So, because Gisele and all her friends make it seem like stretchmarks don't happen, I started Body by Baby. Stretchmarks do happen. So does saggy skin. And saggy boobs. And that is ok.
Because this is what my belly looks like. This is what having two beautiful babies did to me. And it is awesome.
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| Beautiful. |
That's right. Drink it in. That is Grade A, 100% Mommy Beef right there. I earned every one of those tiger stripes. By growing healthy babies. Through healthy pregnancies. My saggy skin, stretched out bellybutton (you could fit a fist in that thing) and stretchmarks aren't the result of something I did wrong. They are the sign of everything I did right.
Should I be embarrassed to wear a bikini in public because I look like this? Fuck no. I should be proud. If people don't like the way I look in a bikini, that it is their problem, not mine.
Now why on earth would I put my fat stomach out there for God and all of the internets to see? Because this is reality.
With this revelation about my own body comes a challenge to you all to help me keep it real. Because we are real women. Our bodies aren't perfect. But they didn't get this way on their own. They got this way because we are fucking awesome and CREATED A HUMAN IN THEM. What's a stretchmark or a muffin top when we actually made life?
Feeling frisky? Send me your own Body by Baby portrait and I will share it with
Thank you!
ReplyDeleteGood for you! I think your belly looks pretty darned good. Wish I had a few less rolls/extra padding. I'd love to blame that on childbearing, but I've had those most of my life, maybe all of it. And, I totally hear you on the belly button thing!
ReplyDeletethe pic i took that emphasized the stretch marks the most made me look very thin for some reason. don't worry, it is only an illusion. ha.
DeleteThis is awesome. Go you!!!
ReplyDeleteI might try it - my belly is poochy pouch after my C/S. Not that it was ever that small to begin with!!
Go for it, Andrea! I mean, "Sarah"...
DeleteNot too shabby! I think you still look great!
ReplyDeleteSo Brandon is sitting next to me and proving that love truly is blind, he pointed to the picture of Alessandra and yelled, "MAMA!" I said, "Is that Mama?" And he smiled and said "yeah." Brandon is now MY FAVORITE. Ethan and Connor who?
Que Brandon getting a pony today...
DeleteYeah, a My Little Pony.
DeleteI needed this. I am very self conscious about my post-baby belly. Plus, I had the added fun of a c-section and 12 months of breast feeding.
ReplyDeleteBonus!
DeleteI had an umbilical hernia during my pregnancy (aka The Bipple), which has kinda stuck around afterwards. If you google umbilical hernia (but don't! I've warned you!) I see it could be a lot worse.
ReplyDeleteAnd tiger stripes... I haz 'em! But no linea nigra.
Fun stuff. I have never really lost my linea from my second...
DeleteLove, love, love this!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm going to have Jeeves take a pic of me, but I need a shower first, there may or may not be washable marker stick people drawn on my stomach because I'm a fun Mom and my girls and I played living canvas last night.
that. is. awesome. please take a before for me as well.
DeleteI was already fat when I got pregnant so I had already had stretch marks. The only new ones I got were on my pubic area, which is nice. My vagina looks like Medusa's head now, stretch marks everywhere like a bunch of snakes. Luckily my fat hangs over it, so I don't have to see it.
ReplyDeleteAh motherhood. A real snake pit!
DeleteI admire your confidence. I feel gross, like having twins and a single have wrecked my tummy. Plus, I live in San Diego where bathing suits & beach-sitting are what we do. I'm considering sharing my tummy...Still working up the nerve.
ReplyDeleteShare Share Share!
Deletei was all worried about my stomach being covered in stretch marks after my pregnancy and then felt pretty lucky when i had almost none (i fully credit burt's bees mama bee belly cream for this miracle), but then i caught a glimpse of my ass in the mirror. yeah, the belly was apparently not the only thing stretching during my pregnancy... i asked my husband if he had noticed and he told me he didn't want to tell me how bad it had gotten.
ReplyDeleteI used BB too and no luck. Ha for the hubby!
DeleteI can TELL you that my already-small boobs are now saggy and practically invisible if I don't wear a bra (which I never did before I was pregnant)... But alas, I cannot show you. Just trust me.
ReplyDeletesame here, girlie.
DeleteAgreed. The boobs are in much worse shape than the belly around here.
Deleteha!
DeleteI understand how celebrities get thin after pregnancy (they're rich and have trainers and don't eat, etc) but how do NONE of them have stretch marks? I know there are some things you can do to prevent it, but some is genetic too, right? Ugh.
ReplyDeleteAnywho, if I remember to I'll send you a picture, but I'm being lazy right now. I think your tummy looks pretty dang good :)
there is nothing you can do to prevent them. sorry, that is the truth. it is all genetics. apparently only foreign chicks don't get them...
DeleteHa! you forgot the magic of Photoshop and airbrushing. Have you ever seen any model without make up, airbrushing? They look like the rest of us. Even the so-called plus sized models haven't any stretch marks. And we all know that they really do.
Deletetrue, true.
DeleteYou and Jess at Wrangling Chaos are the shit! And I'm with Kate -- you do look fab in that photo.
ReplyDeleteI was once fat, and already had stretch marks. Got new ones beginning at 38 weeks. I guess that's how fat I'd been, years ago. Then got C-section. Have no idea if that affects my now-loose skin or not. Am only 3-1/2 months post birth.
BUT returning to the previous stretch marks? They were on my boobs, too. My glorious fat boobs. When I lost weight, those girls lost the equivalent of 5 cup sizes (since I lost inches in the band, AND flesh in the boobs), to look like an old lady's when I was a mere 26. Now they are feeding dear LittleBoy and they got evEnBIGger than they'd ever been. What a body image circus awaits me when he weans...
Thanks for sharing, T. Ain't motherhood grand?
DeleteAmazing. Exactly what I needed today. Now lets praise droopy boobs and eternal belly pouches too!
ReplyDeleteAlways@!
DeleteDo currently pregnant with fourth baby tummies count?
ReplyDeleteThey will once baby is out. Ha! Rock it, girl.
DeleteLooking at your post-baby belly pic just now:
ReplyDeleteLillie: Mom, is that you?
Me: Um, no sweetie. I wish.
Lillie: Well, it looks just like yours! I can't wait to get tiger stripes when I have a baby!
Bless her heart.
Another pony given out today, folks!
DeleteThings I keep laughing at: sticking a fist in your belly button. Are we talking small child's fist? or your own? Hmm
ReplyDeleteMy own. Boo.
DeleteMy stomach is far worse than that (not much for stretch marks but 2 c-sections gave me major front butt) and I'm not ashamed of it at all. I take my kids swimming all the time and rock my post baby body like it's my job, it kind of is. I've posted it online for all to see as well, women need to know what stomachs are supposed to look like post baby.
ReplyDeleteFront butt. Ha.
DeleteHa! This is funny! I found you through the blog hop linky and so glad I did. Thanks for laughs. Ill be following.
ReplyDeleteYay! Thanks, Shelly.
DeleteI really appreciate this post. I'm 5ish weeks out from delivering my first and have had this "worry" on the brain for a while. From this post and the comments that follow, I should not be worried but proud. And for that, ladies, I thank you :)
ReplyDeleteRock those stretch marks and saggy skin, Connie. Wave that freak flag like you just don't care!
DeleteI have the solution: move to Victoria BC, Canada. We get true "summer" for approximately 3 weeks here in our city... warm enough to swim comfortably in our local lakes. The benefit - small T-shirts, bathing suits and shorts are really only necessary for short periods of time. Those who want to wear the smaller summer clothes can do so, but for those of us who have swollen up like balloons while growing our babies and would prefer the full cover of Fall and Winter sweaters... it's awesome! And when we do get those few glorious weeks, everyone is so ready for some god 'ol vitamin D that everyone, regardless of their body, gets out to enjoy it and there is no way you can be intimidated at the beach :)
ReplyDeleteMy motto for post baby body - its okay to be self conscious... come in ladies, we are women afterall! But never let your fear or lack of confidence stop you from doing anything you want to do! Think of everything we do as Moms... getting into a bathing suit even if we are uncomfortable is easy peasy compared to the rest of it :)
excellent all around, Katie!
DeleteBeautiful!
ReplyDelete