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

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.

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.

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

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!

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 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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.