Submissions

First Baby and an Out of Body Experience (Anonymous)

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

This is me 5 months after my baby boy was born. I just do not look the same at all . My breast use to be perky and my stomach was less flabby before. Yet, at the end of the day when I look at my body I know its truly a blessing because I wouldn’t trade him for anything. He is so inspiring. Watching him grow every day is amazing. I love this site and how there are many other women out there that have been and are still going through the body changes. The shape of a mother is a beautiful thing and we need to embrace our new selves and no focus on what society tags as beautiful.




Anonymous

Bonnie (SOAM) First Pregnancy, No Photos (Story Only), Submissions, Teen Mom 7 Comments

5’7″.
Size 3.
125 pounds.
16 years old.
That was then..

Size 11.
145 pounds.
17 years old.
This is now..

My life changed when the pregnancy tests [all 5 of them] came back positive. I was 16 years old, a junior in high school, an athlete. I loved my body.

People said I was too young to be a mother. I was told that I was a slut [even though I had only been with one guy.] I was told that I was just another typical teen mother who would make my mom raise my kid. According to them, I was selfish..

My daughter was born on January 12, 2009. She had to be delivered with forceps. I had an episiotomy, hemorrhaged, and lost so much blood that my doctor ordered one of the nurses to find out my blood type in case I was to need a transfusion. Thankfully, I didn’t.

My breasts, stomach, butt and thighs are no longer what they used to be. I have stretch marks on my breasts, butt, and thighs.

I gained 50 pounds. When I delivered, I weighed 175 pounds.
Breastfeeding has helped me to lose 30 pounds in three weeks. Now, I’m stuck at 145 pounds.

But you know what? Even though my stomach is much looser, my legs are much thicker, my boobs are much bigger, and I have stretch marks, I know I’m beautiful. I’m happy with my body.

My body is beautiful because I’m a mother. No one can take that away. So go ahead, call me fat – I don’t care. I’m happy and I’m beautiful, regardless of what people say….

3 Years, 3 Surgeries, and 3 Kids Later (Anonymous)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Complications in Pregnancy, Postpartum, Second Pregnancy, Submissions, Surgical Scar (Non-Cesarean), Toxemia, Twins, Update 8 Comments

When I met my husband I was a 117lb senior in highschool. We got married December after we graduated (I was 18). 4 months into our marriage I found out I was pregnant. My first pregnancy was text book until I hit 37 weeks and Toxemia set in and I ballooned. I was 135lbs when i got pregnant and when I gave birth I weighed 187lbs. Fast forward and I decided to get the Mirena for birthcontrol. Well 2 months into it the IUD perforated my uterus. So we had to have a laproscopic surgery to have it removed. I had lost the weight (down to 140) and then went back up 186 (after antidepressants). When my gorgeous daughter was 9 months old I found out I was pregnant again! On Christmas eve (I was 20 weeks pregnant) I found out I was pregnant with identical twin boys. We were excited and nervous. I had a good pregnancy for twins, I started having contractions at 30 weeks and finally gave birth to my boys (5lbs 2 oz and 5lbs 10 oz). I went in weighing 199 lbs. Then came surgery number 2. I had a tubal ligation before I left the hospital. When the boys were about 6 months old I found out I had a gastral hernia (it was inbetween my belly button and my rib cage). So there was ANOTHER surgery. There has been a lot of stresses (Lost jobs, moving, money, etc…) And I currently weigh 188 (Just lost 4 lbs) I hate being an almost plus size and hate my body. My stretchmarks and scars and the bulges. My husband is so supportive of me, but I used to be the perfect body and now, I hate my body. I look in the mirror and all I see is fat. I am currently working on walking everynight and not eating so badly. But it is so HARD. This website has made me feel better. And those twin post pregnancy pictures I see my body and know im not the only one. I just see these moms that have just had kids and are into prepregnancy jeans and have like 1 stretchmark, and I feel like ive failed. But I have my 3 beautiful kids and a wonderful husband and for now that enough! Maybe a swimsuit body after some hard work?



Updated here.

Trying to Accept My Body Really Hard (Roxy)

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

will i ever look better??? thats all I keep asking myself im 21yrs old and i had my first baby girl on Nov 16 2008. I got married at 18 and we decide to try having a baby in 08 and in March I finally saw the two pink lines we were soooo exited I thought I was dreaming. So my pregnancy was great I didn’t gain any weight i was in my ideal 125 until my 8th month dam that month i started gaining 2 to 3lbs a week thats when I got my stretch marks as they appear I got more depressed my eating habits where the same, it was so sad seeing my body getting all these red lines that where so itchy. I had my baby girl two weeks early she was perfectly healthy thanks GOD, she weight 6 pounds and 13oz and measure 19inches. In my 38 weeks i weight 164 my entire body has stretch marks hips, breast, belly, legs. I also had back damage because my belly was so heavy and my breast have grown so huge its horrible. But now im just trying to loose all that weigh because my body I feel that is huge including my face, I want to do exercises but for some reason I just wont do them I feel like I don’t have self esteem. I cry every time I look at my naked body because I feel like its my fault I should take better care of my self and I feel too depressed because im so lonely, I have my husband and my baby but I have no friends and all my family member are in other country.
Im posting a pic of me 1month before my pregnancy, at my 7months, 38 weeks,1month pp and my daughter.



Updated here.

I’m Only 18 – Wife & Mom, 4 Weeks PP (Anonymous)

Bonnie (SOAM) Before Pregnancy, Belly, First Pregnancy, Postpartum, Submissions, Teen Mom 9 Comments

Hello! I became pregnant @ 17, married my husband after we turned 18, and gave birth to a gorgeous 9lb 6 ounce baby vaginally. 36 hours of labor, and 3 hours of pushing, he was sunny side up, and they had to cut me. :(

I’m now coming to terms with this new body, all the new stretch marks on my tummy. I’m 5’11 and have never been tiny obviously. I was 170 pounds before pregnancy, and maxed out at the end at a wopping 218 pounds. I carried him pretty well, in my back. I didn’t get big or stretch marks til the end of my 8th month. I have a love/hate relationship with my body right now. To me when I look in the mirror I think I look pretty good for just having a kid, but then I start to look at the stretch marks, or where my perfect legs were before, now replaced with larger than before thighs and calves. Chubbier arms, and back fat.

Ahh! Being like this at being 18 sucks, but looking over this site has helped me cope so much!

And of course having my little baby, theres nothing better than having him suckle and hearing his little coos and seeing him smile.

My husband has not yet met his son because he is in the airforce at technical school and wont be home til march. He actually had to leave during my labor to go back after christmas break. I’ve sent him pictures and he compliments me all the time but I’m still nervous for our reunion.

I haven’t yet weighed myself which I think is a good thing. Thank you for everybody who has posted, it has helped me so much!



Pregnant Belly With Scar (Jenny)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, First Pregnancy, Pregnant, Submissions, Surgical Scar (Non-Cesarean) 7 Comments

I went through a bad patch at about 34 weeks pregnant when I took this picture because I had always had a lovely, trim, pure white tummy. After having an ovarian cyst removed by laparotomy at 14 weeks pregnant, I was left with a neat scar, which is becoming more and more noticeable, bumpy and ragged the more my bump grows. Combined with the stretchmarks and putting on 4 stone, I started to feel really down about my body… Then I started sharing pics with other pregnant women and discovered that we all have varying degrees of anxiety about our pregnant bodies, whatever they look like, and are all coming to terms with the many physical and mental changes that herald motherhood, which is such a miraculous process of which the outer signs are just the tip of the iceberg. I am looking on the stretch marks as a badge of honour from my baby, and the scar as a demonstration of his tenacity in surviving the operation. I am due in the next few weeks, so am looking forward to his safe arrival and the new body that I will have after the bump is gone – stretch marks, flabby skin, scars… the lot!



27 yo, 3 Months PP (Anonymous)

Bonnie (SOAM) Before Pregnancy, Belly, First Pregnancy, Postpartum, Pregnant, Submissions 32 Comments

I’m excited to finally share my story after reading this website for a couple years. I’m 27 years old and this is my first baby. My pre-pregnancy weight was 125 lbs. I gained 35 lbs with pregnancy. Now 12 weeks pp, I’m down to 130 lbs. I didn’t get any stretch marks. Honestly, I ate pretty crappy throughout my pregnancy. As for exercise, I did yoga a few times a week prior to being pregnant, but quit exercising once I got pregnant. However, with my job I was walking and on my feet a lot. I’m also breastfeeding exclusively. I attribute it all to genetics (thanks mom!), considering I haven’t put forth any effort to lose the weight. I delivered a beautiful, healthy 7 lb 10 oz baby girl after 18 hours of labor. Sadly, I’ve always had a poor body image. I was very nervous about what pregnancy would do to me physically, especially after seeing some of the pictures on this site. Overall though, I’m proud of my body and what it’s done for me. Here are the pics. My body looks crooked because I’ve got mild scoliosis, and my right boob is bigger than the left.

Blue undies: 6 weeks pregnant
Pink undies: 40 weeks pregnant
Green undies: 12 weeks postpartum









PS – Postpartum 21 & 25 Years Later (Anonymous)

Bonnie (SOAM) 5+ Years Postpartum, Belly, Breasts, Mom over 30, Postpartum, Second Pregnancy, Submissions, Update 11 Comments

Previous entry here.

The wonderful comments from all the young mums have really boosted me. I felt good about my body after my babies were born. But hit my later years and now I hate what I see nude in the mirror. I don’t have stretch marks, nor cellulite, so I am lucky, but all those with stretchmarks – they will fade in time – it is early days yet. Just enjoy your babies and also ensure you have a little time for you to be you. Also give yourself time to be not just a mum, but a whole and sexy woman who is her own person. Sometimes you can do little to change your body but keep fit and healthy and make the most of yourself. Thank you to everyone who has commented positively about my body – it has meant a lot to me.





Updated here.

Unexpected C-Section (Anonymous)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Breasts, Cesarean, Cesarean Scar and/or Incision, First Pregnancy, Postpartum, Pregnant, Submissions 11 Comments

I am 34 yrs old, my son, my first and only and here are some pics of mine 40 weeks pregnant and 8 days post partum…. This was my first pregnancy. I was planning for a vaginal birth from the beginning but by week 40 the doc realized that it wont be possible due to cord problems so there i was planning a csection for the following day. i was really scared of the operation and worried about my shape after the op. well, after i got to hold my son it all seemed meaningless. i was happy relaxed and laid back. i spent only one day in bed, which i believe helped the healing of my c-scar. and pregnancy was kind to me. no strech marks (almond oil) and my belly is getting smaller every day… i think that is thanks to breastfeeding… i have a few stretch marks on my breasts but i feel like my son is worth it all. he is so lovable and cute :)