I'm a young mother of a 3 year old beautiful girl. Here I am almost 4 years later trying to cope with everything that pregnancy and child rearing has brought upon me.

All I want is someone to relate to for things like:

- Sagging breast from breast feeding they also stayed huge, which to some people is a good, but I've always HATED big boobs.
- Horrific stretch marks which is extremely difficult to deal with because all of my friends that have had kids either do not have stretch marks or at least do not have them anywhere near as bad as I do.
- My hair used to be incredibly thick, healthy, and beautiful. Now it's a third as thick of what it used to be.
- My cycle everytime it comes is extremely heavy to a point where I don't want to move because I feel like it's going to spill out on the floor. (I apologize for T.M.I.)

All I'm asking is for someone to message me and tell me that they feel the same way about themselves. These are those kinds of things that there isn't much to be done to change them unless I'm a millionaire. I can't make my stretch marks disappear with out perhaps laser surgery, I can't have my breast not be as saggy with out a boob lift because I already do chest exercises to pump them up as much as I can. Anyway you get the idea. My fellow mothers please speak out...let me know I'm not alone.

And if there's anyone out there who has had some type of successful remedy for any of these things that doesn't put a dent in the pocket please let me know. Anything helps. Thanks in advance.

Emland

Stretch marks are forever. I was a fat teenager, so I had mine before childbirth. They do fade over time. I've heard rubbing them with Vitamin E and/or mederma works, but the skin is damaged, not much really can be done.

Saggy boobs can be made better with good old fashioned push ups. It's not helping the boobs that much, but the pectorals underneath and gives the girls a bit of a lift.

I had my second child at 35 and I believe it threw me into peri-menapause early, so each period is a hormone roller coaster. I went back on the pill for a while after having her to help with the heavy periods, but discontinued because I didn't feel taking the hormones at my age now would be the best.

Have to talked to you GYN about your issues? He may have some ways to help.

faye_arv

I understand how you feel but believe me nothing is worth making you feel bad about yourself. After breastfeeding for 18 months I was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. It was part hereditary and part brought on by the hormone imbalance from pregnancy. I had a full mastectomy about 1 1/2 yrs. ago and chemo etc. etc. and I didn't complain one bit. You know why, because every time I feel sad, or pain, or like complaining I think of my son born 2004. I still feel beautiful even without breasts (or a uterus for that matter)! I feel beautiful because I know what I went through and that strength is what makes me beautiful! You have your wonderful family, your beauty is in your child's eyes! Let your inner beauty come out and you will certainly glow!!

eternity_22

hi there

you asked if things ever get back to normal after you give birth... the truth is.. i don't know. i hope so. see, i'm in the same boat as you as far as dealing with immense insecurity about the body changes postpartum.

i was actually doing "research" on fading stretch marks, etc. and came across your post. YOU have made me feel less alone. I recently gave birth to my daughter on Oct. 11th 2007. I have been left with stretch marks all across my butt, my upper thighs/ back of thighs, calf, breasts... my breasts are now puckered and saggy feeling and i can feel the indentation of the stretch marks. it is a true nightmare to look in the mirror. sometimes i feel like i'm trapped in my own body. i wonder how i will ever be able to get naked in front of my husband again. the truth is, i have been so humiliated about these changes in my body that i have not shown my husband the extent of everything...

i know i must sound so vain... i have so much to be thankful for.. and i think.. if i had the chance to change things... to have my daughter again.. knowing in advance that my body would change like this.. would i have done again. and the answer is absolutely. that is the only thing that gets me by. my body is just a shell of who i really am.

i hope you gain confidence in your beauty as a woman and mother.. you should check out this site.. www. theshapeofamother.com

this has made so many women in our position feel so less alone. you get to see real photos of postpartum women who share their feelings, etc.


take care!