Pregnant

16 Weeks PP, 2nd Baby, 38 Years Old (Anonymous)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Belly, Breast or Body Art, Breasts, Cesarean, Child Loss, Complications in Pregnancy, Gestational Diabetes, Mom over 30, Postpartum, Pregnant, Second Pregnancy, Submissions 22 Comments

This site has made me feel so much better about my post-baby body. I haven’t struggled as much with body issues after baby #2 although I still have 15 pounds to go and haven’t lost any weight since my 1 week checkup despite breastfeeding-baby is now 4 months old. I don’t personally experience much in the way of weight loss with breastfeeding-if anything it seems the opposite. I weighed 148 at my checkup and have been 151 since a month pp-I gained 28 lbs.. I tried working out for a while but I just was absolutely exhausted. I know I’ll get there eventually and I know that the weight will come off eventually-even if it takes longer at 38 than it did at 33. 9 months on, 9 months off has been true for me. The thing I’m having a hard time with is that we’ll be visiting my husband’s family abroad in about 10 weeks, and I know nothing much will change in that time and they’re very critical. I’m trying to just let it go and focus on my joy in my baby because I struggled so much to get her here: 4 miscarriages, a blood disorder I had to take daily injections for, gestational diabetes and a c-section due to concern over irregular (and life-threatening) attachment of the cord to the placenta. We are lucky. She is healthy. I wish I was not so hung up on losing this 15 pounds already. Everytime I eat anything my inlaws will cluck at me, I know it. I want to be a good role model to my daughters and not buy into the body facism we live under. First pic is my belly 2 weeks prior to delivery. the rest of my photos: 1 week pre-delivery 5 months preggo 3.5 months postpartum 4 months postpartum.







Life Changes, Get Used to it! (Mary)

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

… I tell myself that everyday!
I met my husband while we were overseas in the Army in 2005, we were married in April 2006, and 9 months and 10 days later we had our daughter, she is amazing! We are going to be welcoming our son in March and cant wait! I love being a mom and wife but a part of me died when I realized how much my body had changed, not the weight difference…the stretch marks! I was 135lbs when I got married and 145lbs when I got pregnant(I stopped using birth control and that causes me to gain a few)when I went into labor with my daughter I was over 200lbs… I think 206lbs but Im not sure. I felt so stupid for not taking care of myself when I was pregnant, I ate junk all the time and refused to work out because I thought it would be ok (my mom had 3 girls, no stretch marks and never gaining too much weight with out putting any effort into staying fit). I got back down to 135lbs fast, about 8 weeks, but I will not take the credit, I have thyroid issues and that was before I started taking medication. So for the next year or so I spent thousands of dollars on scar and stretch mark creams, gels, patches, ANYTHING! I also had breast augmentation to help smooth out scars on my chest. I am being alot more careful with this pregnancy to avoid getting more stretch marks but at this point I think Im pretty well covered. I dont worry as much about my body because of this site, overall women get stretch marks, they get dimples, and wrinkles! It is a reality that I didnt take into consideration before finding this site and I am so relieved that I am not alone, my biggest concern is staying healthy so I can keep up with my growing family and always give my kids 110%. I still have bad days when I examine my tummy and legs, but I have a great husband that doesnt even see my stretch marks and I am so thankful!
Gathering these pictures has made me see how fast my body went back and how much my stretch marks have faded, I look at myself as lucky, it was a small price to pay for my angels! I will keep you posted on the arrival of #2 and more body changes!
My pictures are..
1st pregnancy- 3 months, 6 months, 9 months
After delivery- 10 days, 4 months
Stretch marks on belly- 1 year
2nd pregnancy- 8 months










Updated here and here.

Six Months After Second Cesarean (Anonymous)

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

I am back to pre-pregnancy weight but in better shape so yes it’s possible – even after a cesarean. I gained about 45 pounds each time. Afterwards I stuck to a 1400 calorie a day diet, 2X a week weight training, and 2X a week mat pilates at a local gym during lunch (went back to work after 6 weeks). Still have a light linea negra that will hopefully be gone by the summer…

Pic 1 – pre-pregnancy age 20 Pic 2 – 9 months pregnant age 27 Pic 3 – post both babies age 32



Thankful for this site (Anonymous)

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

My son will be turning a year old next month. I had promised myself that I would have lost all the weight and returned to my “normal” self by this time. And that hasn’t happened. I have always struggled with self-esteem issues. I have never felt attractive. Until I was pregnant. I felt like I was the most luscious creature in the world. And now that my stomach is a little bit floppy and my breasts hang a little lower, I look at my son and I have no regrets. I carried and delivered a healthy, vibrant baby boy. Now I nourish him with my milk. What can be more wonderful than that? Thank you to everyone that posts their story. We are all beautiful in our own ways. And our children love us no matter how saggy our breasts become! The first picture is on our honeymoon, 6 months before I conceived. The second is when I was 8 months pregnant. The third is 11 months postpartum.






6 Weeks Postpartum (Jessica)

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

My name is Jessica, and i had a beautiful son 6 weeks ago today. Having a child has been the most fullfilling event to ever happen in my life. Before becoming pregnant me and my boyfriend of 4 years got married, and we never planned on having kids, only dogs! Six months after our wedding i found out i was pregnant and to both of our suprise we were both very excited. I was very scared because i suffered from anorexia and was underweight and feared gaining weight. I knew i was going to have to so that my baby could be happy and healthy. I ended up gaining 35 pounds by the end of my pregnancy. I was very sick the last 8 weeks, and was unable to keep anything down including my vitamins, water and any kind of food. I didn’t gain any weight in the 8 weeks and was very worried for my childs health. I was induced on November 26th, 2 days before my due date because my blood pressure had been skyrocketing and the doctors were worried about my baby and I’s safety. My son, Hayden, was born at 3:46pm on November 28, 2008 after 44 hours of labor and 3 hours 6 minutes of pushing. It was a vacumn assisted delivery due to the fact that his cord was wrapped around his neck and shoulders. I wasn’t allowed to see him right away and it felt like hours before i heard his first cry. I was put on magnesium during my labor and delivery and since it had been passed through him he was very lethargic and they took him right away and i was unable to see him for 8 hours. That was the toughest thing, i watched A Baby Story religiously during my pregnancy and just thought that would be how my delivery would have went. I would go through it all over again because the outcome was all worth it. I’m still working on recovering from my eating disorder, but it is so difficult with a body that have changed and the extra skin that i now have. Everyday is a struggle in that department. I still have an extra 22lbs of weight on me, but i can live with that for now. Here are some photos of me before i was pregnant, 38 weeks pregnant and 5/6 weeks postpartum



There is Beauty in My Flaws (Melissa)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Positive Body Image/Words of Enouragement, Postpartum, Pregnant, Reader's Favorite, Submissions, Third Pregnancy 9 Comments

so here is a picture of my two sons and myself…my lovely tummy after the damage of having two children in under a year..exactly 11 months to the day apart to be literal. To my boys, I am the most beautiful mommy in the whole world and when they ask me about my stretch marks or extra skin, I tell them that it’s from them growing in my uterus and my body stretching to give them the best home I could. They love to look at pregnant bellies, watch the birthing video’s on youtube and we talk about THIS baby *my third* growing inside my tummy now. My kids don’t look at my tummy with shame, they look at me with pride and knowledge..they know I gave them my body and in turn, they give me their love. I am proud to carry my flaws, they are a small price to pay for the love I get in return. ~Melissa



Time for a start for health (Ashley)

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

Hello my name is Ashley. I gave birth to my first child my daughter Riley on October 20 2008. I am 26 years old and 5’7 and currently 188 pounds. Days before finding out I was pregnant I was around 148 pounds and actually getting comments from everyone that I looked like I was losing weight. I worked as an office manager for two cosmetic dental practices and was so busy I rarely had time to eat during the day thus began loosing weight. I never once experienced morning sickness just an instant hunger and for the first time in my life craved nothing but sugar. I never ate sugar before becoming pregnant. With my new job I had just stopped working out for about 6 months before becoming pregnant due to working 12 hour days. Long story short I gained a lot of weight this pregnancy and my baby was only 6 pounds 11 ounces. My heaviest weight which was taken at my due date October 17 2008 was 205 pounds. I was induced on October 20 2008. Its now 2 months 15 days and time to start training for health physically outward and inward and mentally.






In Love With Myself (Anonymous)

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

I posted here nine months ago thinking that I would return loathing my post pregnancy body. Superficially thinking that “recovering” from my pregnancy would be important.

On April 30th ten days late I birthed a 7lb .5oz baby girl gently into my own arms. Not only was I blessed with a healthy child but I also left my daughter’s birth feeling confidant, and accomplished.

Amelia turned 8 months old yesterday and I couldn’t be happier with myself. While my body looks (mostly) unchanged my belly is just soft enough for her to blow raspberries on, my breasts loosened just enough for her to tug while she nurses, and the little stretch mark above my belly button constantly reminds me of how much I have changed in the last year.

I hope everyone that comes here finds as much happiness in her body as I have.

*First photo 39 weeks pregnant
*Second photo Just moments after our daughter was born
*Third Amelia’s first steps in the snow.
*My new and improved self.