Update

I’ve participated in the Shape of a Mother twice.I just wanted to share my joy of anticipating another baby to grow and nurture. My previous submissions were here and here. I’m currently 31 weeks pregnant with my fourth child. Owen is scheduled to arrive March 3, 2008. We are very excited and anxious for his arrival. I wanted to share some of my pregnancy pictures with you since I did not have any belly shots with my precious submission. You will see how far out there my belly extends to grow this little one. But I wouldn’t change the marks that will be left behind for anything. I do hope to post pictures after he is born to see the marks of 4 pregnancies left on my body. The first picture is at 21 weeks, the second and third is at 31 weeks.

Updated here.

These pictures chart some of my journey – the physical side of it at least. I was pregnant at 19 and this first picture is me looking very young! I had hyperemesis through my entire pregnancy and didn’t gain any weight until afterwards, but by that picture (36 weeks) I was only *feeling* sick. The second picture is what my stomach looked like for the next two years, not hugely saggy but very stretch-marked. I had never liked my body really and although I liked how I looked pregnant I was not really happy in myself and felt that I would never be beautiful. In that picture I was 18 weeks pregnant with our second child, concieved after two miscarriages and much hoped-for. This time I relished being pregnant and felt as happy with my body as I ever had. There are two shots of me bellydancing, which I did through my pregnancy. I felt great once my hyperemesis passed at twenty weeks. You can see my gorgeous first daughter dancing with me. The last couple of pictures are me with our second baby. I never felt particularly bad about my breasts, which went from a 32C on my wedding day to a 34DD with my firstborn to a 32GG with this baby! They are stretched and saggy but I don’t care. :) My stretchmarks are less of an issue to me than they were – my best friend calls them Tiger Stripes – and I am feeling happy with my body. I am bigger, curvier, saggier, marked and yet more beautiful than ever.

Updated here.

I fell pregnant at the age of 19 which, in the UK, isn’t very young! I was very tiny in my pregnancy until the last two months I just BALLOONED! I looked like a beached whale. My whole body was swollen, my feet grew and extra size and my hands are still puffy now, 15 months after I have given birth. I have a wonderful son called Marc and an amazing fiance called Kenneth. Kenneth was 18 when we found out we were having a baby. We knew we were quite young but what made me feel better was knowing I will be 20 when I give birth and not a teenager. Not that it really mattered because our son was a gift! When Kenneth and I met we knew we were meant to be together and always talked about having kids one day. We got our blessing and things turned out amazing. My pregnancy was beautiful…tiring but beautiful lol! I never had one stretch mark…until…my 7th month when I began gaining a lot of weight. Before I was a UK size 10 which is small for over this side of the pond and I had a wonderful figure. I ended up 10 days over-due so had to get induced which was fine cause all I wanted was my son out so I could hold him. My mum and my fiance were my birthing partners and on my second day in hospital they decided to leave me alone for a little while so that they could go eat, which was fine because they sneaked me in a Big Mac! Once I finished my burger we decided to sit and read some magazines. But I started to feel like I had a bad tummy ache but I never said anything for about 15 minuted. I leaned back on the bed and my mum asked if I was ok. I told her I was sore so she went to get a nurse for me. I asked her for some paracetamol and she said no. I asked her why and she said, “Well, it’s because you’ve been in labour for the past 30 minutes and didnt know”. I was hooked up to a machaine which showed the waves of my contractions. I was astonished! Although I knew I was there to go into labour, I never actually thought it would happen that easy! Anyway, I went down to the delivery theatre and got my waters broken and I sucked away on my AMAZING gas and air. To cut a long story short I was in labour for 13 hours but unfortunately they noticed Marc wasnt reacting and his heart rate dropped to more than half of what it should be. I was told I needed an emergency cesarean because if I didnt, Marc and myself would end up in serious trouble. I got my two epidurals and sent to theatre. Kenneth joined me in there and within 15 minutes my son was in my arms, so healthy, so beautiful! We got home 2 nights later. I was sore…very sore for about 3 days. Maybe I shouldnt have went shopping as soon as I got out of the hospital! I dont know how I managed that! Anyway, I never once felt like a failure because I went through what I did to save my son and thats the most amazing thing a mother can do! I would loved to have given birth naturally but no one says I never can. I did what I had to and I have a gorgeous, healthy, big 15 month old and he’s the best thing to have ever happened to me. Im just beginning to get my body back. Slowly but surely and my figure is even more wonderful than it ever was before!

Updated here.

i just had my first child at 18 a month ago and I’m still trying to accept my body. My stomach looks like a tiger attacked it with its claws out. My fiance tells me I’m sexy and he’s still very turned on by me but i just look in the mirror and feel disgusting. I always am scared that if my shirt rides up people might see them. But then i look at my beautiful daughter and if i could go back in time, and not get pregnant, just to avoid these stretch marks, i wouldn’t. Every second i spend with my wonderful baby girl makes me appreciate every scar and every bit of my sagging tummy. Your site helps me accept and love my body.

Updated here and here.