and that they have grown into two lovely young ladies which have now reached the age of 17 and 19. The eldest is actually born “breech birth” i.e. with her little “behind” first . So was I and one or two of my brothers and sister. The only one we know for sure is born ” like everybody else” with the head first is my twin brother.

Kind Regards
Ewa



Acceptance (Anonymous)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Eating Disorder, First Pregnancy, Postpartum, Submissions 6 Comments

My body acceptance

My name is Janel and I gave birth to my daughter Jasmyn in June of 2006. I was the happiest I had ever been in my entire life. But after coming home from the hospital and seeing my new body in the mirror I couldn’t help but be depressed. I had never been “skinny” but I was toned and had a nice physique in my opinion. I was pretty active and cared about my appearance. I did however have issues with the eating disorder bulimia. My weight would shift often during that time because I would go weeks without binging and purging and then go weeks with only binging and purging…. After high school I felt I had it under control. I met Nima and became pregnant at 19. Anyway… After seeing what was left after pregnancy I felt defeated and decided I would cover up my body with saggy clothes and hide away indoors.I rationalized by saying this is my baby’s time not mine. Months went by with breastfeeding, exhaustion and depression. Slowly I slipped back into my eating disorder habits. I would exercise like crazy (indoors only) because I was ashamed to go to an actual gym. My self-esteem was at an all time low. Finally my Dad and step-mom stepped in and made me realize that I needed to stop feeling so horrible about myself. My aunt stepped in and bought me some new clothes that flattered my “new” body. Nima helped by giving compliments and taking me shopping for new clothes. I found the courage to join a gym, and even an aerobics class with one of my cousins.Things were getting better for me and still are. I work out regularly, I eat a balanced diet. Of course I indulge some days :). But overall I am becoming more accepting of myself and this new body. At the age of 22 I can finally say I am happier with myself then I ever have been. And that doesn’t just go for how I feel about my appearance but the inside too. By posting these pictures and actually seeing my body through the camera I realize its not that bad! It was liberating to see it for what it really is. I was too scared to take pictures of my body before. But this website helped. I dont feel comfortable with nudity, but I submitted some pics of my post baby tummy and body…… I hope I can break the cycle of insecurity that runs in my family and give my daughter a way to love herself for her!