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And models look exactly the same as everyone else after giving birth!! So many things I would never have believed. I was a model. I did some runway and shoots on site. I had finished high school and was also an emancipated minor at 16: a legal adult. I was also an alcoholic, and a bulimic. I weighed only 106 pounds. I was a mess physically. I had chronic fainting spells and hadn’t had a menstrual period in over a year. But my life changed dramatically! The man who had left me, and I walked away from, found me and rescued me. he pulled me out of the hell hole I was in, He found me a place to live, found me good work, and helped healing me emotionally. He loved me no matter what I was, but worried desperately for my well being. I had started getting healthy, gaining weight and menstruating again. He proposed to me on our 3rd anniversary, and we were pregnant shortly after. I was 5 months pregnant when we were finally married. yes, I was only 19 years old, a skinny red head that just got clean. But this pregnancy was a dream come true for us both- after a verry painful miscarriage I was terrefied for him. but he was born happy. healthy, and strong. 8 pounds 11 ounces of beautiful boy. god what a miracle! I was 190 pounds when I gave birth. I gained allmost 80 pounds in pregnancy. certainly not all baby! I was a size 0 now I don’t even know. I never would have believed I would miss my small, perky breasts! I hated them for being tiny, now i miss them for being perky and unravaged by stretch marks. but I am grateful to breastfeed my son. But what encourages me is that every single day, my body is repairing itself. the weight is coming off, if slowly. the stretch marks may never fully go away, but I remind myself to be proud of them. I am a mother. a mother is the most important thing in the universe because we bring life, nurture life. My little Mikos is worth dying for- what is a few pounds? I would kill for my baby, I shouldnt be crying over my body. My body gave me my beautiful son, who is my whole world.

Before I had children, I had no idea. I traveled, lived on the fly and never stayed in one place for more than a month. I never knew what my life was missing until there were two lines on the pregnancy test instead of one. I was 24, apprenticing with an herbal healer and in Massage school. My world was flipped and I spent a lot of time in front of the mirror, pushing my belly out as far as I could to see what I would look like when I was big pregnant. I have to admit that the image I had in my head was very different than what I actually looked like. I gained 90 lbs with my first, then 4 1/2 years later I became pregnant again. I gained 65 lbs with him, then when he was 5 months old I became pregnant again. I gained 45 lbs with my daughter. My body didn’t have the chance to recover from my second pregnancy when I conceived my third child. So yes, I am flabby and squishy and round and I love being the pillow that my children curl into. I love being soft and comforting, physically and emotionally. I love the body my children gave me.

I was 22 when I became pregnant and 23 when I gave birth to my daughter. I had such a beautiful pregnancy and was very anxious to meet my daughter and was medically induced. Let me tell you, that was the worst pain I’ve ever experienced, after all the pain, and pushing, and cursing I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl and she was well worth the wait and experience. While I may no longer be sexy, I am beautiful because I am now a mother.

Every woman has a different path to travel in regards to her femininity, to motherhood, to sexuality, to grace, and to being in a state of harmony with her body. I feel like I’ve had an easier time than many, but still have struggled much more than I ever would wish upon anyone. I feel as though I had no idea what a great body I had before I got pregnant. It’s been very difficult for me to look at pre-pregnancy photos. I’ve often associated self-worth with sexuality and attractiveness, so feeling beautiful and worthy postpartum has been pretty hard. I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything, but it’s been lonely. I feel horrible for being so vain when my daughter is so beautiful, so light, so absolutely magical in every way. She’s now nearly 7 months old and my body is never going to be the way it was before, but the extra pounds have left steadily through breastfeeding and a decent diet. No real exercise (yet). I don’t mind the stretchmarks at all, but the extra skin troubles me. My pelvic structure is forever different, and that’s okay too. I just want to be toned again. My fiance is a goodhearted person, and he loves me deeply, but his entrenched beliefs about beauty and sexual attractiveness haven’t helped me love myself unconditionally. He’s never been critical, he only criticizes others who are overweight or out of shape. How can I not translate that to myself? Don’t misunderstand, though, I don’t hold him responsible for how I feel about my body. It’s a strange path, this being female thing. I don’t think I’ve ever quite gotten the hang of it. I feel so close to every woman who’s posted on this website. I think it’s the best idea I’ve seen in a LONG time. Thank you.

I am a proud mother of 2 amazing children, the youngest just 9 months old. I’m currently at the lowest weight I’ve been since middle school….I’m 25 now. I am an aspiring photographer & took this nude self portrait of myself to post on am artistic nude photo forum to show that a post pregnancy body….stretch marks & all could still be sexy & appealing. My husband would definitely agree that it is. However when I posted this picture I was met with a question, “why would you post the damage that childbirth has done to your body?” I was in shock, although I guess I should have been prepared for such comments, but that particular comment came from a married man who admitted his wife had similar “damage”. I felt horrible, not just because of the comment, but for that poor mans wife….I hope she doesn’t know that he sees her probably gorgeous body in such a way. I took down the picture after that comment. I should have had the guts to leave it up, but it was a moment of weakness….who wants to be judged, especially so harshly? I realize now that his opinion does not matter to me, what matters is how I feel about myself. I feel beautiful & womanly, and that is what I am….a beautiful woman.

Im having my baby in april.In the begginng i was very sad and i cried almost everyday i thought i could not be a good mother.I mean im stiil a teen.I was thinking and almost did get an abortion done until i found out i was to far along. I cried every night because i thought what was i going to do? How am i going to tell my mother? towards the end .. she ended up being very supportive.. and i am going to give birth april 20th.Im so excited and cant wait till i have my baby.I think this is a blessing in desgiuse.

I ran into your site indirectly but looked anyway. I am the husband of a beautiful 43 year old mother of 3. She has put on weight over the years but is still incredibly sexy. She has always had a good self image and also sees herself as sexy. I am happy to see your site helping women who may be suffering from the lie that women all over are told; that you must be thin and “perfect” to be beautiful. I looked at each picture and found all of the women in them sexy and beautiful. These are truly what women look like and truly what beauty is. Keep up the good work.

It has taken me over two years to become somewhat comfortable with my body again. I have blamed my stretch marks and saggy boobs for my (now ex) husband cheating on me with more than one person. Even though I have always said that my beautiful daughter is worth the scars, I have recently begun to actually embrace them. It’s a daily battle, and this website is someplace I can go when it all gets to me. Instead of obsessing over creams and wondering if I’ll ever look the way I did, I now realize that it would probably be pointless anyway since I spend my Friday nights watching Elmo.

I gave birth to my beautiful little boy,Seth, on 10-21-07.The birth and pregnancy went perfectly and with out any pain meds(im so proud)I found out I was expecting on march 5th by accident, I took a test as a joke and I really was!!!which was a suprise because we were told i couldnt get pregnant and at 22 that was pretty devastateing.but god really does answer prayers. I didnt get stretch marks untill the last few weeks of pregnancy and everyday there was a new one and they got worse!!not my son is 2.5 months old and I can’t stand looking at myself..it bums me out hardcore..I know that it is supposed to be worth it and I dont regret Seth… I just hate how I look im only like 5lbs heavier than I started but I have a spare tire and tiger stripes…im afraid they wont ever go away…atleast I got them giving birth to the worlds most beautiful boy:)

I just have to say how much I love this site. After my pregnancy I was a little concerned about my body and if it would ever look good again. I see all of these beautiful women here and I feel more like myself again and have learned to be thankful for what kind of body I have now. Here are some of my photos for you all!