pregnancy doesn't "ruin" your body...

kawickham85

...and it shouldn't be an excuse to let yourself go.

When I got pregnant, I searched the internet, hoping to come across post baby belly pictures. No one continues to take photos of their belly after the baby is out! I desperately wanted to know what to expect and was terrified of what pregnancy would do to my body. I'm here to tell you that it doesn't ruin your body and you will bounce back quickly.

few days before delivery
http://oi39.tinypic.com/343qm38.jpg

6 months post delivery
http://oi41.tinypic.com/1zd43o7.jpg

now. 1.5 years post delivery
http://oi44.tinypic.com/1tu87r.jpg

BarbaraCarr1981

Nice belly. You are lucky. I had my first at age 30 and belly is not so lucky. 16 months after csection baby and well I don't like my belly and wouldn't wanna post a pic of it. Protruding and poochy belly and white, squiggly stretch marks under belly button area.

kawickham85

i am having the hardest time making the pics show so i've resorted to links.

dimsumkitty

Thank you for posting these! You look incredible, and this is amazing motivation!

chymerra

it definitely alters your body and your metabolism. i know that after having my daughter and being in my mid-30s, my metabolism has changed (slowed down). i've had to change the way i workout and be very disciplined with my food in order to see results. it's def not as easy to lose weight as it was when i was younger.

aimforhealthy

I have to say, it really ruined mine. I weighed 115 lbs when I got pregnant; I did put on a little too much weight (I put on about 40 lbs, though my doctor says the first 15 of that wouldn't count since I was underweight for my height at the time), but that wasn't what ruined it. My belly was HUGE - I lost nearly 40 lbs when I gave birth, I was carrying around that much water - and my boobs went from a 34C to a 38G almost overnight when I started nursing. The breast volume increase nearly tore the skin on my breasts and the stretch marks it left were so bad that it took 3 or 4 years for them to stop being nearly see-through. Same with the stretch marks on the sides of my belly. My son is 16 and the stretch marks on my sides are still awful. If you think your body can bounce back from that kind of abuse to its original form... well, I don't know what to tell you. Maybe yours could, but mine sure couldn't.

rowanwood

Congrats for having good genetics and being young and perfect.

Some of us aren't so lucky, some of us had babies at 35, have stretch marks and had complications that caused weight gain. Try being locked into a hospital bed and told what to eat and see what happens to you.

I really don't appreciate being told how I "let myself go" because of my kidney stones and pneumonia and a list of other stuff you don't care about. I'm working hard to get back in shape and I don't appreciate your flippant attitude. One size doesn't fit all in life. Please don't pretend it does.

stephanj

It's genetics. I am really happy for you that your results were different than mine. Bedrest, high blood pressure, extreme water retention, at one point my belly measured 50 inches around. Only so much my moisturizing could do for me. Now my skin is messed and I need a tummy tuck. Sorry, you fail to inspire me, but congrats to you.

cgrout78

i've had 3 csections...and I'm not sure I"ll ever be able to totally get rid of that pooch, plus the stretch marks which I'm sure will never go away...and the scar from the surgery itself...*sighs* I guess there go my dreams of being a swimsuit model...LOL

onwarddownward

Six kids, seven pregnancies, cumulative nine years of breastfeed (yeah, some were in it for the long-term). The last one, I was 43 and that pregnancy ended in a miscarriage. But really, that's life. My babies didn't make me fat. I chose to eat. I chose to sit. I know moms who work out, like my daughter Kimberly, she's in the Army and she runs every day, does squats, pullups, pushups. She's in tremendous shape.

My body got like this because I LET it get like this.

Now it's time to take it back.

stellcorb

Let me start with saying that I completely agree that having children is not an excuse to "let yourself go" and that it is vital to make your personal fitness and health a priority even though it most definately will be harder to find the time and energy...
Just to play a bit of a devil's advocate, let's bring in a big ol' but...
BUT... after 2 babies, my body is ruined in the way that I will never wear a bikini to the pool again due to stretch marks and loose skin that puckers a bit in wrinkles. Also, my size is off as my hips are slightly wider (at the same weight pre-baby I'm about a half a size larger)... and oh yeah, pregnancy helped wreck my hip cartilidge (small tear just before pregnancy became much worse by the time I could fix it. And my breasts are definately ruined as they inflate to an F immediately post partum (even at a normal weight) and settle back down to a C when I'm done nursing.
My point is overall, that everyone's body is different and responds differently to different things (espeically pregnancy and nursing). It worries me when overgeneralized statements like this are made that could make a woman who IS doing all that they can, get very discouraged when thier results do not compare to yours...especially in the same timeframe.
But (another but!) I congratulate you on your success and you are an inspiration!

redheaddee

Sadly, not all of us are blessed in the genetics department. Pregnancy doesn't ruin your body, but it most certainly can scar it for life. The hard part is accepting ourselves for who we are and focusing on being the best "ME" that I can be, as opposed to what some dumb@ss ideal of perfect should be.

hfester

I agree with the idea that pregnancy and motherhood are not excuses to "let yourself go."

I disagree with the "Look at me, if I did it, so can you" thing.

I have split abdominals that no amount of crunching or lifting will heal. Only a surgeon can put those back together. You can reach down to my guts through my belly.

I have stretch marks all over. I look like I got mauled by a tiger.

I have loose skin in my belly from having my huge husband's gigantic offspring.

I am not you. Parts of my body are badly damaged from pregnancy, and that's okay. Do not hold everyone up to your standards.

katimama

I'm not too sure how this fit's in with the 'motivation and support' section, but I'm totally jealous of the fact that you don't even have stretch marks!

TeachTheGirl

I concur with other posters.

If you're in shape before you have kids, it's likely that you'll be prone to snap back into shape afterward. I was not in shape. I ruined my body BEFORE pregnancy and the pregnancies didn't help one bit. I think it's awesome that you're proud of your achievements, but there are a lot of people who are going to disagree with you because it's not the norm for many mothers.

metacognition

I've never had children, but some people are genetically prone to have less elasticity to the skin. They end up with stretch marks, sometimes severe, and loose skin around the belly that no amount of exercise will remove. Sometimes the muscles of the abs stretch apart and there is a permanent pooch.

I also think it's a bit harsh to push someone with a newborn to get in shape right away. Some women bounce back, and others do not. Healthy weight should be the goal, not resembling a model after birth.

kdiamond

You look awesome.

My husband has said (and I concur) that my body looks better now at 36 years old and having 2 kids then it did at 21 years old.

The difference is, now I want it more, and I work hard for it. There are some stretch marks I will always have, and a little bit of loose skin on my tummy, but overall I am in good shape and was after my second baby was a year and a half. And I gained 50 pounds with each pregnancy, so I gained and lost 50 pounds twice all within less than 3 years total.

There are some things that can't be fixed without surgery (I should know, my boobs were a mess from breastfeeding for 2 years and I had to fix them), but overall I agree, having a baby shouldn't be an excuse to let yourself go.

mjwarford

I am happy for you and your results. You have put in the hard work and it shows.

Your blanket statement seems to indicate that if you can do it, anybody and everybody can which is simply untrue. No amount of work will remove my excess skin and stretch marks. Nothing but a scalpel will. As someone who is willing to put in the hard work (three time triathlete and running my first half marathon next week) I appreciate the thought behind trying to motivate us in getting it done but find it patronizing. Not everyone is just like you and just because we might still have a belly does not mean we are not working hard.

sizzle74

I'm going to keep my mouth closed so I don't get a strike. :grumble:

msleanlegs

Pregnancy affects women differently. Heck, each pregnancy that one woman has can be as different as night and day. Your body bounced back beautifully. Not every mother's body will respond as well to diet and exercise. Those of us who are less fortunate just have to make the best of what we've got. Thankfully, our appearance is only part of the total package. :happy:

Achrya

IDK, my mother would disagree. Five pregnancies, six kids, and a fair amount of breast expansion and shrinkage later her body has suffered some permanent damage that only a a bit of surgery could fix. Her abs are split, she's got a very saggy tummy (Not fat, just an excess of sagging, discolored, wrinkled skin), her boobs are (in her own words) like golfballs in a sock, and stretch marks run from top to bottom. My mother is a very fit woman, who puts in 12 hour shifts at a hospital 3 days a week (on her feet the whole time) and does Zumba 2 days a week. She's the 'smallest' and most in shape she's ever been in her life but none of that is fixing the things I mentioned above.

She's getting a boob job for her next birthday though; she's been saving up all year and with the adult kids pitching in it's finally enough.

But! You're lucky to have bounced back so well and good for you for all the progress you've made.

Cadori

Congratulations on having the genetics that allow you to be stretchmark free and for not having your abdominal muscles separate. :flowerforyou:

Mamahana82

I recognize you meant this as a motherhood empowerment post, OP. But this is a blanket statement that treats every woman like all our bodies are the same and unintentionally implies those who don't have bodies that return to normal or better are simply not working hard enough. It's like making a blanket statement that no woman should ever gain more than 50 pounds being pregnant. Or you can prevent any stretch marks with putting lotion on your belly. It doesn't work that way! Sure, there is no reason to throw in the towel without trying to look the best you can after having children, but it isn't possible for some women to look and be physically in the state they were before motherhood.

glovepuppet

vile thread title. vile attitude. the attractive body isn't enough to compensate.

stretchmarks aren't exercised away.
diastasis recti can't be exercised away.
the nerve damage that makes it difficult to orgasm isn't exercised away.

and none of the above were caused by letting myself go.

but yay you, etc. it's always nice to see someone belittle other people's issues.

kawickham85

lol. perfect pregnancy. if you call having hyperemesis and vomitting several times a day, every single day for 4 months straight perfect. I realize that not everyone bounces back as quickly as i did. recently, i heard someone say they dont want kids because they dont want their body to be 'ruined'. i posted this to show people that having kids does not automatically ruin your body. hell, i look better than almost all my childless friends. am i bragging about it? hell ya i am because i'm proud of it.

ctalimenti

It really depends on your individual skin integrity.

I had one child and never any stretch marks. He was 7.5 lbs.

I've seen some real roadmaps for abdomens though.

caterpillardreams

I agree with the idea that pregnancy and motherhood are not excuses to "let yourself go."

I disagree with the "Look at me, if I did it, so can you" thing.

I have split abdominals that no amount of crunching or lifting will heal. Only a surgeon can put those back together. You can reach down to my guts through my belly.

I have stretch marks all over. I look like I got mauled by a tiger.

I have loose skin in my belly from having my huge husband's gigantic offspring.

I am not you. Parts of my body are badly damaged from pregnancy, and that's okay. Do not hold everyone up to your standards.

I have had one hernia surgery and will have to have another because of my pregnancies. I had horrible back pain while pregnant, and I was very active for my first, Ate a little too much for my second. But I know there are stretch marks I can not take away, I am an active person, but there are also hormonal changes, I lost hair after my 1st pregnancy.
for some women I have seen them spring back to teensy weensy in a week, for most not so easy, and I actually worked very very hard to get back in to shape.
genetics play a role, and so do our choices.

Oh yeah and my boobs look like rocks in socks, They were always small but now they are deflated and small. LMAO

Good for you though, I would be happy if I could get back sooner,
Its a good thing we have the chance to change if we want, unless there is some medical issue.

sarahann513

I'm with a few of the other people on here. When you are thin pre-pregnancy, it is likely that your belly will bounce back. I however was overweight before I got pregnant and have come to accept the fact that my belly will never look normal. I also don't want anyone to feel inferior or bad about themselves if they are in the same situation as me. Everyone is different, and pregnancy does affect some people's bodies. I have a section that covers from hip to hip on my lower belly in the front that is just fat. I'm back down to a weight where I should be able to wear most of my jeans again, but cant because of the extra that sits there now. I know its a combo of the extra skin left from pregnancy and the extra weight that I already had on me.

Mamahana82

lol. perfect pregnancy. if you call having hyperemesis and vomitting several times a day, every single day for 4 months straight perfect. I realize that not everyone bounces back as quickly as i did. recently, i heard someone say they dont want kids because they dont want their body to be 'ruined'. i posted this to show people that having kids does not automatically ruin your body. hell, i look better than almost all my childless friends. am i bragging about it? hell ya i am because i'm proud of it.

You still must misunderstand. Bouncing back quickly or not still implies that all women can eventually bounce back and many women will not have the same body that they had pre-pregnancy. Period. I'm happy for you that you feel you look better than some childless friends, though by stating so you sound like the more childISH friend. You should be proud of it. But the woman who lost her baby weight and still has scarring and stretch marks and extra skin does not have her pre-pregnancy body back, can still feel as though pregnancy ruined her body, and should still feel like she is as empowered and proud as you. It is possible to be proud of yourself without putting down other people.

caterpillardreams

I'm with a few of the other people on here. When you are thin pre-pregnancy, it is likely that your belly will bounce back. I however was overweight before I got pregnant and have come to accept the fact that my belly will never look normal. I also don't want anyone to feel inferior or bad about themselves if they are in the same situation as me. Everyone is different, and pregnancy does affect some people's bodies. I have a section that covers from hip to hip on my lower belly in the front that is just fat. I'm back down to a weight where I should be able to wear most of my jeans again, but cant because of the extra that sits there now. I know its a combo of the extra skin left from pregnancy and the extra weight that I already had on me.

I was thin and extremely fit, that's from my experience, I was running 5ks, doing push ups, just over all I was extremely strong, I was in the Air Force and my first pregnancy I was running around 6 months passing all the not pregnant women in my squadron. This belly of mine just wont go back, but maybe one day, one day. I Hope.

AlongCame_Molly

lol. perfect pregnancy. if you call having hyperemesis and vomitting several times a day, every single day for 4 months straight perfect. I realize that not everyone bounces back as quickly as i did. recently, i heard someone say they dont want kids because they dont want their body to be 'ruined'. i posted this to show people that having kids does not automatically ruin your body. hell, i look better than almost all my childless friends. am i bragging about it? hell ya i am because i'm proud of it.

You still must misunderstand. Bouncing back quickly or not still implies that all women can eventually bounce back and many women will not have the same body that they had pre-pregnancy. Period. I'm happy for you that you feel you look better than some childless friends, though by stating so you sound like the more childISH friend. You should be proud of it. But the woman who lost her baby weight and still has scarring and stretch marks and extra skin does not have her pre-pregnancy body back, can still feel as though pregnancy ruined her body, and should still feel like she is as empowered and proud as you. It is possible to be proud of yourself without putting down other people.

Who, specifically, and how, did she put down? Are you sure you know what putting down means? Because nowhere in any of her posts did she insult anyone. Stop being so sensitive.