Update

Update (Kat)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Breasts, First Pregnancy, Postpartum, Submissions, Update 8 Comments

Original entry here.

I switched up my workout (flirty girl and carmen electra got too easy) so now I’m doing hip hop abs. Once I’m done with the 4 week plan for that, I’m going to start p90x.

I have started doing modeling jobs(I have a model mayhem account now! under the user girl08er). I am so excited! I have wanted to model for years now! My stretch marks are still fading pretty fast. I have been using celtrixa on them twice a day. I think I may be using olay wrinkle cream soon as well, to help tighten the skin back up.

My husband got a job recently that pays amazing, so I can finish up with my degree and focus on starting my sociology and modeling/dancing careers.

My son has gotten huge! At 3 months old he is wearing 6-9 months. He’s 95% in height still, and 75% in weight. He is sitting up on his own, crawling everywhere, and is starting to mimic the syllables in the words me and his daddy say to him. He’s such a little talker! And he’s starting to try and do the work out moves with me as he watches from the couch! I see an athlete in our future!

The pictures:
first 3- my progress so far
4th- my son’s sweet smile
5th- my son in what I call his “Jeff Bridges” outfit
6th-8th- pictures of me when I was pregnant(I realized that I had none on the first post for comparison)

I Need Some Help (Shannon)

Bonnie (SOAM) Child Loss, Children with Health Complications, No Photos (Story Only), Postpartum, Second Pregnancy, Submissions, Update 19 Comments

Previous entries here:
Missing My Baby Boy
5 Weeks PP
2.5 Months PP
6 Months PP
15 Month PP

I have posted on here 4 times already…and my last post was just a 1.5 months ago…but I need some help from you fellow Mamas…I feel so horrible about my body. I want to love it for giving me my boys, but I can’t. I cry about it all the time, and then I cry for crying about it because it gave me Connor and Liam. I just can’t help it. I feel so ugly…I don’t understand how my husband could find me attractive (I usually don’t even trust/listen to him when he tells me I am), I do not see a pretty girl at all. I see a fat, saggy, gross girl every time I look in the mirror. I know I am a good mother, I am just not a pretty mother. I hate my body so much that it is not healthy. If there is nudity in a movie I am watching with my husband I feel horrible, like he would want someone with a body like that instead of mine. I am fat, saggy, and stretched. I want to feel beautiful when I look in the mirror…I love my body for what it did…but not the way it looks. Please help…I exercise and eat healthy, and I am still gross…any exercise advice would be great…Sorry for the vent…I know there are worse things in life (trust me, I know) I just hate living like this…I want to feel pretty

Updated here.

16 Months Postpartum (Tessa)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Cesarean, First Pregnancy, Postpartum, Submissions, Update 12 Comments

Previous entry here.

It is over 6 months later, and since my previous entry I’ve only been able to lose 10 lbs. My husband has had surgeries, I picked up a second job and am working 45 or so hours, 6 days a week. I cannot afford a gym membership, and wouldn’t have the time to spend at one. Since the beginning of the year, I’ve committed to getting more active and losing 10 lbs by April 18th. I’ve joined a Biggest Loser contest at my workplace to help motivate me. It is a struggle every day to find time to be active when there are so many more responsibilities – cleaning house, dishes, laundry (I cloth diaper as well), cooking and bedtime routines. After all this, I have sometimes 1 hour to myself before it is my own bed time. I’ve started 30 Day Shred and am doing it every other day. I also mix it up with some of P90X workouts. I find myself absolutely energized, in a better mood, and looking at my body in a more positive light after a workout.

I will never have a bikini body again. I have “twin skin” as I gave birth by cesearean to a 9 lb 13 oz baby – he was big enough to be two babies! My belly button is no longer, it is nothing but a hole hidden in the saggy skin and crease in my stomach. My stomach will never be smooth and nice to the touch ever again. Sometimes I find myself really missing how my husband used to run his fingers over my pre-baby belly. He loves me, he says I’m beautiful, he doesn’t ever dream of looking at another woman, he despises the pressure on women to have a perfect body, but the fact remains: he does not run his hand over my belly anymore. It is the section of my body that he avoids when we are intimate. I’ve never told him I’ve noticed, because I don’t blame him and I don’t want him to feel guilty.

99% of the time, although I am displeased with my body, I don’t feel immensely sad or depressed about my shape or weight. I guess the really only times I get really, really down about my body is when I’m shopping and pass by a really thin, great looking mom pushing a 5 month old around in a cart. I always ask myself “Why did *I* have to be so fat and ugly after a baby? Why couldn’t I have been one of the lucky ones to just bounce back?”

I really do not care so much about stretch marks or a little bit of loose skin.. my problem is the excess weight (which can be fixed) and the twin skin (which can’t be fixed short of surgery, which I’d never do). I’m young (20), this is my first child, I was so thin before… I used to think only people who have had twins or triplets, or 6 babies, looked the way I do.

Updated here.

My Fiancee Loves My Womanly Body – Update (Anonymous)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Breasts, Postpartum, Second Pregnancy, Submissions, Update 6 Comments

Original post here.

It has been almost 4 weeks. I am doing much better about tracking my foods and being realistic on what I want vs what I need. It is difficult but empowering when I say no to eating at 10 pm with my fiancé. He has been very supportive though and says he doesn’t really want me to
Lose weight but he will love me no matter how I look. It’s got to be a lifestyle change for me though or it won’t last. Now is the time to do it- I’m almost done with my bachelors degree, just bought my first home and don’t want to spend anymore time positioning my clothes each time I sit or stand. I have not lost any pounds yet but my mom noticed my tummy was looking more trim. The most difficult part for me Is exercise. I need motivation! I joined a challenge at work so i hope that will help. If I can get healthy again I can do anything. My goal is to be running my own office from home by the time my kids start school- I really want to be available for my fiancé and kids. Our world is so complicated when 2 people must work full time and come home to a messy house with groceries needing bought, supper still needing to be made and kids needing help with homework. It’s the way it is though. Anyways I’d love some encouragement from my fellow do- it-all and do it with a smile moms! Sorry about the grammar and typos- I’m using my itouch!

Breast Envy (Kerry)

Bonnie (SOAM) Before Pregnancy, Belly, Breasts, First Pregnancy, Postpartum, Submissions, Update 23 Comments

1 pregnancy/birth 20 months pp
Age 20
34b to 42 D to 34b

So I posted at 1 year postpartum and was pretty sure I would not post again until I was pregnant or pp with my second child, (we are going to start trying in the fall!) but I’ve been having some insecurities with my breasts lately, which I never thought would happen, so I came here for support. I never thought I would care what my breasts looked like because to me they were simply for nourishing my children and up till a few months ago I didn’t care what they looked like. Before I got pregnant they were small but I didn’t care. I never wore a bra and loved how perky they were. Now if I don’t wear a bra I feel 60. I do not hide them, nor am I ashamed, but I’d just like to know there are more momma’s out there with “droopy” breasts like mine. I am still breast feeding and they are smaller than they were before I got pregnant! I am a little apprehensive about what they will look like after baby #2, or even 3. Did any of you experience this? Will there even be any boob left? lol I just bought my first push-up bras ever last week! When I stand sideways you see rib cage and a little bulge of skin with a nipple on it.I’ve gone from a 34b prebaby to 42d early days nursing to 34b after 20 months and still nursing. I have also lost 70lbs since having my son, after gaining 60 so I’m sure not having much extra body fat adds to the lack of breasts. A friend of mine got breast implants, and she is now “happy with her body” I feel sad that she wasn’t happy with her body before, but I also feel hypocritical that sometimes I envy her for having perky boobs again. But I guess it is all part of the journey. I know my insecurities may seem so trivial to some of you, but I’ve been through a lot with my body, and love it and appreciate it, but sometimes I still feel like I’m the only young mom out there like this! Don’t we all? I just want the silence to end! I’m putting my SOAM bumper sticker on this week!

“start a trend, love your body” prepregnancy
other picture 20 months pp-20 years old

Almost 3 years pp update (Natalia)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Breasts, Butt, Postpartum, Submissions, Update 15 Comments

Previous entry here.

Age: 21
Number of pregnancies and births: 2 pregnancies, one birth

This is just a quick update from a previous post. I can’t stop visiting this site. It has opened my eyes just as much as my son has. I’m now almost 3 years post partum. I actually gained a little weight from my previous post and my breasts have gotten just a little bigger. The weight gain has been from poor eating habits, but I’m fine with where I’m at, not worried really. I’m dating a wonderful man and marriage is in the air. We’ve talked about building a larger family, which I’m excited for :-) This is the body I am enjoying for now, and as it changes more later in life, I honestly can’t wait to see what happens. The stretch marks have definitely faded, and the loose skin has tightened a bit. I’m sure if I actually gave a darn about exercising I could ‘tighten’ a bit more. But overall, I’m happy with everything I have :-) especially the two great men in my life who have accepted me in every possible way. This site is amazing and I hope it’s still here when have more kids. Mommies, don’t forget, we are all in this together. And I appreciate every post and picture on here. I wish I could meet you all :-)

First 5 pics are me now.
Next 2 pics are my son Ronin Lee
Last pic is me and my fiance

One Year and 60 Pounds Down (Jess)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Breasts, Cesarean, Cesarean Scar and/or Incision, First Pregnancy, Postpartum, Submissions, Teen Mom, Update 20 Comments

Original entry here.

20 Years Old
1 Year PP
Pre Pregnancy 124
End Of Pregnancy 194
Currnetly 135

This has been the fastest year of my life… I’ll be honest… I thought i would be in better shape by now… Some days I think I’m looking pretty good and with a little toning maybe even hot someday… Other days I could just cry… I see the wrinkly texture left on my belly from the enormous amount of weight I gained and the stretch marks and it just seems hopeless…

I haven’t lost much weight since my last post… but I’m going to really start working on it… Bathing suit season starts in about 5 months and if I could make it down below 120 I would be in heaven. That seems like a reasonable goal… but we’ll see how that goes… To be honest after working a full time job and taking care of a baby who I believe will be entering into his terrible twos verrry early the last thing i really feel like doing is exercising… but I don’t feel like i have the right to complain if I can’t at least try…

It’s just so hard seeing these other girls my age with babies who are back down to 100 pounds within a month… my prepregnancy jeans still wont go up past my thighs… I think the thing i’m moost afraid of though is that I wont ever be able to love myself unless I look like I just walked off of the Victorias Secret runway… and let’s be honest… thats never going to happen… I’ve noticed it’s alot easier to love myself on days that I keep the tv on cartoons and dont leave the house lol…. The world can be such a negative place…

This has been such a hard road… not just physically all the changes my body has went through but emotionally too… I know my relationship with my sons father will never be great as long as I can’t love my body.. He get’s mad at me if i try to keep my shirt on or cover my stomach when we’re getting intimate… So he can’t be that grossed out by me right? It’s just hard knowing that some of his exes actually had the body of an actress or model… I think he loves me though…

Hopefully I can continue to grow and be more accepting of my body after what all it’s been through… and hopefully on my next post I’ll be sending in pictures of myself rocking a bikini this summer… which is something i have never had the confidence to do…

Fourth Baby, Mixed Feelings (Elizabeth)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Breasts, Four or More Pregnancies, Pregnant, Submissions, Update 30 Comments

I am 28 weeks pregnant with my forth child, I never thought I would have a forth child. I met a man a year ago who I really fell for after being alone for 2 and a half years after a bad relationship.I was even going to marry him last September. A few weeks after I found out I was pregnant I called off the wedding. I had a gut feeling something was not right. He was not making sense sometimes and I felt like he was hiding something. I just found out two weeks ago that everything this man had ever told me was a lie. We have had no contact since. I don’t mind raising another child on my own, I have done pretty well with the three I have. I am concerned because this is the second time in a row that I became involved with a bad person. I feel like I should have learned. I am also concerned about my children not having fathers. My first two children were with my ex husband, who is terminally ill. he was diagnosed a year ago with colon cancer, which has since spread to his liver and lungs. It’s one of the scariest things I have ever dealt with, and we are taking it one day at a time. My children starting spending half their time with him this school year, and I miss them terribly when they aren’t here, but I know they want to be with him, and he deserves to see them as much as possible. My 3rd baby’s father was accused of molesting his step daughter from a pervious marriage, and I felt like I had no choice but to ask for supervised visitation, but he stopped going when she was 11 months old so she doesn’t know him. She is now three. I don’t know what is going to happen with the baby I am carrying and her father. He is a pathological liar, his other 2 children are being taken away, he is mentally unstable and I am scared of him.. I am still in shcok and very hurt and confused, but I have three beautiful children to keep me going. I feel very blessed for them.

I love all of my children with all of my heart. I want what is best for them. I feel like I would like to meet a nice man someday, but I have terrible luck in that department, and I am scared to take anymore chances for a long time. I am already very self conscious about my body from carrying 4 babies, and from being psychologically abused by my ex. I feel like I better just stay away from men, and enjoy my kids while they are with me, I know they grow so fast, my oldest is almost 14.

I like photography and I took this photo myself with my cameras self timer. I like this picture, the lighting is flattering and it made me feel a little better about myself. I wanted to share it, I love this site. I have posted 2 times before but the posts have been lost.

011311-elizabeth-1

Updated here.

Blessed and Tortured (Anonymous)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, First Pregnancy, Postpartum, Submissions, Update 15 Comments

Im 23 years old. I have a 3 year old son. I was 165 before pregnancy. 135 now.

I am blessed with an amazingly handsome 3 year old son and an equally amazing husband who I struggle with myself everyday. and hate that my stomach looks like a road map. Since finding this website, i’ve started to accept that i cannot change it any further than i have by healthy eating and exercise. Im learning to cope. Although i am my own worst enemy and frequently feel very depressed because of my stomach. Thank you for creating this website. I have been contemplating posting for a loong time now… well Here it goes!

Updated here and here.

Two More Photos and an Apology (Anonymous)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Postpartum, Second Pregnancy, Submissions, Update 15 Comments

Original entry here.

Just wanted to add these pics which better show the saggies and stretchmarks. All the pics except the pregnancy one were taken at about 6 months pp from my second child, the two most recent taken when I was lying down. I feel like I have offended people and I want people to see that I am not some airbrushed supermom who bounced right back, nor am I delusional and imagining the marks I am trying to learn to love.The whole intention of my post was lost I think, and for that I am sorry :(