Second Pregnancy

Second Pregnancy, Teen Pregnancy (Anonymous)

Bonnie (SOAM) African American, Belly, Postpartum, Pregnant, Second Pregnancy, Submissions, Teen Mom 5 Comments

Having kids was the best thing that happened to me. Looking in the mirror was the worst! I develop acne and the worst stretch marks ever. I have seen alot of your pictures and still i feel like i’m the worst. My first child was at the age of 16,and the second one 17. CRAZY right? But anyway things truly happen for a reason so I wasn’t worried at all. I just thought that if I just work a little bit harder, it would be ok. BOY DID I WORK…STILL WORKING! I had little to no family or friends to help me, all I had was my boyfriend and I.So we did what we had to do, and now i’m proud to that we graduated high school,in college, and have good jobs. We both love spending time with the kids, so we made up a time out the day strictly for the family and nothing else.Many people in our lives never thought we would make this far, plus we’re both African Americans so statistics say the same. I have a beautiful baby girl and a toddler boy I LOVE THEM TO DEATH. I’m really proud to say I have “The Shape of a Mother.”





20 Week Belly (Anonymous)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Postpartum, Pregnant, Second Pregnancy, Submissions 3 Comments

This is a picture taken of my 20 weeks pregnant belly. I have one little girl already who is almost 4 and that’s where the stretchmarks come from. I used to be moderately ashamed of them, but since being pregnant with this child and looking at all the bumps online, I realize that I should not feel shame! I should feel pride that we, as women, have the honor to carry those battle scars! Men (used to ONLY men)go to war and come back with horrific scars and show them to people with pride. While women do not get purple hearts for their heroism, they do get to look at the life they made every day and men only have painful memories….. Wear your marks proudly ladies! We are at war with people who think our bodies are not perfect because of the “flaws” pregnancy puts upon us! I say what thing is there that is more beautiful that the temple of a mother’s body?!

2 Babies in 2 Years (Anonymous)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Postpartum, Second Pregnancy, Submissions 4 Comments

I found out I was pregnant with my first child in February 2004. I couldn’t wait for my husband to get home that day from work. He told me on the way home that he had news for me too. I told him I was pregnant and he told me that he got laid off. YEAH!!! All was going well until I developed pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH) at 31 weeks with him. I was placed on a restrictive diet and bed rest for the remainder of the pregnancy. It wouldn’t have been so bad but we were on one income. I was induced at 37 1/2 weeks. After an 18 hour labor, a beautiful baby boy was born. However, he had trouble breathing. His lungs were not developed enough due to the complications of my pregnancy so he spent a week in the NICU.

I nursed him until he was 10 months old. I had to reluctantly wean him due to the fact that I found out I was pregnant in August 2005. Wow what a surprise to my husband and I. I was hoping that this pregnancy would go well and I wouldn’t have the problems that I did previously. However I was not so lucky. I developed PIH at 24 weeks literally overnight. I had been feeling great until I woke up one morning feeling terrible. I went to the doctor and he put me in the hospital immediately. I spent the weekend there and then released with meds to control blood pressure and orders to be on “part time” bed rest. I though “Bed rest” with a 14 month old. Yeah right!!! The next 12 weeks included increased medications, daily checks of my blood pressure, reduced hours at work, and a restrictive diet. I tried to make it week to week. I made it to 36 1/2 weeks. I was induced and 11 hours later a gorgeous healthy baby girl was born. She had no problems breathing and was perfect in every way.

My body has been through a lot of ups and downs in the past two years. But I would do it all over again in a hearthbeat. My scars, stretch marks, and saggy skin are a testament to my two beautiful children, who are now 2 and 9 months.

My body as a mother and mother-to-be (Anonymous)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Postpartum, Second Pregnancy, Submissions 10 Comments

I wish to remain anonymous, but I felt inspired to contribute.

These pictures I am submitting are of me at 25 weeks pregnant with my 2nd child.
The stretch marks are from my first pregnancy.

I had a c-section, so the skin is still saggy where my scar is.

I lost about 50 lbs from my pre-pregnancy weight after my first child was born, then got pregnant again when my first child was 13 months old.

Depsite all my stretch marks and sagging skin, I still love my pregnant body. I realize that it’s in the process of creating a miracle. And even after the baby is here, the marks on my body will be a reminder of the two miracles that I have created. My body is that of a mother. And for that, it is beautiful.

Triplet Belly

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Homebirth, Postpartum, Pregnant, Reader's Favorite, Second Pregnancy, Submissions, Triplets 112 Comments

This is a timeline of my belly from 7 weeks through 36 weeks, 3 months post partum, and my babies at 6 weeks old. I gave birth, at home, to my three beautiful babies at 37 weeks. Though this pregnancy changed by body forever, I loved every minute of it. Being a mom of triplets (and my great 2 1/2 year old) is the best thing that’s ever happened to me.

Keleigh

Bonnie (SOAM) Before Pregnancy, Belly, Belly, Breast or Body Art, Breastfeeding, Breasts, Postpartum, Second Pregnancy, Submissions, Twins 18 Comments

I’ve been meaning to submit to Shape of A Mother – what a fantastic project! I’ve done some writing about body image for mothers through my work as a henna artist and several people have recommended this project to me. I would be honored to participate.

Three children – pregnant from April 2003 to June 2005 (with a couple months between each) – two full-term births – tandem nursing still 2.5 years later. My body has been through SO much, nearly as much as my heart and mind. I like to think of my stretch marks as “natural tattoos”, and to try to celebrate them as intentional marks that represent my inner strength and journey. This has helped a little, but even more powerful for me has been body art. I did my first henna design on my own stretch marks (henna is a temporary plant stain that has been used for at least 4,000 years as body art). I wanted to celebrate them overtly, to really SEE them and trace their lines. It helped so much to transform my self-hatred and non-acceptance into admiration. I still struggle, and will continue to perform this body art every year around the time I gave birth. Someday I’ll put on a crop top or a bikini and show the world!

I didn’t take a photo of that first design, but it inspired me to begin a henna body art service just for mothers (www.BellyBeautifulHenna.com). I wanted to be able to share the power I discovered with women during their own transformations. I wanted them to feel beautiful, special, pampered, and honored. I will not post my clients bellies here without their consent, but they have given their permission to have their images on my site.

Since beginning my henna body art I’ve done henna on my own breastfeeding breasts and found just as much power in that experience (perhaps even a bit more). Not only that but my little nurslings appreciated it as well (“Look, momma’s nummies have ff-owers!”).

Henna is a critical tool in my journey to accepting my changed body. Not only is it an opportunity to do something specifically for me and relax and lay back for a while, it’s an ancient tradition that connects me with thousands of years of women who have passed through this same transformation. Henna is a little sloppy, imperfect, organic, and beautifully unique. It is not crisp and tight the way ink tattoos are, and it doesn’t have the associations with young, toned bodies. It gradually fades over several days, leaving a lasting reminder that my body IS beautiful in its own way.

May each of you find your path to acceptance.

Anonymous

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

Just a photo I took this week to highlight how proud I am of the blessing Gods given me.
I have one son who is 2 yrs. old… This will be our 2nd child. I have no clue what this baby is… Everyone says girl :-) but I think thats because I have a boy already.

Pregnancy has its ups and downs. I think with my 1st pregnancy I was very shy with the idea of my belly getting big and round. With this one though I’m proud of it… and not one big ashamed.

Its a miracle and I think every woman should celebrate being able to carry a precious baby inside them.

I’m 23 yrs old.
My body wont ever look as “youthful” or “flat” as it use too… but who cares. When you wake up each morning to those precious babes calling your name its so worth every imperfection you may see.

Charm is decietful and Beauty is fading, but a woman who fears the Lord… she shall be priased! Proverbs 31:30

I’m 38.5 weeks pregnant in the photo w/ my 2nd (not born yet, due this christmas 06)

Aine

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Belly, Breast or Body Art, Cesarean, Second Pregnancy, Submissions 3 Comments

This is my belly around 36 weeks pregnant with number 2. We did this for Halloween and had a lot of fun with it. You probably can’t see them but I had stretch marks and the belly overhang from the c-section I had the first time. I didn’t get any new stretch marks this time around and didn’t gain as much weight.

I had a great VBAC this time around, my blog and the whole story is at https://creepyucmama.blogspot.com

aine.jpg

Anonymous

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Postpartum, Pregnant, Second Pregnancy, Submissions, Teen Mom 3 Comments

This is a shot of my belly at 31 weeks. All the stretch marks are from my first pregnancy, three years ago. I stretched out so much from the first one that, as of yet, I have developed no new stretch marks.

I was 18 when I had my first. So, just because you’re young doesn’t mean your body is going to be flawless afterward. I lost all my pregnancy yet and then some, but my belly remained wrinkly and saggy. It took me a while to accept that it would never be smooth. But now, I realize that I am beautiful. As my husband continuously tells me, my stretch marks are a reminder of the miracle I created.