To think pregnancy ruined your body?

[Poppins21]

I am on a few other topics at the moment and there seems to be a sentiment that pregnancy ruins your body- especially if you a geriatric mum.

i had my daughter late, i was 38. I loved being pregnant I felt very sexy and my poor husband was the knackered one during those 9 months. I have never looked better than when pregnant.

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 swam regularly when I was pregnant as the water felt good supporting my belly and I ate super healthy.

So I came through the other side fitter, healthier and with bigger boobs and I do not feel that pregnancy, birth and motherhood ruined my body, my life or my energy.

I understand this is not the case for everyone but be nice to hear some pregnancy positivity. Or maybe I am just a smug delusional so and so 😂

So am I being unreasonable to celebrate what pregnancy can do for you? When I told people I was pregnant I would have to hear so many horror stories about incontinence and stretch marks.

It was more random strangers making comments rather than friends or family.

I think there is a big genetic element to this. My mum, sister and I all toned back up again and dropped back to our pre-pregnancy weights
with relative ease.

but if someone says they are pregnant do you tell them about your morning sickness unprompted?

I only had one...don't know if that makes a difference. 10 years on now.

I'm still the same dress size. Hips slightly wider but in a good way. Without clothes on the bit under my tummy is slightly less toned but not that noticeable to anyone but me. My bits seem OK! No stretch marks. My friends are mostly the same.

In my 40s now and have put a little bit of weight on...I assume due to age...but am probably happier with my body than I've ever been...boobs also a bit bigger. Makes up for all the teen years when I hated my skinny body! I'm probably average on diet and exercise but am fitter now than pre-pregnancy. I didn't 'eat for two' because I didn't have the urge to.

I think it's mostly luck/genetics. I found the first few months after birth incredibly tough from a sleep deprivation perspective and there's no way I would have spent any time trying to get in shape at that point had I not returned to 'normal'.

From a distance you wouldn't see a difference as my belly is flat but close up if I push my belly skin inwards you can see it has been over stretched.

I don't really care. I had twins so got very stretched! That's life!

After my first baby my belly was back to normal after 2 weeks.

@Poppins21 I'm thinking you've only had 1 baby?!?!?

I agree with others that after one I was back almost to usual size within a few weeks. Second pregnancy was twins and that has indeed ruined me!

I loved being pregnant both times and was so confident in my body. After my first pregnancy I bounced back, but after my second it’s all gone to shit 😂 3 years of broken sleep (6-10 wake ups virtually every single night), poor diet choices that come with relentless sleep deprivation, no energy to exercise, saggy boobs from breastfeeding and my body is unrecognisable and I’ve honestly never hated it more. I’m glad that’s not the case for everyone though because it’s a bit shit!
oh yeah and my pelvic floor is not great 😅

I was ok after my first pregnancy. Twins did me in, stress incontinence, ebf twins and my boobs haven’t recovered. I got divorced after they were born so was really unsupported and propped myself up (like many mums) with sugar and caffiene. Result is I’m a bit overweight with slightly saggy boobs and I pee myself, just a little, when I sneeze. I don’t think I’m very uncommon.

It’s lovely that you’ve bounced back. I think the more times you are pregnant the higher the likelihood is that you won’t bounce back. I do think money/ support is important here too. If you were to have another child who is watching the first while you swim/ exercise etc.

You have the three ticks though

1. easy pregnancy
2. uncomplicated birth
3. one child

Course it was bloody easy and you bounced back 😂

Stretch marks are often hormonal, hence why teenagers often get them. Older mums are less likely to get them due to less collagen or something.

With dc1 I got a few on my bikini line in the first trimester despite no bump, didn’t get anymore.

Thanks. I have not judged anyone nor say anything to anyone pregnant nor anyone struggling to lose post pregnancy weight.

I was lucky with pregnancy and birth - you just never really hear those stories.

I was 41, no stretch marks, vaginal birth with no damage, breastfed for 26 months. Bigger boobs afterwards but otherwise looked just the same.

My body wasn’t ruined by pregnancy- but the menopause has fucked it!

The one I didn’t want was for my feet to grow. I can disguise my stomach but the thought of losing my shoe collection 😱. Thankfully I’m the same shoe size.

I was the same after my 1st despite an emergency section.
Then u had my 2nd by elective and nope, ruined me. Something happens when you have a 2nd or 3rd I think. My friends all say the same.
My muscles never went back despite all the exercise weight is harder to shift. The tired face never goes away.

I never said it was a failing, in my opening post I said I was aware this was not everyone experience.

i was just thinking it might be nice to have heard positive stories when pregnant. Many of the stories are more related to poor maternity services rather than pregnancy itself.

And I got some not nice comments when my daughter was newborn as I had “bounced back.”

Yes just 1 baby

You were unlucky, and it must have horrible , I never had any morning sickness, just uncomfortable toward the end.
Expectations are dangerous things at times, your experience is just that

Yes I think this might be the secret. I did stop at 1 😀

I was gutted when my feet grew a size in pregnancy. Oddly enough nearly ten years later I’ve lost a stone and dropped a stone and my feet have dropped a size. I think the bones spread out more when you are heavier.

So if you do find your shoes don’t fit keep them till you are your pre-pregnancy weight. Hopefully you get there sooner than I did.

I was worried about that one too.

Sorry you’re getting a bit of a hard time OP. MN hates to hear something went well for someone and does not want to hear positive story’s 😂

Well I was certainly older at 38.

I think it’s because when so many people struggle, “positive” stories do come across as smug - even if that’s not the intent. I had an easy pregnancy and birth (horrendous morning sickness but everything else ok) - if someone asks I’ll tell them, but I wouldn’t volunteer it in a group setting because not everyone’s had that experience. One friend almost died in pregnancy and one during birth, me piping up with how easy it was is insensitive. You wouldn’t bang on about how you’re not worried about rising bills because you’ve got lots of money in a conversation about the cost of living, and I think the principle is the same - when so many people struggle, in the wrong setting a positive story can come across really badly.

Thanks. I am happy to hear other opinions though. I am answering as many as I can so I have not just posted and run.

True, our bodies peak ideal for pregnancy is not always ideal mentally.