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

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.