Submissions

Mum at 16, Learning to love my new body (Anonymous)

Bonnie (SOAM) Before Pregnancy, Belly, Cesarean, First Pregnancy, Postpartum, Pregnant, Submissions, Teen Mom 10 Comments

I Fell Pregnant Febuary 2008, at the age of 15. I never once considered abortion or adoption, I decided too keep my baby once i found out. The father had mixed emotions but is now a proud father, I gave birth too a beautiful baby girl 5 days after my 16th on the 17th nov 08. She was an emergency c-section baby due too her doing her first poop “Meconium” In my stomach, Her heart rate was dropping with every contraction. And i was way too tense. I Thought i got away with no stretch marks until i hit 34 weeks.. And suddenly they appeared. I Must admit i dont have that many. And im quite pleased with how i look now (1 month after), I am amazed with the shape of my body, How smililar it looks, The stretch marks do put me down a bit, But im getting over it.. Here are some of my pictures.





Appendix Removal During Pregnancy (Fiona)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Complications in Pregnancy, First Pregnancy, Pregnant, Submissions, Surgical Scar (Non-Cesarean), Update 69 Comments

Im sending this to you, because when i went through it i had very little resources on the web to draw on, and at the time i found it quite emotionally taxing and hard, and felt quite alone… When i was 26 weeks pregnant i had some upper right quadrant abdominal pain, and i thought nothing of it! Round ligament pain perhaps? I didnt do anything, however about 24 hours later i was in agony, vomiting and writhing on my bathroom floor! My husband called the hospital and we went to A and E, where i was diagnosed with appendicitus, which occurs in roughly 0.1% of all pregnancies, and is the most common cause of surgery in pregnant women. The next morning i underwent an emergency surgery to remove the appendix, however due to the pregnancy i had to remain awake, during what is major stomach surgery – it involves an 8 inch incision, and then removing your large and small intestine in order to find the inflammed appendix, which could rupture at any time! I was awake the whole time, and baby was kicking all the way through! There is a high risk of preterm labour also, so after the operation i spent 10 days in ICU being monitored. During this time, i remained on an an epidural for pain relief (however in terms of pain medication i was given less than an average appendix removal op!) Also i had terrible pain because of excess air within my stomach after the operation… but was able to have my stitches removed about a week after the operation, and was back on my feet (although slowly!) by 2 weeks! The biggest ongoing problem is the stretching of the scar tissue as my pregnancy continued to progress. It was initially very neat and tidy (i was lucky enough to have no infection) but has become quite lumpy and raised as i’ve got bigger … however i hope it will return to normal after the birth! I just wanted to post my story as proof that everything can go ok in an appendix removal during pregnancy! Im currently 36 weeks and baby looks fine! Thanks!




Updated here.

7wks PP, 2nd child, 1st C-sec, 29yrs old (Anonymous)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Breasts, Butt, Cesarean, Postpartum, Second Pregnancy, Submissions, Tattoo 22 Comments

I started this pregnancy at 120 lbs and delivered at 150. I lost 20 lbs right away and have 10 more to go. My 1st pregnancy was 10 years ago and I weighed 90 lbs (underweight). I gained 40 lbs and snapped right back into shape (a healthier weight of 105ish). This time I am 10 years older, started out heavier and had a c-section. Taking this pictures made me realize I need to work way harder to get this weight off. I don’t look as bad in the mirror as I do in these pics. I’ve always had trouble gauging the true size of my own body. Let’s just say after seeing these pics I have A LOT more motivation to get skinny!






My Miracle Baby (Anonymous)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Child Loss, Complications in Pregnancy, NICU, Preemie, Pregnant, Second Pregnancy, Submissions 3 Comments

I started college in the fall of 2007 where I met my wonderful fiance and my life was going really great. I started dating him in August of 2007 and became pregnant in September. I panicked and sought out to my roommates to figure out what to do. One of them suggested to take vitamin c every hour because it supposedly caused a woman to miscarry. I was so very desperate and so unprepared that I decided to do it. I ended up losing the baby and I never told anyone else besides those girls about that experience. I was devastated, but quickly got back to doing well in school and trying my best to abstain from sex. I was hurting so much inside that it made me physically ill thinking about what I had done. I didn’t understand why on earth I would do something like that to an innocent being. It proved to be one of the many challenges that semester. I ended up getting mono, and my boyfriend broke up with me which was more than I could handle. About two weeks later, we got back together and everything seemed fine. Our relationship had a pretty rocky start and by february 2008, I was pregnant again. I was thinking of the horrible decision I had made before and I promised myself not to ever do something like that again. I decided to keep my baby and my fiance stood by my side every step of the way. It was not easy, but I was determined to get through it. I had a huge support system from my family, my fiance, and my fiance’s family. I was 140lbs when I got pregnant and the day before I had my daughter I was 187. I had never weighed that much in my entire life. I missed being 140lbs because that was the time when I felt amazing about myself! I want that back so badly!

I was due November 14, 2008 with my daughter, but had her October 9th due to complications with toxemia. My b/p was 160/110 and the protein level of my urine reached 7,000 from 1,200 three days prior. I couldn’t believe it! I was 34weeks 6days when she was born. She weighed 4lbs 13ounces and was 18in long. She was in the NICU for 13 days before I got to bring her home. It was the hardest thing I ever had to go through. I spent every day in the hospital with her and held her for as long as I could. I didn’t even get to see her until 2 days postpartum. I cried when I was discharged and I could not bring my little baby home with me.

I think back to my miscarriage and while I feel the deepest regret for what I had done, I can’t help but feel thankful too that if I had gone through with the first pregnancy, then I would not have my beautiful baby girl.

She is now a healthy 2 month old. She is the most amazing person in the world and I love her so much.

Funny story about her name…I LOVE Jon and Kate Plus 8, and I was so drugged up(heavy meds after a c-section lol!!) when the birth recorder came by to get her name that I named my daughter after 2 of Jon and Kate Gosselin’s kids…Madelyn Alexis Faith.

Hahaha.
Oops!
Well, Madelyn was picked out waaay before I saw the show so that is okay :)

I do not have any belly pictures on this computer, but I do have some pre-pregnancy pictures, hospital pictures, and some pictures of Madelyn!




5 Weeks Postpartum with First Pregnancy (Anonymous)

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

On Nov 6, 2008, I was blessed with a beautiful daughter. She is amazing to me because it is the first person in my life I can look at and see some resemblance of myself. I was adopted as a newborn, and always stuck out like a sore thumb with my light brown hair, blue eyes, and tall stature. It has always been very important to me have a child of my own. My daughter is the most precious gift I have ever received, and even on my worst days, she is the light that brightens my day. At 5 weeks pp, I am watching the changes in my body take place slowly. I gained 45 pounds during my pregnancy. I have lost 28 of it thus far. At 5’10”, I was a 165 pounds (a size 8), with an athletic body. Now I am good size 12, with 38E chest, and sagging belly. Sometimes it is difficult for me to understand how my husband can still find me sexually attractive. Clothed, I am for the most part comfortable with myself. I can cover the layers of skin & fat with a shirt & pants. Naked, I cringe if I look in the mirror. All I see is my sagging breasts, stretch marks, wider hips, and baby belly. As much I disagree with him that I am still beautiful, his words mean more to me than I can express. I know that beauty comes from within, and the confidence of finding yourself beautiful outweighs any outwardly appearance. I must to learn to love my stretch marks, bigger curves, and pudgy belly. I am slowly coming to terms that my body may never be the same as before, and now I am beautiful in a new type of way: a motherly way.






Not Shy Anymore! (Anonymous)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Cesarean (Vertical), Cesarean Scar and/or Incision, First Pregnancy, Postpartum, Pregnant, Submissions 21 Comments

I was always aware that my body was attractive and that I was able to get mens attention, but I was uncomfortable with it….. After giving birth, my body is very different (as you can see) and not as nice as before, but so many people saw me naked (including many men) that I am over any shyness and now enjoy my attractiveness!


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3 weeks PP after having a 8lb 15oz baby boy (Anonymous)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, First Pregnancy, Postpartum, Pregnant, Submissions 4 Comments

I am 20 years old and I am married to a wonderful man who is serving our country with the army for the last 3 years. This is our first child and he is just a blessing. Thru out my pregnancy it was hard for me to gain weight. Before I was pregnant I weight 159lbs. I gained a total of 22lbs during pregnancy. But the majority of that was at the last two months of my pregnancy. I am the type of person who worries about looks and it was hard for me to except how my body was changing. With the stretch marks, the weight gain, etc…I have now excepted it, and when I do completely heal up, I plan to exercise and eat right so that it will continue to look better. And also what helps alot is that my wonderful husband is very supportive…And still finds me attractive after all this…but this was all worth it for my little man!!!