Here are pics of my belly and scar 2 wks after…the scar has not gotten any better. I’m due in 3 wks with #2 and my body is destroyed!

Here are pics of my belly and scar 2 wks after…the scar has not gotten any better. I’m due in 3 wks with #2 and my body is destroyed!
I’m 22 years old and I got married may 19 2006 and found out I was pregnant in july 06. That was the happiest day of my life.I was like I will never get stretch marks I never put any coco butter on my belly and I swore I would be lucky, I wasn’t
My belly is covered in them and Now my daughter is 19 months and now they are fading, but I can see them.. It bothers me but I’m learning to love them, they remind me of my beautiful Daughter Adonia and seeing other women with the same stretch marks lets me know that I’m not the only one… I have been working out to get my tummy back before I get pregnant again…
I’ve never been very skinny. The only point I can remember being so was when I was 13 and 5’6″ and maybe 90-100lbs. After that I plumed big time. At the age of 15 almost 16 I started having really bad pains that made it hard to walk, it was found that I had ovarian cysts, a month later I stopped having a menstrual cycle. When I turned 16 I was put on birth control pills to regulate my cycles and help with the cysts. In that time frame, age 15-16, I packed on around 30-40lbs and was around 170 at 5’7″. Not horribly overweight but still higher.
I was on birth control pills from 16 to just after 18 when my last pack ran out(June 2005). My OB/Gyn said that I may not be able to get pregnant, so part of me though why do I need pills then. In July 2005 I had a cyst burst, while at work, I crawled under my desk and cried till my boyfriend and boss found me and my boyfriend took me to my mom’s house, and she took me to the doctors. A month after that I found out I was pregnant. Just by chance too. I had a friend that we knew was pregnant, she had to be she was more then 2weeks late, but she refused to take a test unless some one did with her. Her older sister had never been with anyone and I was the only one around, so I bought her a 2 pack, I went first, looked and threw it out all with in seconds, she peed and handed it to me not wanting to look. Hers instantly was positive. I went back somewhere between 5-10minutes later and got mine out of the trash, to my shock it was positive.
Over the next few days I took 2 more tests each positive. Then August 12th, 2005 I started bleeding. I went to the ER but there was nothing that could be done, we’d lost the baby all within a week of finding out. It was hard, I was only 18, living in the not best conditions with my Fiance(no house), but in away I think it was a slight blessing even though I still cry about it to this day. My cycle never came back after that. My OB gave me a shot of progesterone in October and it started a small cycle, light bleeding for 2 days, nothing then spotting the day after, I’d never had light periods in my life so it was odd. My Fiance and I had an appointment set in November to get the depo shot, but I had to have a cycle first. Instead of going to get the depo shot, it turned into my first prenatal visit of sorts. I found out in early November 2005 that I was pregnant again. Sadly we were planning a move to Texas where my then fiance’s family lives so I didnt’ get a real prenatal appointment.
The move to Texas didn’t last, we were there from Mid December to early February. I was horridly sick, severe HG morning sickness, I couldn’t even keep water down and was in the ER a few times in Texas. I also missed my mom too much. So we moved back to Idaho in February. And I got my first real parental appointment at around 18 weeks. It was such a relief to be able to go to the doctors if needed. We found out just 10days before my 19th birthday that we were having a boy(March 2006) to the joy of both of us. I was diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes in late April 2006, which is partly why I had been so sick before. My blood pressure started going up too in late May early June, and became Pregnancy Induced Hypertension, and was being watched for pre-e.
My son, Seamus was born on July 18th, 2006. I was induced at 39weeks 5days because of the GD and PIH and he was born just barley at 39weeks 6days (10:12pm). He had a little stay in the incubator for jaundice and we got to come home on July 21st.
In September 2006 I had Mirena IUD placed. It was ok except for it caused me to gain 25lbs in a month. The weight gain made me mad sense I was already way past my prepregnancy weight and thought I’d actually get under 200lbs. I struggled with my weight over the next 2yrs. From November 2007 to May 2008 I lost 20lbs of that weight (I went from 200lbs pre IUD to 225 after, then to 250 a few months later) but it wasn’t much. In May 2008 I had my IUD removed in hopes it would help me to loose more weight. I had bleeding (not really a cycle) from May 17th to the 20th and slight spotting on the 21st. That was the last time I had real bleeding. I had some spotting in early July but it wasn’t any more then what could lightly be seen on toilet paper. I was getting frustrated in late July early August sense it had been almost 90days sense I had any type of bleeding. I went to the clinic they ran tests for thyroid problems which came back normal, and the doc just said it was PCOS a term I’ve herd many times in regards to me. They did a pregnancy test on August 1st just to be sure. Then told me it was negative and that I’d need medical help to get pregnant again, much like the progesterone with my son. They gave me a script for it and my husband and I decided we’d fill it but not use it till December.
One thing had been on my mind though the whole time. How sore my breasts were. I had a digital test lying around from when my IUD was taken out and I decided sense we were going to be trying any time soon that I’d use the test to get it out of the house. I peed and put the lid on it and set it down. I picked it up a couple seconds later expecting to see “Not Pregnant”…..thats not what it said…it said “Pregnant” I freaked, my 2yr old son was in there with me and was confused why mommy was being weird. My husband was still asleep and I took the test to him and shoved it in his face and woke him up, he laughed! I didn’t believe it so I made him buy me another test, took it and it was also positive right away(line test this time) it was a shocker (all this August 17th, 2008). I went to the doctors 2 weeks later sense we didnt’ know how far along I was and found out I was 6weeks 2days, and due April 19th, 2009.
So far things are going ok this time around, I haven’t been puking near as bad as with my son, and actually its getting better at this point, 12weeks 4days. I’m having to have my Gestational Diabetes testing done between 17-18weeks this time sense I was on insulin with my son, and they are watching me closely for pre-e this time. So far so good.
I really wanted to show some pictures of me, the not skinny plus sized, 21yr old mommy thats pregnant, and really you can’t tell because of my gut. I want ladies to see that not everyone is small :)
I want to lie and say that I am comfortable with my body.
I want to say that I don’t give it a second thought.
The truth though…
The truth is that I think about it often.
I can be honest and say I think about it less now than I ever have.
This website helps.
Trying to maintain a healthy outlook helps.
Knowing, now that I have a son who has rocked my world, that love for a child…your own child…kicks all other types of love in the ass.
The emotion I feel when I look at my son conquers all.
If you are a mother, you know that.
You know that you would jump in front of ten speeding locomotives for your child.
You know that you would sacrifice all for your child.
You know that watching every first, step, bite and word is better than…well…is better than anything for which we have words.
I know that I am “lucky”.
I didn’t get stretch-marks (well, not many)
My body handled pregnancy well.
I carried small.
But, in reading what I have written, that “luck” seems trite and selfish and trivial.
It.
Does.
Not.
Matter.
What matters is growth and adaptation and health and happiness and love and memories.
Juicy watermelon running down my son’s chin.
Laughter as he splashes through a puddle.
His assuredness as he navigates his first steps.
That sweet smell of his milky breath first thing in the morning.
When he smiles.
When he smiles.
When he smiles.
I want to lie and say that I am comfortable with my body.
I want to say that I don’t give it a second thought.
The truth though…
The truth is that I think about it often.
Updated here.
Learning to love my stretchmarks!
Week 39 begins tomorrow, and there aren’t words to express how excited I am to meet my little one. This is our first baby, and we feel so blessed.
I made it to week 36 without a single stretch mark, and I will never forget a friend of mine telling me right around that time how great my belly looked and how lucky I was to be stretch mark free.
Well the very next week they started to show up to one side of my belly button, and over the last few weeks it seems that they have gotten darker, longer and wider every day. I’m amazed at how fast my skin has changed. I’ve had a few stretch marks on my breasts and on my sides for years, and they don’t bother me at all. But to have them covering my entire belly is going to take some adjustment. Maybe I just assumed that since my mom and my sister didn’t get any during pregnancy, I wouldn’t either. I’ll admit it, I’m disappointed.
But I love being pregnant. I love my big, round, beautiful belly and I have been so proud to show it off. If this is the biggest sacrifice I need to make, so be it. Time will pass and I’ll get used to my new body. I’ll learn to love it again, or so I hope. And I’ll be so in love with my son or daughter that nothing else will really matter.
6 months ago i had a baby 4’360kg… cessarean of course… before he arrive i have a normal and thin body… with nice skin… the pregnancy was great, all people said that i have a nice and rounded belly… then tima passed and my son don’t wanted get out… he grow and grow… till arrive 42 weeks… Now i have diastasis, hernia, wrinkles, not a big belly… but a frankenstein belly… So, all you can be happy with your bodies after seeing my pics ;) :”(
So i am a first time mum to my beautiful baby boy harrison his almost 8 months ! i have a wonderful fiancee and everything is going great but i am so depressed i hate my body i hate who i am as a person i hate my shy personality i hate my voice i hate EVERYTHING about myself etc i despise myself i dont know why i never used to like this but as i see it its all because of my body back in the day before harrison i was happy with how i was i was confident carefree didnt worry about things at all now i am disgusting ! i hate looking at myself all the time i am always comparing myself too other ppl i dont want to i just do it and doesnt help when my friends that have babies the same age as harrison are back to there slim tiny selves it gets to me so bad that i dont want to be near them anymore because i get jealous and i get intimated by them and feel just stupid next to them why am i like this i never used to be i understand i have a beautiful boy who i give my whole life for but why cant i just feel good about myself.It was only in the last 8 mnths of my pregnancy that i gained heaps of weight i dont know it didnt eat more i have always been petite so being this big im not used of it i hate it i just want to cry it has ruined wat i used to be..Please someone how can i learn to accept this is how my body is now how can i get confidence back and how can i stop puttin myself down 24/7 and compare myself to others i need to get out of this hell which is called my mind …
A friend referred me to this site when I told her, in shock, that I couldn’t fit into any of my pre-pregnancy clothing. I guess I had assumed, having always been a rather thin girl, a model and a dancer, that I would somehow magically bounce back into pre-preggo shape right after birth, like the Hollywood stars do. But that’s obviously a myth, and I’m slowly learning to accept it.
A lot of my previously held illusions were shattered by pregnancy. I thought I would be “lucky” and escape the Stretch Mark Monster, but I didn’t. I thought I’d be healthy and not gain too much weight, but at 42 weeks, I was 170 lbs. I had started at 120 lbs. I thought my breast wouldn’t get too big, since I barely fit an A cup before pregnancy, but they’re grown and grown to the point where I think bigger isn’t better, even where boobs are concerned!
After my labor, I forced myself not to look at my body, because I knew that if I did, I would freak out. I thought to myself “maybe if I ignore it, by the time I look at it again, it’ll have gotten better”. Having taken these pictures of myself standing naked in the bathroom, I realize that I won’t be going back to who I was before. I had worked so hard to keep myself in picture-perfect shape, I had used all the lotions and potions to keep my skin smooth and young, and suddenly, everything about my appearance was totally out of my control. I think I didn’t let my husband see me naked until a week ago.
It’s been a long road and I know I have more healing to do, both inside and outside. I have to let go of my illusions of the “perfect hollywood body”. I have to accept that I am forever changed by my maternity, and that the new form I will gradually achieve is just as beautiful as the one I wore before. And when I look at my beautiful daughter, somehow, it doesn’t matter or hurt as much.
I am 27 and this was my first pregnancy. My daughter was born 5 weeks early by emergency c-section after I was diagnosed with severe pre-eclampsia after I started blacking out from high blood pressure. Up until that point I had battled many odds with this pregnancy. 2nd trimester bleeding, gestational diabetes, a bells palsy, crippling carpel tunnel, acne all over my back and chest, and morning sickness up until the day she was born. She was breach at the time of the c-section but was otherwise healthy and weighed 5 lbs 11oz.
I don’t really notice or care about the stretch marks, although friends that have seen my tummy looked surprised and shocked before telling me I “look great”. My husband and I have a joke that my tummy looks like the radar map for a hurricane, we find this funny since we live in Miami. I am going to the gym now several times a week and already have my one piece swimsuit picked out to hit the beach this winter. The last pictures are my tummy 5 months post partum.
It is now six months, One week, and 4 days since my daughter was born. She arrived March, 13 2008. This time last year, We were about to find out what the sex of our new arrival would be. I had too many emotions to name, but I was so excited. .I wrote her letters, stared at her ultrasound pictures, and filled out every thing in the pregnancy section of the baby book. All this time taking weekly pictures of my growing belly. Every picture seem to reveal more and more stretch marks, but I secretly liked them. I liked them because I knew that was a sign she was growing and would be here soon. Around 33 weeks into my pregnancy, I was diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes. My Doctor ordered a very controlled diet. Gestational Diabetes would be the reason for setting up an induction at 38 weeks. The Induction day was on March 12, 2008 @ 2:00pm. The Dr. started with Cervadil then later Pitocin. Contractions started around 8pm they lasted until about 5pm on March 13, 2008. They were back to back, and I should have been dilating, but I wasn’t. The Doctor came to check on me around 5pm. I had a very high fever. They prepped me for an emergency c-section and a spinal block. I remember every tug and painful pull to get my daughter out, but once I heard her cry it was a feeling I will never forget. I spent that next week in the hospital recovering from a Uterine Infection. She was fine, and healthy from day one, and that is all I could have asked for. I’ve never been ashamed of my stretch marks, because if I didn’t have them, I wouldn’t have my daughter. Being her mother is the best thing in the world.
In the first photo I was 35 weeks pregnant
In the second I was 36 weeks
In the third photo I was 2 months postpartum
The last two photos are 6months postpartum