Birth and body image

[akwifeandmomma]

Have your birth experiences affected your body image? Positively or negatively, I'm very curious and would like to discuss.

[aliciahorsley]

you know, it did. but not in the way i thought it would. i used to be pretty nonchalant about my body...but did owrry about aging and sagging after birth. and sure enough, i look older and have my fair share of sagging bits but i am totally ok with it. don't ask me why..

[thefragile7393]

I've never liked how I looked. After ds, it didn't help...but I wouldn't change anything.

[Qestia]

I never really liked my body either. Pregnancy changed it for the worse... but I LOVE my body now! I think it's amazing.

[cappuccinosmom]

I never really liked my body either. Pregnancy changed it for the worse... but I LOVE my body now! I think it's amazing.

Funny how that works.

If I knew when I was 16 how I would look after three years, I would have been *horrified*. I used to always suck in my tummy and examine my shape and worry over how horrible I looked.

Now, I really don't care. I am what I am, and under the rolls of fat and loose skin I am strong and healthy and cabable. Yes, occasionally it occurs to me to be disgusted by the excess fat, but not enough to fret about it.

[GooeyRN]

I don't stress about my image as much. The stretch marks don't bother me one bit. I think of them like war wounds. The only thing that bothers me is the handful of chub left on my belly. I got rid of it really easy after dd, but she was early and small. DS was a big boy and I got huge. I am currently working on getting rid of that chub. But it doesn't bother me the way it would have 10 years ago. My boobs are saggy now (think rock in a sock) and they used to be very perky. I don't care. If I did, I would wear a bra. They function much better than they need to, so I don't care so much what they look like. Like I said, thats what push up bra's are for.

[Storm Bride]

Probably not what you're looking for, exactly, but...

I've had all of my children by unwanted cesarean section, including my stillborn son, Aaron. I have no problems with how my body looks post-pregnancy and post-op - it's not that pretty in an objective sense, but I'm okay with it. Actually, I'm probably more secure in how I look naked than I was when I was 18, and somewhat "hotter".

However, I hate my post-baby body. I hate that it failed. I hate that it's been repeatedly assaulted. I hate that it killed my son. There are times that I want to rip out my own uterus with my bare hands, and I frequently wish I'd been born a male, just so my body couldn't have done this to me...or my babies...

Stretch marks and a saggy gut? Those are just soooo not an issue...and I kind of like my linea negra, which is still visible even though Aaron was born almost six months ago. It gives my belly some character.

[amitymama]

Originally Posted by Storm Bride

However, I hate my post-baby body. I hate that it failed. I hate that it's been repeatedly assaulted. I hate that it killed my son. There are times that I want to rip out my own uterus with my bare hands, and I frequently wish I'd been born a male, just so my body couldn't have done this to me...or my babies...

:

[MKury]

I love my post pregnancy body- I have voluptuous breasts and have always been flat chested before- and my thighs got slimmer, though my belly has a little pooch. I feel like I have EARNED the right to look this way, and am curious to see how I will look after this next baby is here.

[prothyraia]

I have a much greater sense of pride in what my body can *do*, and I find more satisfaction in doing things (everything!) with it.

[samstress]

well, i'm probably happier with my body than i've ever been. however, i think that has more to do with age (and maturity) than it does with giving birth.

what pregnancy and labor and delivery did do for me was show me just what my body is capable of. i definitely have a greater toughness when it comes to exercising. i recently joined an ultimate fitness boot camp and i now push through it rather than giving up (as i once may have).

[Storm Bride]

Originally Posted by samstress

what pregnancy and labor and delivery did do for me was show me just what my body is capable of. i definitely have a greater toughness when it comes to exercising. i recently joined an ultimate fitness boot camp and i now push through it rather than giving up (as i once may have).

This is interesting to me, as I'm exactly the opposite. When I was younger, I'd push through almost anything physically, if I had a reason to. These days, it's hard to make myself bother at all.

[sarahtdubb]

I had a good body image before, but now I have a GREAT body image! I am so much more appreciative of my body and myself in general. Now I think I'm pretty much the hottest person around.

[desertpenguin]

i have much more admiration for my body and what it is capable of achieving. i don't spend as much time fretting in front of the mirror about what i look like as i used to prior to having children (when would i find the time? haha.) i feel more secure in myself knowing that my husband still loves my body and finds me very sexy even with the flub, stretch marks, varicosities, sagging breasts, wrinkles, etc. i do plan on getting into better shape though after i have this baby though, and hopefully getting rid of some of the previously mentioned things. i feel good but i want to look even better than i do already.

[philomom]

When younger, I was so beautiful that I took it for granted. It was a non-issue, my looks. I had low self-esteem, though. Folks would compliment me and I would nervously change the subject. After having babies naturally, my self esteem just soared. I really came out of both births with that amazing "I can do anything!" feelings. My looks are dimmer now that I'm forty something, but the good feelings have stayed with me and often help me in new settings even today.... I mean if you can do natural childbirth... should I be afraid to try anything? No way!

[RockStarMom]

I had a "perfect" body before, and a lot of my self-esteem was invested in it, but I was so much harder on myself too...a 5 lb. weight difference was noticeable and would determine whether or not I would wear a bikini.
Now, "perfection" is out the window, but I wear a bikini anyway! One side of me still mourns the loss of my old body, while another side rejoices in what my body has accomplished through birth and nursing.
It's been hard. It took a good 2 years to get to this point of comfort with the changes. This is a helpful site.