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I weighed 125 lbs when I got pregnant with my daughter. When she was born at 41 weeks 2 days, I weighed 176 lbs. I lost all but 5 of those pounds over the course of several months.

This picture was taken 2 days before she was born.

When my son was conceived 17 months after my daughter’s birth I weighed 130lbs. When he was born at 41 weeks 5 days I weighed 170 lbs.

This is my belly at 5 months pregnant.

This is my belly at 7 months pregnant.

And this is my belly at 9 months pregnant.

The weight came off very slowly after my second pregnancy. I eventually stopped losing weight at 4 months post-partum and when he was a year old I began seriously exercising and counting calories to lose the excess weight. He is now 19 months old and I am at my pre-pregnancy#2 weight of 130. I would still like to lose another 5 pounds but?

Here is my belly today, 3.5 years after pregnancy #1, 19.5 months after pregnancy #2. My daughter likes to squish it with her hands and exclaim, “It’s like playdough!!” It’s very soft with extra, saggy, wrinkly skin. The stretchmarks are fairly faded, though the ones on my hips (where I got the majority) are larger and more noticeable.

I am often very dissatisfied and self-conscious of my belly. At the same time I am proud and humbled by this body and the two red-headed (like their mother!) miracles it has produced. And though I may not like all the changes I see in the mirror, they are but reminders of who I am: woman, mother, strong, and blessed. What an honor it is to have this body.

–Momma of the Playdough-Pudge

When I found this site today, I felt like a small part of me could heal. My story is a lot different than most on this site.

My fiance and I are high school sweethearts who have been together for 8 years. We bought our first house a year ago and were working on fixing it up when we found out I was expecting. We were so happy and immediately started preparing for our baby. My pregnancy was perfect. I was 23 and very healthy, no morning sickness, no high blood pressure, gained 35 pounds! We had our first ultrasound on November 11th. I knew that it was a girl the whole time. My fiance wanted a boy so bad. The ultrasound tech asked if we wanted to know the sex. I said, ” I already know its a girl.” She said, ” Honey youre right, its a girl!” The next 8 months were spent getting ready for our daughter. We watched as my belly grew. We named our daughter Ava Carmella after my fiance’s beloved Nana. Ava was always active, kicking me in my ribs until it ached! Andrew spent every waking minute getting her room ready for her. He wanted it to be perfect and it was. We had such big plans for Ava. Our family had a surprise baby shower for us on Sunday March 19th. It was so beautiful and made it feel so real. We brought home so much stuff that I didnt know what to do with it all! I spent the next two days setting up her room, putting away her clothes and putting everything together. I was so excited I hardly slept! Everything changed when I went in on Wednesday March 22nd for my 37 week appointment. They went through the normal procedures and everything was fine until my midwife checked her heartbeat. She couldn’t find it and suggested an ultrasound. I knew then that something was wrong. I felt frozen, like I couldnt react. I was immediately given an ultrasound and they told me that there was no heartbeat. I had lost our little girl. At first I couldnt cry. Then it hit me and I felt like my heart had been ripped out of my chest. I have never felt so much emotional pain in my life. I was brought to a room and induced that same afternoon. I ended up with severe preeclampsia and toxemia and was given medications that made me so drowsy that I remember very little about the next few days. The doctor told my fiance that I was very sick. My liver and kidneys were shutting down and my platelet counts were way too low. He was so afraid that he would lose both of his girls. All I know is that I didn’t want to deliver her. I wanted to keep her with me forever. I thought that if I just kept her in that everything would be ok. Knowing that I would go through all of this pain just to have my baby taken from me was the hardest thing Ive ever done. Ava was born on Thursday March 23rd at 7:44pm. She was 4 pounds 11 ounces and 17 ? inches long. She was perfect in every way. She had dark wavy hair, brown eyes, pouty little lips and her fathers very distinct chin. She even had my long skinny fingers! I kept waiting for her to cry, but she never did. My fiance gave her a bath and dressed her in a gown and hat. We had Ava baptized at 11:30 that night. When we finally let the nurse take her away I remember thinking that my life was over, that I would never be happy or feel love for anyone again. They sent us home with a box containing her gown, hat, hospital bracelet, blanket, pictures, and footprints. I look through her memory box and at her pictures everyday. Three weeks after Ava was born I was hospitilized with a large blood clot in my lung. Soon after I was diagnosed with Factor V Leiden, a genetic blood clotting disorder that was the cause of Ava’s death. It has been four months since Ava was born and I have hit every stage of grief. I talk about Ava on a daily basis and keep her picture near me all the time. This site has helped me realize that I am still a mother. I carried my daughter for nine months just like every other mother. I was in labor and gave birth to my daughter like every other mother. I also despise my stretched out belly and stretch marks like every other mother. I am still young and I know that I will have more children someday, but for now every time I look at my stomach I will remember how I kept her safe and helped her grow, and how much I enjoyed the time I had with her. Thank you for showing me that even the annoying after effects of motherhood can be good. I should feel proud and honored to have the mommy belly no matter where my baby is. Please visit my daughter Ava’s website and always let your children know how important they are to you!!

Here is the last picture taken of me pregnant at 37 weeks:

This is me now, four months later and 5 pounds from my pre-pregnancy weight. Grief can do a number on you and I’m not very proud of how fast I lost the weight:

I wish that every mother could see this website. I have found that the best way to heal and appriciate life is by listening to others and learning new things. I will be forever grateful that I had a chance to hold my daughter and tell her I love her. I will never forget what she looked like, how she smelled, how perfectly she fit in my arms, or what she did to my body. I wish I knew I would feel like this four months ago. Thank you for showing mothers of all types that the joy our children bring to us and the emotional feelings far outway the physical changes.

I am Jennifer. I am going to be 30 years old this year. I had my first child in 1997 when I was 20 years old. I just had my 2nd child 5 months ago. With almost 9 years between pregnancies, I had time for my body to somewhat recover from the glorious things called pregnancy and childbirth. But you could never tell by looking at me now! :)

I am a big girl and have a really hard time getting the weight off the older I get. With Brandan, I was 140 pounds at the beginning of my pregnancy. On the day he was born, I was up to 282 pounds! I gained a whole person. A few weeks after he was born, I went down to 208 and started my weight loss journey. It took me a year to get down to 165 pounds and I looked damn good.

Then I had a rough stretch in my life and the pounds just flew on. :)

I was at 225 pounds at the start of this last pregnancy with Remy. The day he was born I was 260. Now, 5 months postpartum, I am at 236 and on Weight Watchers for the 4th time. :(

My body has been through two c-sections so of course I have my “war wounds” that look so gross.

I also have a pooch that I am so quick to hide away tucked secretly in my jeans.

I have the saggy breastfeeding boobies. But those I am most proud of.

This is my first time breastfeeding and I am so proud of the nursing relation ship I have with my son. It was a struggle in the early weeks because of low supply issues, but we conquered it all!

I am frustrated that I am so big and out of shape, but you know what? I wouldn’t trade in a single stretch mark or saggy piece of skin for anything else in the heavens or this earth. When I see my two boys smile, it makes it all so worth it.

I nurtured these two babes for 9 months and they took over my body and made me feel awkward, tired, frustrated and stressed but they are both healthy and beautiful just the way it should be!

I am flabby. I am overweight. I am exhausted. I am Mommy! :)

This is me half way through pregnancy #2 with Remy.

Me and Remy Douglas and hour after his birth.

First time we nursed.

Me and Remy about 2 months postpartum.

5 months postpartum.

It’s all SO worth it!!

This site has given inspiration to so many women. I have to say, I’m truely touched by all of the stories and beautiful pictures. We should all be proud of the opportunity to have such marks. I have a friend that would give anything to birth her own child. There are so many unfortunate people that cannot have children of their own. I am proud to show off my scars and thank god every day for the 3 miracles he has given me.

I first got pregnant when I was 18. I gained about 45 lbs with each child. My two sons are about 2 years apart and my daughter was born 5 years after my middle son. I’m so thankful to have 3 beautiful children. I used to be so scared of what people might think of my body. Now I wear a bathing suit proudly, and am eagerly accompanied by my 3 soldiers to whom I owe my battle scars.

Here are recent photographs of me. My youngest will be 2 years old this August (2006). I am back at my pre-pregnancy weight. Thanks to all of the women who have posted so far.

I am so glad i found this site. I believe that mothers are the most powerful & beautiul women and are at the top of the list. It so great that we have somewhere we can share how beautiful we are and each get a little close just by telling our stories. As soon as i found this site I called and posted it to any mom friends or family. After reading the post i immediately jumped up and started snapping pics. It didn’t even cross my mind the fact that i am shy about showing it all.
As i sat down to upload the pictures i thought maybe i wouldn’t post my name just something quick. And now i find myself writing something more than quick and i am willing to put my name….

My name is Danielle. I am 20, and i have a little girl who is 16mos and i am 6wks pregnant with baby #2. With #1 i started out as 125 and i gained somewhere between 25-30lbs. For the first year i was self concious about my weight and hardly wore anything besides sweats. After seeing this link i am starting to feel a little more comfortable in my own skin and would love to share my belly photos for the first time.

(First pregnancy 6 days before she was due)

(6weeks with baby #2 and 16mos PP)

I am a 36 y/o Mother of a 4 year old son and 8 month old daughter.
I gained ~40 lbs with both of my pregnancies.
Both of my children were born via c-section. Both on a Monday. Both were 9lbs.
I loved being pregnant and celebrated both of my pregnancies with photos.
With my son, I had a professional portrait taken. With my daughter, I took a LOT of self portraits.
As of this writing, I weigh less than I did before I became pregnant with my daughter last year. This thanks to the breast-feeding/starvation from running around taking care of two kids diet. :)

This is me 8 months pregnant with my daughter:

This is me now (8 months post-partum):

This is me 8 months pregnant with my daughter:

This is me now (8 months post-partum):

Here is a link to the story of my daughter’s birth last November.

(Here is a link to her own blog entry.)

Okay, I was 118lbs to start my first pregnancy I delivered in July04 at about 160lbs. When I conceived my next child a year later I was 106lbs and got up to 150lbs when I delivered in April this year. I must say part of it is genetics my mom looks great and has no stretch marks (I have some small ones on my butt, hips, thighs and a few on my stomach)
This is the day I delivered #2 when contractions first started

And today, #2 is exactly 3 months and #1 is a week away from 2

In this photo I am in the early stages of labor with #3 (4 hours before delivery).

This photo is taken 6 months post partum after #3:

I didn’t get stretch marks on my stomach – which I never understood as I got them during puberty on my buttocks, thighs and breasts, and I fully expected to get them on my stomach during pregnancy.

My stomach is soft and squishy now… but my body bore me three beautiful children so I don’t mind.

JENN from this post… Please e-mail me! I have a request of you!

Angel wrote her own entry here. Check it out!