I got my first round of stretchies in the later part of my second trimester with my son. With baby #2 due in the next month, the marks are overlapping. There’s no way of knowing which child they belong to. I’ve tried everything and taken everyone’s advice to try to make them disappear. From creams to oils to laying in a tanning bed with red lights … nothing has worked.
My husband and I were very married when I felt I could expose my stomach around him. It was something he never made me feel insecure about; it was definitely all in my head. I was never apprehensive about my body until motherhood. It took years, but I finally came to terms with it.
I remember one of the first showers I took after having my twins. I recall looking at my stomach that was round and full of life just days before, and it was … empty. I looked exactly the same as I did before, with no sign that two babies called it home. No scars, no loose skin, and no stretch marks. There was no physical evidence that I was a mommy, even though I had babies you couldn’t see. That was heartbreaking in itself.
But around a month ago, my epiphany happened. I had the same moment, post shower, looking at my road map of a tummy. The same belly that felt hollow so many times was full of life! And I had evidence of it! I actually had the conversation to myself “do you remember when you cried and prayed to get to the point you are now? And you’re worried about your stomach?” I hate that it took me so long to get to that point where I recognize it, but I do now.
After I have this baby and (eventually) lose this baby weight, I’ll have extra skin again. Which will only enhance my lines of love. It’s so frustrating that we as women would ever feel ashamed or embarrassed about the process our bodies go through to bring life into the world.
