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

People have children for selfish reasons, why shouldn't people be allowed to NOT have children for selfish reasons? I don't judge anyone for not wanting children. Period.

Agreed. So surprised at the judgment.. if anything, more power to the people who can admit for selfish or unselfish reasons that they do not wish to procreate..

Well, all I have to say is that my twins did ruin my belly. They destroyed it. Stretch marks deep enough to drive a car through, handfuls of sagging skin, and a muscle separation 5 years post-partum that the doctor called "worst-case scenario." Was I as careful as I should have been about what I ate? Probably not, but I'm not going to beat myself up about it. I have given birth to 4 healthy children who weighed a total of 30+ pounds and have gained and lost more than a normal-sized adult. I wouldn't consider my body ruined, but it's definitely not what it was when I was 27 (before my first child). I have worked hard and gotten back to pre-baby weight and am more fit than I ever have been. The stomach damage requires surgery to repair. I'm not going to feel guilty about that either.

People have children for selfish reasons, why shouldn't people be allowed to NOT have children for selfish reasons? I don't judge anyone for not wanting children. Period.

this.

Not sure why people are so offended by her reason not to have kids. Her reason sounds perfectly fine to me. She really doesn't need a good reason NOT to have them as others have stated. Way too many people have kids and then make crappy parents. Having sex and then pushing a baby out of a vagina isn't some big accomplishment that needs to be praised.

I thought that the o.p.'s post was just rude and condescending towards mothers who haven't had as easy a time in losing the weight as she did.

*nods*

Wow!

People have children for selfish reasons, why shouldn't people be allowed to NOT have children for selfish reasons? I don't judge anyone for not wanting children. Period.

this.

Not sure why people are so offended by her reason not to have kids. Her reason sounds perfectly fine to me. She really doesn't need a good reason NOT to have them as others have stated. Way too many people have kids and then make crappy parents. Having sex and then pushing a baby out of a vagina isn't some big accomplishment that needs to be praised.

I thought that the o.p.'s post was just rude and condescending towards mothers who haven't had as easy a time in losing the weight as she did.

Some people think that if you choose not to have kids, you think that having kids is dumb and they're dumb for having kids. I had a friend who is pregnant who got upset when I told her I didn't want them, and neither does my partner. I've also had people tell me that its clearly my partner's idea-I love children and want to be a child psychologist. Nope, its my idea. One of those told me I should just get pregnant without my partner's consent. lol, if I can't form an opinion on having them on my own, I doubt I have the brains to get pregnant without him knowing. I've had people call me selfish. I've had friends ask me who is going to take care of me and my partner when we get older, and that's a selfish reason to have kids if I've ever heard one.
/endthreadjacking
Edit: If anyone cares, people who choose not to have kids are called 'childfree', not 'childless'. 'Childless' makes it sound like we're berefit, and if someone chooses not to do something, they aren't suffering.

I lost the baby weight fairly quickly for having 2 babies in less than 2 years, but my body didn't realize it until recently

hey, no fair !! you are one of those people who stay skinny whole pregnancy, then have serious elastic skin to shrink back to normal..it does ruin a lot bodies, but some of us just arent lucky enough to have the good genes:sad: the reason i let myself go was not because of pregnancy..it was because i was suddenly mom and dad while my hubby was in the army, and i had a 2 and 3 year old, sitting at home all day not doing much of much..some years later tho, i decided to start here, and with many ups and downs, im getting back to where i need to be..if we let ourselves go, getting back to normal should count for something

op, i'm so glad to hear that your body wasn't ruined. mine was shot to **** -- having quadruplets and vertical c-section tends to do that to some people. all i can do is embrace my good fortune and learn to love tankinis.

It totally depends on your skin type. The OP seems to have been blessed in that department, but to imply that people who don't bounce back only have themselves to blame is more than ludicrous, it's unfair. I was very slim before I had my two boys, but two large babies (8.5lbs and just under 10lbs) in the belly of a redhead with pale/ sensitive/ thin skin in under two years has done untold damage. My boys are 16 and 18 now and I still have stretch marks up to my belly button and down to my thighs. Yes, they've faded but it sure as hell wasn't my fault I got them - I was fit, rubbing my belly with all kinds of creams and didn't put a ridiculous amount of weight on either.

Late to the party as well, but I'm going to second the middle-finger poster above. Seems this was little more than a backwards excuse to post the oh-my-god-i'm-great pics (yay?), and while I'm happy for you (and I'm a let you finish), it's just petty. And pointless.

HAHAHA well said!