March 2015 Moms

Vanity and complaints: join me!

I don't like admitting this, but I'm actually a little bothered by the appearance of my super-stretched belly. This is my second child, and with my first I didn't even notice the tiny stretch marks around my belly button until after delivery (and they were really light). This time around, I'm a bit bigger, and have quite a few angry purple stretch marks on my stomach. (Not to mention the linea nigra and a bruised-looking smooshy belly button).
I am normally a gal who is not concerned about appearances (I don't get manicures or wax anything), but I can't shake this! Please don't beat me up--I've already made myself feel really dumb about caring about stupid stretch marks when I'm growing an amazing tiny human. I just want people to join my bitchfest and let me know I'm not alone.
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Re: Vanity and complaints: join me!

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  • Yes! Linea nigra and teenage acne. I definitely feel your pain.
  • YES @Ashlee692‌ husbands need to lay off the belly button!! Thanks for making me laugh. :smiley:

  • Totally feel your frustration! And also the vanity guilt that goes along with it:( Nice to know I'm not alone.
  • I feel like I look like my 15 year old self again. It has been years since I've had so much acne on my face, chest and back :neutral_face: it's driving me crazy--everyday there's new pimples that have popped up overnight.
  • I knew with this little girl I was going to be in for a long haul, but I didn't expect the amount of strech marks I already have. I've been using everything I can to keep them already bay, but to no avail. This is mine and my boyfriend's first child. My own mother jokes that Freddy Krueger got ahold of my breast. It makes it very hard to look in the mirror this last week of the pregnancy.
  • Yes!! I'm in my second Pregnancy too and the stretch marks this time are more obvious! The deep purple ones look awful! My belly also feels stretched to the max. I don't know how much more my belly will stretch! I came believe I still have a whole month to grow! Yikes!!
  • Worse acne than my teenage years and it's everywhere! Can't stand to look in the mirror and still have five weeks to go. It doesn't help that everything I read reminds me none of this will just go away. Instead of pregnancy glow, every annoying thing you have before pregnancy such as acne, heartburn, headaches, hemorrhoids, sinus problems etc get ten times worse
  • I surprisingly either have less or just less visible stress marks this second pregnancy ... But yes. I'm so not feeling sexy and I miss having my body to myself. My first pregnancy was unexpected and that pregnancy was the hardest. Not only did I have to give up my unmarked unstretched super toned body , I hadn't planned on doing so and wasn't ready for a baby. So I wasn't super excited.

    This time we planned on baby and tried for awhile. I'm super excited for baby so it's made its so much easier but the end is always the hardest. My husbands grandmother just last night (after I had a particularly hard evening because I felt like a freaking whale and so stretched tight) when we got home goes "oh my! You look like you're about to pop!" ... Thanks.... :/

    The end is always the hardest. That's when the stretch marks and everything get to its worse.

    But just be prepared that the "fourth trimester" is hard too. Your body turns to flubber and now you've got to start dropping that weight, sweating out that extra water, healing up those lady bits. It's all sorts of fun! Lol. BUT at least you know it's on it's way :)
  • Oh goodness. My legs, butts, and my chins have tripled in size. :( Luckily I don't have any stretch marks on my belly, but I do have them all over my breasts, hips, thighs, calves. I don't know if I'll ever get these extra pounds off after the baby comes. I have a hard enough time maintaining weight (I'd have a beer and wake up 5 lbs heavier) so losing it will be challenging. Lots and lots of walks with LO and hopefully breastfeeding will help me!
    Pregnancy Ticker
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    For SuzyQ and all the M15 losses


  • I agree it gets harder towards the end! And the first few weeks after delivery are crazy watching your body change! I remember with my first being more embarrassed that someone would see my flabby, stretch-marked stomach if I breastfed in public rather than worrying about flashing a boob! Fitted nursing tanks help with that ;)
    It's all worth it in the end!
    And breastfeeding definitely helped me drop the weight! I got down to my pre-wedding weight when my son was about 5-6 months old! And then I gained 10# back when he weaned at 1 year old! I hope to BF again this time and maybe not eat everything in site so the wt stays off ;)
  • I'm right there with ya! This is my first baby so everything is so new to me. I expected these changes but was doing well (no stretch marks on tummy) up until now (34 weeks) & it's like they all just popped out over night :( I was finally accepting my stretch marks elsewhere (boobs, butt, legs...) and my creepishly dark linea nigra along and stretched out belly button (which my fiancé says looks like a butthole lol) but I'm all sad about my new scars :( And I hate complaining bc I feel kinda vain too in the sense bc it will all be totally worth it once my baby boy arrives, but its totally normal to freak out over the numerous changes your body is going through.
  • Completely get what everyone is saying and am trying to be positive when I look in the meror but it's really had when everyone keeps saying wow your big! My bellybutton sticks out so fare this second pregnancy that it looks like a big nose. I try and wear tight tanks under everything to hold it in and it's getting so big now that that's not even really helping.
    I also don't know how much more I can stretch this belly. It's so tight and pretty hard when you touch it.
  • I totally relate too. I was looking at pictures of my pre pregnancy "skinny" self and feeling depressed a few days ago. As amazing as it is to be pregnant, it's still hard accepting a body that you don't recognize anymore. My hips, thighs and butt have gone become flabby and cellulite covered and it disgusts me! I just keep telling myself I will get my old body back eventually or close to it.
  • KD32412 said:

    The only thing that bothers me is my darkened underarms. WTF man?!?

    Same here seriously wtf????
    And around my neck too
    PLUS skin tags :
    :-q
  • @ju123 The skin tags! ugh! I hope they go away... mine aren't too noticeable, but I can tell they're there. Fingers crossed for the both of us! 
    Pregnancy Ticker
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    For SuzyQ and all the M15 losses


  • @ju123 The skin tags! ugh! I hope they go away... mine aren't too noticeable, but I can tell they're there. Fingers crossed for the both of us! 

    All over my neck and between boobs!!!
    I will hv to get them frozen after baby is out :(
  • ju123 said:

    @ju123 The skin tags! ugh! I hope they go away... mine aren't too noticeable, but I can tell they're there. Fingers crossed for the both of us! 

    All over my neck and between boobs!!!
    I will hv to get them frozen after baby is out :(


    Me too !!! One in my armpit !! Yuck !!
  • @ju123‌ @noodlienoodles‌ @Christina80xoxo‌ My skin tags never went away :scream: Husband says his dad will remove them for me later, so I'm trying not to let those little skin shitballs gross me out. I have them all over the place though: underarms, neck, crotch, cleavage, found one on my hip area! WTF!!
  • ju123ju123 member
    edited February 2015
    KD32412 said:

    @ju123‌ @noodlienoodles‌ @Christina80xoxo‌ My skin tags never went away :scream: Husband says his dad will remove them for me later, so I'm trying not to let those little skin shitballs gross me out. I have them all over the place though: underarms, neck, crotch, cleavage, found one on my hip area! WTF!!

    Holyyyyy!!
    It bothers me a lot :(
    I confess out of rage I ripped some off with my nails (not suggesting to anyone)
  • Oh my gosh! I have never heard of anyone getting skin tags during pregnancies before, but I have gotten so many the past couple weeks! And I rip them off when I see them as well lol I hate them so much! I would rather have stretch marks all over lol
  • I keep trying to take the out of my armpit, but I chicken out.
    I never knew this would happen either !
  • KD32412 said:
    @ju123‌ @noodlienoodles‌ @Christina80xoxo‌ My skin tags never went away :scream: Husband says his dad will remove them for me later, so I'm trying not to let those little skin shitballs gross me out. I have them all over the place though: underarms, neck, crotch, cleavage, found one on my hip area! WTF!!
    Never go away!? Noooooooooooooo! Haha. Pregnancy is SO GLAMOROUS. 
    Pregnancy Ticker
    image
    For SuzyQ and all the M15 losses


  • All of the changes that happen after having kids make me think of my younger years.
    I was so critical of myself .... If I knew then what I know now I would have flaunted it a lot more!
    I still have a vericose vein on my leg from my first. So ugly !!
  • All of the changes that happen after having kids make me think of my younger years.
    I was so critical of myself .... If I knew then what I know now I would have flaunted it a lot more!
    I still have a vericose vein on my leg from my first. So ugly !!

    I just told my friend this exactly same thing yesterday!!!
    I thought I was fat and ugly when I was 17, gosh I didn't know what I was saying lol
    I have double chins in every single picture X_X
  • @ju123‌
    I said some really dumb stuff when I was young
    Like telling my friends .... Omg... If I ever get THAT big just shoot me!
    Now I'm like PLEASE DONT SHOOT ME! Lol
  • @Christina80xoxo
    LMAO that's hilarious
    I used to say "pregnancy was not a disease" to pregnant women now I'm like "yeah it's not a disease because at least when you are sick you can take meds!"

    Regret it all now :-S
  • All this made me feel better. I have crazy stretch marks on my stomach. I've had stretch marks before but never these horrible purple ones that make my stomach look like it was attacked. I keep thinking...I'll lose the pregnancy weight and the extra weight before I got pregnant and then I can wear a bikini? Nope, probably not. I'm now convinced I will have a disgusting stomach no matter what and for the first time in my life I think I'd really consider cosmetic surgery if nothing else worked, and that thought makes me feel selfish and vain. I love this baby. But seriously pregnancy is not delightful or glamorous.
  • Yep and yep.. I'm right there with you ladies. I've put on so much more weight this pregnancy and I don't even recognize myself when I look in the mirror. People stare at me in public and I get asked at least twice a day if I'm having twins. When I tell them no they look away awkwardly and mutter something like "you're just so.....big". Thank you, random stranger.

    I went shopping last night and finally found some non maternity lounge pants that fit me and I almost wept with joy. Anything that fits over my butt these days is a miracle. I am so excited to not only meet this little boy of mine, but to actually get moving again. I plan on begging my mom to watch my kids for an hour every day so I can go trail running behind her house. Just to be able to walk without getting winded and tired sounds amazing.
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  • Skin tags.
    In the groin.
    Gross. So very gross.

    Also- random - but my naturally curly hair- no longer curly. Just lays there kind of limp and sad.

    This is first baby. Really hoping my curls come back.
  • All of the changes that happen after having kids make me think of my younger years.
    I was so critical of myself .... If I knew then what I know now I would have flaunted it a lot more!
    I still have a vericose vein on my leg from my first. So ugly !!

    I keep telling my husband if I ever look like I used to, we will be moving to a nudist colony;)
  • I don't really have stretch marks but I had my appendix out at 4 months & my belly button has liked different ever since. It's still all purple bruised in that area & it's popped out. This is my second pregnancy & with my first it stayed an innie & looked totally normal so kind of bummed & not sure what to expect after baby is out. My three year old days it looks gross & doesn't wanna see it!
  • OP, you are definitely not alone! My first pregnancy, I did not get any stretch marks on my tummy but did get a few tiny ones on my boobs when my milk came in over night!
    This pregnancy, however, I discovered a few pink/red stretch marks on my hips and under my belly button. It seemed so sudden to me and I felt very heart broken. Even though I am fully aware this is all normal, I just felt betrayed by my body since none of this happened the first time. I will be using Nerium AD and Nerium Firm skin products after birth to lesson the appearance of the marks and heal my skin but, MAN! What a let down! Lol. Then my husband asked me two days ago if this meant my tummy would be all wrinkly after birth! It was a very innocent question from him and he was genuinely curious and wanted to know, but I burst into tears. It seems silly now, but at the time I couldnt even process the question through all my emotions.

    TL;DR: I am fully with you!
  • I'm a first time mom and the stretch marks have been a little hard to get used to. When I saw my midwife and told her they finally showed up she told me to "wear your tiger stripes proud! You've earned them!" That actually made me feel a lot better. We've earned our stripes!
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