Update

Triplet Mom + One – Update (Tabitha)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Cosmetic and/or Reconstructive Surgery, Hernia, Postpartum, Second Pregnancy, Submissions, Tattoo, Triplets, Update 11 Comments

Original entry here.

23years old
2pregnancies
Riley(g) Aiden(b) Chloe(g) age 2 1/2
Brennan 11months

This is an update, i had GGB triplets in 07 and then a singleton boy in 09. I was a mother to 4 before i turned 23. The stress my body underwent was amazing! I had a gap in my ab muscles big enough to feel my spine through, i also had a TON of sagging skin that i couldnt see my feet past. I eventually got to the point that i was so unhappy with myself that i would have done anything to get it all taken care of. I went to my doc to see about a tummy tuck not thinking it would happen. After about a month of physical therapy for my back because of the gap in my muscles and a few appointments in a plastic surgeon and eventually a hernia, my surgery got approved! Being that my husband is military its extremely hard to get a surgery like that approved without having problems directly involved with the pregnancies. My hernia was a blessing in disguise! On Dec 4th 2009 i got to go in for my tummy tuck. I was really nervous leaving my babies for something like this. I never leave them unless its just for a minute and thats normally only to head out for a break. So i was beside myself because i always seem to think of the worst possible outcome on things like this. The surgery went great! I dont think ive ever been so happy besides when my babies were born. I never thought i would look like a 23 year old again! I cant play with the kids better and longer now, im not so down and depressed because i hated the way i looked, i get dressed and actually put my face on and do my hair now, when before it was hard to just get out of a big t-shirt and sweats! I can happily say that i love my body! I still have a few left over stretch marks to remind me of the pregnancies which i love! The doctor did such a great job that my tummy looks natural, like its always been that way. My triplets are now 2 1/2 and my littlest is almost one, a lot has happened in the past couple of years but its all been amazing!

An Update to my Story (Jen)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Cesarean, Plus-Sized Mom, Postpartum, Pregnant, Submissions, Tattoo, Third Pregnancy, Update 13 Comments

27
3 pregnancies, soon to be 3 births (all c-sections)
5, 3 and due in 4 weeks

I originally posted this in December of 2006. To recap, we were in a serious car accident when I was 24 weeks pregnant with our second child, and it left me with pelvic injuries, and depression. I read my submission recently, and was shocked that I didn’t see at the time just how depressed and angry I was!

I have grown a lot since then. It has been 4.3 years since the accident, and I have finally gotten a diagnosis, and some realistic expectations from my physicians. I have an unstable pelvis, SI joint dysfunction and deterioration, and myofascial pain syndrome. I’m never going to be pain free again, and I have exhausted the available treatments at this time. I can choose to have more prolotherapy, which involves injections of a sugar solution in to the joints in my pelvis/lower back, but having had ~250 injections at this point (20 – 25 per treatment, x 10 treatments,) I have learned that they do not work. I have been in pain 24/7 for the last 4.3 years, but I no longer allow it to rule me. I beat depression, have started a support group for moms coping with chronic pain, and am using my experiences to help other moms who are in the position I was in. I have adopted a new motto in life: “It is what it is.” I cannot change what happened to me, but I can accept it, move forward, and be an advocate for those who haven’t gotten to this point yet J To remind myself of this, I designed a tattoo using some of my favorite elements, and put it over the injection sites on my lower back on June 6th, 2009.

In my original story, I was struggling with being told that I could not carry another child. I am happy to say that I am proving them wrong, because after a BCP failure in June, I am now expecting my third daughter. She will be arriving via c-section on my YDD’s birthday in 4 weeks. It has been an extremely rough pregnancy, but seeing my daughter will make it all worth while!

Thanks for reading!

My tattoo when I first got it
Me at 35 weeks with # 3 J
My girls at a wedding (flower girls)

My Submission (Jeanne)

Bonnie (SOAM) Before Pregnancy, Belly, Breasts, First Pregnancy, Postpartum, Submissions, Update 13 Comments

I had an unplanned pregnancy at 21. I was scared, I was doing it alone without my daughter’s father in the picture. Throughout my pregnancy I was afraid of what changes might happen to my body. I used to love my body and now I am still learning to accept the changes. I hit my prepregnancy weight and only gained 23 pounds while pregnant but I got stretch marks and things just aren’t as taught on my stomach anymore. I’m hoping that in time the skin will continue to shrink and I love my daughter to pieces so it has all been worth it.

Attached is a pre-pregnancy picture, a 1-week postpartum picture, and then a 4 month post partum picture, as well as a picture of my daughter and i. I don’t have a current one but it’s all the same.

~Age: 22
~Number of pregnancies and births: 1 pregnancy, 1 birth
~The age of your children, or how far postpartum you are: 9 months postpartum

Updated here and here.

Update (Anonymous)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Postpartum, Pregnant, Second Pregnancy, Submissions, Update 13 Comments

Age: 22
How many kids: 2 babies one age 8 months and one 3 years old

Hello to all the beautiful mommies . I first would like to say that i love this site and it has helped get through some rough times about my body image. it has shown me that there’s many women out there that get stretch marks , loose skin and such and its not just me. I have also posted here 7 months after having my son. Anyways I am a single mom of two babies. One girl and one boy. My little boy is 3 years old and my little girl is almost 8 months old. I struggle every day with my body but I try to think positive. My babies were worth every stretch mark and I wouldnt change anything. I have alot of good days but then those bad days come when I cant find one thing I like about my body. I dont like my stomach and every since having my second baby I dont like my breasts either. I think they lost quite abit of fullness and are small. I just want to thank you for all the brave mommies who post. Its not an easy thing to do but its helping soo many women. I really wish that all women could love thier bodies and its sad that so very few do. Well thanks for listening. Oh and i dont have any pics of the end of my pregnancy. I got pretty big and I wish i had some to show :)

8.5 Postpartum, Update (Kristin)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Second Pregnancy, Submissions, Update 9 Comments

Age:22 years old
Number of children: two, age 2 years old and 8.5 months old
how far postpartum:8.5 months

Hey, My name is Kristin, i have posted on here 2 other times, once when i had my first child, then again after i had my second child. I decided that i would do an update on how we are doing. We are doing good, my children are doing great, they are growing up so fast:)

I was not really happy about my body, i dont think i ever was, i still get very depressed sometimes when i see myself in the mirror. I went up to 140 by the end of each pregnancy, I am at a weight of 114Ibs now, i struggle with my weight, i don’t want to gain weight so i always look at the calories on food to make sure i dont go over my daily intake of calories. Its really annoying at times, but its hard to let the weight issue go, and i feel that i am fat, that my belly sticks out, and my boobs are to small, i feel that my body has not made anymore improvements either, and i am almost 9 months postpartum. I hate feeling like this, my husband says i am beautiful and sexy, but i have a hard time believing him.I really don’t like the look of my body but i know my children were worth it. My little boy is turning 2 in January, and my daughter is now 8.5 months old. I love my life, i have a wonderful husband and two wonderful children and i wouldnt trade it for nothing. But i can’t completly stop the depressing days i get about my body, atleast i have more good ones then bad ones.

Thanks so much for this site Bonnie, it has really made life easier seeing other beautiful mommies, that look similar to me.

The first 3 pictures is of me 8.5 months postpartum(now)
And the 4th is me and my 2 beautiful babies.

Updated here and here.

Update (Jill)

Bonnie (SOAM) No Photos (Story Only), Submissions, Update 1 Comment

Original entry here.

i’m now almost 6 months pp and i feel i have to update my last entry. since whining all about my unhappiness over my new mom-bod i have continued to work hard (even through the holidays!) and am happy to report my progress. i just ran my first 5k, am back into all my clothes, i’m still nursing full time, doing my pilates faithfully (i’m almost addicted, it is soo calming!), and am feeling pretty great about who i am. i still miss my smooth skin and work diligently on fading these stinking stretch marks but whatever. the lights can always be turned off right ;) also, the guys on “the biggest loser” (LOVE that show) usually have a few stretchies and i know they didn’t get those from growing a baby. spread the word, ANYONE can get them! :) sorry no new pics. my camera is being craaazy!

age: 22
first pregnancy
postpartum: 32 weeks

Updated here and here.

Almost 2 ½ years later and still unhappy (Anonymous)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Breasts, First Pregnancy, Postpartum, Submissions, Teen Mom, Update 42 Comments

I got pregnant at the age of eighteen and gave birth by nineteen, I am now twenty one. My beautiful baby girl is two and three months old. I love my baby girl but I hate my body. I’ve always had problems with my weight, one minute I would be overweight and the next I would be under weight. Just before I got pregnant I was bouncing between 107 lbs to about 118 lbs and 5’1 tall. Those were good days for me. By the time I reached full term in my pregnancy I weighed 162 lbs. I figured it would be no problem to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight. Eight months later I was at 125 lbs and looking good, but then I started working full time and I am a single mother and by the time I got home from work every day, I just didn’t have the energy to work out. And to make matters worse, I work at a desk all day so the physical activity is limited.

Before I knew it, I was back up to 146 lbs and all of my toning was gone. I know it’s not good to obsess about how you look but I’ve always been self conscious and it’s more than just how I look to me, It’s how I feel. I feel drained and depressed most of the time and most days now, I can’t seem to will myself out of bed in the morning. I’m missing days of work and missing out on life.

I’m trying my hardest to cope with the way I feel but it’s hard. Most of my friends that have had children all seemed to go back to normal after so I can’t talk to them about it. The funny thing is, is that I really want to get fit and start enjoying life but the depression is holding me back. Most of the time I just want to hide under a blanket and drink coffee all day.

The thing I hate most about my body is definitely my baby pouch. No matter what I wear it still sticks out and folds over and when I sit down it really looks bad. I feel like people are staring at it and thinking that I am gross or something. And why is it that you can never find underwear that will conceal it and make it look flat. I have tried all kinds of control underwear and all they do it push the fat upwards so you have extreme back fat (not so attractive). I don’t know maybe I’m just being crazy but this all seems very real to me.

Sometimes I really think that I should have held off on getting a job until my little girl was a little older so that I could have enjoyed our time a little more without all the added stress (my job is a legal job and not the easiest). But then I think that I did the right thing in being able to secure a future, however, it cost me my sanity and my body in the end. One day I hope to feel better and look better because I don’t want my little girl to start noticing how unhappy I am and start showing signs of the same behaviour. If things do get better for me I’ll be sure to post an update.

Thank you all for listening.

Updated here.

2 Weeks PP – Update (Berni)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Postpartum, Second Pregnancy, Submissions, Update, VBAC 8 Comments

I originally posted around 3 months after the birth of my son, again at 6 and a half months pp, and 38 weeks into this pregnancy.

My daughter was born 10 days late on the 22nd December 2010. I had actually gone into hospital that day to book an elective C section, due to being post dates and already having had a section. I was so happy when my water started to leak that evening. I did not achieve my homebirth but it was a very straight forward vaginal delivery. I ended up transferring to hospital after about 5 hours of strong contractions, as I was in a lot of pain and still only 3cm dilated, my midwife was also a little concerned about the baby’s heartbeat and that I was dehydrated. Well I wish I stayed at home now because I reached 10cm delivered within an hour and a half! There was no time for any extra pain relief so I only had gas and air. I didn’t tear and I wasn’t cut which I was very happy about. She was only 7lb 12oz, so second babies are not always bigger (my first was 10lb 10oz) and growth scans are not always accurate (she was estimated to be 9lb+). We called her Lilac and she is so lovely. I’m so pleased that I managed to have a VBAC and I doubt I would have achieved it without the support of the wonderful midwife I had.

As for my body I am now 3 weeks pp and I have 10lbs to lose and I struggle to fit in clothes 2 sizes bigger than what I was wearing when I fell pregnant. My tummy is so horrible and saggy, I knew it would be as it was saggy after my son, but it seems more so now. I didn’t get any new stretch marks. I try not to think about my tummy too much as it does get me down. I hope in time I can become more positive about my body, especially now I have a daughter. Is there any way without surgery to improve lose skin?

The body pictures are 2 weeks PP.

The last picture is of me and Lilac on Xmas day (3 days old).

From Hot to Not – Update (Anonymous)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, First Pregnancy, Postpartum, Submissions, Update 30 Comments

Your Age: 21
Number of pregnancies and births: 1

Original entry here.

I posted a few months ago when I was 11 weeks PP. My son is now 7 months (32 weeks PP). I still look the same which is incredibly depressing, I did drop from 150 to 145 but I’m kind of stuck there. I can only exercise about 3 times a week because so I’m busy. I need to make it more of a priority to exercise but it’s just so difficult to find the time.

It’s so hard to see girls who are my age who have never had children and their body’s are amazing; no stretch marks, no cellulite, nothing. They have flawless smooth stomachs.. I used to to look that way and it’s just so hard to accept reality. I would be so happy with my body if I didn’t have stretch marks. They hold me back.. I think I would be so motivated to work out and exercise if they weren’t there but I know that they’re there and I’ll never show my stomach.. so what’s the point of slimming down?

I don’t feel attractive at all. I feel ugly. As a young and single mom, I feel like no guy (that I want) will ever want to be with me. I’m damaged goods now. I can’t look at my stretch marks and think of them as “badges of honor” or “battle scars” I look at them and see ugly marks that represent carelessness and laziness. I should have exercised and ate better while I was pregnant. But I didn’t and they remind me daily. I see tons of young mothers who have had babies and didn’t get a single mark and they’re 100% back to normal…walking around in bikinis totally care-free. I hate the way I look and I think it will be a constant uphill battle with the way I feel about myself.

These pictures don’t do my stretch marks justice.

Learning to accept my new body and hopefully one day love! (Anonymous)

Bonnie (SOAM) Before Pregnancy, Belly, First Pregnancy, Pregnant, Submissions, Tattoo, Update 6 Comments

– 22 years old
– 1st pregnancy
– 4 weeks postpartum

Firstly I would like to say that I think this website is absolutely fantastic! During and following my pregnancy, this site has made me realise that I’m not the only person struggling to come to terms with my new body and anyone who posts pictures of themselves and parts of their bodies that they’re unhappy with (and happy for that matter) are so brave! So to all you mothers who are also struggling, I want to say thanks for making me realise I am not alone!

I gave birth to my beautiful little boy on the 3rd December this year! I am 4 weeks post-partum to this day! Before I was pregnant I weighed just under 11 stone, I was a curvy and volumptuous size UK 12/14. I’ve never really had any major issues with the way I looked, I’d have my ‘fat’ days, but generally I was happy. Throughout my pregnancy I put on a total of about 28 pounds and it generally was all on my belly, so as far as I’m concerned I did quite well. Towards the end I was huge, I also went over by 13 days, so I don’t think this helped either!

Then on the 3rd December 2009 I gave birth to Noah, who in my eyes is the most perfect and beautiful little boy ever! He weighed a very healthy 9 pounds, which explains why I was so huge towards the end!!!

I’m now 4 weeks post partum and I am only 7 pounds heavier than what I was before I had him, so I haven’t got an awful lot to lose, however, it’s not the weight that I’m unhappy about, but the amount of stretchmarks and the way that my body has altered! I didn’t really have many stretchmarks whilst I was pregnant, but then from about week 35 they just came everywhere! There’s now not a part of me that hasn’t got a stretchmark! I’ve got them on my thighs, behind my knees, all over my belly, my bum and my boobs! People keep telling me they’ll fade, but this doesn’t make me feel any better! I want to cry just thinking about the way I look, I actually disgust myself! I hate the way my once perk boobs are no longer and feel almost empty and drooping, my thighs and bum are now so out of shape it’s unreal, I’ve got like a pouch on my belly and my sides are now fatty, which hides what once was my womanly curves! I’m ashamed to even show my body to my partner, who constantly reassures me that he’s not bothered and that I still look beautiful, but I don’t and can’t believe him for one second! If it wasn’t for my partner being at the hospital whilst a midwife checked my stomach, he still wouldn’t have seen it to this day!

I feel so awful and ashamed of myself for feeling so resentful towards my body, because if it wasn’t for my body and the changes it went through, I wouldn’t have my little boy. But I can’t help but hate the way I look! People keep telling me the stretch marks will fade and nothing that a bit of spinning can’t sort out, but I don’t believe them!

I just wish now when I had my body before – which has now long gone – I had appreciated and loved it more, as to be honest it was pretty good, even if I say so myself!!! But for now I’m learning to accept myself and hopefully once I can accept myself, I can then learn to love myself once more!

I’ve attached a picture of firstly my little boy, before I was pregnant and me at about 34 weeks pregnant! I haven’t attached any of me post-partum as it would mean having to get my partner to take them and I’m not yet ready for him to see me! But hopefully in time I will have the courage to post pictures of my post-partum body!

Updated here and here.