To think pregnancy ruined your body?

As someone who’s not feeling great about their post partum body, baby is 7 months, this post has made me feel crap about myself.

I’ve got four and I’m still a size 10 and my boobs are still good so no it didn’t ruin my body!

Externally my body looks similar to before pregnancy, I bounced back according to any one that looked at me...
Internally I have birth injuries and things I'll deal with for life. Luckily all manageable currently, some after an op, but be careful how you judge others.

Pregnancy hates me though so I look like shit during that 😂

To those who are feeling rubbish after reading this post… it’s totally normal not to bounce back after pregnancy, your body goes through huge changes. And that’s ok. It’s not a failing on your part 💐

I have two and I had similar experiences to the OP each time. I was fit and stayed very fit and active, recovered really well, no stretch marks. Body unchanged. Oddly, both babies were an almost identical weight and my bumps were identical. I had very chill little babies though after and it was just all very pleasant.

I did not however feel sexy when pregnant, had loads of complications and bleeding and that was not fun.

Another one where it has made me feel a bit rubbish. I didn't bounce back after my 1st (was once told anyone who doesn't get back into shape after their 1st only have themselves and their laziness to blame - lovely!) and am currently pregnant again so now I'm worried reading how many people have said baby 2 was harder to get back from! 🙈

FWIW I felt amazing during my first pregnancy, adored my bump and had everyone telling me how well pregnancy "suited me". My body after pregnancy was a different ball game.........

I didn't put much weight on pregnant and probably lost body fat by eating well and being more active than normal however my body changed after I gave birth. I did no exercise for 6 weeks as I found the c section recovery quite tough and I piled weight on just from not moving and eating a little more - a snack in the night for example, not extreme. I'm carrying more weight on my thighs now which is harder to shift and my hips are wider so some of my pre pregnancy clothes don't look nice anymore. I wouldn't say my body is ruined but it has changed for the worse and I'm not sure I could have done anything differently.

I personally coped well at 26, and 29,:no stretch marks, tears, during birth, and lost every pound by 6 weeks, I’m sure youth helps, thought I had to gain 28lbs!
Madness, tho I craved an excess of veg with my first, less coffee and chocolate with my second..
At 62, about 8 lbs more than at 25, it can’t be all luck , genetics I think

My mum said she got her pre pregnancy body back after me, but didn’t after my brother. She still has a good figure though.
I only have one child and it’s made my belly worse and my pelvic floor is now very weak. I had bad gums too, but I think pregnancy made them worse too (although I imagine not being able to go to the dentist while pregnant because of Covid was a contributing factor). Using the toilet was also painful for about a year after the birth.

I must admit that I’m the same. My body is the same as it was before apart from my scar, no stretch marks or anything and the weight just dropped off. I similarly was convinced my body would be destroyed. Having said that, I did suffer from horrendous nerve damage pain.

However, i do plan on having a second in a few years, and I don’t think it will be the same then - from what I’ve heard the trick is to only have one!

I think with the number and variety of quite debilitating and permanent birth injuries that many women face, the way our bellies look is the least of our concerns when it comes to 'bouncing back' after pregnancy.

I had severe morning sickness, was hospitalised, passed out in public several times and couldn’t start gaining any weight until over 25 weeks … but I need to speak more positively about that?

Maybe I was lucky but no one told me I’d look awful after pregnancy, or that it would ruin my body. Or maybe they did and I just didn’t pay any attention, I don’t know. It wasn’t an issue I experienced anyway.

I'm 39, had my first (and only) baby six months ago. I was very healthy during pregnancy and did lots of walking, didn't put on a lot of extra weight.

The birth went well, no tearing or anything problematic (thank goodness).

Other than no stretch marks, my body has completely changed. One massive boob, one little one, both saggy. A huge gut that makes me still look pregnant, that I can't shift. My hips are wider. I have a hip and shoulder injury from carrying the baby making exercise harder to do.

To be honest I'm gutted. My whole wardrobe size 8 clothes, but now I'm in size 14 and struggling to loose a single lb.

Wait, so your baby is 10 and a decade on you’re still obsessing about this?

I had an elective c section and no pain, no issues and a few weeks later I was back in my normal jeans. 10 days post partum I got many comments that I couldn’t have just had a baby.

I do agree that we need to talk about it all more positively - I was terrified about terrible morning sickness (which never came!)

Ditto! I make a specific point now to say positive things to pregnant people. I felt so awful and upset every time someone told me their birthing horror story or how fat they got or their hair fell out. It was quite spiteful! I don't want to make someone feel that way.

I have 2 and my body looks the same as pre pregnancy (no stretch marks and flatish stomach). I think a lot of it is luck/genetics. Not having a c-section helped I'm sure. Plus I go to the gym regularly (before and after).

I looked awful during both pregnancies though (and wasn't healthy at all!)