Pregnancy Service Stripes (Anonymous)

It is 2 days past my baby’s 1st birthday. After my shower I was just looking at my body. I see how much it’s been through with 3 pregnancies in 5 years. I am 22 years old, I have 3 children and I have my pregnancy service stripes and a battle scar. My belly, hips and breasts are covered in silvery stretch marks and my c-section scar is barely noticeable but will be there forever.

Pregnancy has changed my body in irreversible ways. It’s a small price to pay for children and one I gladly pay. I’ve dropped the baby weight, all 60lbs of it. I’m at 118lbs! But no matter the weight I lose, I will have loose skin from where my belly grew to accommodate my rapidly developing babies. My boobs will be deflated and saggy once I’m done with breastfeeding. I am okay with that. I am still amazed at what my body can do.

Fortunately, my husband loves me and my body the same, no matter how “damaged” it is. I am beautiful in his eyes and he helps me see it too. Sure there are days when I catch a glimpse in the mirror and go “UGH!”. I’m happy those days are few and far between.

The same way children leave marks on our hearts, they leave marks on our bodies. I earned my service stripes and I wear them proudly.




It’s nice to not be ashamed of my body (Anonymous)

I have had three children, and each time, my body has changed. Most of my stretch marks came with my first and as I had my other two children, I noticed my belly getting saggier and resembling something like a bowlful of jelly. My breasts have gone from DD to F and back again three times, and definitely show the wear and tear of breastfeeding three children.

I am now a single mother, and have found myself wondering who in their right mind would find me attractive? I have gained much weight and my belly sags so much that it overlays the top of my pubic hair. I suppose I have to hope that someone will see me the way other mothers view the female form. I am not the most stunning person in the room, but my body has served its intended purpose. I have nourished, grown, and borne three healthy, amazing children and maybe some day a man will see my body for the life it has given and not for the flaws it has- and even perhaps, he will love me in spite or because of it.

I think your site is amazing and I wish that everyone would see that my scars, stretchmarks, and saggy skin are simply products of the long journey my body has endured.




3rd pregnancy of a plus-sized 20-something (Anonymous)

I’ve never been very skinny. The only point I can remember being so was when I was 13 and 5’6″ and maybe 90-100lbs. After that I plumed big time. At the age of 15 almost 16 I started having really bad pains that made it hard to walk, it was found that I had ovarian cysts, a month later I stopped having a menstrual cycle. When I turned 16 I was put on birth control pills to regulate my cycles and help with the cysts. In that time frame, age 15-16, I packed on around 30-40lbs and was around 170 at 5’7″. Not horribly overweight but still higher.

I was on birth control pills from 16 to just after 18 when my last pack ran out(June 2005). My OB/Gyn said that I may not be able to get pregnant, so part of me though why do I need pills then. In July 2005 I had a cyst burst, while at work, I crawled under my desk and cried till my boyfriend and boss found me and my boyfriend took me to my mom’s house, and she took me to the doctors. A month after that I found out I was pregnant. Just by chance too. I had a friend that we knew was pregnant, she had to be she was more then 2weeks late, but she refused to take a test unless some one did with her. Her older sister had never been with anyone and I was the only one around, so I bought her a 2 pack, I went first, looked and threw it out all with in seconds, she peed and handed it to me not wanting to look. Hers instantly was positive. I went back somewhere between 5-10minutes later and got mine out of the trash, to my shock it was positive.

Over the next few days I took 2 more tests each positive. Then August 12th, 2005 I started bleeding. I went to the ER but there was nothing that could be done, we’d lost the baby all within a week of finding out. It was hard, I was only 18, living in the not best conditions with my Fiance(no house), but in away I think it was a slight blessing even though I still cry about it to this day. My cycle never came back after that. My OB gave me a shot of progesterone in October and it started a small cycle, light bleeding for 2 days, nothing then spotting the day after, I’d never had light periods in my life so it was odd. My Fiance and I had an appointment set in November to get the depo shot, but I had to have a cycle first. Instead of going to get the depo shot, it turned into my first prenatal visit of sorts. I found out in early November 2005 that I was pregnant again. Sadly we were planning a move to Texas where my then fiance’s family lives so I didnt’ get a real prenatal appointment.

The move to Texas didn’t last, we were there from Mid December to early February. I was horridly sick, severe HG morning sickness, I couldn’t even keep water down and was in the ER a few times in Texas. I also missed my mom too much. So we moved back to Idaho in February. And I got my first real parental appointment at around 18 weeks. It was such a relief to be able to go to the doctors if needed. We found out just 10days before my 19th birthday that we were having a boy(March 2006) to the joy of both of us. I was diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes in late April 2006, which is partly why I had been so sick before. My blood pressure started going up too in late May early June, and became Pregnancy Induced Hypertension, and was being watched for pre-e.

My son, Seamus was born on July 18th, 2006. I was induced at 39weeks 5days because of the GD and PIH and he was born just barley at 39weeks 6days (10:12pm). He had a little stay in the incubator for jaundice and we got to come home on July 21st.

In September 2006 I had Mirena IUD placed. It was ok except for it caused me to gain 25lbs in a month. The weight gain made me mad sense I was already way past my prepregnancy weight and thought I’d actually get under 200lbs. I struggled with my weight over the next 2yrs. From November 2007 to May 2008 I lost 20lbs of that weight (I went from 200lbs pre IUD to 225 after, then to 250 a few months later) but it wasn’t much. In May 2008 I had my IUD removed in hopes it would help me to loose more weight. I had bleeding (not really a cycle) from May 17th to the 20th and slight spotting on the 21st. That was the last time I had real bleeding. I had some spotting in early July but it wasn’t any more then what could lightly be seen on toilet paper. I was getting frustrated in late July early August sense it had been almost 90days sense I had any type of bleeding. I went to the clinic they ran tests for thyroid problems which came back normal, and the doc just said it was PCOS a term I’ve herd many times in regards to me. They did a pregnancy test on August 1st just to be sure. Then told me it was negative and that I’d need medical help to get pregnant again, much like the progesterone with my son. They gave me a script for it and my husband and I decided we’d fill it but not use it till December.

One thing had been on my mind though the whole time. How sore my breasts were. I had a digital test lying around from when my IUD was taken out and I decided sense we were going to be trying any time soon that I’d use the test to get it out of the house. I peed and put the lid on it and set it down. I picked it up a couple seconds later expecting to see “Not Pregnant”…..thats not what it said…it said “Pregnant” I freaked, my 2yr old son was in there with me and was confused why mommy was being weird. My husband was still asleep and I took the test to him and shoved it in his face and woke him up, he laughed! I didn’t believe it so I made him buy me another test, took it and it was also positive right away(line test this time) it was a shocker (all this August 17th, 2008). I went to the doctors 2 weeks later sense we didnt’ know how far along I was and found out I was 6weeks 2days, and due April 19th, 2009.

So far things are going ok this time around, I haven’t been puking near as bad as with my son, and actually its getting better at this point, 12weeks 4days. I’m having to have my Gestational Diabetes testing done between 17-18weeks this time sense I was on insulin with my son, and they are watching me closely for pre-e this time. So far so good.

I really wanted to show some pictures of me, the not skinny plus sized, 21yr old mommy thats pregnant, and really you can’t tell because of my gut. I want ladies to see that not everyone is small :)







I need this site (Anonymous)

I have 3 beautiful children whom I love more than anything. I nursed each of them for a year each. However, I have been left with a body I am so embarrassed of. My husband does not get to see my “banana” breasts, my skin on my stomach sags despite being only 15% body fat. I have become so body obsessed, that it invades my nearly every waking thought. I see magazine pictures of postpartum celebrities and I yearn to look like that again. I have beat my self up every day, since I have not been able to achieve that goal. this is the first site I have felt empowered and part of a sisterhood I should be proud of, not embarrassed by. I don’t have a picture, but I want to thank all of you fabulous women for making me realize I am perfect just like I am! Just exactly like each of you are perfect just the way you are too!

Bringing Sexy Back with a New Body (Anonymous)

In high school, I was always a slender and athletic girl. At 6 feet tall, it was easy to put on 5 or 10 pounds without anyone noticing. I played a sport every season and enjoyed food.

When I went to college, I was the cliché: about 15 pounds, but lost it quickly, before my wedding. I got married after finishing my freshman year, to my high school boyfriend, and weighed 153 the day we got married. I was a size 10.

The summer before my senior year of college, we discovered that I was pregnant. It wasn’t what we had planned, but we adjusted and were very excited to meet our baby in the spring of 2004. I put on 61 pounds, including 12 pounds in the last week of the pregnancy. My body was so swollen and puffy.

My daughter was born 9 days before her due date and weighed 10 pounds and was 21 inches long. Within two days of delivering her, I could see my ankle bones again and was down 25 pounds.

Luckily, I enjoy walking and other forms of exercise, so I was able to continue losing most of the remaining weight in a healthful way. The stretch marks (which were so shocking at the beginning) faded to a silvery pink and don’t really bother me much.

We conceived our second child in June 2005. I had put on 50 pounds by my 35 week of pregnancy when I stopped feeling the baby move. We went in for a routine appointment to discover that our daughter had died. I delivered her two days later, in February 2006.

It was hard for so many reasons, but one of the least expected problems I experienced was coping with the post-pregnancy body without a baby to show for it. I wanted to scream, “This is baby fat–I just had a baby, but she’s dead!”

Support of friends, a precious husband, and a healthy workout pattern at the local Y helped me through those early weeks, and I lost 40 of the 50 pounds I had gained before embarking on our third pregnancy in April 2006.

We were blessed with a beautiful baby in December 2006, just 10 1/2 months after our second baby was stillborn. I was pregnant or breastfeeding 57 out of 59 months (through May of this year). My body was hardly mine!

Since then, I have been relishing the freedom to appreciate and use my body for myself instead of always setting aside my own needs for my children’s. I adore them, passionately and without reservations. But I am glad to have my body back, even though it’s not the one I started out with on this journey.

I currently fluctuate between a size 12 and 14, and weigh about 180 pounds. I work out 4-6 times per week, and will be running my first post-baby 5K later this fall.

Since having babies (all girls), I am more committed to appreciating the myriad ways our bodies are formed. The love handles, stretch marks, baby apron, and mis-matched breasts have their own beauty and give me a feeling of accomplishment.

I revel in the beauty I see on this site and all around me, and hope that our daughters (and their partners) will have an easier time of loving the female form than we have.










So Brave (Anonymous)

I had my 3rd child 7 months ago..I was so scared to look at my body after giving birth it made me sick..I tried so many things to prevent stretch marks, like bathing in fruits and veggies, I broke tons of vitamin e capsules and put it on..I am so self conscious of my body..I get so jealous of woman that can wear a bathing suit or even shorts, I got tons of stretch mark on my butt and legs. Looking at this site has helped me a lot, at first I was like I would never show my body but after reading almost everyones stories it has made me realize these marks and stretched skin is badge of being a woman and I’m not the only one. I think all the woman on here are so beautiful and brave to go through what they did (making a life)it makes me feel honored to have them.








Ripened by Pregnancy (Anonymous)

Before I got pregnant I was a very petite person. I used to worry about whether I’d manage to “stay pretty” during pregnancy, keep my weight gain reasonable, avoid stretch marks, etc. But the first time I became pregnant, unfortunately, it was an ectopic and the diagnosis was missed. The pregnancy in my left fallopian tube ruptured, I lost my tube and very nearly my life. After that reality check, I didn’t care so much about having a beautiful pregnancy – I just wanted to have a healthy one, that I could carry to completion without dying. I conceived again only months after the surgery but had an early miscarriage. We started to think it just wasn’t going to happen. I have a vivid memory of lying on a hospital gurney holding my husband’s hand, sobbing, apologizing for my apparent inability to give him the thing I know he has always wanted so very much…a child. The first photo below was taken at 6 weeks pregnant, when it was confirmed that the third time’s a charm…we had an embryo in the uterus where it belonged. It was a miracle! The egg had come from my left ovary, where we could see the corpus luteum on ultrasound, and navigated all the way across and through the remaining right-side fallopian tube into the uterus. I took the picture to document my pre-pregnancy body, hoping that this time instead of suffering a loss I would actually get as big and round as a healthy pregnant woman should. The second photo was at 36.5 weeks, just barely before my boy arrived. I love the round fullness of every curve, even though it’s never going back the way it was before…the new softness of my body is proof that it can do what it’s supposed to. No matter whether it ever becomes firm or lean again, or whether my boobs droop halfway to my knees when we stop breastfeeding, my husband and I are both grateful for the gift of a son. I love what my body has finally achieved, and will wear its new colors and shapes with happiness.





I’m Proud… (Ewa)

I’m Proud of my Stretchmarks

Today, after 17 years, my belly looks like this. I´ve been thinking that I should try to dress myself in in yellow, orange and red colours and paint my strechmarks so that they look like flames from a fire or a vulcano erupting on the next Halloween-party I go to….. It gives me great satisfaction to know that I have been able to carry 2 (out of three) lovely children full term and that they have grown into two lovely young ladies which have now reached the age of 17 and 19. The eldest is actually born “breech birth” i.e. with her little “behind” first . So was I and one or two of my brothers and sister. The only one we know for sure is born ” like everybody else” with the head first is my twin brother.

Kind Regards
Ewa