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

Alison12121

You look absolutely great! What did you do to keep in shape before and after?

jakidb

Congratulations, you really look gr8t. I'm going to agree with alot of commentors on this post--I think GENETICS (and hard work--I won't discredit that) worked in your favor and that's a good thing. I'll have to find out what I can do after I have my baby in October. Based on past experience though (I have 3 adult children), the weight came off, even got my thin waist back, but was stuck with the "pouche" and yes, a few stretch marks though i have to admit, I did NOTHING to "tighten" or try to tighten the pouche up. I will make every effort to do what I can but if it doesn't do what I'd like, I'll be happy just the same--children are a blessing. No, pregnancy doesn't "ruin" your body but it definitely can do some "damage" to some.

Again Congrats on your sucess--I'm definitley not a "hater"; you look really good!

Achrya

Must be nice. I have an awesome scar from hip bone to hip bone. Also, I lost about half of my hair and got acne. Pregnancy does crazy things to your hormones and not everyone reacts the same way. I lost 30pounds while pregnant and popped a rib out while throwing up. It took the chiropractor multiple weeks of adjustments every day just so I could lay down to sleep.

So yay for your perfect pregnancy...but yours is not normal and neither was mine. There is no normal when it comes to these things. So please step off your high horse.

Bitter, much? What happened to being happy for others' success?

What fun YOU must be at parties...

Interestingly enough if I had to choose who to go to a party with I probably would put the OP at the bottom of my list, and the woman who posted what you responded to at the top. A woman who can throw out a rib but manages to keep it moving sounds like someone who would keep my own my toes all night

Just saying.

WDEvy

The OP pics are hope and all the other comments are scaring the he** out of me. I'm terrified of doing all this work. Losing over 100 lbs, finally have a decent body for once in my life and then ... mangle it with a pregnancy. this is seriously unfair.

heyyoudontgiveup

pregnancy can kill women and still does. your results are not everyone's. I don't care.

JenAndSome

Wow! You look fantastic. I wasn't so lucky. I gained a LOT of weight with each of my 3 pregnancies. I really didn't eat too much or let myself go, I just gained a lot of weight. I worked my butt off after each child and would get back down to pre-pregnancy weight, but my body won't be the same. I am okay with that. The stretch marks and the loose skin don't "ruin" my body, they just add a bit of character.

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.

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.

Yes. I know what the term means. I also know it comes in direct and passive agressive forms. I posted earlier that I don't think she intended for her post to come off that way, but compassion for others goes a long way. In that sense, no. I will not stop being so sensitive, as you put it.

_chiaroscuro

Oh, OP.

In your mind, you posted this for the woman who fears what pregnancy may do to her body. But who you're going to get in response are women who are already mommies.

Mommies.

Mommies.

Can you think of a more sensitive/defensive demographic? I can't. Your approach, while not evil or anything, didn't take this into consideration. This thread will likely explode.

_kannnd

...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

I was the size you were in your pre-delivery pictures at about 5 months preggo with my daughter. I was a relatively small person, 5'3 and 132 lbs when I got pregnant. I gained 39 pounds, and all of that was in my belly. If you look at my pre-delivery picture of the day I went to the hospital, you would swear I was at least carrying twins.

I still carry my weight in my belly and have stretch marks galore. You were lucky. Not all women, myself included, have your genetic makeup. Not everyone goes back to the perfect body quickly. Everyone is different.

DontStopB_Leakin

I am a Mommy, damnit! Therefore I have the right to sit upon my Judgy McJudgerson throne in my Ivory tower with the other Mommies!

The weather is FABULOUS up here. I see why you all hang out up here.


*to the OP - I am being totally sarcastic. I understand what you're saying, and you're right. Good on you for taking care of yourself during what can be a very difficult time. God knows I didn't, but I am now, so that's all that matters*

*to the other "Mommies" - ISN'T THE WEATHER UP HERE IN THIS IVORY TOWER FABBBUULLLOUUUUSS?!*

glovepuppet

The OP pics are hope and all the other comments are scaring the he** out of me. I'm terrified of doing all this work. Losing over 100 lbs, finally have a decent body for once in my life and then ... mangle it with a pregnancy. this is seriously unfair.

presonally, i always wished i knew that sometimes it did screw you up. just so that when it happened to me i was mentally prepared and knew it was within normal.

you can't make an educated choice, you can't have informed consent, until you know all of the facts.

if a person's only reason for not having kids is fear of not looking so pretty after, are they really ready to have kids yet? is it really the best option to lie to them?

the reality is that pregnancy is a serious business. it can ruin your body and it can endanger your health, or even your life. there are things you can do to minimise the risks but there are no guarantees. yet, if you ask most mums, your kids are more than worth it.

Alex_is_Hawks

I am a Mommy, damnit! Therefore I have the right to sit upon my Judgy McJudgerson throne in my Ivory tower with the other Mommies!

The weather is FABULOUS up here. I see why you all hang out up here.


*to the OP - I am being totally sarcastic. I understand what you're saying, and you're right. Good on you for taking care of yourself during what can be a very difficult time. God knows I didn't, but I am now, so that's all that matters*

*to the other "Mommies" - ISN'T THE WEATHER UP HERE IN THIS IVORY TOWER FABBBUULLLOUUUUSS?!*

FABBBUULLLOUUUUSS DAHLIN!!!!

kawickham85

i never intended to make strangers on the internet feel bad. i find it odd that strangers can be made to feel bad by other strangers on the internet. that's just something i'll never understand.

Achrya

The OP pics are hope and all the other comments are scaring the he** out of me. I'm terrified of doing all this work. Losing over 100 lbs, finally have a decent body for once in my life and then ... mangle it with a pregnancy. this is seriously unfair.

presonally, i always wished i knew that sometimes it did screw you up. just so that when it happened to me i was mentally prepared and knew it was within normal.

you can't make an educated choice, you can't have informed consent, until you know all of the facts.

if a person's only reason for not having kids is fear of not looking so pretty after, are they really ready to have kids yet? is it really the best option to lie to them?

the reality is that pregnancy is a serious business. it can ruin your body and it can endanger your health, or even your life. there are things you can do to minimise the risks but there are no guarantees. yet, if you ask most mums, your kids are more than worth it.

I've always wondered about the logic of trying to convince women who say things like "I don't want to get fat" that they should have children. Like...why does that sound like a good idea? Does she strike you as a woman with priorities geared towards child rearing?

I've had this actual conversation with my sister, bless her silly soul.

"You would be a great mom Chelle, you should do it before you get too old." (I'm 25, btw.)
"I don't want to get fat."
"It's not FAT, it's a baby!"
"...K. I don't want to screw up my body."
"(insert five minute explanation of how it doesn't screw up your body and even if it does it's so so worth it.)"
"I spend 3 to 5 hours a day playing video games and I'm not prepared to have a kid interrupting my raid time with their need for food and love and crap."
"Well that's just SELFISH!"

Oh. That's the point where I seemed selfish? Not the other stuff? It isn't glaring obvious that I shouldn't be having kids? No? Alright then.

glovepuppet

i never intended to make strangers on the internet feel bad. i find it odd that strangers can be made to feel bad by other strangers on the internet. that's just something i'll never understand.

that's cute. the not so subtle attempt to make other people's irritation out to be boohoo butthurting.

now i'm forced to leave the thread, for fear the degree of induced eye rolling damages my sight.

hsmaldo

On one hand, you're right...pregnancy is NOT a reason to "let yourself go" and during my second pregnancy, I tried to eat right and remain active and I believe I had a better pregnancy because of it and would definitely recommend pregnant mommies to be as active as possible--and it IS possible. Case in point, my sister-in-law is 26 weeks pregnant with her first baby and is still running each day. One of my friends doing crossfit before her pregnancy, recently posted a picture of herself squatting 220 lbs. While 9 MONTHS pregnant. WITH TWINS. That's awesome. But I'm not them.

I'm me and my weight going into pregnancy was already higher than I wanted it to be. And that made it harder and I'm sure caused more stretch marks. And breastfeeding afterwards did not "melt the fat away" So, to be honest, I didn't look at your pictures. I dont' care to see what you look like. Your post, while probably meaning well, is more the exception than the rule to most of the mommies HERE on MFP.

But hooray for your weight loss and your body not being "ruined" by pregnancy.

iAMsmiling

Wow.
Motherhood.
Body image issues.

What could go wrong in a thread like this?

rowanwood

i never intended to make strangers on the internet feel bad. i find it odd that strangers can be made to feel bad by other strangers on the internet. that's just something i'll never understand.

It's not a matter of 'feel bad'. It's a matter of possibly unrealistic expectations and having a one-size-fits-all blanket statement that just frankly isn't true. Good for you being all toned. I don't hate your success. I dislike your assumption that my inability to have a bikini ready stomach is due to "letting myself go" and not some factors I cannot control.

I'm still losing weight, but I could lose all I plan to and then some and my stomach will never be flat without surgery. My body isn't "ruined" but it sure as heck isn't the same as it was before.

I would bet some people can have your results and don't because they aren't working at it. That's true. But it's not true for everyone and that's what I take issue with.

kawickham85

thanks

Mamahana82

i never intended to make strangers on the internet feel bad. i find it odd that strangers can be made to feel bad by other strangers on the internet. that's just something i'll never understand.

:laugh: I don't think anyone feels bad about what you said. But I think what you said shows you aren't really thinking beyond the scope of your own experience. I don't understand when strangers make blanket generalizations based of scant anecdotal evidence and get defensive when people pick apart its fallacy.

kawickham85

isn't diet and exercise all about generalizations and anecdotal evidence? obviously there will ALWAYS be an exception to the rule.

pHatWeenie

Unfortunately my belly wont look like that, I am finally coming to terms with it. After baby it even got worse. I was stretched beyond what my little frame could carry and to make matters worse he went over by a week and a half. That said though you look awesome

chunkydunk714

I do have to say its all about the way you communicate the message. It goes a long way; internet or not.

On the other hand, you do look great. Congrats.

kitka82

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.

Y'all are so sweet to pitch in for your mom like that!

eamartin

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.

My thoughts exactly. My body has YET to be the same since i've had my 3 kids.

agbaeb

ok... let me say this. Genetics might play a part, but I think that the amount you exercise during, the way that you exercise/live after, and of course, the food you eat ALL play a part in helping our bodies recover!

Way to go on your progress! I am 19 weeks pregnant and am inspired/excited with the results you showed. As much as other people want to bash, thanks for the encouragement!

Mamahana82

isn't diet and exercise all about generalizations and anecdotal evidence? obviously there will ALWAYS be an exception to the rule.

You didn't present yourself as the exception to the rule, that is the issue. You presented yourself as an example of THE RULE. At the very least, that is the implication derived from your original post.

hollyanneu2

wow....I had my babies after I was 35 and they were all very large babies due to hubby being 6'8"....all of them literally split my ab walls pretty bad that I now have to wear a back brace when I ride or do any physical activity. Surgery is another option in which I do not wish to have....

My last baby was 10 lbs and 2 weeks early and approx 24 inches long....it was awful carrying him inside of him especially when he was in transevers....

I wish I have the body I had prior to having babies but it doesn't look it that I ever will....:/

Arkhos

Just getting the pictures to work for the OP

...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


6 months post delivery


now. 1.5 years post delivery

tzig00

I gained 30 lbs with one baby and 15 with the other. My body has stretch marks from both my "pouch" is all wrinkled from being stretched so quickly with my first and my hips (even though they started out wide) have grown even wider. It will never be the same as it was when I was before kids. That said, my body is a constant reminder that I went through a huge sacrifice to bring my two babies into this world. Congrats to you, but I'll keep my imperfect body.