While having yet another conversation with my preschooler daughter that Pull-Ups were not “cooler” than real undies, she sassed me. Her reply? “You’re just jealous because you’ve had 2 babies and are too fat to wear them.” Never one to back down from a challenge, I showed her! So here I am, a birthmother of two, ages 4 and 2, wearing size 3T-4T Pull-Ups. Yeah, they were snug, but no more so than the “date panties” I used to wear before I was married. You can see in the picture of my front that even though I may be as petite as I was pre-babies, I still carry birth memorabilia around my middle. My middle really does stand out in contrast to the rest of my fit body. One day in the pool locker room I was dressing my younger daughter and myself when I made the comment “Let’s go get sister.” A woman nearby said, “Oh, you have twins? My sister has twins too and she still has the ‘twin skin,'” while gesturing toward my middle. I’m afraid my peals of laughter were a bit uncouth for a response. I told her, “I do have two kids, but they’re two years apart.” She was mortified and I had to wonder why. Why is belly skin okay if you have twins but not a singleton? I have not always had such a loving relationship with my post-pregnancies body. One day a few months after the birth of my second, I looked in the mirror and bemoaned the fact that I still had a huge sagging belly and probably always would. My then-2yo said, “But Mom, that’s where you carry your babies. It’s the most important part of you.” Never have I been more proud of my daughter or myself. (Of course then she added, “And since there’s no baby in it now, could we put some toys in it?”) I’m now newly pregnant with my third child and looking forward to all the changes my body will go through. I know it will be a different body in a year, but I will also be a different woman and mother. A stronger and gentler person, with the body to show for it.

