Submissions

UK Mummy, Thinking About Doing it All Again! (Charlotte)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, First Pregnancy, Mom over 30, Postpartum, Submissions 5 Comments

I am a 31 year old mummy to my very gorgeous 11 month old son. He is my first child conceived on my honeymoon!

I was never sure that I wanted children but when I met my husband and realised he was the one then my feelings changed, particularly as he was so excited about becoming a daddy.

I have always had a few body issues, I watch my weight and exercise regularly and stayed in the gym till 6 months pg and then swapped to swimming several miles a week. I am 5ft 11 and was 147 lbs and very fit when I feel pg. I wore a british size 8/10.

I had a good pg, no problems and although I was careful; I still gained close to 50lbs! I was shocked – I ate very carefully and exercised loads but the weight still piled on.

I went a week overdue and gave birth to a strapping 9lbs 1oz boy who is without a doubt the most fantasic thing that has ever happened to me. My husband is a wonderful father and I love being a mummy.

I got back in the gym 6 weeks after he was born and am now 11 months post partum. I am back to my pre pregnancy weight and just need to keep working on shaping up really. I feel very lucky, I did not get stretch marks and, apart from a little loose skin on my tummy and my boobs being a little softer, I feel back to normal and I don’t think I look much different from when I started.

In fact, we are now trying for number 2! Can’t wait and hope I am as lucky this time round.

The pics are me, today, 11 months post partum and the final one is me at 41 weeks looking HUGE!

Learning to Love My Body After a Loss (Lissa)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Breasts, Child Loss, Postpartum, Submissions, Third Pregnancy 11 Comments

I’m mom of 2 living Children and 1 child who died shortly after birth. My youngest and last child was born at 30 weeks. She was a preemie. And I spent many weeks in the hospital prior to giving birth. I felt like my body failed her for the longest time. I was so uncomfortable in my own body. I felt hideous and disfigured. Why could so many women have all their children with no problem and my body led to my child’s death.

I started getting comfortable in my own body recently. And I’ve shed all worry about what other’s think of my body. I’m a mother to 2 beautiful children on Earth and 1 Breathtaking Angel in Heaven who lived for 23 days. I’m happy with my body now. It’s been 2 years since my daughter died.

I truly believe EVERYONE is beautiful. I’ve got huge stretch marks on my stomach, they are my badges and they show my love for my children. My breasts are sagging from nursing and from pumping while my baby was in the NICU. I’m pock marked from acne and I’ve got numerous large moles but I AM beautiful. No matter what anyone else says. I truly don’t think anyone in the world is ugly. I see beautiful in all people, big or small.

Namaste

Lissa

~Your Age: 24
~Number of pregnancies and births: 3- 2 living children
~The age of your children, or how far postpartum you are: 5, 3, and 2 years

Thanks SOAM – 6 Months PP (Anonymous)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Belly, Breast or Body Art, Breasts, First Pregnancy, Mom over 30, Postpartum, Pregnant, Submissions 8 Comments

My Age: 31
Number of Pregnancies and Births: 1
Age of child: 6 months

Pics I attached: The henna belly picture is at 38 weeks, the two naked ones and one of my daughter are 6 months post-partum.

I started lurking here before my husband and I were even trying to have kids. I have to admit; at first some of the photos were a bit shocking. I’m a victim of this culture just like anyone else, and it was sometimes uncomfortable to see exactly what women look like through pregnancy and motherhood. I started checking for new posts daily, and it didn’t take long for me to find the beauty in every single photograph. It’s amazing how social norms work – for or against us sometimes – and it took some exposure and familiarity – and soon I realized how inspiring each mother really is. Thank you for teaching me what it looks like to become a mother. It changes each of us inside and out – and there is something stunning about the power and strength of what our bodies can do. For me, visiting this site helped me prepare just as much as any book I was told to read when I got pregnant. I am in awe of every woman who posts here. We all go through pregnancy and birth on our own journey, and each of us struggles in some way or another with whatever changes come with that path. My husband, bless his heart, said he thought I would make people jealous if I posted on SOAM. (God, I love that man!) I had to explain to him that I struggle with the changes in my body just like all the other women who post here, and he really missed the point of what it means to share images here. I am part of this club, even if I didn’t get stretch marks. We are all “normal” – whatever that word means – with whatever degree of change or level of comfort we have in our own skin. The point is to do our damn best to celebrate each other as women and shed light on the beauty that comes with so many shapes and sizes of motherhood. My body is just a vessel for what is really inside of me, and I’m proud it served me well to grow and nourish a healthy little girl. I’m still working on truly accepting some of the changes, but I wouldn’t trade being a mama for anything – and it’s so worth it.

12 Years Later (Anonymous)

Bonnie (SOAM) 5+ Years Postpartum, Belly, Mom over 30, Postpartum, Pregnant, Second Pregnancy, Submissions 4 Comments

I’m 36 and three months pregnant with number two!! I’ll be 37 at delivery, so I’m technically an “older mom” although I don’t feel like one. My son Zac is 12, so I spaced them out a bit :) I actually posted here a few years ago, just as I was starting to think about having another baby. It’ll be fun to take this journey again as an older and wiser momma. My first pregnancy was awesome, and this one will be awesome plus 12 years. 12 years of gaining insight on things that matter, and calming the hell down about things that don’t. This site helps us all to do that I think. I just felt compelled to include you among my friends to share the happy news with. Here’s me and the new kid at 12 and a half weeks.

070609-anon3-1

1 Year Postpartum With Twins (Anonymous)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, First Pregnancy, HELLP Syndrome, Postpartum, Pregnant, Submissions, Twins 18 Comments

1 year postpartum with twins
anonymous
29 yrs old

I gave birth to twins last July, time really does fly when you have kids!

My little girl weighed in at 6lb2oz and my little boy at 6lbs14oz. I made it to 38 weeks and had a scheduled c-section. I was huge as you can tell from my pic. I am a pretty small person so it was really rough at the end carrying around of the 53 pounds I gained with the pregnancy. I developed HELLP syndrome at the very end, it wasn’t discovered until the morning of the delivery strangely enough.

I am okay with how my body looks most of the time now, although I do miss my old perfect stomach that I will never have back. I was going to buy a one piece swimsuit for the summer but I thought “why should I cover up my wrinkly twin skin? I should be proud and show off the belly that produced my two absolutely perfect, beautiful babies. :)

Although…. if I could get rid of the damn stretchmarks I would in a heartbeat!

The Doctor Said I Need a Breast Lift, WHY? (Anonymous)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Breastfeeding, Cosmetic and/or Reconstructive Surgery, Postpartum, Submissions, Third Pregnancy 32 Comments

Age: 27
Pregnancies: 3
Five months PP

I consulted a cosmetic surgeon about having cosmetic surgery. I wanted breast implants to plump them back up a bit as they are a bit smaller than they were before baby number three, but was told that I needed a breast lift too. I don’t mind about implant scars, as they are in the arm pit, and tiny. But I feel that an uplift operation involves too much obvious scarring, and would make me look worse, not better!!!!!!

I personally don’t think I need them lifting anywhere, unless he wants to put them on my shoulders!!! I may be wrong, I don’t know!

So, I got to thinking, is there a need for me to have this done, or is this man trying to make as much money as he can from vunerable women who feel so bad about them selves after having a baby that they get procedures carried out just because a doctor said they need it done?

I can see a need for a breast lift operation for some people, as the results can be amazing, but I question if cosmetic surgery is being offered to readilly, and to people who don’t really need it. It’s like people have become customers, not patients.

In the early stages after having a baby (I’ve had three), I always get down about the way I look, but I am kind of offended that the doctor I consulted seems to be taking advantage of this.

So, please beware if you are seeking any surgery after child birth!!!!

And, needless to say, I won’t be having a breast lift operation (although the implants still sound good if I can find another doctor)

Embracing the New Me (Anonymous)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Breasts, Child Loss, Four or More Pregnancies, Mom over 30, Postpartum, Submissions 4 Comments

I am a 36 year-old mom to 3 kids, each 2 years apart. Had my babies at 29, 31, 33 years of age. Before kinder, I weighed 130 lbs, and was very slim, due to genetics and regular exercise. Now, after 8 years, 3 kids, 4 pregancies (lost one in between) and a full time job, this is “me”. I’m now at 135 lbs, and am pretty proud at how close I’ve managed to get back down to ‘pre-pregnancy’ weight. It’s taken 6 months of focused exercising to get me to where I’m at, and know that another 6 months will see the last few pounds disappear too.

However, I must admit, I still don’t like the baby “bump”, but am learning to embrace my new shape. I have found much comfort in this site, and wanted to return the favor. I don’t even mind the stretch marks, I consider them my ‘war wounds’ and they remind me of my 3 wonderful pregnancies all of which I thoroughly enjoyed. Will I ever get my 29 year old body back? Likely not. But I will do my best to be my best. So far, I’m happy with the progress I’ve made but will continue to work towards attaining my true prepregnancy weight but am ok with the knowledge that it will take time. Slow and steady wins the race? For sure! I’m on my way …

3 Babies in 5 Years and a New Body (Jean)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Postpartum, Pregnant, Submissions, Teen Mom, Vulva/Vaginal Damage 10 Comments

I got pregnant at 18 and got stretch marks at 5 months in. I gave birth to a healthy baby girl 7lbs 5oz, then another baby girl 2 1/2 years later weighing 7 lbs 15oz. Again 2 1/2 year later a little boy weighing 7lbs 9oz. I included their weights because they are all very average but I look like I gave birth to 10 lbers. Although I did gain a considerable amount of weight that came off FAST

One Year Ago Today (Zahra)

Bonnie (SOAM) Before Pregnancy, Belly, Breech Baby, Cesarean, Child Loss, Postpartum, Pregnant, Second Pregnancy, Submissions, Tattoo 11 Comments

We found out we were pregnant with Rory 6 weeks after having a miscarriage. I know we were so blessed for it to happen so quickly. I was so excited to be pregnant and really focused on enjoying the pregnancy despite our concerns that we would lose another baby. I have always had to work very hard to maintain my weight, I was never one of those people who could eat whatever I wanted or just lay around. I was active my entire pregnancy and continued to jog up till the day I went into labor. I was not extremely indulgent, I never ate entire bags, boxes, or cartons of anything. In the 42 weeks I was pregnant, I gained 35 pounds, which I didn’t feel was too bad. I loved being pregnant and I loved my growing belly.

We had an amazing midwife and had full intentions of having a water birth at a free standing birth center. When they offered to give us a tour of the hospital “just in case” we declined because I was so sure that I was having my baby in the birth center why would I waste my time visiting the hospital?! Let’s just say thank God the Birth Center mandates preregistration at the hospital…

Shortly after returning home from a wedding on June 14, 2008, my water broke and regular contractions soon began. After 10 hours, my husband and I decided it was time to go to the birth center as we had an hour drive ahead of us, we did not want to go too early because they only have 3 birthing rooms and we knew they would send us home if I was not far enough along. When we arrived our midwife instructed 2 students to begin filling the tub while she checked me – that’s when I saw the look on her face. She said ” I have good news and bad news, the good news is you’re 7 cm dialated, the bad news is my finger is in your baby’s butt!”…I knew we would have to go to the hospital, that was that. In the long run, it was wonderful, the hospital was fine, the cesarean was no big deal, and we got to take home the greatest souvenir ever, our baby Rory.

I went home from the hospital 10 pounds heavier than when I went in…I gained 10 pounds of fluid, I went the entire pregnancy with not so much as a swollen finger and went home looking like the stay puff marshmallow man. Still I thought, no big deal, I was nursing and I ate well, so the weight would just fall off…right? Not quite, it stayed and stayed and did not budge, all my friends were back in their jeans in a few months and I was still wearing maternity pants 5 months pp…..finally, slowly but surely after I stopped nursing upon returning to work, it started to budge little by little. It’s still a struggle, I have to watch what I eat and work out 5-6 days a week, but I knew that would be the case. I firmly believe in the theory of 9 on and 9 off! Happy Birthday to my Muffin, I can’t believe it’s been a year. I am so amazed that my body produced him. He is the joy of my life, he makes me love my husband more and more. I pray that we will be blessed once again to give him a sibling. He amazes me every day!

1st pic 37 weeks pregnant, 2nd 5 days pp, 3rd 3 months before pregnancy, 4th-6th pic 1 year pp, 7th pic our family

~ Age: 29
~Number of pregnancies and births: 2 pregnancies, 1 birth
~The age of your children, or how far postpartum you are: 1 year