A much requested post that really doesn’t need a lot of explanation from me. I’m not interested in showing you my belly while standing, I promise it’s nothing you want to see. Or maybe you want to see it, but I certainly don’t have any interest in showing you.
TH said that the stretch marks on the left side aren’t really that much more obvious, I must have been tilted a bit to make them more stark.
Overall, havinga baby completely tore up my body. It’s not just that I gained weight (although that is a big part of it). My hips are wider, my breasts are a bit saggier despite the lack of breastfeeding, and my stomach/sides/back are always going to have marks that tell the story of what it took to make a baby.
Happily there is more to life than perky hips and a crag-free stomach, you know?
August 3rd, 2011 on 7:23 am
I never really understood why women got so worked up over stretch marks during pregnancy..but that’s because I’ve been overweight/obese my entire life (since middle school) and always had them. So when I was pregnant with Bean and Gus I thought “Oh well, add one more to the collection!”- haha. Maybe if I never had them and then aquired them during pregnancy I would be a little more upset. But I can’t tell which stretch marks were there pre or post baby, they’re all one big happy family.
I do have a scar from my c-section that I take pride in..it’s my battle scar..something to always remind me of what sacrifices I made for my children…I kind of think stretch marks are the same reminder..
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August 3rd, 2011 on 7:56 am
I love your last line there
We are so lucky that there IS more to life than stretch marks and perky breasts!
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August 3rd, 2011 on 8:00 am
Love that photo of you and your son. Clearly the stretch marks were worth it.
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August 3rd, 2011 on 8:10 am
I thought you said you already had the stretch marks from when you gained weight in college? Did they get worse when you had T1?
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Jenna Reply:
August 3rd, 2011 at 9:39 am
Oh yes, my previous stretch marks were nothing like these
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Maggie Reply:
August 3rd, 2011 at 11:14 am
Bummers. At least you have an awesome reward after these ones though!
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August 3rd, 2011 on 8:11 am
Everyone will have to learn that lesson sooner or later. Whether it’s from having a baby or just plain old ageing. Our bodies change. You’re ahead of the game by realizing the important things now
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August 3rd, 2011 on 8:37 am
My mom has what we call the “Yup, Yup” stomach. Do you remember the aliens on Sesame Street that only say “yup, yup, yup, yup?” That is kind of the appearance of her stomach. She’s always joked with us about it and assures me that it is my destiny. She is greatful, not resentful of it becaause it’s part of her journey to being our mother. I have to say her attitude about it has helped me to reassure myself that my appearance is far less important then the rest of the world makes it out to be. My mom is beautiful and the best person I know. Her stomach plays no role in her beauty!
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Cécy Reply:
August 3rd, 2011 at 11:21 am
Your mom is an example to live by.
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August 3rd, 2011 on 8:38 am
Dude your belly looks awesome! You are giving me hope! I’m 33 weeks pregnant and have some nasty red marks below my belly button. So sad, considering I already have tons of stretch marks from my teenage years on my hips, bum and thighs.
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August 3rd, 2011 on 9:04 am
Thank you thank you thank you for sharing!
I’m just a few weeks from delivery and I keep looking at mine saying …. hmmm I wonder what these will look like when he comes out. Well there you have it! I appreciate your honesty and I, too, love your last statement - there is so much more to life.
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August 3rd, 2011 on 9:19 am
I read this really interesting memoir piece in Vogue last month that reminds me of this. It was a recollection of a British girl’s summers spent in rural France, and when she’s talking about the beach she mentions how proud the French are of their bodies - all the different body types that, at the nude beach, they strut with. None of this being ashamed of an extra stretch mark or saggy boobs, they’re just proud of how they lived their lives, and how their body shows that off. I think that’s a really interesting way to look at it, modesty and health aside.
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Anni Reply:
August 3rd, 2011 at 9:20 am
(obviously I meant that in regards to your wonderful last sentence, I think you look great!)
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August 3rd, 2011 on 9:30 am
You are very brave. Did you get stretch marks during puberty? I have some (now very light ones) on my sides and the sides of my hips from when I was a pre-teen. I had a friend who made it her entire pregnancy without getting a stretch mark and then BAM! 5 days before he was born, she got stretch marks. It’s sad/strange/funny/unfortunate that we take something so ubiquitous and label it ugly. xoxo
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August 3rd, 2011 on 10:22 am
Thanks for sharing! My tummy used to be my favorite part of my body and now I’m not sure if I’ll ever like it again. My sister and my mom give me hope though - their tummys look okay now…three and a ton of years later.
There is WAY more to life than my body, but my confidence is taking a huge hit with the weight and stretch marks and my frowning belly button and wrinkly boobs. Anyway - thanks for sharing, the more I know I’m not alone, the better I feel! You look FANTASTIC, by the way.
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August 3rd, 2011 on 10:27 am
I hope mine look that good at 15 months. I’m 7 months they still look worse then your one week.
It’s pregnancy that makes breasts saggier not breastfeeding.
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August 3rd, 2011 on 10:39 am
I’ve been wondering what they end up fading to. How do they feel to touch? I’m entering my third trimester, and that’s one of my biggest questions for afterward. Another: does the belly button go back to something similar to what it used to be, pre-pregnancy? I really liked mine! (Admittedly, I liked it better before it was sliced open and put back together during an appendectomy. This flat, nearly gone belly button? Not so much a fan.)
Thank you so much for sharing.
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August 3rd, 2011 on 11:29 am
Interestingly, I’ve been losing quite a bit of weight since baby no. 2 and I’ve been disappointed that my stretch marks are actually MORE obvious than there were before! On the belly I don’t care that much since after two c-sections I have no bikini plans in my future, but I’d prefer they be gone from my (shrinking) breasts and hips. Keep up the good work!!
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August 3rd, 2011 on 11:35 am
Does your stomach fold over and create a “pooch” when you stand up? MINE DOES!?!?! Ugh…I knew I would gain weight, have stretch marks, and that my body would change, but I never expected the “pooch” and I’ve heard it’s tough/impossible? to get rid of even if you lose lots of weight. I don’t regret everything I gave for my son, but I just don’t think I will ever feel sexy and beautiful this way.
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Tiffany Reply:
August 3rd, 2011 at 4:07 pm
totally have the pooch and I HATE IT! Yeah I don’t think mine is going anywhere either. and i have lost just over 30 lbs…it’s still there…and lopsided! HA (I think I may have some scar tissue built up on one side from my C Section with my first daughter)
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August 3rd, 2011 on 12:42 pm
Because of the candor of people like you, I’m not too freaked out about belly stretch marks. I have a few on my sides/hips so far - nothing major. But I’ve been astounded at the stretch marks on my boobs! I’m a total mess of angry red stretch marks on the ladies. Did this happen to you all? I’m not sure why I didn’t expect that. I’m so glad DH says it’s no big deal… they kind of freaked me out.
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August 3rd, 2011 on 1:00 pm
I’ve been overweight for a while due to a thyroid disorder and have stretch marks at 27. I’ve never had a child so I am so worried it will get even worse! My weight has gone up and down so many times it’s not even funny. I’m hoping that I look as good as you do after baby.
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August 3rd, 2011 on 1:23 pm
I’ll admit, it takes a lot of guts to show that online. That’s brave of you, Jenna! I was thinking about taking a picture of mine and putting it on my blog, but I don’t know that I am quite brave enough!
My stretch marks are WEIRD, though, and almost all of them are JUST on the left side of my stomach. But I have only gained 5 1/2 pounds during this pregnant (And I’m 36 weeks along, weird, right?) but I was overweight beforehand (180lbs, and I am only 5’4) but I definitely had stretch marks beforehand from being overweight, but it’s true, they’re NOTHING like pregnancy stretch marks!
You’re looking great, by the way.
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August 3rd, 2011 on 3:16 pm
I’ve already got stretch marks from being overweight (although they are mostly starting to go away). I would happily take stretch marks to be able to have a child though. I’m even down with having saggy everything with that kind of reward. It’s nice to hear from someone who actually appreciates the end results of pregnancy and doesn’t complain about them all the time. I wish other people had your outlook.
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August 3rd, 2011 on 3:46 pm
I just tried a 2 piece bathing suit on for the first time since before I was pregnant. I bought some shorts to cover most of it and will be rocking my bikini to the beach tomorrow, stretch marks and all. Also, I breastfed so my boobs are less than perky but my kid is sweet, cute and healthy so I guess it was work all the body image issues to get to this point.
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August 3rd, 2011 on 4:43 pm
I love that you shared this, Jenna! And this is a great example of how they really and truly do fade over time. I had angry red stretch marks all over my inner thighs/hips as a teen, and now they’re just silvery spiderwebs. A really excellent website where women share their post baby bodies is “The Shape of a Mother”. I love how it normalizes stretch marks, sagging skin, pooches, etc., so that women realize that it is *normal*, and that the celebrity “6 weeks after a baby I’m walking a cat walk” model is usually only experienced by a small percentage of normal women. Similar to how refreshing it is to see a photograph that isn’t airbrushed to death, it is refreshing to see real women’s bodies after pregnancy.
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August 3rd, 2011 on 4:58 pm
Jenna, I think I almost cried with gratitude when I read this post.
I’m serious - thank you. I’m currently pregnant with my first child, and as I near the end, I am seeing stretch marks sprout all over my body. It’s been tougher to deal with than I thought it would, (as grateful as I am for the pregnancy and the experience,) and I had so many fears about what I would look like, months down the line. I still wanted to feel good for me, to feel confident in my own body.
And this post just completely put my mind at rest. Thank you. I think you look absolutely fantastic, and your stretch marks have faded so much - your stomach looks flat and beautiful. I feel hopeful and inspired. So courageous of you, and so AWESOME of you - thanks for inspiring women everywhere to take care of themselves, but also, once they are doing everything right, to accept, love and be at peace with their bodies.
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August 3rd, 2011 on 6:40 pm
Wow — you can hardly tell. I wouldn’t even notice if I wasn’t looking at a before and after!
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August 3rd, 2011 on 7:23 pm
I’m right there with you - my stomach has a ton of stretch marks. I kind of expected it because my mother had them as well - I’m so happy to see how well they fade in time!
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August 4th, 2011 on 2:26 am
Nice waistline, Jenna! The stretchmarks have faded nicely, too. I’ve had stretchmarks since I was about 7. I had some major growth spurts around that age! Though I have to admit, a lot of the ones on my body right now are weight gain related. I’m 22 now and have them on my hips, bum, back, thighs, etc. It used to bug me, but I’ve learned to get over it. Like you said, “there is more to life than perky hips and a crag-free stomach”
I was watching a documentary yesterday, which made me realise once again how petty the problems of us Western women are. The documentary was about Noma, a skin-eating infection which primarily affects malnourished children under the age of six in Ethiopia and Nigeria. The infection can be cured with increased nutrition and antibiotics, it’s as simple as that. Unfortunately, a lot of people there have to walk about 4 days to reach a hospital, which is too late and results in faces like this: http://www.wix.com/squara/esbee3/-noma#!__-noma/albumphotos0=3 (WARNING! Graphic picture). Can you imagine? I mean, I’m about to book an appointment with a plastic surgeon because I don’t like a little beauty mark on my face. All this to say that I like your rational attitude about this and I wished more Western woman could realise the luxury position we are in.
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sofie Reply:
August 4th, 2011 at 2:27 am
* woman = women
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Jenna Reply:
August 8th, 2011 at 4:54 pm
That link didn’t work for me, but maybe I didn’t want it to? Sounds scary!
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August 4th, 2011 on 8:38 am
Physical proof of your love for your son! It reminds me of this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-S4ON6rWsM&playnext=1&list=PL769A6497CF7786F9
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August 4th, 2011 on 9:45 am
Thanks for sharing this! My first stretch marks have appeared in the last week. I’m bummed because there are in the area that I had a lot of weight to begin with (lower tummy), so I think they could have been avoided for awhile longer if I had been in better shape.
I’m ready to live with them, though I’m not happy about the breast stretch marks! I don’t know what I could have done about those…I’ve gone from a B to a D in the last 2 months and only gained 8-10 lbs total…
On the bright side, my husband doesn’t mind at all-he thinks they are interesting. I love him so much.
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August 4th, 2011 on 9:55 am
thanks for sharing, jenna! as a fellow stretch-marked mama, it’s nice to see i’m not alone. and you’re so right: there is SO MUCH more to life than stretch marks and i appreciate the hard work they represent.
xoxo
emily
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August 4th, 2011 on 12:49 pm
Hi Jenna! This is probably my first comment, although I love your blog! This is something I have always wondered about, both in terms of having a baby, and just losing weight in general. Firstly, thank you for sharing with us, and you are so brave to do so! Secondly, wow, you look great, and have made such amazing progress! I am on a weightloss journey myself, and saggy skin is definitely something I have wondered and worried about, and this definitely helps to ease my worries- Great work!
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August 7th, 2011 on 1:44 pm
Your last sentence sums it up nicely!
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August 7th, 2011 on 9:15 pm
I’m always really thankful for how real your posts are - I had my twin 5-yr old niece and nephew today and I just kept thinking “this is the life. I wish this were my life.”
And then I see posts like this that remind me of how everything in my life will change. It’s a good reality check, that just because I would have a baby doesn’t mean that every other change that will come will be greeted with joy.
But then I see the look on your face in that photo of you and T1 and I think, ohhhhhhh I want that…
Anyway. I feel like your running has really helped your waist get so defined, do you think so? Such a huge difference in fifteen months!
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August 8th, 2011 on 10:09 pm
Did you do something to make the stretch marks disappear or did they just go away (somewhat) on their own? I think your stomach looks great!
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August 11th, 2011 on 5:23 pm
LOVE this. I think it’s very refreshing for people to see that we all have imperfections but if you ask me those imperfections are what make us beautiful, interesting, tangible and capable to love.
I don’t think it matters what your belly looks like you radiate light regardless. I just wrote this post: http://carneys-whereeverydaysacircus.blogspot.com/2011/08/my-weight.html
because I think weight, size and everything can be so taboo. We should not be focused on what a scale tells us or whether we look like our friend we should be concerned with how we feel.
Thanks for sharing your light!
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October 6th, 2011 on 11:42 pm
You have an amazing body, im sixteen and i suffer from really bad stretch marks on my hips and so dose my sister. Unfortunately it runs in the family, my mum has stretch marks all over her stomach after having me and my sisters, but suffered when she was my age.
i believe that everyone is perfect, their body shape is what makes them unique and that as much as we want to hide them because we feel ashamed of them, we shouldnt, be proud to be you! Your a hot mummy
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