Post pregnancy Pooch :, (

Okay I just had my first son July 27 2007 and I lost almost all of the weight after about 4 mos. Pre-pregnancy I was 155,  4 mos after I was 163. Well I was between birth controls and I am pregnant again, I am thrilled, so no mean posts!! Anyway, I didn't even have enough time to find out how well the stretch marks would fade and if the "flap" would go away or if my breasts would ever look anywhere near normal again and even though I am pregnant again my appearance is starting to take a toll on my marriage. I am only 20 I will be 21 by the time I have this baby so I am confident that I will have the energy to take care of my two children, work full time as a military mom, and lose the weight but if my skin continues to sag off of me the way it did last time I am not sure I will have the energy to look at myself in the mirror anymore and that is how it all started last time. I saw the purple marks and the saggy skin and I felt like my breast were touching my bellybutton (I call them my utters cause when I bend over that is exactly what they look like) and I started to get depressed fast and I stopped letting my husband touch me or see me without being completely clothed. I had a very hard time with intercourse, the lights had to be off, I had to have a shirt on and we had to be under covers (obviously it happened though because I am pregnant again). (don't get me wrong my hubby loves me the way I am and is very supportive of my weight loss goals and our two children)

I guess what I am trying ask is, does the skin ever get any tighter or will have to go under the knife to be able to look at myself again?

P.S. Sorry the post is so long and slighlty graphic, this is something that has bothered me since I started getting the stretch marks.

If you have time to heal you'll be fine.

Aw hun I hear ya... I was the same after having my daughter (who's now 9) and I still have a bit of a 'tummy' now... I got stretch marks really bad, and my belly looks like the surface of Europa lol, lucky for me my bf loves ice hehe. I've lost a heap of weight since, and I toned up my tummy and it seems to have filled out a bit. I certainly feel better about it.

What really helped though was talking about it with my bf (the first few times we were couply together I had to be in a skirt, fully dressed, then it was a long tshirt, now its baby doll nighties which cover, and yet are really pretty. We've been together a year and a half now and I'm still like 'how can you love me like this, how can you kiss my belly and perve at me when I look so horrible?' his answer: because it's a part of you. Bless him. I tend not to believe him, but it certainly helped me to feel more comfortable in my skin. I just keep thinking how good I'm looking/feeling in the clothes I want. Self acceptance is a wonderful thing.

Another thing that helped me to laugh about it was when my daughter was about five, she said I looked like a zebra lol and she's proudly anounced to bf that I have marks all over my tummy because I had her. She's a real sweetheart.

Enjoy your kids... they grow up so fast! and be proud of who you are

 

Don't feel so negative about your body - your body definitely will recover when it has time - my son is two and I've lost a lot of weight since he was born - and the only thing still going on is my lower ab skin is not as tight as it used to be - it partly depends on your genes also, so how your mom's body bounced back might give you some idea - but look at TV - look at women who are fit who have had multiple children - and many of them look like they never had a baby - talk with your boyfriend!!!

Wow, yeah I hear ya! I was wondering the same thing. I had my daughter August 28, 2007 and my belly has so many streach marks it looks like a road map! I've got the belly sag too. I'm only 25 but I am disabled so it's been a real nightmare trying to loose the baby weight. I guess with time it'll get better, but I mostly wanted to let you know you're not alone on this one. And a very big CONGRATS on the second baby!

Thanks to everyone for your posts, the further I get into this pregnancy the more I don't mind the little things about my body. I am starting to look more pregnant so the skin is filling out again for now. I have already started to eat much healthier and (with doctor's okay) I have started working out again and I feel amazing. The stretch marks on my legs are getting lighter so that keeps me hopeful for my tummy. BTW- my mom's body looks amazing you can't even tell she had kids, however, I've inherited most everything from my dad so I wouldn't be surprised if I have to look at my aunts for an idea of how my body will handle all of this. Eitherway just trying to get across that I appreciate the posts and I am feeling better.